Merit Shop Apprenticeship Program Enrollment Up 60%, Growing Faster Than Unions

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Nonunion apprenticeship programs and participants were responsible for the vast majority of growth in construction registered apprenticeship programs, or RAPs, over the past five years, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data. “The DOL data show that ABC and merit shop contractors are leading the industry in growing both registered apprenticeship programs and innovative new workforce development pipelines,” said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president of government affairs. “ABC supports the DOL building on its success by streamlining and simplifying apprenticeship regulations while providing incentives for better RAP performance, which will attract new sponsors and employers to … Read more

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ABC: Government-Registered Apprenticeship Programs Still Do Not Meet Construction Workforce Needs

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At current rates of participation and completion, federal and state government-registered apprenticeship programs, or GRAPs, are still failing to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce development needs, according to an annual Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of released U.S. Department of Labor data. ABC estimates that, in fiscal year 2024, the construction industry’s federal and state GRAPs had about 290,000 apprentice participants and yielded less than 40,000 completers.* The DOL’s data presents 5-year trend lines indicating there has been stronger proportional growth in the number of nonunion GRAPs, apprentice participants and apprentice completers compared to union-affiliated GRAPs … Read more

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US Department of Labor seeks Nominees for Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health

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The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking nominations for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Advisory Committee for Construction Safety and Health. The secretary will select 14 members representing the interests of employers, employees, state safety and health agencies and the public to create a broad-based, balanced and diverse committee. The remaining representative is designated by the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Members generally serve a two-year term and can be appointed to successive terms. The advisory committee meets two to four times per year. Submit nominations and supporting materials, identified by Docket No. OSHA-2024-0002, at … Read more

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Department of Labor Proposes Rule to Clarify PPE Standard, Ensure Safety of Construction Industry Workers

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The U.S. Department of Labor announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the personal protective equipment standard for the construction industry. The current standard does not state clearly that PPE must fit each affected employee properly, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s general industry and maritime standards do. The proposed change would clarify that PPE must fit each employee properly to protect them from occupational hazards. The failure of standard-sized PPE to protect physically smaller construction workers properly, as well as problems with access to properly fitting PPE, have long been safety and health concerns in the construction … Read more

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U.S. Department of Labor Seeks Nominations for Employee Representative on Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health

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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is requesting nominations to fill one vacant employee representative position on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health. The 15-member group advises the Secretary of Labor and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health on developing standards and policies affecting the construction industry. Committee members represent employees, employers, state safety and health agencies and the public. Members generally serve two-year staggered terms, except the representative designated by the Department of Health and Human Services and appointed by the Secretary of Labor, who serves indefinitely. Submit nominations electronically … Read more

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