Building Minnesota on Merit in 2024
The 2024 legislative session offers new opportunities for Minnesota to make itself a good place to do business for the merit shop construction industry. ABC is committed to working with legislators throughout the session and with state agency officials to ensure that legislation and administrative actions level the playing field for all contractors, help develop a 21st century workforce, and ensure Minnesota remains a great place for merit shop contractors and their workforce to build.
Our legislative priorities include:
- Amend state rules prohibiting 16 and 17-year olds from working in construction to instead mirror federal rules that permit these young adults to explore career opportunities in construction by working on site and in occupations the aren't deemed hazardous.
- Reforming the state’s prevailing wage laws, which drive up the cost of projects and disproportionately affect contractors and small businesses in Greater Minnesota. Switching from the“mode” calculation to an “average” calculation will save the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each biennium and allow for more construction, growth, and economic development.
- Allowing workers on public projects to work four ten-hour days without triggering overtime requirements.
- Ensuring that all Minnesota construction workers are treated equally by opposing union-only Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).
- Building a 21st century workforce through new educational opportunities, from new construction-focused STEM classes to apprenticeship programs to collaborations between schools and industry professionals.
GET INTO POLITICS, OR GET OUT OF BUSINESS!
If you have any questions, please call or email Adam Hanson.