AGC of America will hold the next Union Contactors Forum quarterly meeting on December 13, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. ET. All interested AGC members and chapter staff are invited. The meeting is not open to nonmembers. The agenda will include updates from AGC staff and an open discussion of labor relations matters.
AGC recently submitted comments on the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) notice of proposed rulemaking on how to satisfy the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements (PWA) for enhanced tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This was the second round of guidance and request for input. Treasury and the IRS previously provided guidance on the PWA requirements in 2022, to which AGC submitted extensive feedback.
On November 7, AGC weighed in against a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed rule to increase the threshold for coverage of overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act by nearly 70 percent, from $35,568 to $60,209, for a litany of reasons. As both the association and its coalition partners explain, the proposal would be too much for employers (especially small business construction companies) to absorb at one time and would, accordingly, threaten employees’ future.
Help Us Generate a Comprehensive Outlook for 2024 by Taking the Survey Each year around this time, AGC asks you – our members – to predict what next year will be like for your business. AGC has partnered with Sage to prepare questions that focus on expectations for market performance, hiring, labor market conditions, etc. Please take a moment to complete the survey here. AGC of America will use the survey results to help make the case with elected and appointed officials in support of key member priorities. The more people who complete the survey by Thursday, December 7, the more effective the results will be in supporting our work on your behalf.
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) has issued its long-anticipated final rule addressing the Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). The final rule rescinds the more narrowly tailored standard adopted by the last Board in a 2020 final rule and reinstitutes a broader standard similar to the one established by the prior Board in its ill-fated 2015 Browning-Ferris Industries decision. The standard is significant, as companies that are joint employers may be held jointly responsible for any unfair labor practices and collective bargaining obligations related to jointly employed workers.
November 6-8 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta
According to the latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ) published by PAS, Inc., Open Shop contractors anticipate skilled craft hourly wage increases of 4.45% in 2023 (4.30% excluding zeros). Actual increases for 2022 were 5.02% (including zeros) and 5.10% (excluding zeros). These increases are across the board for all craft, contractor types, sizes, and regions of the country. WorldatWork reports 2023 actual construction increases at 4.4%. Historically, projected numbers are slightly lower than the actual year end figure.