Blog
Mandated Project Labor Agreements Will Cripple Long Island School Construction—And Taxpayers Will Pay the Price
The recently proposed legislation mandating Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on Long Island school construction projects is a direct threat to the local economy, workforce, and taxpayers. If enacted, these mandates will push already high construction costs even higher, delay critical school upgrades, and sideline the majority of skilled local workers. Long Island school projects would…
Construction Materials Prices Increase 1.4% in January, Up 40.5% Since February 2020
Construction input prices increased 1.4% in January compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.9% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 1.3% higher than a year ago, while nonresidential construction…
Nonresidential Construction Spending Down 0.2% in December; Data Centers and Manufacturing Make Up 94% of Spending Increase in 2024
National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.2% in December 2024, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.241 trillion. Spending was down on a monthly basis in 9 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending increased…
Expanding Prevailing Wage to Custom Prefabrication – A One-Way Ticket to a Destitute New York
ABC strongly opposes the reckless legislation moving through the New York State Legislature that would impose prevailing wage mandates on construction work performed at offsite custom fabrication facilities. If passed, this law will drive the custom fabrication industry out of the state, eliminate both union and nonunion jobs, and deliver yet another gut punch to…
What Was in Gov. Hochul’s 2025 Budget Address?
Stay informed on how the Governor’s budget address could impact the construction industry and your business. This page highlights key proposals, funding initiatives, and policy changes that were included in the budget, with a focus on issues that matter most to our members. Whether it’s infrastructure investments, workforce development, or regulatory updates, find the details…
Court Rules Biden Project Labor Agreement Rule Illegal
Associated Builders and Contractors today celebrated a decision from the U.S. Court of Federal Claims that rules in favor of ABC members that filed bid protests challenging former President Joe Biden’s controversial policy requiring anti-competitive, inflationary, union-favoring project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more. Judge Ryan T. Holte’s Jan. 19 ruling responds…
ABC Reacts to 2025 State of the State
The Associated Builders and Contractors, Empire State Chapter, acknowledges Governor Hochul’s focus on infrastructure, affordable housing, and green energy in her State of the State address. These are critical issues for New York, but talk is cheap. New Yorkers need results, not empty promises or half-measures that fail to address the state’s affordability crisis. “Tax rebates…
Construction Underperforms Broader Economy in December Jobs Report
The construction industry added just 8,000 jobs on net in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has increased by 196,000 jobs, an increase of 2.4%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 4,700 positions on net, with…
ABC: Construction Labor Churn at Historic Lows in November
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7-The construction industry had just 276,000 job openings on the last day of November 2024, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively…
ABC To Celebrate 75 Years of Building America at ABC Convention 2025 in Las Vegas
Associated Builders and Contractors today announced that the association will turn 75 on June 1, 2025. To commemorate the milestone, ABC and its members will gather at several commemorative events, beginning with ABC Convention 2025 in Las Vegas. “For 75 years, members of Associated Builders and Contractors have built the places where communities across the…