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Abandon Policies that Reject Construction Workers Says Industry Group

Abandon Policies that Reject Construction Workers Says Industry Group

June 29, 2022
Government policies mandating labor agreements on federal construction projects will cause more labor shortages and increase costs, says Associated Builders and Contractors.

In a statement released on June 17, the Associated Builders and Contractors reacted to the administration’s Talent Pipeline Challenge initiative. They noted that exclusionary and anti-competitive measures will exacerbate the skilled labor shortage.

“For decades, ABC has offered solutions to address the construction industry’s skilled labor shortage, which is 650,000 workers this year, so ABC appreciates the Biden administration recognizing this shortage will make it difficult to deliver the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other taxpayer investments in America’s infrastructure in an efficient and economical manner,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs.

“Unfortunately, the Biden administration’s policies, such as those promoting government-mandated project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted construction projects, will further exacerbate the skilled labor shortage and increase costs because they are designed to exclude 87% of the construction workforce and qualified businesses who have chosen not to affiliate with labor unions from rebuilding America.

“ABC calls on the Biden administration to abandon its exclusionary policies that discourage competition from quality merit shop firms and employees who build the people who build America, safely, on time, on budget and enjoy good paying wages and benefits. Instead, this administration must create policies that create opportunities for all of the 7.7 million people in the construction industry and help deliver the best product at the best price for the American people.”

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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