Vaccine and Testing Mandate Updates
AGC’s Labor Cabinet met this week and reviewed the shifting information about COVID vaccination and testing mandates, the early owner mandates (Oct 1 and Nov 1 for some), the need for better information, and the difficulties acting precipitously. The Cabinet agreed that, for now, the best course is for AGC to monitor and advise, and not yet engage.
For companies facing early owner mandates, there are resources below, including draft policies and thoughts for policies. One important difference is whether a company’s policy is passing through a government requirement or an owner mandate, or whether it is a company policy. We recommend a pass-through policy for a number of reasons and, until more is known, holding off an employer policy. If you need additional resources or thoughts, contact Mike.
Federal guidance on September 24 helps better clarify the federal contract vaccination mandate. Quick points: we still are hearing that the federal contract mandate applies to new/revised contracts, when work begins, and only direct federal contracts (not pass through or assisted, i.e., not MnDOT). On the flip side, if a company has one division doing work on a federal contract, then all divisions must comply, even unrelated subsidiaries.
Resources for Vaccine Policies:
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AGC Awards Recognition Evening
Join us on October 13 at International Market Square, as we honor the recipients of our annual safety awards, the Skill, Responsibility & Integrity (SRI) Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award!
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2021 Lifetime Achievement
Award Recipient:
Raymond "Butch" Ames
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2021 Skill-Responsibility-Integrity (SRI) Award Recipient:
Doug Swenson
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JEFF JENSEN MEMORIAL CONSTRUCTION
SAFETY EXCELLENCE AWARDS
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Recipient of Award for Category I
(0 – 149,999 work hours)
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Recipient of Award
for Category II
(150K–299,999
work hours)
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Recipient of Award for Category III
(300K+ work hours)
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CONSTRUCTION HEALTH AND SAFETY EXCELLENCE (CHASE) CONTRACTOR RECOGNITION |
Now in its 18th year, the CHASE Program (the longest running partnership with Minnesota OSHA) recognizes companies that implement comprehensive safety and health programs and training.
Recognized this year for their current participation:
Adolfson & Peterson Construction | Ames Construction | Atlas Foundation | Belair Sitework Services | Benike Construction | Bituminous Roadways, Inc. | Bolander | The Boldt Company | C.S. McCrossan, Inc.| Danny’s Construction Company, LLC |Donlar Construction | ECSI, Inc. | Frattalone Companies, Inc. | Harris | Hunt Electric Corporation | JE Dunn Construction | Kelleher Construction, Inc. | Kraemer North America | Kraus-Anderson Construction Company | Lakehead Constructors, Inc. | Lametti & Sons, Inc. | LS Black Constructors, Inc. | The Mathiowetz Construction Company | McNamara Contracting, Inc, | M.G. McGrath, Inc. | Meyer Contracting, Inc. | Minger Construction Company | Minnesota Paving & Materials | Mortenson |
Northland Concrete & Masonry Co., LLC | Park Construction Co. | Parsons Electric |
PCL Construction Services, Inc. | Q3 Contracting, Inc. | Rachel Contracting, Inc. | Ramsey Companies, Inc. | Rice Lake Construction Group | RJM Construction, LLC | Ryan Companies US, Inc. | Sellin Brothers, Inc. | Shaw-Lundquist Associates, Inc. | Sowles Co./Northwest Tower Cranes | Veit | Vic’s Crane & Heavy Haul, Inc. | Weis Builders, Inc.
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80 Years of Membership:
North Risk Partners
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We appreciate every single one of our members, but give special recognition to those who have stood with us through decades of commitment to the industry. Join us in recognizing North Risk Partners for their 80 Years of Membership! |
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AGC Safety Committee Meeting
The AGC Safety Committee will reconvene next Thursday, October 7 (7:00-9:00 a.m.). If you'd like to participate, please register here.
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AGC Member Educational Event:
COVID Mandates
AGC returns the tag team of Mark Becker (Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson) and Kurt Erickson (Littler Mendelson P.C.) to discuss the COVID vaccine and testing mandates.
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AGC Member Educational Event:
Prefab/Modular Construction Debate
Prefab/Modular construction is growing and challenging our understandings of construction contracting. There is a growing debate how to buy prefab and modular: whether the common law or UCC applies, or which should.
