News
AGC Opposes DOE's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan
The Department Ecology issued a letter indicating it plans to move forward with its draft SEPA guidance to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). AGC and other business groups expressed significant concerns that Ecology’s approach will create endless litigation opportunities for project opponent...
Posted on 08/10/2010
Local Students Receive National Scholarships
Congratulations to seven college students (six from UW one from WSU) who were recently presented scholarships from the AGC of America Education and Research Foundation! Of those listed below Alex Christopher and Mario are also AGC of Washington Education Foundation scholarship recipients. Nathani...
Posted on 08/10/2010
New Sellen Sustainability Grew Out of Sellen's Green Building Experience
How unusual is it for a construction firm to generate 90 percent of its revenues – half a billion dollars worth – from LEED projects? After all even though green construction is growing exponentially it’s still a small segment of the overall market: The green market was two percent of non-resid...
Posted on 07/27/2010
AGC Members are A Cut Above: Selland Project Wins National Award
New AGC member Selland Construction of Wenatchee helped WSDOT mitigate 2009’s massive landslide that buried part of SR 410. Last week the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) recognized the project with an “America’s Transportation Award” in the Innovative ...
Posted on 07/27/2010
State Announces Large Unemployment Insurance Tax Increase for 2011
The average employer’s unemployment insurance tax is projected to go from 2.39 percent this year to 3.36 percent in 2011. Combined with an increase in the taxable wage base it means that employers will see around a 42 percent increase in unemployment insurance costs.
Individual employers will s...
Posted on 07/27/2010
AGC Safety Team® at 20: A Look Back and Safety Experts Talk Shop
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of AGC’s flagship safety program the AGC Safety Team®.
As part of the celebration the Daily Journal of Commerce recently ran two articles – one discusses the issues and leaders that defined the program the other is an interview with safety experts Ray Pierce ...
Posted on 07/27/2010
New EPA Stormwater Regs Expected to Have Moderate Effect on State
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized new stormwater requirements that will impact nearly every construction and development project in the United States. These “Construction and Development Effluent Limitations Guidelines” (C&D ELG) impose an enforceable numeric l...
Posted on 07/27/2010
Expanding Markets, Minimizing Costs at the Local Level
The best economic stimulus the government could provide is expedited projects and it wouldn’t cost a thing.” That statement by Jeff Stroud of Mountain Construction sums up one of the primary reasons why AGC members and staff play such an active role in local government policymaking.
Throughout ...
Posted on 07/27/2010
Board Meeting to Discuss I-1082
AGC members are invited to attend a Special Board of Trustees’ meeting on Aug. 3 2-4 pm AGC Building 2nd floor conference center 1200 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle to participate in discussions regarding the pro’s and con’s of Initiative 1082 (workers’ comp). After reviewing and hearing discussion on...
Posted on 07/27/2010
You're Invited to SR 520 Bridge Tour
The Washington State Department of Transportation is beginning the contracting process for construction of the new SR 520 floating bridge. WSDOT would like to invite you to a tour of the bridge during the weekend when it will be closed for annual maintenance and inspection.
This valuable opportu...
Posted on 07/27/2010
Stiffarm, Kime Featured in Hearing Conservation Article
Doug Stiffarm of AGC member Woodworth and Co. and AGC’s Safety Director Mandi Kime were featured in an article on hearing conservation regulations in Safety + Health magazine. Stiffarm notes that his firm offers employees hearing protection choices and arranges audiometric testing and cautions t...
Posted on 07/27/2010
BUILD PAC Announces Election Endorsements
Builders United in Legislative Development Political Action Committee (BUILD PAC) announced endorsements for the August 17 State Legislative primaries. BUILD PAC is AGC of Washington’s affiliated political action committee.
“BUILD PAC supports candidates who understand the importance of the con...
