News
AGC of America plans legal challenge to “quickie election†rule
NLRB ruling not only makes it easier for unions to organize open-shop contractors it also limits union contractors’ flexibility by converting from 8(f) to 9(a) relationships. Click “ambush election” rule.
Posted on 12/17/2014
Old E-Verify records to be deleted; employers must download historic records prior to Dec. 31
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) effective January 1 2015 E-Verify transaction records more than ten years old will be deleted from the system. As a result employers will no longer have access in E-Verify to cases created prior t...
Posted on 12/09/2014
2015 workers' comp rates will be lower than first proposed
The average increase in workers’ compensation premiums in 2015 will be less than half of the amount initially proposed. L&I recently announced a final average increase of 0.8 percent.Among construction classifications the rates will range from a 14 percent decrease for Overhead Power and Tran...
Posted on 12/05/2014
Immigration: AGC supports earned path to legalization; says executive order makes bipartisan reform difficult
AGC of America released the following statement regarding the President’s Nov. 20 immigration executive order:For over a decade when the Bush Administration began its push for immigration reform through today AGC has supported comprehensive immigration reform. That support included an endorsement...
Posted on 11/21/2014
AGC'S BUILD PAC instrumental in maintaining Senate's Majority Coalition Caucus
We did it! And couldn’t have done it without your help! With AGC’S BUILD PAC members help we were instrumental in helping maintain the Majority Coalition Caucus (MCC) in the Senate.During the 2014 general election we had a success rate of over 91% and invested more than $84000 in business-friendl...
Posted on 11/10/2014
Federal Facilities presentation materials now available
Presentation and handout materials from the November 5 Federal Facilities Three-Year Outlook meeting at AGC Seattle are now available on AGCs Wheres the Work? page here including materials from NAVFAC the Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard. See the New Presentations section in the mid...
Posted on 11/06/2014
AGC Health Plan first to be approved by State Insurance Commissioner
According to an Oct. 29 2014 press release issued InsuranceNews.net the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner has approved UnitedHealthcare of Washington Inc.s 2014 association health plan for Associated General Contractors of Washington. This is the first approval for the more th...
Posted on 10/30/2014
Current-law transportation budget funds 520, tunnel, preservation/maintenance
Story #2 "abstract" text here...
Posted on 10/27/2014
AGC calls for additional workers' comp reforms at rate hearing
(Editor’s note: For the proposed 2015 workers’-comp premium rates per job classification click here.)AGC called for additional reforms of the state’s workers’ compensation system during rate hearings held by the Department of Labor and Industries.“A significant problem within our system is our hi...
Posted on 10/27/2014
Important union-benefit trust seminar, Nov. 14
If you are a union contractor you are responsible for submitting monthly reports to trust administrators for both pension and health trusts. Your company is periodically subject to payroll audits and you may have had to deal with collection attorneys if your trust contributions become delinquent....
Posted on 10/14/2014
Make your voice heard -- vote in the general election
Later this week you will receive your ballot in the mail for the upcoming general election. It is important that you take the time to vote because the control of the Senate stands in the balance.
The AGC BUILD PAC’s primary focus for the 2014 elections has been to help the Majority Coalition Cau...
Posted on 10/14/2014
DOE suggests changes to construction stormwater permit
The Construction Stormwater General Permit expires Dec. 31 2015. The Department of Ecology has begun the process of reissuing it and disseminating its list of suggested changes.
Questions for AGC members:
1. Aside from DOE’s suggested changes (see below) are there aspects of the permit which y...
Posted on 10/13/2014
New fiscal year, same old highway trust-fund problems
With October 1 marking the beginning of fiscal year 2015 the 31-member organization Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) urged Congress to find a way to pay for and pass a new long-term surface transportation measure as soon as possible. They cautioned that failure to act would lead to ano...
Posted on 10/13/2014
Construction manager sought for Project Review Committee
The Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB) is recruiting a construction manager to serve a three-year term on its Project Review Committee.
The PRC reviews and approves projects and project teams proposing to use the General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) and Design Build (DB) c...
Posted on 10/13/2014
Oct. 28 HR Roundtable: challenges with employee-owner relations
Most employers are well aware that in Washington employees are terminable at will unless agreed otherwise. A little known exception to this rule applies when an employee is also an owner. This may create unanticipated limitations when working relationships sour. Join us on October 28 as we discu...
Posted on 10/13/2014
Students go hands-on at 2014 Construction Career Day
Hundreds of students from area high schools once again converged on Seattles Magnuson Park on October 9 to get up-close and personal and even hands-on with a wide range of construction trades. Students tried their hand at activities such as laying mortar on brick survey map reading and running a ...
Posted on 10/13/2014
Agreements reached with four crafts; one remains
SL News story #3 "abstract" info goes here...
Posted on 10/27/2014
AGC opposes specialty-sub requirement on public projects
Abstract text here.
Posted on 10/03/2014
L&I proposes 1.8% workers' comp rate increase for 2015
L&I is proposing an average 1.8 percent rate increase for 2015 workers’ compensation premiums. The increase comes out to about 1 cent per hour worked. Proposed rates differ considerably by construction job classification. For example the Concrete Work - Foundations and Flatwork classification...
Posted on 09/29/2014
E-Verify releases new desktop widget for employers
On September 22 2014 E-Verify released a new Form I-9 desktop widget that gives all employers a shortcut to automatically launch the Form I-9 directly from their computer desktop at any time. With one click on the Form I-9 widget it is now easier for employers to access and complete the Form I-9....
Posted on 09/25/2014
Washington Supreme Court sides with Boeing and AGC of Washington over workers'-comp employer immunity
John Riper Ashbaugh BealLast week in a case the AGC of Washington intervened in is as amicus in support of The Boeing Company the Supreme Court held in favor of employer immunity under Washington’s workers’ compensation program. The case involves employer liability for asbestos exposure 28 years ...
Posted on 09/25/2014
Leadership changes at American Construction
American Construction Company Inc. of Tacoma has announced the following changes to the company leadership effective Sept. 1.
Steve Brannon has been promoted to the position of chief executive officer focusing on strategic direction and expansion. Steve has led the company for the last twenty-th...
Posted on 09/22/2014
A perfect day for 2014 Women in Construction hike
It was yet another perfect Northwest summer day last Friday Sept. 12 as the 2014 AGC/Ashbaugh Beal Women in Construction hike took place. Thirty attendees took part and enjoyed a scenic and sunny hike up Rattlesnake Ridge near North Bend. The thirsty group then descended the trail to re-join civi...
Posted on 09/15/2014
AGC of America re-launches voter-information resource
The construction industry and the millions of workers it employs have much at stake in upcoming elections across the country. At a time when the industry is rebounding from the longest and deepest slump of any sector it is especially important to elect leaders willing to work for common-sense sol...
Posted on 09/15/2014
Port of Seattle bid desk moving
Effective October 1 2014 the Port of Seattle bid desk will move from its Alaskan Way waterfront location in Seattle to the CPO Construction Services office at 2529 S.194th Street Seattle WA 98188 (south of the airport).
The Port has decided to relocate the bid desk to improve the efficiency of m...