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2nd Annual Summit on Mental Health in Construction
This week the Minnesota Construction Coalition hosted the 2nd Annual Summit on Mental Health in Construction at Ames Center in Burnsville. This year’s Summit focused on Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and its impact on mental health in construction. After the program, optional suicide prevention QPR and VA SAVE training were made available to interested participants. Of the 171 registrants representing all levels of the industry, 71 registered for QPR and VA SAVE training.
The goals for this summit included:
- Understanding the impact of mental health and substance misuse in construction.
- Recognizing the risks of opioids, first-dose prevention strategies, and the role of naloxone.
- Learning how to create more recovery-friendly workplaces.
- Understanding and promoting employee assistance programs to address the needs of your employees.
Speakers and panelists included:
- Brian Murray, CEO at Ryan Companies
- Rich Jones, CCO at YouTurn Health
- Jeff Horwitz, CEO at SAFE Project
- Panel discussion: Ames Construction, Mortenson, and Adolfson & Peterson
For more information about the Minnesota Construction Coalition and future events and offerings click here.
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Are you registered for the
AGC Holiday Reception?
Join us next Wednesday, on December 6 (4:30-7:30 pm, but come at 4:00 for the business meeting!) for the 2023 AGC Holiday Reception at Quincy Hall! This annual event is our chance to celebrate another wonderful year with our peers in the Minnesota construction industry.
Parking is included for attendees, with many surface lot spots available.
| | Thanks to our Holiday Reception Sponsors! | |
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Joint AGC/MnDOT Bridge Awards Announced
These annual awards recognize and showcase craftsmanship, technical skills, innovation, and dedication to quality in the bridge construction market. Each nominee submitted in the three awarded categories is field reviewed and evaluated by a panel of MnDOT and industry representatives. Awards will be given at AGC Honors 2024.
Receiving the 2023 Awards (2022 completion):
ICON Constructors, LLC (Mabel, MN)
Low Cost Structure (less than $1.5 M)
Bridge No. 85579, a simple span prestressed beam bridge on County Road 7 in Pickwick, MN
Lunda Construction Co. (Rosemount, MN)
Medium Cost Structure (between $1.5 and $5 M)
Bridge No. 27C63, a 2‐span prestressed concrete girder bridge on County 81 in Robbinsdale, MN
Ames Construction (Burnsville, MN)
High Cost Structure (over $5 M)
Bridge No. 2440, a multi‐arch historic bridge with steel and prestressed beam spans carrying T.H. 65 over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, MN
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Low Cost Structure
(Less than $1.5M)
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Medium Cost Structure
($1.5 - $5M)
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High Cost Structure
(Over $5M)
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Minnesota Stormwater Research Council: Request for Research Needs
The MPCA’s stormwater guidance, including the MN Stormwater Manual, is informed by the latest research and information. Please provide feedback via survey to help shape MN Stormwater Research in the coming years.
Visit wrc.umn.edu/stormwater-needs for the links and for more information.
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State Office Building Renovation: Construction Subcontracting Opportunities
On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, join the Department of Administration and prime contractor JE Dunn to learn more about subcontracting opportunities for the State Office Building renovation, the largest renovation project ever on the Capitol complex. Gain an understanding of the overall scope of the project, how the work is being broken into separate packages for bidding, and the timeline for the project.
JE Dunn and several first-tier subcontractors will be available for networking and matchmaking. JE Dunn's Supplier Diversity office, the Office of Equity in Procurement and APEX Accelerator will be on hand to answer questions about subcontractor prequalification, certification, and more.
When: December 13, 2023, 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Where: Senate Office Building, Conference rooms 1150 and 1200
95 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN 55155
Register here.
Questions, please email procurement.equity@state.mn.us.
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Union ESST Waiver Completed
AGC, MCMCA and the building Trades finalized the agreement this week to waive the earned safe and sick time statute and create a Worker Wellness Program that is a better fit for construction workers. Here are the highlights to know:
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Employees Affected. The agreement affects only employees who are members of the following trades: Operating Engineers, Carpenters, Laborers, Bricklayers, Iron Workers, and Cement Masons.
