Union membership in the U.S. construction industry across all occupations declined slightly in 2022, from 12.6 percent to 11.7 percent, according to an annual report recently issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (鈥淏LS鈥). Union representation in the industry also declined, from 13.6 percent to 12.4 percent. Still, union membership in construction remains considerably higher than the 6.0 percent rate across industries in the private sector. Union membership in general in the U.S. fell to its lowest rate on record at 10.1 percent, reports BLS.
President Biden ended 2022 with a bang by signing two new pieces of legislation into law that will impact many employers and their pregnant and breastfeeding workers: (1) the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and (2) the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act). These changes were part of the Omnibus Spending Bill signed into law on December 29, 2022. Employers should become familiar with the changes and review their policies and practices to adjust for the new laws.
麻豆传媒 of America will be holding a Collective Bargaining Seminar during the 麻豆传媒 Annual Convention. The day-long seminar will take place from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The seminar is part of 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Annual Convention, but 麻豆传媒 members and chapter staff not attending the convention may attend for a separate registration fee.
According to the latest Contractor Compensation Quarterly (CCQ) published by PAS, Inc., construction support staff wages are to rise by an average 4.5%. The prediction is based on data gathered from over 209 companies in the 19th edition of PAS鈥檚 Construction Support Staff Salary Survey. This is up from the actual increase of 4.4% for 2021. Looking forward, PAS thinks 2023 support staff increases will likely mimic 2022 activity, unless construction conditions change.
On Jan. 18, the Associated General Contractors of America joined a coalition representing a broad cross-section of the economy in filing a lawsuit to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers鈥 new Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The legal action seeks to have the new rule put on hold and ultimately reversed. The construction industry invests a significant amount of time and cost in compliance with the Clean Water Act and to avoid or reduce potential impacts on the environment. The new rule is the sixth time the requirements have changed in seven years, compounding the existing uncertainty in an area of law that can not only significantly delay and increase costs on projects but also bring criminal as well as civil penalties.
In a decision issued on Dec. 16, 2022, the National Labor Relations Board reinstated its prior standard providing off-duty workers employed by contractors more expansive rights to access publicly accessible areas of the workplace for the purpose of engaging in union organizing activity.
New guidance instructs federal agencies to develop implementation rules that would quantify greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and incorporate the social cost of carbon in cost/benefit analysis that could impact permits for construction projects.
On January 12, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sided with 麻豆传媒 in tentatively denying an environmental group鈥檚 effort to force contractors to dispose of discarded PVC as a hazardous waste.