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| CompGroup AGC offers workers' compensation coverage exclusively for commercial construction contractors and sub-contractors. Through our partnership with Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state's leading writer of workers' compensation insurance, CompGroup AGC is able to offer competitive rates, responsive customer service, expert claim handling and extensive loss prevention training and safety programs. |
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CITY PROPOSAL FOR EXPEDITED PERMIT and JOB
SITE MONITORING UNVEILED
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The DSD is accepting stakeholder input via Speak Up Austin, and I encourage you to share your concerns about this proposal before their next deadline of October 12. I have already submitted comments there on behalf of AGC.
Among our concerns:
1) Added costs, staffing burdens and unknown risk from the monitoring requirements will deter use of the expedited permit process. The City should create an expedited process for all construction projects without these added requirements that effectively "unexpedite" any expedited building permit process.
2) Why is the City Council determined to give wide-sweeping enforcement powers over commercial construction to a third party? Shouldn't the police powers and revenue generated by this program be retained by the City? Any income over expense could go back directly to the City budget or taxpayers. Instead, it will enrich an outside third party entity.
3) If safety and worker protection are truly the City Council's concern, then these new rules should apply to all construction in Austin. However, the new rules will apply only to large, commercial projects of greater than $7.5 million in cost or larger than 750,000sf. Also, any projects with a residential component (including duplex, single family/multi family and mixed use projects) are exempted, as are projects for local non-profits. Effectively, only large commercial projects - with arguably the best trained and safest workforces - are targeted here for jobsite monitoring. This raises concerns about the true motives behind this new proposal. Based on 2015-2016 data, there were 111 projects at most in Austin that fall into that category.
4) The 30% local hiring goal does not include workers from emerging programs that AGC has worked with, including the Austin ISD, Austin Community College and Goodwill. The hiring goal is focused on DOL-certified programs and, while those local training options are excellent, the local hiring goal should also allow consideration for graduates of all local training programs.
For more information, contact Phil Thoden with the Austin AGC.
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AGC MEETS with CONGRESSMEN in WASHINGTON
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Austin AGC leaders meeting with U.S. Rep. John Carter (Williamson and Bell counties) in Washington.
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Austin AGC Chairman Jack Archer (Austin Commercial) and Vice Chairman Ryan Therrell (Beck Group) recently met with U.S. Congressmen Lamar Smith and John Carter during an AGC of America leadership meeting in Washington, DC. Issues on the agenda included federal funding for workforce development and concerns about excessive industry regulations issued from the from the Department of Labor. More information about the
AGC of Americas legislative agenda is available here.
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CONTRACTORS HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING QUALIFIED CRAFT WORKERS AMID GROWING CONSTRUCTION DEMAND
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Two-thirds of construction firms report they are having a hard
time filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce, according to the results of an industry-wide survey released last month by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that many firms are changing the way they pay and operate to cope, but warned that labor shortages could undermine broader economic growth and called for new workforce measures to improve the pipeline for recruiting and training new craft workers.
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CLC LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES
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The
CLC Austin Chapter has enjoyed marked success in 2016. The month of September was no exception to that trend. To kick off the start of hunting season in Texas, CLC Austin organized the 2016 AGC Sporting Clays Tournament - Benefiting the CLC. The Tournament was held on September 8, 2016, and was a huge success that raised more money for CLC Austin than any other event to date. The Tournament boasted 18 individual shooting teams who put their marksmanship to the test.
After the Tournament, CLC Austin continued to provide meaningful and fun events for its members in September. CLC Austin hosted the CLC River Float and Clean Up on September 17 as its annual community service event. About 18 CLC Austin members joined together and collected trash along the banks of the San Marcos River just south of San Marcos, Texas, as they enjoyed a tube float on the river. It was, by all accounts, a successful, fun event that is sure to be repeated in 2017.
If you have any questions or would like to contact the CLC Austin leadership, please feel free to reach out to them. The CLC Austin website can be found at
www.clcatx.com.
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HUNDREDS ENJOY ANNUAL AGC FISH FRY
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Thank you to our gracious hosts at the Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch for making the annual Austin AGC Fish Fry a fun networking event for the local commercial construction industry! Over 500 people came out on a beautiful Ocotber evening to enjoy the company of colleagues, friends and family, as well as the delicious food, cold beverages, exotic animal tours and live auction.
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LEGAL AFFAIRS SURVEY UNDERWAY
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CONSTRUCTION RESUMES and JOB LISTINGS
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AGC Chapters around Texas have formed a partner website called
texasconstructioncareers.com
to
help you find employment or an employee. Check out the
job bank page
to post yo
ur resume or review potential hires.
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