Contractors, Unions Split Over Proposed New Apprenticeship Rule
By Tom Ichniowski
A proposed new U.S. Dept. of Labor regulation that would reshape apprenticeship programs across a wide range of industries has drawn sharply divided reactions from construction industry groups, with unions praising the plan, a major contractor group strongly criticizing it, and other contractor associations with relationships with unions also welcoming the proposed rule.
The key construction provision in the proposed rule, which Labor released on June 24, would exempt the industry from taking part in so-called Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs), "at least initially," DOL says. [View text of proposed regulation here.]