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A’21 MN – The Minnesota Conference on Architecture
Registration for A’21 MN is live! The conference will take place virtually over four days in October and November, and contains programming of interest to AGC members. In addition, AGC members can register at the AIA Minnesota member rate. Learn more here.
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The 2022 Minnesota Construction Summit takes place January 11-12, 2022 and is the industry event of the year, bringing together construction industry professionals for two days of inspiration, education, and networking!
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$1.2 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Update
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FAILURE TO LAUNCH: The House of Representatives did not vote on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, as promised to Moderate House Democrats, on September 27. When pushed back to September 30—despite days of pressure from AGC of America, industry allies, and AGC members to rally enough support for passage—the votes were not solidly there for passage. AGCA had strategically been working with particular chapters and members for the last several weeks to put pressure on a small group of Representatives who needed shoring up. This was in addition to the ongoing grassroots campaign via action alerts that garnered 19,520 messages to Capitol Hill. All of these efforts will continue in some way, shape or form.
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THE FAST ACT (HIGHWAY & TRANSIT PROGRAMS) EXTENSION EXPIRED; NOW WHAT? At midnight today, October 1, all highway and transit construction programs expired. It is our hope that the House will pass the bipartisan bill today. That stated, we know that the Senate and House transportation committees have an extension somewhere in the range of a week to a month close to ready to go should the House continue to not be able to pass the bill. If the lapse in programs continues to persist into the day/weekend, AGC of America has put together this briefer of what to expect and know about the shutdown of programs.
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2021 AGC Industry Assessment Survey Now Open
We need to hear from you!
The 2021 AGC of Minnesota Construction Industry Assessment Survey provides an opportunity for you to provide your observations and experiences in the Minnesota construction marketplace. This year's survey includes many new questions, and your input is vital. The survey link was sent to our primary contact at all AGC member firms today.
The survey will close on October 29, 2021. One response per firm, please.
If you are a contractor, industry service or supplies provider, architect, or engineer and would like the link to the survey for your firm, please contact Renee Horsman.
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CHASE Level 3 Project
Congratulations to JE Dunn Construction, Parsons Electric, Bolander, and Sowles Steel Erectors on their latest CHASE Level 3 project, building Abbott Northwestern Hospital's new Central Utility Plant (CUP)! Level 3 is the highest level of safety standards being maintained on a project within the CHASE Partnership with MNOSHA.
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Search for AGC Member Contractors by CSI Code
AGC member contractors can now be searched via Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) codes on AGC's website.
For example, all specialty contractors who perform concrete work can be found by choosing "Specialty Contractor" under Company Type, and then typing "Concrete" in the CSI Code line to find all available codes that pertain to concrete. Choosing "03 00 00 Concrete" will provide the most general search parameters for all specialty contractors performing concrete work.
If your firm is not listed under particular codes that are applicable to your work, Renee would be happy to add the correct codes to your company's profile. |
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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION NEWS |
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Mental Health and Well-being in the Construction Industry: 2021 Pulse Survey
Although September was Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Month, our support for the wellbeing of those affected by mental health conditions must remain constant.
According to the Mental Health and Well-being in the Construction Industry 2021 Pulse Survey Results and Report, released yesterday, “growing mental health concerns exist in the construction industry because it ranks second highest in suicide rates among major industries."
This report is the work of the American Psychiatric Association, the Construction Financial Management Association, CSDZ, and Holmes Murphy, and contains the survey responses of 1,175 members of the construction industry. Please take a look at this rich resource!
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AGC of Minnesota welcomes the following new members: |
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Ceco Special Projects
10100 N Ambassador Drive
Kansas City, MO 64153
504-915-7834
Ceco Special Projects provides structural concrete services for public sector work.
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LeanProject
4136 Colfax Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55409
612-709-8645
LeanProject is a consulting firm that uses lean construction to transform companies and projects. The firm specializes in saving failing projects.
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Milwaukee Tool
13135 West Lisbon Road
Brookfield, WI 53005
612-322-8533
Suppling contractor tools since 1924.
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Songhai Construction
12800 Whitewater Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55343
952-449-6060
Songhai is a DBE earthwork contractor specializing in the removal and replacement of concrete and asphalt structures, curb and gutter, sidewalk, driveways, trails, and surface parking. Songhai provides snow and ice management services.
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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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