News:
Construction Design & Engineering
Posted: April 19, 2024
ABC Massachusetts won’t stop fighting discriminatory Springfield project labor agreement
Last month I reported that the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission had withstood an all-out push from construction unions and their political allies and put its $350 million West Parish Water Treatment Plant project out to bid without a union-only project labor agreement (PLA). Sadly, the victory was fleeting. On March 18 the Commission added a PLA to the project via an addendum.
The about-face came after U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey put out a statement calling for a PLA on the project. Pre-qualified open-shop contractors – several of them ABC MA members – had already expended resources developing bids for the project.
Commission chair Vanessa Otero wrote in the Springfield Republican that the biggest reason why she supported the PLA was poverty, and because “union membership changes the trajectory of lives.”
The reality is that it changes the trajectory of some lives. That doesn’t include the vast majority of minority contractors in Massachusetts, who choose to be open-shop. In fact, there are so few minority construction workers who belong to unions in Massachusetts that the Water and Sewer Commission PLA includes a special carve out to allow more minority participation.
PLA’s also negatively affect the life trajectories of the more than 80% of the Massachusetts construction workforce that chooses not to affiliate with a union. They lose out on the opportunity to participate in local jobs funded with their own tax dollars.
Chapter president Greg Beeman has already sent multiple letters to the commission making the case for free and open competition rather than a union-only PLA. He also had a commentary on the topic published in the Republican. We are currently determining the best course for moving forward. But rest assured, ABC MA will continue to fight for our members and against this discriminatory project labor agreement.
Joe Camilo is the chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.-Mass. Chapter and is the vice president/general manager at Tocco Building Systems, Billerica, Mass.
MORE FROM Construction Design & Engineering
Wayne J. Griffin Electric, Inc. completes electrical and telecom work on Deerfield Academy’s revamped dining hall
Deerfield, MA Wayne J. Griffin Electric, Inc. (Griffin Electric), a leading electrical contractor throughout New England and the Southeast for nearly five decades, recently finished an electrical renovation on a 62,000 s/f dining hall at Deerfield Academy.
 (1)-c.jpg)
Columns and Thought Leadership
Navigating tariffs and material uncertainty in today’s construction market - by Karl Ginand and Tiffany Gallo
As headlines around tariffs seem to dominate the news daily, many considering construction projects have anticipated major cost escalations and widespread supply issues. While tariffs haven’t driven pricing spikes to the extent once feared, the lasting impact has been a new layer of uncertainty, affecting more than just budgets.
ABC-Mass. chairman’s message: Rent control isn’t the answer to our housing crisis - by Luiza Mills
As you may know, Massachusetts voters will be weighing in on a number of ballot initiatives in November. Among them is a proposal to impose the nation’s strictest statewide rent control policy. I’d like to tell you why the ABC MA Board
It’s time to lead: Confronting mental health in construction - by David Watts
As we close Mental Health Awareness Month, we must be clear: May isn’t just about ribbons, hashtags, or lunchtime mindfulness apps. It’s about responsibility to confront hard truths that linger in silence, and to challenge ourselves, as leaders in our industry, to do more.
Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza nears completion - by Frank Picozzi
After several years of planning, construction, and anticipation, the community is eagerly awaiting the opening of the Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza and outdoor skating rink later this month.