Campaign for Quality Construction - National Issues Legislative Conference

March 12 2007

Legislative Affairs

The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) is co-sponsoring The Campaign for Quality Construction’s National Issue Conference, May 1-3, 2007, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington D.C.

This conference includes issue briefings, incisive guest speakers, insider Washington information, addresses by legislative leaders, and most importantly, face-to-face meetings with your members of Congress and/or their staffs.

Unlike other Washington issues conferences, at the CQC National Issue Conference you’ll hear both sides of the issues from Administration officials and legislative veterans who’ve been doing battle on the Hill for years. You’ll be prepped on what to expect when you meet with your elected officials. Concise briefing statements will simplify issues and enable you to effectively communicate your views/messages like a pro.

Conference issues will include:

1 — Repealing the ill-conceived 3% withholding on public contracts set to burden contract performance beginning in 2011, and turning back all efforts to put it into effect before then;

2 — Pressing for a broad scope of long-overdue Federal contracting reforms (banning reverse auctions in construction, raising the bar on responsibility determinations to qualify for public contracts, and tightening up protections against misclassifying employees as independent contractors);

3 — Addressing immigration reform and guest worker proposals to prevent undermining workforce standards in the high-skill sector of the industry; and

4 — Making sure any health care reform proposal respects the long-established investment specialty construction employers have made in top-flight health care plans for high-skill trades employees.

It is crucial that the new leadership in Congress is aware that the specialty construction employers in the high-skill segment of the industry lead the industry overall in establishing and maintaining high workforce standards and performance.

The new Congressional leadership will be eager to have the input of union signatory employers in the construction industry. Join your colleagues and industry leaders from the six sponsoring employer associations – TAUC, MCAA, NECA, SMACNA, ICE and FCA – to discuss these important industry issues and to present a united front for union signatory construction firms on federal policy issues.

Legislative Position Papers can be found here.