The history of the consulting constructor and their impact on this country and around world stands as a testament to the valued and unparalleled expertise which individuals have brought to the construction community. The purpose of the Council is to recognize those in our industry who have made significant contributions to the quality and professionalism associated with commercial construction professionals.
Many in the industry have risen to prominence from small companies, while still others made their way in some of this country’s largest construction businesses. Yet today, and despite their chosen paths, each maintains an emphasis on quality of deliverables and a desirable, mutually beneficial relationships with customers and clients for a job well done.
Rising construction materials prices appear to be starting to drive up the price of construction projects, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials noted that despite a big jump in what contractors charge for projects, the rise in materials prices is still much higher.
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of the Bipartisan Infrastructure measure:
The construction industry added 44,000 jobs between September and October as nonresidential construction firms posted back-to-back increases for the first time since January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said the employment gains were welcome news but cautioned that employment levels remain well-below pre-pandemic totals as firms struggle with supply chain problems, labor shortages and federal inaction on infrastructure funding.
The U.S. House of Representatives again failed to pass the AGC-supported $1.2T bipartisan (physical) infrastructure bill—formally called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (click HERE for a construction industry overview and HERE for a “Myth vs. Fact” analysis of the bill)—as the federal-aid highway and transit construction programs were set to expire on Oct. 31. As a result, Congress passed an AGC-backed extension of the highway and transit programs until December 3.
Congressional Democrats continue to take things out and put new things into their AGC-opposed human infrastructure bill—formally titled the Build Back Better Act. But one thing remains consistent: labor provisions impacting the construction industry remain at the forefront of their agenda. The latest iteration of the bill includes numerous pro-unionizing provisions and preferences to unions through new labor enforcement and penalties.
On November 4, the White House announced that the deadline for direct federal contractors to have their employees fully vaccinated under the federal contractor vaccine mandate will be same as the new OSHA ETS: January 4, 2022. Previously, the deadline for direct federal contractors was December 8, 2021. It is important to note that federal contractors will still see the contract clause mandating vaccination in federal solicitations, new contracts, etc., as none of the other dates relevant to federal contractors have changed. As of Nov. 4, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force website has not been updated to reflect the extended deadline. However, AGC expects it to be updated to reflect this announcement from the White House.
On Nov. 4, OSHA released its new COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). The OSHA ETS will require employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested for infection on at least a weekly basis. CLICK HERE to register for the AGC of America WebEd Series (at no cost to AGC members) entitled: “Preparing for the OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine/Testing Mandate” held Nov. 8 through Nov. 11. For more information, click “Learn More.”
On Nov. 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its long anticipated COVID-19 vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard (ETS). As anticipated, the ETS requires all employers with 100 or more employees to either mandate vaccinations, or encourage vaccination or weekly testing of all employees. Those who remain unvaccinated must also wear a face covering at work. AGC will provide comments to this measure designed to fix its many flaws and continue to explore all other possible options to protect the construction industry from the many risks created by this measure. For AGC’s complete statement on the ETS release, click here.