Posted on 07/26/2010
Carpenters and Cement Masons Ratify Two-Year Agreement
The negotiations between AGC of Washington and the Carpenters and Cement Mason Unions have been successfully completed. The Carpenters extended the current wages and fringes with no increase for the final two years until May 31 2012.
The Cement Masons agreement will freeze the total wage fringe...
Posted on 07/13/2010
Need Material Price Trends and Projections for Bid Substantiation?
AGC members are reminded of the valuable service provided by Ken Simonson AGC of America’s renowned economist. Among the data published regularly by Ken is information on trends and projections for construction material costs.
Click PPI trends for a look at price changes for many specific con...
Posted on 07/13/2010
Safety Team Photo Contest Winner Announced
Congratulations to Wade Perrow Construction! Competition was strong for the photo contest and we would like to thank all of the participants for both photo submissions and votes. Your efforts made this contest a great promotion for safety in the workplace and on jobsites.
Posted on 07/13/2010
AGC Health Plan: Affordable Insurance for the Construction Industry
Did you know that one of your benefits of AGC of Washington membership is the opportunity to purchase the AGC Health Plan? The AGC Health Plan consolidates construction industry employers into one large experience-rated contract with significant purchasing power. The results are competitive prem...
Posted on 07/13/2010
Personalysis – Helping People Communicate and Work…TOGETHER
Join the HR Roundtable this July 27 in Seattle for a thought provoking presentation and group discussion on “Personalysis” tools used literally on a daily basis within some of today’s top performing construction companies. Following a general overview of the basics of Personalysis we will look at...
Posted on 07/13/2010
FLF: Join us for the 3rd Annual Mariners Game!
This year we will be watching the Mariners play against the Red Sox. The pregame party will be in the stadium on the 3rd level where hotdogs smoked barbeque chicken sandwiches and snacks will be provided. Doors for the pregame party will open at 5:10 p.m. and the game starts at 7:10 p.m. Limited ...
Posted on 07/13/2010
AGC Welcomes New Members!
The following firms have been approved for membership: S A R Construction Co. Inc. (Commercial industrial and residential); Selland Construction Inc. (Heavy highway and utilities); Basin Refrigeration & Heating Inc.
Posted on 07/13/2010
Is Card Check Legislation Back from the Grave?
So-called card check legislation which would take away workers’ right to a secret ballot regarding unionization was thought to be dead. However a strategy may be in the works to pass it during a lame-duck congressional session. According to a Wall Street Journal opinion piece “Party leaders are...
Posted on 07/13/2010
New Safety Bill Expected Before Congress Soon
Recently a discussion draft of a new bill that seeks to make changes to both MSHA and OSHA was introduced in Congress. While AGC of America is still reviewing the 100-page document the bill focuses mainly on changes to MSHA with elements of the OSHA-focused Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA)...
Posted on 07/13/2010
White Paper: IPD for Public and Private Owners
AGC of America Construction Owners Association of America and other groups recently published this interesting paper on integrated project delivery. Although targeted to owners it’s good background for contractors and other members of a project team. Among other things it distinguishes between ...
Posted on 07/13/2010
Steve Jouwsma Selected for NCCCO Task Force
Sicklesteel Cranes’ Steve Jouwsma has been named a member of the Crane Inspector Task Force (CITF) of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). The task force will develop the comprehensive written tests as part of the certification program for crane inspectors.
Posted on 07/13/2010
Reminder: Southern District Golf Call-In July 14 at 8 a.m.
The Southern District AGC of Washington Annual Field Day & Golf Invitational will be held at Gold Mountain Olympic Course in Bremerton on Friday July 30 (the call-in is July 14 at 8 a.m.!). The shotgun scramble will have four player teams. Click Southern District Golf for details.
Posted on 07/13/2010
Operating Engineers Ratify Two-Year Agreement
The negotiations between AGC of Washington and the Operating Engineers union have been successfully completed with the ratification of an agreement by Local 302 and Local 612 membership. Recognizing the current economic conditions the Union and AGC representing its contractor members have agreed...