Published: September 1, 2010
Tags: ABC, Associated Builders and Contractors, Craig Shaffer, Crane Certification Association of America, cranes and derricks, David Michaels, Federal Register, Hildebrandt, Manitowoc Cranes, Miron Construction, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, osha, Safety Works, Stilwil
By Marie Rohde
A construction industry association wants a new crane and derrick safety rule to be delayed until federal officials provide more information about the rule.
The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s 1,100-page rule is to take effect Nov. 8, but Craig Shaffer of the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. is asking that the effective [...]
Published: July 19, 2010
Tags: ABC, AIA, American Institute of Architects, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, construction spending, contractors, economy, J.P. Cullen & Sons, Kermit Baker, Kevin Hickman, Steve Stone
By Tony Anderson
Special to The Daily Reporter
An industry group is forecasting at least one more year of decreased construction spending in a market already battered by a weak economy.
An American Institute of Architects economic forecast is predicting the decline. The report, written by Kermit Baker, AIA’s chief economist, anticipates a 20 percent decrease in construction [...]
Published: June 30, 2010
Tags: ABC, American Subcontractors Association of Wisconsin, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Beiriger, bid, debarment, Department of Administration, Department of Workforce Development, DWD, Mark Saunders, Mielke, rule, suspension, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, WisDOT
By Paul Snyder
Industry associations are withholding support for proposed contractor debarment rules until the state can prove it will not unfairly prevent companies from bidding on jobs.
The threat of debarment is a useful tool for the Wisconsin Department of Administration to make sure contractors play by state rules, said John Mielke, vice president of the [...]
Published: June 8, 2010
Tags: ABC, AGC, apprentices, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, Boullion, Department of Workforce Development, DWD, hiring, Iron Workers Local 383, John Schmitt, journeymen, Local 383, Mielke, Pete Stern, Wisconsin Laborers District Council
By Paul Snyder
Contractors working on state projects should have a choice between hiring apprentices and journeymen, according to construction groups asking the state to ease its employment rules.
“We want to see apprenticeship standards used as encouragement; not a hammer,” said Jim Boullion, government affairs director for the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin.
The AGC, he said, [...]
Published: May 26, 2010
Tags: ABC, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, blog, Hot Topics, Mielke, prevailing wage, Snyder
By Paul Snyder
staff writer
I cannot say I was surprised Tuesday when I got word from John Mielke that the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Inc. would not pursue further legal recourse against the state’s new prevailing wage law.
Published: May 21, 2010
Tags: A.C.E. Building Service, ABC, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Dane County Circuit Court, Dipko, DWD, Gregory Reesman, Janke, Janke General Contractors, John Markson, Reesman's Excavating & Grading, Stan Johnson, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Comments: 3
By Paul Snyder
Nonunion contractors either are scrambling to prepare monthly and, in some cases, overdue state prevailing wage reports or congratulating themselves for following the correct hunch.
Steven Janke, president of Athens-based Janke General Contractors Inc., said he continued to file prevailing wage reports with the state for the past five months even though a lawsuit [...]
Published: May 5, 2010
Tags: ABC, AGC, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, Boullion, Department of Commerce, general contractor, Kaltenbrun, Kaltenbrun Bros. Roofing Co., Mielke, penalty, Quast, registration, subcontractor
By Darryl Enriquez
Longtime roofing contractor Leo Kaltenbrun of Sheboygan is skeptical of proposed penalties as high as $2,000 for generals and subs that fail to register with the state before going on a work site.
When Kaltenbrun, 90, founded Sheboygan-based Kaltenbrun Bros. Roofing Co. Inc. in 1946, a contractor preparing for a job simply went to [...]
Published: April 23, 2010
Tags: ABC, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Burazin, Bush, Dave Jones Plumbing and Heating, Dutton, excavation, fall protection, fall-protection standards, fines, Obama, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OHSA, Platt Safety Services Inc., R&R Insurance Services, Severe Violator Enforcement Program, Stehno, trenching safety, violations
By Sean Ryan
Stiffer penalties are threatening an already tempestuous relationship between builders and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Bruce Morton, safety consultant with Platt Safety Services Inc., Franklin, said fines from OSHA are about 30 percent higher than they were a year ago.
“But, also,” he said, “I would say the inspections are more thorough.”
The agency [...]
Published: April 13, 2010
Tags: ABC, ABC of Wisconsin, Associated Builders and Contractors of America, Charles Palmer, executive order, federal project, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139, Local 139, McGowan, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, nonunion, Obama, PLA, project labor agreements, Steve Stone, union, Zignego, Zignego Co.
Comments: 2
By Sean Ryan
The federal government Tuesday officially shifted toward project labor agreements, confirming the fears of nonunion contractors.
Starting May 13, federal agencies can require PLAs on projects that receive more than $25 million in federal money.
Mike Zignego, secretary/treasurer for Zignego Co. Inc., Waukesha, said he does not like the prospect of PLAs on highway jobs [...]
Published: March 26, 2010
Tags: ABC, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Dahms, Dane County Circuit Court, Dipko, DWD, Halverson Bros., Mielke, prevailing wage, spreadsheet, Thimm, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Wondra Construction
Comments: 2
By Paul Snyder
Construction companies in Wisconsin are not convinced a revised prevailing wage reporting spreadsheet from the state will make their jobs any easier.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development has pared down what had been a 50-field spreadsheet to 34 fields, but Roger Thimm, controller of Iron Ridge-based Wondra Construction Inc., said the reporting will [...]
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