AGC CEO Steve Sandherr met with officials from the Obama Administration's Office of Management and Budget, Department of Labor, Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Vice President's staff last week to discuss AGC's position on the Government Mandated Labor Agreements (GMLAs). 

Earlier in the year, the President issued an executive order encouraging agency heads to consider mandating labor agreements on construction projects costing more than $25 million.  During the lengthy meeting, Steve explained the impact of mandated labor agreements on both union and open shop employers.  For example, he noted that while AGC is neutral on project labor agreements when they are voluntarily adopted by a project's owner, he noted that even union shop contractors have their existing labor arrangements undermined when the government imposes GMLAs. 

The meeting gave AGC an opportunity to explain to senior Administration officials the practical, and negative, effect of mandated labor agreements.  For example, the Administration now understands the problems of having contracting officers with little construction expertise negotiate GMLA's, and they are now checking to see if previous mandated labor agreements have actually resulted in increased efficiencies and economies.  AGC will continue to press this issue with all federal agencies that perform construction work.  A copy of the fact sheet that was presented by AGC is available here.

For more information on GMLAs, contact Denise Gold at (703) 837-5326 or goldd@agc.org.

The 10th annual Work Zone Awareness Week began this week, and includes events around the country to raise awareness of the importance of highway work zone safety.  An event outside Washington, D.C., featured a tour of an AGC member project site led by Michael Hart, Cianbro Construction Corp.

Local media attended the event and captured AGC's call to reduce the number of highway work zone fatalities by fifty percent within the next two years.  On average, 1,000 people are killed each year in highway work zones, and AGC's CEO Steve Sandherr noted that it should not cost a life to rebuild a road or repair a bridge.

AGC of South Dakota raised awareness by announcing that sixteen people have been killed in the state due to work zone accidents in the last five years.  AGC of SD's executive vice president Toby Crow echoed AGC's call to cut highway work zone fatalities in half in the next two years.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

The debate on card check has heated up and changed direction. On Monday, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) announced her opposition to the Card Check bill and said she would vote against even considering the bill in the Senate.  Lincoln joined Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) in opposition to the legislation, and coupled with Sen. Arlen Specter's (R-Penn.) announcement last week that he will not support Card Check, proponents of the bill are 4 votes shy of what they need to advance it in the Senate.   Some union Card Check supporters acknowledge their setbacks and are now talking about considering "significant labor law reforms." Card Check supporters in Congress continue to push the bill and have yet to consider any other option.

AGC remains fully opposed to Card Check and considers work towards a compromise as a "Trojan horse" that would likely be used to advance the full Card Check bill during Senate consideration.  Also, the business community remains united in opposition to the legislation.

To join AGC in opposition to Card Check, visit the Legislative Action Center to send a letter to your representatives.

AGC member Don Weaver (Weaver Bailey Contractors, El Paso, Arkansas) testified last week before the U.S. House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming regarding green construction practices in the construction industry. Weaver called for new federal incentives to encourage recycling of construction materials and purchase of more efficient construction equipment. He also stated that tax credits and incentives would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost economic activity, cut waste and lower construction costs.

Noting that construction equipment accounts for only 0.86 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions according to the EPA, Weaver, pictured with pictured with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), said that the construction industry has a long history of developing techniques and practices that enhance the environment.  He also noted that the federal government can assist in these practices by offering appropriate incentives.

AGC supports the creation of a federal investment tax credit for contractors to replace their existing diesel powered equipment, including front loaders and on-site generators.  Such an incentive would cut diesel fuel consumption and reduce emissions of diesel particulates and black carbon.  AGC also encourages federal and state agencies that commission construction projects to use local materials to save fuel and reduce emissions.

To view a copy of Don Weaver's full testimony, please visit www.agc.org/advocacy/environment.

Amy Hall (Ebony Construction in Sylvania, Ohio) testified last week on the need for clarity in implementing regulations and the work AGC has done to develop industry standard guidance documents over the last three years.  The hearing was held in conjunction with the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's reauthorization of highway, transit and aviation programs.

