On Nov. 3, the Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance submitted comments in support of the Department of Labor’s proposed independent contractor rule that would rescind the prior Administration’s rule that made it easier to classify employees in the construction industry and across the economy as independent contractors. The proposed rule replaces this regulation with a well-understood standard ground in 60 years of judicial precedents that SWACCA urged the Labor Department to adopt because it is easier to apply and will make it harder for employers to claim their workers are independent contractors.
The National Labor Relations Board released a proposed rule to rescind and replace the Trump-era Board’s April 1, 2020, final rule revising election procedures under the NLRA. Specifically, Nov. 3’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has three parts, each rescinding a corresponding portion of the NLRB’s April 2020 final rule.
This week, SWACCA concluded weeks of work to ensure the submission of three distinct comment letters in support of the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council’s proposed rule entitled, “Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects” to implement President Biden’s February Executive Order creating a presumption that PLAs are to be used by federal agencies for large-scale construction projects for which the cost is estimated to be $35 million or more, subject to specified exemptions.
Comments argue against rule that would increase costs in order to discriminate against vast majority of American construction workers, who are non-union
On Oct. 17, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation filed comments opposing a Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council proposed rule to block non-union workers from working on federal contracts. The rule requires federal agencies to impose Project Labor Agreements on contractors and employees who work on federal construction projects that will cost $35 million or more.
The Department of Labor published a final rule on Sept. 26 to rescind Trump-era Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs that marks the end of a four-year fight by SWACCA’s public policy team in Washington, D.C. This final rule will be effective on Nov. 25.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its top 10 violations of OSHA rules for fiscal year 2022, which showed that failing to protect construction workers from falls continues to be the most common hazard that OSHA inspectors are citing employers for. In addition, OSHA’s most cited rules included three other construction fall prevention measures—protecting workers on scaffolds, ladder safety and training workers to avoid falls.
Construction official warns that newly released proposed federal rule for government-mandated project labor agreements will limit competition, inflate costs and harm disadvantaged businesses
The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, released the following statement in response to the release of new federal rules that will soon require procurement officials to impose project labor agreements for federal construction projects valued at $35 million or more.
As of April 17, OSHA and state safety agencies have issued 116 violation citations under OSHA's new silica safety rule. The regulation went into effect Sept. 23, but OSHA began full enforcement Oct. 23.