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THE VOICE OF THE MERIT SHOP

老牛影视is the voice of the merit shop on Capitol Hill! Sending letters to Congress allows 老牛影视to publicly advocate for the views and interests of our more than 23,000 members. By corresponding with U.S. House of Representatives and Senate members, 老牛影视promotes fair and open competition in the construction industry and fights to protect merit shop contractors around the country.

Letters to the Hill

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THE VOICE OF THE MERIT SHOP

老牛影视is the voice of the merit shop on Capitol Hill! Sending letters to Congress allows 老牛影视to publicly advocate for the views and interests of our more than 23,000 members. By corresponding with U.S. House of Representatives and Senate members, 老牛影视promotes fair and open competition in the construction industry and fights to protect merit shop contractors around the country.

and the issued letters of support for听H.J.Res.203,听Rep. Burlison's听 to the NLRB's听, which was issued on August 1. If passed, the CRA would nullify the final rule, and the Board would be prohibited from issuing a substantially similar rule in the future.听

The NLRB's Final Rule eliminated common sense measures meant to protect workers' rights during the union representation election process, including:

  • Reinstated the Board's "blocking charge" policy, which allows unions to halt representation or decertification elections by alleging the employer has committed unfair labor practices until the charges are resolved;
  • Eliminated the 45-day window in which employees could challenge a union's majority support and demand a secret ballot election after their employer has voluntarily recognized the union based on signed authorization cards, or "card check;"
  • Rescinded the requirement that unions in the construction industry maintain proof of majority support if they want an exclusive collective bargaining relationships that is resistant to challenge

These policies force employees into unions they may not want and make it more difficult for employees to decertify unions that no longer have support from the workforce, undermining employee free choice.

In February 2023, 老牛影视submitted听听in opposition to the NLRB proposed rule. 老牛影视also signed on to CDW鈥檚 听along with 12 other employer organizations. CDW听听that the proposed rulemaking would 鈥渘egatively affect the Board鈥檚 representation case jurisprudence, undermine the agency鈥檚 statutory goals and reputation, diminish employee free choice and upset the balance of countervailing interests.鈥 Yet, consistent with NLRB Chair Lauren McFerran鈥檚 record, the NLRB disregarded stakeholder feedback and advanced a radical rulemaking that strips employees of their rights in the workplace.

On July 31, the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs held a hearing, "." Prior to the hearing, 老牛影视submitted a letter to the committee highlighting that the Biden-Harris administration's is undermining federal infrastructure investments. Specifically, 老牛影视expressed concern that the rule excludes 89.3% of the private U.S. construction industry workforce, reduces competition and increases costs for the American taxpayer on federal and federally assisted construction projects.

See the full hearing .

On Dec. 13, 老牛影视submitted comments to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as they conduct oversight on the U.S. Department of Transportation鈥檚 implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

ABC鈥檚 letter to the Highways and Transit Subcommittee criticized the modal administrators for their deviations from the bipartisan agreement reached during the IIJA's negotiation, and efforts to incorporate partisan language rejected by the House and Senate that would hinder the success of the IIJA. 老牛影视has previously expressed concerns about these administrative actions, including the DOT鈥檚 efforts to impose unlawful and overly burdensome policies and restrictive labor requirements on key federal infrastructure funds and projects.

On Sept. 20, 老牛影视submitted comments to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing titled, 鈥淪trengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for Jobseekers, Employers, and Taxpayers.鈥 ABC鈥檚 letter calls on the committee to pursue policies that recognize the unique challenges facing the construction industry and provide employers with the tools they need to access a well-educated and dedicated workforce.

On Sept. 20, 老牛影视submitted comments to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure hearing titled, 鈥淥versight of the Department of Transportation鈥檚 Policies and Programs.鈥 The hearing featured testimony and questions with DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg. 老牛影视commented on specific DOT policies that the department is pursuing outside of congressional authorization/intent such as the significant number of Biden administration federal agency grants 鈥 totaling more than $230 billion for infrastructure projects procured by state and local governments 鈥 subject to language and policies promoting PLA mandates and preferences that will increase costs and reduce competition on federally assisted construction projects. 老牛影视also provided comments on the ABC-opposed union labor requirements on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. The DOT NEVI Formula Program will implement provisions of the IIJA that includes $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations (including $5 billion over five years to install EV chargers mostly along interstate highways).

On Sept. 20, 老牛影视also submitted comments to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee鈥檚 markup of S. 2840, the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act, in support of an amendment offered by Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, R-La., that would ensure funds for construction and renovation of community health centers and other health care facilities are not subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements. The amendment faced defeat in the Democrat-controlled committee and was offered and withdrawn.

On June 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a markup of ABC-opposed legislation including the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, Paycheck Fairness Act, and Healthy Families Act. Ahead of the hearing, 老牛影视sent a letter to the committee highlighting concerns with the bills marked up in committee and urging members of the committee to oppose the partisan proposals being considered. 老牛影视also joined with the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace to oppose the proposals.

The markup also considered several ABC-backed and Republican led amendments that would limit the damage of these anti-business, anti-worker legislative proposals, including amendments that would address the PRO Act鈥檚 provisions on employee privacy, independent contractors, secondary boycotts, and joint employer. Ranking Member Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also spoke about the ABC-supporting and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., sponsored Employee Rights Act, which would allow workers the freedom and protection they need to decide how they make a living for themselves and their families. You can view the full committee markup .

On May 23, 老牛影视submitted comments to the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions ahead of the subcommittee鈥檚 hearing entitled, 鈥.鈥 ABC鈥檚 letter highlighted the value of secret ballot elections to ensure that workers have a privacy protected vote that reflects their true preference for unionization in their workplace, criticized the NLRB for recent rulings, and expressed support for the Employee Rights Act that ensures the freedoms, rights, and choices of all America鈥檚 workers. You can view the full letter that was submitted for the record here.

On March 8, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing titled 鈥淒efending the Right of Workers to Organize Unions Free from Illegal Corporate Union-Busting,鈥 which will highlight the ABC-opposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act, sponsored by the HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. 老牛影视sent a letter to the committee ahead of tomorrow鈥檚 hearing highlighting the most dangerous provisions of the bill and the negative effects they would have on the construction industry and the economy.

While the bill has been reintroduced, with Republicans in control of the U.S. House it will not come up for a vote as it has in previous years and will not meet the 60-vote threshold requirement for passage in the U.S. Senate.

View ABC鈥檚 Press Release on the bill here.

On April 19, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., reintroduced the ABC-supported Employee Rights Act. The Employee Rights Act stands in stark contrast to the ABC-opposed PRO Act and would strengthen the rights, flexibility and privacy protections of workers. In the face of the Biden administration鈥攖hrough the National Labor Relations Board and U.S. Department of Labor鈥攕eeking to implement provisions of the PRO Act through regulatory action, the ERA would prevent this executive overreach through ensuring the use of secret ballots in union elections; stimulating local businesses and entrepreneurship opportunities; defending worker choice and independent contractors; protecting workers from unwanted political exploitation; and safeguarding employee privacy.

老牛影视signed a letter of support for the bill, which also received support letters from the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and a diverse coalition of associations and organizations.

老牛影视also issued a press release highlighting our support for the ERA, and an action alert urging members of Congress to cosponsor the bill.