The Blog

ABC MA representatives met last week with Governor Maura Healey about her recent Executive Order on PLAs.

Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.3 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 20 to March 5. The reading is up 0.2 months since February 2024.

The construction industry added 19,000 jobs on net in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has increased by 174,000 jobs, an increase of 2.1%.

The construction industry had 236,000 job openings on the last day of January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey data. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 31,000 in January but are down by 171,000 from the same time last year.

Associated Builders and Contractors has released an analysis of 2024 state union membership data published by unionstats.com, which found that in 41 states at least 80% of workers in the private construction industry did not belong to a union.

The recent ABC National Convention held in Las Vegas was filled with celebration. Not only because of the 75th anniversary of our national association, but also because of the performance of three talented ABC MA apprentices who competed against the winners of other ABC chapter competitors from across the country, with each winning silver medals in the National Craft Championships.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can’t make its mind up about application of the Biden administration’s controversial policy requiring project labor agreements on solicitations for federal construction contracts of $35 million or more.

National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.1% in January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.248 trillion.

At the most recent meeting of the ABC MA Human Resources Committee, the discussion focused on the hot topic of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and enforcement actions in support of President Trump’s goal of increasing the deportation of illegal aliens.

The Associated Builders and Contractors 401 K Plan, which had previously been available only to chapters and employees of ABC, is now available to ABC member firms.