News

THE IMPACT OF CREDENTIALS AT THE TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

As the Education and Safety Director of the Greater Tennessee ABC Chapter, Michele Correnti has helped 32 schools utilize NCCER curricula. Working with schools and teachers in the Greater Tennessee area, Correnti wants the next generation of craft professionals to have industry credentials backed by training and education.  “Any time a student can get a certification in the crafts, it’s a further step into the world of construction – where there is already a huge shortage,” Correnti said. “It is with great passion that we want to see these young men and women succeed in the crafts and NCCER is a perfect stepping stone for this.”  Last summer, Correnti helped the building construction technology instructor at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), Kelvin Davis, receive his instructor certification with NCCER. After Davis passed the Instructor Certification Teaching Program in July 2018, his students were eligible to receive credentials for t ... Read the rest of entry »

ABC Celebrates 5 Year Member Anniversaries

It's no secret that ABC wouldn't exist without the dedication of our members. Your involvement allows us to flourish, grow, and provide continuing benefits and resources for the industry across Tennessee. To our 5 year members, we thank you for your continued support!  31-W Insulation- With their corporate office located in Goodlettsville, TN - 31-W Insulation can provide you with bath accessories, garage doors, gutters, home remodeling materials, and related services. Better Business Equipment Co. Inc. - BBE has been providing the middle TN area with office machinery and document solutions for over 35 years.  CIP (Charlie Irwin Painting, LLC) -  Coating the construction industry with quality, excellence and integrity. Color Burst Landscapes - Well-known throughout the Nashville area for quality design, installations, and maintenance with extensive knowledge of the green industry. HireQuest Direct - Formally known as Trojan Labor, HireQuest Di ... Read the rest of entry »

Construction Job Growth Steady in June, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, July 5 – The construction industry added 21,000 net new jobs in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, employment in the industry has expanded by 224,000 jobs, representing an increase of 3.1%. Nonresidential construction employment gained 14,900 net jobs in June and is up 146,700 jobs during the last 12 months.   All major segments of nonresidential construction added jobs in June, with the bulk of job growth in the nonresidential specialty trade contractor segment, which added 11,900 net new positions. The construction unemployment rate stood at 4% in June, down 0.7% from the same time last year, and unemployment across all industries was 3.7%, slightly higher than 3.6% in May. “Today’s employment numbers indicate the economy is not slowing nearly as quickly as data suggested earlier this year, which is promising news for contractors,&r ... Read the rest of entry »

Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt highlights May Membership Meeting in East Tennessee

ABC Greater TN's Knoxville office hosted Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt at the Cherokee Country Club. ABC members and guests enjoyed lunch sponsored by Mobile Mini Storage Solutions. 

Honoring Don Smith

Don L. Smith, born in 1931 and a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a founding partner of Smith Cashion & Orr, PLC where he devotes his practice to construction law and litigation. For the past 30 years Don Smith has worked with ABC- Greater Tennessee and provided legal consultation and seminars to the members and staff. In honor of Mr. Smith's dedication, a reception was held on May 6 at the Sheraton Music City. Past ABC Chairs gathered to present Don with a plaque recognizing his contributions. ABC is grateful to have the presence and experience of Mr. Smith and is thankful for his many contributions to the chapter and the overall construction industry. 

Position Statement: ASA's HB271/SB324 needs to move to Summer Study

The House Commerce Committee is slated to take up the American Subcontractor Association's (ASA) HB 271(SB 324) in the Tennessee General Assembly House Commerce Committee as early as this week. As you may know, this legislation will significantly change procedure on construction contracts and lien rights on Tennessee construction projects.  While fairness in contracts is important to the industry as a whole, this bill has far reaching consequences if not drafted correctly. ABC- Greater Tennessee’s Legislative Committee, which represents General Contractors as well as Subcontractors, does not believe that ill-drafted, unworkable legislation that affects one of the state's biggest industries should be ramrodded through the state legislature without proper involvement and feedback from the industry itself. This legislation, if not redrafted, could be detrimental to the industry due to its ambiguous wording and method of employing the principals in the bill. ABC has been working w ... Read the rest of entry »

2018 STEP Award Winners

We are so thankful to congratulate all of our STEP Award winners for 2018. Way to step up to improve the safety of your company and represent the Merit Shop Philosophy!

Tennessee faces worker shortage

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (NEXSTAR) - There's a troubling flip side to Tennessee's record low unemployment - a worker shortage. State lawmakers are hearing about it from companies and businesses in their districts.

"We desperately need workers in Tennessee, not just in manufacturing and construction, but across the board in hospitality," said Toby Compton with Associated Builders and Contractors.

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ABC Calls for Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities in Congressional Testimony

On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors, Mike Holland, chief operating officer, MAREK Companies, testified today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about the need to modernize and expand apprenticeship opportunities in the United States. Read the press release...

Persuader Rule rescinded

In 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) began a campaign to hold McDonald’s USA, LLC liable for alleged unfair labor practices committed at restaurant locations owned by McDonald’s franchisees. The NLRB took the position that corporate McDonald’s controlled employment relations at franchise locations enough to qualify as a joint employer with the franchisee. Read our Press Release...