OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR SHAPIRO | April 2024
Dear Governor Shapiro,
The Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), Keystone Chapter, representing 30,000 Pennsylvanians in the labor workforce in 33 counties, must respond to your March 2024 announcement regarding Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).
TOGETHER, WE CAN WIN IN 2024 | April 2024
We have seen some incredible force majeure-type challenges in the last few years and we’re all trying to predict what the next threat will be. Though we don’t know for sure, there are a few creeping up to start thinking about that will keep us on our toes:
NEW ROOFING PROGRAM LAUNCHES AT ABC KEYSTONE
ABC Keystone’s Roofing Apprenticeship Program launched in October 2023. Today, there are 15 roofing apprentices from Detwiler Roofing & David M. Maines Associates, Inc. enrolled in the program. The roofing apprenticeship program is geared toward aspiring construction professionals seeking to learn essential roofing skills in a specialized program.
DO ELECTIONS SAVE CONSEQUENCES? | March 2024
As spring looms, so will the primary election that sets the stage for the 2024 election this fall (our primaries are April 23). Every cliché continues to be thrown at this election cycle: everything is at stake this year, elections have consequences, people will vote with their feet, and incredibly, all of them are true.
LET’S CELEBRATE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION | March 2024
When I entered this industry in 1978 it was basically an all-male industry. Except for the accounting office or the administrative assistant pool, it was hard to find a female employee. Here we are 46 years later and for the month of March we celebrate Women in Construction. Yes, we have come a long way, but we also have plenty of room to grow.
THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX | March 2024
Our industry continues to see a major impact from labor shortages which currently stand at an approximate 500,000 deficit nationally and 30,000 deficit for Pennsylvania. ABC Keystone is taking on this challenge with an outside-the-box approach to bring about opportunity to help toward solving this challenge.
FOUNDING MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Warfel Construction | February 2024
Our greatest achievement is the experience we provide to our clients, made possible through our people and the unique culture of Warfel that has developed and evolved since 1911. We have grown and been successful over time by honoring our mission and values and being grounded in doing the right thing.
KICK-OFF TIME FOR PA ELECTIONS | February 2024
Quite a few football fans in Pennsylvania are disappointed heading into this year’s Super Bowl (especially those of us who are Steelers or Eagles fans). What is kicking off right now is the start of election season in our state, which may be less exciting for some but will set the stage for an impactful future.
FOLLOW THE MONEY | February 2024
If you watch many crime shows you often hear the investigating officer say, ”follow the money,” As we look at the status of politics, National, State, and Local, we keep asking how we got to the condition we are in. I would suggest all you need to do is follow the money.
FULL STEAM AHEAD | February 2024
2024 is already steamrolling along and there continues to be many challenges to our businesses that we need to be prepared for. Let’s tackle some of them and discuss how ABC Keystone is here and helping our members fight to protect our businesses and the merit shop, free enterprise principles that we all embrace.
Making 2024 Count | December 2023
Much of this past year has been filled with frustration in seeing the decisions made by our state and federal public officials. That has been fatiguing. The new year provides several opportunities to send a message to all. Maybe you’re reading this and are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore … so read on for what you can do about it.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: STOP MINIMIZING THE VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF 88% OF THE U.S. CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY | December 2023
President Joe Biden continues to push his rhetoric, promoting himself as—and fulfilling his oft-repeated promise to be—”the most pro-union president in history.”
