Despite Tradepoint Atlantic’s Union Pact opportunities remain for ABC members Despite months of back and forth discussions with ABC, Tradepoint Atlantic is moving forward with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) on the redevelopment of the property formerly known as Sparrows Point. The developer has agreed, however, to incorporate local hiring …
New Projects in the Pipeline
The Pipeline, a joint venture between ABC Baltimore and the University of Baltimore’s Jacob Franz Center, is an on-line service that tracks development projects in their earliest stages. For more subscription information, contact Mike Henderson. – Grace Fellowship Church – West Baltimore MTA Bus Transfer Facility – Metro Heights at …
ABC Opposes ¬ËœBlacklisting’ Final Rule
New federal regulation could strip contractors of due process (Washington, D.C., Aug. 29) ABC National joined with other business organizations in opposing the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces final rule released last week by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council, known by some as the ¬Ëœblacklisting’ rule because it could …
Board of Directors ‘Spotlight:’ Martha Elliott
Company: CAM Construction Co Inc Job Description: Business Development ¬â€œ Using my decades of experience and connections in the construction industry my responsibility is to help expand CAM’s client base by introducing the firm to potential clients, design professionals and even government agencies whose knowledge of CAM’s capabilities is limited …
Labor Day Photo Contest
In honor of the men and women who are Building Baltimore, ABC is sponsoring a Labor Day Photo Contest. The contest will begin Tuesday, August 30th at 12 pm and will end midnight on Labor Day! The photo with the most likes at the end of the contest wins! TWO …
Inside Look at September GC Panel
Join us September 13th from 4:30 to 6pm for a panel discussion, which we are calling ‘Behind the curtain,’ where some of the region’s leading general contractors give a behind-the-scenes look at the pre-con process of selecting subcontractors. Why should general contractors attend the event? General Contractors will have the …
Construction Tech Academy is a Home-Run!
4-week program to promote construction careers funded by Apprenticeship Trust Fund contributions This past Friday, 17 Perry Hall High School students, comprised of recent grads and in-coming seniors, received their certificates of completion from the community college and ABC for having successfully completed the Construction Tech Academy. The CTA introduces …
New Projects in the Pipeline
The Pipeline, a joint venture between ABC Baltimore and the University of Baltimore’s Jacob Franz Center, is an on-line service that tracks development projects in their earliest stages. For more information on how you can subscribe, contact Mike Henderson. – Strawbridge Commons FKA McDaniels Orchard – The Shops at Kenilworth …
City Minimum Wage Takes a Step Closer to Reality
New bill includes amendments meant to protect small business The Baltimore City Council’s Labor Committee approved a bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. The bill has introduced amendments to protect small businesses by exempting them from the bill’s regulations. Originally, the amendments defined a …
Building Diversity in Construction
Minority and majority owned contractors met in Washington, D.C. last month to explore strategies to address the lack of diversity in the construction industry. The meeting was part of the Diversity and Inclusion Summit, held during ABC National’s Legislative Week. ABC Baltimore member Larry Lopez, owner of Green JobWorks, LLC., …
Southway Builders’ Unusual Approach to Hiring is Paying Dividends
Southway Builders, Inc., a Baltimore City-based general contractor, is taking a slightly unconventional approach in qualifying new hires on its Wyman House project. But more important than their approach, is that it is working. Southway has temporarily hired 6 JumpStart graduates to participate in very basic labor tasks, such as …
Board of Directors ‘Spotlight:’ Vic Victoriano
Company: Skillforce Inc. Job Description: Director of Operations ¬â€œ I am responsible for the formation and implementation of corporate policies and strategies. I work to integrate those policies with our branches and formulate both short and long term strategies for our continued success and growth. I represent a bridge between …
Community Leaders Visit Project JumpStart
Reverend Mosley, Kate McShane, Joe Xavier, Del. Kathy Szeliga Recently, several Baltimore City community leaders had the opportunity to visit Project JumpStart and see the program first hand. Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga, Reverend Mosley, Joe Xavier, and Kim Pinkey of Rosemont Neighborhood Improvement Association met with Director of Project …
JumpStart Goes to Washington
Last month, representatives of Project JumpStart made a presentation to ABC’s National Board of Directors on how they can start a program in their respective chapters. Successful pilots have already been planted in the Ohio Valley and Metro Washington Chapters. The 90-hour pre-apprenticeship program was launched 10 years ago by …
Board of Directors ‘Spotlight:’ Frank Murphy
Company: Tissa Enterprises Inc. (TEI) Job Description: President/COO How did you get involved with ABC? I have been involved with ABC since 1988. I was introduced to ABC by my former boss Tom Musser (Past ABC National Chairman) What is your passion as a board member? My focus is ensuring …
ABC Partners with BCPS for ‘Construction Tech Academy’
Last summer, ABC Baltimore teamed up with Baltimore County Public Schools and Community College of Baltimore County and conducted a pilot program for a group of rising seniors called the Construction Tech Academy. ABC’s goal was to increase the vocational training available in public schools. The program ran so well …
Maryland Laws Going into Effect July 1
Minimum Wage Maryland’s minimum wage will increase from $8.25 to $8.75. It’s the latest rise scheduled to take effect since lawmakers in 2014 approved incremental increases over several years from $7.25. Next year, it’s scheduled to rise to $9.25 and by July 2018 reach $10.10. Gas Tax Maryland’s gas tax …
Unprecedented Wave of Anti-Business Regulations
As President Obama’s second term nears its end, he is using executive actions to issue regulations through government agencies that could disproportionately hurt small businesses around the country. The construction industry is particularly vulnerable, given the nature of the industry with multiple employers on jobsites and the myriad of employer …
Board of Directors ‘Spotlight:’ Anita Sheckells
Company: KatzAbosch Job Description: Director and Vice President of the firm’s Board of Directors How did you get involved with ABC? As an accountant specializing in the construction industry, I joined ABC to meet people in the industry, as well as learn more about the industry. I initially joined the …
DOL’s Overtime Rule: Too Fast too Soon
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently updated its overtime regulations for white collar workers under the Fair Labors and Standards Act. The updates include increasing the salary threshold under which salaried workers are entitled to overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. That threshold …