The Ohio Valley Construction Employers Council, Inc. is dedicated to the advancement of the construction industry and the protection of its members and the general public.
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How technology is redrawing the line between design and construction
C
onstruction lags other industries where productivity is concerned, thanks in part to its notoriously slow uptake of new technology. Using new digital tools, and doing so more often, could boost productivity by 50% to 60%, generating $1.6 trillion in value, according to
McKinsey research
.
Read More....
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Anti Prevailing Wage Bill Heard at the Ohio Statehouse
On September 19th, The House Economic Development Commerce and Labor Committee held its second hearing on
HB 163-Prevailing Wage. The bill is sponsored by Representative Roegner (R-Hudson) and Representative Riedel (R- Defiance.) The bill weakens prevailing wage by allowing local governments to voluntarily apply prevailing wage law.
Supporters of the bill include The Associated Builders and Contractors of Ohio (ABC), The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity, Honerlaw Construction and Remodeling, Claggett & Sons Inc, Laurelville Fire, Hamilton Township, City of Shelby, The National Federation of Independent Buisnesses (NFIB), and The Ohio Fair Managers Association.
Some of the arguments by proponents on why the bill should be passed were that the legislation restores local decision making and that prevailing wage had worn out its usefulness as a Depression era policy. Other supporters stated free enterprise and competition would be helped by the bill. Witnesses told the committee that quality and safety concerns were unwarranted.
Democratic members Rep. Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) questioned witnesses about devalued training, less educated workers, and studies that showed safety issues on non prevailing wage projects.The OVCEC will continue to reach out to House members to tell the real story about prevailing wage and how it benefits Ohio.
*copied from CEA
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West Virginia Legislature Six Bills During Special Session
Lawmakers passed legislation presented by the Governor that:
- Strengthens enforcement of the West Virginia Jobs Act by requiring employers to hire at least 75% of its employees from West Virginia and enhances civil penalties.
- Shortens the time period for hiring personnel for the Division of Highways and Tax Division.
- Permits the sharing of information between the Division of Highways and Tax Division to ensure compliance with all state laws.
- Exempts military retirement income from personal income tax.
- Increases tax credits for rehabilitation of certified historic structures.
- Approved technical corrections to State Court of Claims payments.
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Amendments to West Virginia Jobs Act
H.B. 205 modifies the current West Virginia Jobs Act.
The act, in effect since 2001, requires contractors to hire at least 75% of his employees on public improvement construction projects exclusively by state funds that are domiciled in West Virginia or within a county within 50 miles of the West Virginia border. The act has worked fairly well over the years but the administration says with the passage of the $1.6 billion road bond amendment, the current Jobs Act is inadequate to maximize employment opportunities for West Virginians on public improvement construction projects.
Currently, contractors can get a waiver of the 75% requirement if they cannot find a qualified job applicant in the area after making a request for assistance from Workforce West Virginia to find qualified applicants. Proponents of the bill state that employers have no monetary incentive to follow the Jobs Act, and have also found loopholes to avoid complying (example: providing for a job description with bogus out-of-state certifications or requirements or hiring out-of-state employees who do not meet the qualifications for which a waiver was granted).
Lawmakers were less enthusiastic about this bill but talks with House and Senate leadership and the Justice administration produced a compromise prior to the bill’s introduction. The bill enhances civil penalties but deleted an earlier version which had criminal penalties. The bill passed 33-0-1 in the Senate and in the House, 94-1.
Increasing the penalties for violating the Act from $100 per day per violation to $250 per employee per day of violation for the first 14 days after notice of violation;
$500 per employee per day of violation continuing more than 14 days after notice of violation;
Defines domicile so that a person residing in temporary or transient housing such as hotels, motels, dormitories or similar lodging does not qualify as a resident of the local labor market.
The West Virginia Jobs Act passed the House 94-1, with Delegate Marty Gearhart, R-Mercer, casting the only
“no”
vote. The vote in the Senate was 33-0.
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Special Hiring Procedures
S.B. 2003
implements special hiring procedures for personnel positions in the WVDOH and Tax Department.
The legislation states the tax division alone currently has over 100 job vacancies, and the intent of the legislation is to address the shortages and vacancies that exist at both agencies.
Transportation Secretary Tom Smith told legislators Sunday that WVDOH has 500 vacancies throughout all levels of the WVDOH, including environmental, human resources, auditing, accounting, engineering and construction. He noted that the current hiring procedures are so cumbersome that the agency has only hired 18 people in the past nine months.
The governor’s bill proposes to provide an efficient, fast and fair merit based system of hiring new employees and retaining current employees while maintaining the current protections afforded under the classified service. It shortens timeframes for completing personnel actions by the Division of Highways, the Tax Division and the Division of Personnel and reduces the duplicative multi-level approvals of personnel decisions but retains due process protections.
It passed the Senate in a 33-0 vote but the House approved, after much debate, 59-31.
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Tax Information Bill
H.B. 202 / S.B. 2002 passed
both the House and Senate with a 31-0 vote in the Senate and 94-0 in the House. The bill allows a written agreement between the WV Division of Highways and Tax Department to share confidential tax information about bidders on WVDOH contracts and WVDOH contractors and their subcontractors to ensure everyone is paying all applicable state taxes and are in good standing with the Tax Department. The bill is effective from passage. Currently, the Tax Department could not share confidential tax information with WVDOH, even though they can with other state agencies. The bill attempts to put all bidders on a level playing field.
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Historic Buildings Tax Credit Bill
Engrossed
H.B.203
relating to the historic tax credits has passed the legislature by a vote of 91-2 in the House Delegates and 33-0 in the Senate. It's on its way for the Governor's signature. This bill increases the State Historic Tax Credit from 10% to 25% and will spur an increase in investment as developers take on projects in cities and towns across the state. Language was also amended in to assure that all local taxes including those administered by the state as well as property taxes are up to date before the credit is granted.
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OSHA Signs Partnerships to Protect Pennsylvania Construction Workers
OSHA’s
Strategic Partnership Program
provides opportunities for OSHA to partner with employers, workers, professional or trade associations, labor organizations, and other interested stakeholders. Strategic Partnerships are designed to eliminate serious hazards and enhance workplace safety and health practices in major corporations, government agencies, at large construction projects and private sector industries.
- Shoemaker-Skanska Construction and the Philadelphia Regional Building Trades Council entered into a strategic partnership to protect approximately 300 workers during renovation and construction of a shopping mall complex in Philadelphia. The goal of the partnership is to reduce injuries and illnesses, increase safety and health training, conduct effective health monitoring, and increase the number of employers with safety and health programs.
- P.J. Dick Incorporated entered into a strategic partnership to protect approximately 200 workers during the construction of an insurance office building in Erie. The goal of the partnership is to eliminate serious workplace hazards, prevent work-related injuries and fatalities, and develop an effective safety and health program. For more information, see the news release.
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OSHA On-Site Consultation Program Provides Free Training Opportunities
OSHA’s
On-Site Consultation Program
offers free, confidential safety and occupational health advice to small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. The program can also provide small business owners and workers with free safety training. For example, an OSHA consultant and area office director in South Dakota gave a presentation at this year’s
Safety Summit Conference of the Associated General Contractors
. Their presentation included information on the On-Site Consultation Program, safety contractors, and OSHA's silica and respiratory standards for construction. Contact your
state consultation office
for more information on the benefits of the On-Site Consultation Program.
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