Survey Finds Optimism about 2020 along with Even Tighter Labor Supply as Construction Unemployment Sets Record December Low; Association Calls for Government to Boost Career Opportunities, Immigration
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is seeking information to help it develop a National Freight Strategic Plan (NFSP) to address the needs of multimodal freight transportation. According to the Department, freight tonnage will increase by 44 percent between 2015 and 2045, placing increased strain on a system that moves approximately 18 billion tons of freight annually across the country via all modes of transportation. USDOT is also seeking information to help shape its ROUTES (Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success) initiative, as 46 percent of the nation鈥檚 highway fatalities occur on rural roads and where nearly half of all truck vehicle miles traveled occur. 蜜桔直播 intends to submit comments on both proposals.
On Jan. 9, 蜜桔直播 urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose H.R.535, the PFAS Action Act of 2019. The bill, which is expected for a floor vote on Jan. 10, threatens to derail and overwhelm ongoing efforts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study PFAS and develop science-based, protective regulations for specific types of PFAS when warranted. 蜜桔直播 further expressed its concern that the bill may result in mandates that put construction contractors unnecessarily at risk of Superfund liability on normal, 鈥渆very day鈥 projects where trace amounts of PFAS may be found in the dirt or groundwater. This bill will open contractors up to risk without specific 鈥淕ood Samaritan鈥 or innocent contractor provisions to protect them. 蜜桔直播 also joined other business organizations in a joint appeal to urge a 鈥淣O鈥 vote on this measure.
Nicole Nason, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will address the Highway and Transportation Division on during 蜜桔直播鈥檚 2020 Convention in Las Vegas this March. As FHWA Administrator, Nason is currently spearheading development of the Trump administration鈥檚 principles on FAST Act reauthorization. A leading traffic safety advocate, Nason headed up the National Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) during the George W. Bush administration and served in several other USDOT positions prior to her appointment to lead to organization. During the division meeting, Nason will give her insights into the outlook for reauthorization this year and highlight the Administration鈥檚 legislative priorities. Click here for more information and to register for the 2020 蜜桔直播 Annual Convention.
On Jan. 9, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) proposed important steps to streamline the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, which can be a circuitous, time-intensive, and costly environmental review step for many infrastructure projects. 蜜桔直播 is pleased the proposal appears to set clear timelines for completing reviews as well as clear up ambiguous wording and definitions that have led to litigation and delayed projects over the years 鈥 steps recommended by 蜜桔直播 in the prior comment period.
On Dec. 20, President Trump signed two spending packages totaling $1.4 trillion, preventing another year-end government shutdown and providing annual funding to all agencies of the federal government through September 30, 2020. Overall, federal construction accounts saw about a nine percent increase鈥攐r $12.4 billion鈥攊n funding in comparison to FY2019 funding levels. A full 蜜桔直播 analysis of federal and federal-aid construction accounts for FY2020 can be found here.
What鈥檚 old is new again at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as numerous district offices have recently expanded their use of fact-finding conferences. Fact-finding conferences are part of the EEOC鈥檚 expansive statutory investigation toolkit, but they are one of the lesser-known and perhaps lesser-used tools. The EEOC is authorized by federal law to utilize fact-finding conferences and may specifically require both parties to participate in order to define, resolve, and potentially settle any issues.
On January 8, 蜜桔直播 of America submitted comments on the National Labor Relations Board鈥檚 latest proposed rule to modify union representation-case procedures. Not to be confused with the Board鈥檚 鈥渜uickie election鈥 rule, which addresses different representation-case procedures, the present rulemaking proposes three changes: (1) replacing the Board鈥檚 current 鈥渂locking charge鈥 policy with a vote-and-impound procedure that would allow representation elections to move forward while an unfair labor practice charge is pending; (2) modifying the current 鈥渧oluntary recognition bar鈥 policy by re-establishing a notice requirement and a 45-day open period within which to file an election petition following an employer鈥檚 voluntary recognition of a union under Section 9(a) of the National Labor Relations Act (鈥淣LRA鈥); and 鈥 most relevant to 蜜桔直播 members 鈥 (3) preventing the establishment of a Section 9(a) bargaining relationship in the construction industry based on contract language alone.
The U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently published the updated Federal Contract Compliance Manual (FCCM). The Manual provides guidance for OFCCP's compliance officers in conducting compliance evaluations and complaint investigations and provides federal contractors with compliance assistance.
蜜桔直播 joined with our highway construction industry partners in a letter to key Congressional transportation leaders to urge support for allowing federal funding to be used to implement automated enforcement in highway construction work zones. The letter pointed out that most work zone fatalities and injuries can be attributed to speeding in work zones. Speed enforcement is effective at reducing speed, but when it is carried out by a law enforcement officer, that person is placed at risk too. Implementing automated enforcement systems in work zones is successful noting that Maryland鈥檚 implementation of automated enforcement in work zones resulted in an 80% reduction in speeding violations and fatalities have dropped by half since the program鈥檚 inception. Some states lack resources to implement the technology and federal funds cannot currently be used to support this life-saving technology.