Op-eds
New York’s Renewable Energy Goals: A Challenge of Cost & Policy
New York’s Renewable Energy Goals: A Challenge of Cost & Policy New York State has been at the forefront of renewable energy initiatives, setting ambitious goals to transition to cleaner energy sources by 2030. However, a recent audit from the New York State Comptroller’s office has delivered a sobering assessment: the state is not on…
Read MoreABC Corrects the Record on PLAs
ABC Corrects the Record on PLAs In a recently published opinion article, “Project Labor Agreements Bring Accountability to Large Scale SUNY Projects”, by Bill Banfield, he makes blatantly incorrect promises about Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). The entire article is based on a false premise. ABC can’t stand by and allow these false narratives to prevail.…
Read MoreUnions Finally Come Clean
Unions Finally Come Clean By ABC Empire State Chapter President Brian Sampson In a recent article published by Biznow about declining union membership numbers in construction, the author stated construction unions have a fork in the road ahead of them, and they’re correct. However, they misidentified what the options are. It’s the politicians, not the building trades,…
Read MoreABC: Government-Registered Apprenticeship Programs Not Keeping Up With Construction Industry Needs
ABC: Government-Registered Apprenticeship Programs Not Keeping Up With Construction Industry Needs WASHINGTON, Feb. 22—At current rates of participation and completion, federal and state government-registered apprenticeship programs will fail to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce needs, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of recently released U.S. Department of Labor data.…
Read MoreProject Labor Agreements Will Crush SUNY/CUNY Schools
Project Labor Agreements Will Crush SUNY/CUNY Schools The Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (“ABC”), representing hundreds of merit-shop contractors and subcontractors employing hundreds of thousands of workers throughout New York, strongly opposes S.6050. This bill would mandate that all SUNY and CUNY construction projects over $3 million have a Project Labor Agreement…
Read MoreWestside News: Builders’ association comments on start of legislation session
Westside News: Builders’ association comments on start of legislation session Our chief concern continues to be the utilization of Project Labor Agreements and the application of prevailing wages to private work. Both items do nothing more than steer contracts to preferred constituents and make New York less affordable for all of us.” – Brian Sampson,…
Read MoreNYS 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 MoreLetter to the Editor: Stadium Project Needs Construction Workers
Letter to the Editor: Stadium Project Needs Construction Workers ABC President Brian Sampson was recently featured in the East Aurora Advertiser about the Bills Stadium Project workforce issues. Dear Editor, Whether we’re a broken record or, as Yogi Berra famously said, “it’s like déjà vu all over again”, the fact that the Bills stadium…
Read MoreSampson Quoted in BisNow: No Pause In Construction Despite NYC Having World’s Worst Air Quality
Sampson Quoted: No Pause In Construction Despite NYC Having World’s Worst Air Quality June 8, 2023 Ciara Long, Bisnow New York City As thick billows of smoke from wildfires in Canada turned New York City’s air into a hazardous haze on Wednesday, construction work pressed ahead. Bisnow/Ellie Meyer The view of the New York City skyline from Hoboken…
Read MoreProject Labor Agreement Will Sideline Many Workers
Project Labor Agreement Will Sideline Many Workers The Buffalo Bills’ stadium deal should be a great thing for all New Yorkers. However, buried in the deal is a legal mechanism that will exclude seven out of 10 construction workers in the state from working on and benefiting from the new stadium project. Erie County Executive…
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