The Blog

The construction industry had 363,000 job openings on the last day of July, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings decreased by 23,000 from June but are up by 10,000 from the same time last year.

Associated Builders and Contractors issued the following statement opposing the U.S. Department of Labor‘s proposed rulemaking that would alter overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The proposal increases the minimum salary level threshold to $55,068 annually for a full-year worker and automatically updates the threshold every three years.

Associated Builders and Contractors has announced its opposition to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announcement of a proposed rule, Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process. The proposed rule would allow an employee to choose a third-party representative, such as an outside union representative, to accompany an OSHA inspector into nonunion facilities.

On June 21, 2023, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued its decision in Adams v. Schneider Electric USA, Inc., addressing the so-called “Cat’s Paw” theory of liability. In reversing summary judgment originally granted in favor of the employer Schneider Electric, the SJC concluded that an employer can still violate the Massachusetts anti-discrimination statute, G.L. c. 151B, where there is evidence that a manager, instructed to lay off employees, furthered a discriminatory corporate policy without even knowing it. The concept, adopted by the SJC, is often referred to as the “cat’s paw” theory of discrimination.

Construction input prices were unchanged in July relative to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices fell 0.1% for the month.

Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 9.3 months in July, according to an ABC member survey conducted July 20 to Aug. 4. The reading is up by 0.6 months since July 2022.

Summers are short in New England. With this one beginning to wind down, ABC MA is offering some things that members can look forward to this Fall.

On July 13, the U.S Department of Labor launched its “High Road to the Middle Class” map, highlighting existing workforce development programs that meet certain criteria to be designated by the DOL as “high road training programs.”

WASHINGTON, July 12—Associated Builders and Contractors applauds the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s passage of the Fair and Open Competition Act, H.R. 1209. FOCA would protect federal and federally assisted construction contracts from anti-competitive and inflationary government-mandated project labor agreements and allow merit shop contractors and their skilled employees to have a fair chance at competing to win government contracts to build taxpayer-funded construction projects.

In accordance with our long-time strategic plan, ABC MA has launched Building Mass Careers (BMC), a 501(c)3 charitable organization, to formalize our workforce development program and help provide member companies with the qualified workers we all so desperately need.