Hall participated in a highway and transportation division taskforce that developed a guidance document on which AGC is seeking federal and state input and approval. AGC also recommended continued dialogue with the agency and interested parties on critical issues impacting the program. The hearing featured testimony from AGC members Katherine Cloonen (JK Steel Erectors in Bonfield, Ill.) and Anthony Thompson (Kwame Building Group in St. Louis, Mo.).

On March 24, Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced that he would not support EFCA, otherwise known as card check, when it is taken up in the Senate.  This is notable, as Senator Specter was the lone Senate Republican to vote for the bill last Congress.  Supporters of EFCA were counting on Senator Specter to vote in favor of the measure again this year as they needed at least one Republican to defeat a filibuster.  

Senator Specter said he believes that changes need to be made to the labor law and he wants to develop legislation to address some of his concerns.  The Senator also expressed that he could reconsider his stance on EFCA should the economy improve or if changes were not made to the National Labor Relations Act.

In addition, recent news reports covered a proposal developed by the CEOs of Starbucks, Costco and Whole Foods, referred to as the "Starbucks proposal."   These companies oppose card check and are also big supporters of Democrats in Congress.  The three companies have developed what they consider to be a third option, although it was criticized by both card check supporters and opponents.  No trade associations (including AGC) have come out in support of the principles. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that the proposal has "unified both labor and management in opposition."  On the Democratic side, Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and House Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) said in a joint statement that the "proposal is unacceptable.  It is nothing more than a classic Washington lobbying campaign intended to confuse the issues and disguise the real agenda of maintaining the status quo."

The real threat with either the "Starbucks proposal" or efforts by Senator Specter is not that they will become law but that it could be used as a "trojan horse" to obtain the 60 votes necessary to end a filibuster in the Senate.  Passage of the "compromise" in the Senate after a filibuster has been stopped would lead to a House-Senate conference with, presumably, the House-passed original card check bill.  The likely product of the conference would be the House-passed bill.  Thus, the "compromise" language would be ignored in order to pass the original card check bill.  AGC is making the case that there is no acceptable compromise on this issue.

For more information, contact Kelly Knott at (202) 547-4685 or knottk@agc.org.

AGC CEO Steve Sandherr, Dave Ivis, executive vice president of GE Johnson, and Kevin Fone, project superintendent, pose for a Denver Post photographer.

AGC hosted an event in Denver this week and detailed how the proposed "Card Check" legislation currently being debated in Washington poses real risks for the nation's union construction workers.

AGC CEO Steve Sandherr explained how provisions in the bill, known as the Employee Free Choice Act, required federal arbitrators to settle all but the briefest of contract negotiations. Having Washington-appointed officials set final contract terms for individual companies would make it harder to maintain collective bargaining, which is a central benefit of unionized construction, he said.

Sandherr spoke at a union construction site for a new hospital outside of Denver. Read coverage from The Denver Post and Denver Business Journal.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

Stephen P. Gennett, president and CEO of the Carolinas chapter, listens while Otis Crowder, CEO of Crowder Construction, addresses the media.

AGC of America and Carolinas AGC hosted two events in Greensboro and Charlotte, N.C., to explain how the proposed "Card Check" bill would take away a worker's right to a private vote and cause negative repercussions for union contractors as well.

Both events were widely covered by the local media, including local NBC, ABC and CBS affiliates, the Charlotte Observer and NPR. View the coverage from WFMY and News 14, or listen to Charlotte NPR.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

AGC today issued a statement on proposed card check legislation that would deprive America's workers of a free, fair and private vote. View the statement here.

The bipartisan National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission released its final report February 26, unanimously recommending the ten-year phase-out of federal motor fuel taxes to be replaced by a distance fee based on "vehicle miles traveled" (VMT). To fund transportation needs while this transition is underway, the finance commission also recommends increases of 10 centers per gallon in the federal gasoline tax and 15 cents per gallon in the diesel tax, combined with new public-private revenue streams, expanded tolling and congestion pricing.

The finance commission is the second of two commissions established in SAFETEA-LU to make recommendations about the future direction of the federal surface transportation programs and how they should be funded. The finance commission evaluated a wide range of financing options and concluded that the fuel-based user fee system is no longer a viable way to pay for transportation improvements and recommended the gradual transition to a distance-based user fee system.

For more information, contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.