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Alumni. The waiver does not affect alumni—employees who have union benefits but no longer perform work under the collective bargaining agreement. Speaking of which, the trades are updating alumni agreements. Carpenters have sent their new agreement to contractors. If you are signatory and have alumni, be sure to get your new alumni agreement processed as soon as possible.
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Teamsters. Teamsters have opted to not participate in the WWP and so Teamster employees will have the statutory earned safe and sick time benefits. Teamsters are aware that this may be a lost opportunity to have a better program.
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Other Trades. Other trades such as electricians and tapers are to be determined.
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Waiver Scope. The waiver means that all of the statutory requirements (e.g. tracking accrued safe and sick time on the paystub) do not apply to these employees.
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Effective Date. The waiver takes effect in December.
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WWP Benefits. The new Worker Wellness Program will feature a contribution rate per hour for the employee to use for paid leave consistent with the statute. Employer will need to have a reasonable policy that provides an employee with leave under the WWP.
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WWP Funding. Employers will fund the WWP initially with fifty cents ($0.50) added in May 2024 and another fifty cents ($0.50) added in May 2025 for all Metro area contracts. Non-metro area contracts will be pro-rated to equalize the increase in those geographic areas. Apprentices’ funding also will be equalized.
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WWP Administration. The WWP will be administered by the third-party administrator, i.e. Wilson-McShane or Zenith American, and will be included in the benefits payments.
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Comparison. It is difficult to compare the WWP with the statutory ESST. Economically, the funding approximates the employer’s cost. Many factors— importantly utilization rate and markets— affect what the cost could be. There also are secondary and tertiary costs— especially scheduling difficulties, predictability/forecasting, and inflation—that could be considerable. Non-economically, the WWP is a better benefit to the employee, providing portability in the industry and vested benefit (they will not lose it).
Watch for additional updates that will breakdown the cost per trade and geographic area. For further questions, contact Mike.
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2023 Jensen Award Recipients Announced
This AGC safety award began in 2003 as a tribute to Jeff Jensen, former owner of J.R. Jensen Construction Company (Superior, WI), and a strong advocate for field safety training, having served on the Duluth Safety Day committee for several years. The award is determined by the number of hours invested annually on safety training for each craft, supervisor/manager and subcontractor employee, as well as the company’s experience modification rate, total recordable incident rate, number of lost workday cases, and number of medical only cases.
Congratulations to the 2023 Recipients
(for hours worked in 2022):
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Category I
(0 – 149,999 work hours)
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Category II
(150,000 – 299,999
work hours)
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Category III
(300,000+ work hours)
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Join the AGC Legislative Committee
Our Legislative Committee will be recapping last session, making policy recommendations, and looking ahead to the 2024 legislative session.
Contact Laura Ziegler to join the committee. All meetings are held at 11:00 AM via Zoom.
Upcoming Meeting:
Thursday, December 14
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Sunday is the last day to save $50 on your Construction Summit registration! | |
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2024 Minnesota Construction Summit
Have you seen the lineup of sessions at the 2024 Minnesota Construction Summit? From transition planning to tech innovations, and underground mapping to mental health, there's something for everyone at the Summit!
See all the Summit sessions.
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Keynote Speaker: Dr. Thom Mayer, Medical Director at the NFL Players Association
We work in turbulent times, where job stressors rise and resilience falls. It’s time we realize that all of us-at every level, on every team, at every job site are leaders, creating our own cultures by our actions. With lessons from his personal experience the speaker will weave lessons from 9/11, the NFL, and Ukraine to challenge and inspire you to lead all day-every day-in everything you do!
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Save $50/registration by registering before December 1! | |
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Lead Better, Build Better:
IUOE Opportunity for Signatory Contractors
IUOE Local 49 invites signatory contractors to a free event on March 4, 2024. Author and speaker Mark Breslin will be presenting on leading more effectively and motivating team members. This training is for:
- Forepersons
- Superintendents
- Other leaders working on jobsites.
RSVP here
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Don't Miss These Events!
Register now for these upcoming AGC events:
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Thank You to our 2023 Annual Partners! | |
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Your Trusted Resource
Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
525 Park Street, Suite 110 | St. Paul, MN 55103
651-632-8929
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