Albany
NYS Reopens Bidding For Offshore Wind Projects Amid Cost Concerns
NYS Reopens Bidding For Offshore Wind Projects Amid Cost Concerns After renewable energy developers threatened to stop building billions of dollars of offshore wind energy projects due to the high construction cost, the governor and NYSERDA issued a new RFP allowing developers to rebid the projects. The rebidding process starts Thursday, November 30th. “We strongly…
Read MoreABC Reacts: Gov. Hochul Signs 3 Affordable Housing Bills
ABC Reacts: Gov. Hochul Signs 3 Affordable Housing Bills The following statement is attributed to Associated Builders & Contractors, Empire State Chapter President Brian Sampson Reacting to Gov. Hochul’s Signature of Three Affordable Housing Bills: “We support the new J-51 tax incentive that will help property owners navigate the high construction costs in New York…
Read MoreNew York Open-shop Trade Groups Merge
New York Open-shop Trade Groups Merge The stateās largest non-union construction trade organization has expanded after absorbing another trade group. The Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is merging with the New York Construction Alliance (NYCA), according to an ABC statement. NYCAās leadership will join the Empire State Chapterās Regional Leadership Committee…
Read MoreMajor Open Shop Construction Industry Merger in New York Stateļæ¼
Major Open Shop Construction Industry Merger in New York Stateļæ¼ Open shop industry will now speak with one voice: ABC absorbs NYCA Today, the Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the New York Construction Alliance (NYCA) announced that the organizations have completed a major move that will resonate throughout New York…
Read MoreNon-union Businesses Locked Out of Bidding to Rebuild Olympic Oval
ABC Empire State Board Member Jeff Luck from Luck Brothers Construction sends a letter to the Olympic Regional Development Authority asking them to remove the PLA on a major renovation project. ABC is also engaging with ORDA to remove the PLA requirement.
Read MoreBidding Fights in North Country Extend to Albany
Critics say state’s call for “Project Labor Agreements” drives up costs for public projects
Read MoreOgdensburg City Council Votes to Award Wastewater Treatment Plant Contract, Lawsuit Considered by Contractorsā Group
OGDENSBURG ā City Council unanimously voted to award a construction contract to Jett Industries of Colliersville for the $35.9 million wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project, but also caught an earful from two separate parties skeptical about the process, Monday night.
Read MoreOgdensburg City Council Awards WWTP Project Bid, Despite Complaints From Non-Union Labor Representative
Ogdensburg City Council took a tongue lashing after accepting a $35.9 million wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project bid from Jett Industries.
Amanda Bertram, vice president of public affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors, called the award shameful and told city councilors they should have heeded her warnings about entering into a project labor agreement just to please Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
Read MoreEditorial ā Too Hot to Handle: Labor Pact Didnāt Save Ogdensburg Any Money on Project Bids
āItās not shocking, this is a pattern that we have seen with public works projects across New York state that are bid with project labor agreements,ā Amanda Bertram, vice president of public affairs for the Associated Builders and Contractors/Empire State, said in a story published Saturday by the Times. āAcross the board, they all come in millions of dollars over engineering estimates. This is a trend.ā
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national trade organization representing those in the construction industry who donāt belong to unions. Ms. Bertram met with City Council members in November to discuss the disadvantages of using PLAs.
Read MoreContractors: High Bids on Project Are No Surprise
A spokeswoman for the state chapter of the national Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., said City Council members should not be surprised that bids for the cityās wastewater treatment plant came in over estimate.
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