Union contractors meet with basic trade leaders for strategic planning session

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) representing Union Contractors recently held a Trades Forum meeting in Washington, AGC members and their staff from across the country attended the meeting provided an opportunity for union contractors to voice their concerns to leaders of the national unions and the Association. 

Labor leaders decried lost man-hours and jobs over the past two years and mentioned some of their efforts to manage the crisis. They also discussed efforts to raise capital for both public and private construction and to be even more politically active.  

Items discussed included joint efforts with contractors to market the value of union construction in terms of productivity and training, as well as outreach to non-signatory contractors seeking to overcome anti-union prejudices. Initiatives to boost training including a significant increase in journeyman upgrading, development of a new, state-of-the-art training center and added focus on training craft workers to keep up with changing technology and materials.

The meeting also included discussion of cost-competitiveness, jurisdictional disputes and other inter-union strife, and workforce development. Read More 

We believe AGC Members have a long road ahead of them given the fact that the wages that their members are forced to pay their union employees are as high as 50% higher than Merit Shop Contractors who already pay their employees well. That in itself inhibits union contractors from being competitive, add to that the lavish benefit packages they have signed on to give their union employees and it is no wonder they find it difficult to compete in the free market private sector.

Their inability to compete on a level playing field has in fact been negotiated and agreed to by their own members. Their own self destructive contracts are the primary reason why they are forced to spend hundreds of millions on political advocacy to get any substantial work in this economy at all. 

Meanwhile the Republican controlled House has passed at least 17 Jobs bills that can help AGC members and their union employees. However, those measures sit languishing in the Senate on Harry Reids (D) desk who has no intention of considering any of them. 

Perhaps on this election day they should take a good look in the mirror to see where the blame for their troubles really lie.....Or, they can maintain their anguish by going to the Polls and voting for every Democrat on the ballot. 

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House Vote To Restrict NLRB Scheduled Today

"I'm mad as hell," South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters on Capital Hill on Wednesday.

A day ahead of a House vote on a bill stopping the National Labor Relations Board from blocking Boeing's plan to open a new production facility in South Carolina, a group of Republican senators blasted the NLRB for being a rogue agency.

"This is a frivolous complaint beyond imagination,” Graham said. “This is using the law for political purposes, and I really do resent that the idea that we are not going to fight back. Sen. Reid, help us out here."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has given no indication he intends to take up a companion bill in the Senate.  Read More

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3 Ways Obamacare Will Adversely Affect Consumers in 2011

Repeal of ObamaCare can't come soon enough, as several damaging provisions are set to take effect this year. For starters, it has effectively stopped the construction of physician-owned hospitals (Such as Surgical Centers) throughout the country.

Construction halted at 45 hospitals as the New Year arrived. Work on countless others will never start, having been effectively banned by ObamaCare. This will limit competition in the health-care marketplace, driving up costs for patients and contribute to the loss of thousands of construction jobs.

Public discontent with ObamaCare continues to grow as its provisions begin to take effect this year. The House has successfully taken the first step to by voting to repeal the law.

Now, for purely political reasons Harry Reid is refusing to post the repeal legislation for a vote in the Senate. Not only is Reid concerned that it may pass, he does not want to expose the many Senate democrats that will be up for re-election to have to go on record in front of the American People by voting against repealing the law, which would be in direct conflict with the will of the majority of Americans.

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Unfinished Business Left By Pelosi and Reid

Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the rest of her cohorts have closed up shop and left town, Joining her on the cruise to nowhere, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) announced the Senate will adjourn on Friday.

That leaves us with an absentee Congress, Pelosi and Reid promised much would be accomplished this year, but ended with not even completing the major spending and tax legislation needed to help the faltering economy.


The top 10 unfinished business left by Pelosi and Reid include:

1. Extend Tax Rates: The largest tax increase in American History is still scheduled to take effect on January 1st.
2. Create Jobs: President Obama’s $862 stimulus bill was supposed to jumpstart the economy but unemployment in the U.S. remains over 9%
3. Pass A Budget: The congressional Democrats and President Obama have not passed a budget this year to determine government spending.
4. Appropriations Bills: The Congress has not passed any of the 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal 2011. Instead, they have passed continuing resolutions,
5. Trade: The Chamber of Commerce is urging Congress to renew the GSP and the ATPA before they expire at the end of the year. GSP boosts the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and lowers the cost of consumer goods for American families. 
6. Stop the EPA: The EPA is planning to bypass Congress and dictate rules to curb carbon gas emission. Prominent Democratic Senators co-sponsored a bill to stop the renegade EPA But their leader, Harry Reid, has not scheduled a floor vote on the bill. 
7. Repeal ObamaCare's Tax Burden: Small Business will be burdended by an Obamacare mandate to file a 1099 tax form to any vendor paid over $600 in a year.
8. Secure Our Borders: Reid has made immigration reform a top priority of his leadership in the Senate and has accomplished nothing.
9. Pork Spending Reform: Pelosi promised transparency and openness in the budget process including earmarks.” Reid concurred and instead they have done nothing. 
10. Ethics Trials for Rangel and Waters: Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) has been charged with 13 ethical violations. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) with three counts of ethical charges. Neither trials have been scheduled.
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