The Merit Shop Spokesman Blog

The Merit Shop Advocacy Update

If you follow politics, you might have heard the phrase, “October surprise.” This is political terminology to refer to a major news event – perhaps scandalous to some degree – that is aimed to influence the outcome of an election. With the popularity of early voting and mail-in voting, it will be interesting to see how much these stories will matter. It will also be interesting to see if strategists will re-evaluate the timing of how and when to “release” this kind of information. Who knows, maybe October surprises will turn into August surprises.

October 20, 2022

Message from the President-CEO

Many times, I refer to ABC Keystone as the members’ association. The fact is that ABC Keystone is not only the members’ association, but it is a member-driven association. This was very evident by the participation in our recent strategic planning session. I want to thank the more than 50 members and staff who gave up a day and a half to review and update our 2022-2024 strategic plan.

October 20, 2022

Careers in Construction Month

October may be Careers in Construction Month, but at ABC Keystone, every month is Careers in Construction Month! With the consolidation of the ABC Central PA Chapter into ABC Keystone Chapter, our outreach efforts extend to 33 counties, nearly 25 career and technical schools, and more than 210 school districts. We’ve started the process of introducing ABC Keystone and its programs to career and technical centers first, and those conversations have yielded one new articulation agreement with Mifflin County Academy of Science & Technology (The Academy) in Lewistown and two potential agreements with both the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center and the Central Pennsylvania Institute in Bellefonte. Every articulation agreement gives you, the members, access to young talent as these individuals pursue their careers and apprenticeships.

October 20, 2022

Ask an Accountant: What Do the Upcoming Changes to IRS Funding Really Mean?

Whenever a new tax-related law is passed, business owners are naturally inquisitive as to the impact it will have on their enterprise. The recently signed Inflation Reduction Act has a handful of tax provisions, but the aspect that is generating the most attention is the increase to the staffing and budget of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

October 20, 2022

Young Professionals Spotlight

Meet Lee Summers, Electrical Project Manager, C Mechanical Services!
How has your involvement in ABC Keystone provided you value in your professional life?
I have been involved with ABC since my apprenticeship started back in 2006. From the various apprenticeship teachers I had, to my mentors training me for the ABC National Craft Championships (NCC), to becoming an apprenticeship instructor and later leading the NCC training, I have long seen the benefits of ABC. I met many people and learned so many things during my involvement at ABC. I have learned to take criticism and use it to perform self-assessment and improve, and I have learned a great deal about how politics plays into every aspect of our trade work. It’s truly an invaluable resource.

October 8, 2022

A Message from the ABC Keystone Chair of the Board

Message from the Chair: Big Opportunities in Construction

I’ve been in the workforce long-enough to see different careers become hot and then cool off. When I was coming out of school, the big career was nursing. The employers were offering signing bonuses, and people coming out of school had their choice of places they wanted to work. Construction has had its employment issues for longer than any other profession I can remember. Guidance counselors pushed everyone to college, and no one was talking about careers in the trades, which is a shame because of the things you learn from working in construction. You learn to think on your feet, adapt to changing circumstances, and discover how to solve problems that seem insurmountable.

October 5, 2022

Local Apprentices Earn Opportunity to Compete in ABC National Craft Competition

(MANHEIM, Pa.) Three ABC Keystone apprentices received top scores at the Keystone Chapter’s Individual Local Craft Competition on Saturday, October 1, 2022, held at the Chapter’s state-of-the-art training facility in Manheim. This year, the competition also featured the Chapter’s first-ever Team Competition designed to demonstrate safety along with craft interdependency and teamwork; simulate working conditions where planning is critical to success; highlight individual leadership and workmanship skills as the project was assembled and completed; and work through problems as a team.

October 4, 2022

The Merit Shop Advocacy Update

The 2022 General Election, especially in Pennsylvania, is set up to be a nail-biter. In Pennsylvania, all 203 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election, along with 25 seats in the Senate (in even numbered districts). Voters will also elect a new governor, a U.S. Senator, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives across 17 congressional districts.

September 27, 2022

Young Professionals Perspective

On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies across the industry are eyeing a bounce back with a backlog of work and not enough manpower to complete the projects. Aside from a reduction in skilled tradespeople, the competition among companies to hire the most qualified individuals is another hurdle plaguing our industry. As someone who solicits career opportunities for qualified individuals, this process has been more challenging than ever.

September 22, 2022

Meet Timothy Asinger, Kessel Construction, Inc.!

Tell Us About You and Your Company!
Butler Buildings have been a part of Kessel’s success for over 86 years by supplying custom and pre-engineered building systems. Kessel and Butler have successfully built standard pre-engineered building systems, conventionally framed structures as well as “hybrid” structures (Butler pre-engineered and conventional design structures combined into one structure).

September 21, 2022

Silence is Golden – The Workplace Injuries Construction Employers Do, and Do Not, Need to Record on OSHA Forms

The old adage “Sometimes less is more” may provide sound advice when it comes to completing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations paperwork. Employers must keep track of workplace injuries and illnesses using a series of OHSA-supplied forms: the 300 Log to record each incident throughout the year, the 301 Report for each particular incident, and the 300A Summary of yearly statistics.

September 21, 2022

New Members & Member Anniversaries

Welcome to our Newest Members and Congratulations to our members celebrating milestone anniversaries!

September 19, 2022

Message from the President-CEO

As we enter September, we usually think about finally reaching the home stretch for the year. However, here at ABC Keystone we start planning for the start of the new year ahead. Like most businesses, we have to think about the budget, but that is only one component. For our association, September becomes focused on strategic planning and making sure we elect our new Board members for 2023.

September 14, 2022

Message from the Chair: ABC Keystone in Action

August was a fun month! It was great to see everyone in Wrightsville at ABC Keystone’s Summer Outdoor Mixer presented by Saxton & Stump Lawyers and Consultants and to see many of you in Belfonte at the Keystone Chapter’s Nittany Valley Mixer. Mixers like these are events I look forward to each year to have a good time and catch up with so many of our ABC members. It was especially valuable this year to build connections with our members from our new Nittany Valley Region.

September 7, 2022

The Merit Shop Advocacy Update

This weekend will be the 140th time America will celebrate Labor Day. While we mark the long weekend as the “unofficial end of summer,” the day was created to recognize the work, contributions, and achievements of American labor, particularly the trades. As an association consisting of the trades and businesses affiliated with the construction industry, we want to say THANK YOU for your contributions to this great nation and for helping to train the next generation of tradespeople.

August 30, 2022

The Latest Chapter News from ABC Keystone