AGCW Northern District Report: Roundtable with Rep. Rick Larsen | Transitioning to employee ownership | Transportation funding urged

District Roundtable with
Congressman Rick Larsen
April 6, 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Please plan to join us tomorrow for a virtual roundtable discussion with Congressman Larsen on the latest developments in Washington DC. Congressman Larsen will share insights on key items that are important to you and the construction industry.

This will also be an opportunity for you also provide your thoughts on issues impacting your business. Congressman Larsen will be touching upon the following issues that include The American Rescue Plan and COVID relief; proposed federal infrastructure bill and what this can mean for Washington State and, in particular, for the Second District; apprenticeship mandates and PLAs on federal projects; Pro Act legislation updates and more. Register today

Transitioning to employee stock ownership
April 21, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

AGC will host an introduction to employee stock-ownership plans (ESOPs) led by Tenor Capital Partners. The agenda includes an overview of the benefits and considerations relating to ESOPs, discussion and Q&A with Tenor representatives as well as with AGC members Charter Construction and Exxel Pacific.
Employee stock-ownership plans provide owners and shareholders of privately held businesses highly customizable, tax-advantaged options for exit and succession planning. These structures are used to facilitate transition of the business through the use of employee ownership. With tax rates expected to increase significantly in 2022, ESOPs are more relevant than ever. Register today…

Accidents will happen but how you respond is up to you!
We all know your firm has safety as the first priority and your crews operate safety. Inevitably though, accidents will happen and how your team handles it from the first minute can make a huge difference in how everything is perceived both internally and externally. To help you on providing some guidance we have connected with Marc Mullen, with Marc Mullen Communications, who is a respected crisis communication expert who has shared some great insights on how to approach a crisis.
Preparing for effective crisis communication
What is crisis communication? Doing the right thing and making sure people know about it. Effective communication starts with effective response. First, respond well. No amount of talking to stakeholders will make up for bad response actions. Make sure your Emergency Response Plan is updated and accurate.
Provide information promptly, proactively and accurately. Provide speed and accuracy by having a Crisis Communication Plan that plays well with your Emergency Response Plan. Coordinate communication activities with response activities. Share facts as quickly as you can. Read more…

AGC urges passage of comprehensive transportation funding
AGC of Washington is urging the State legislature to pass a comprehensive transportation funding package this year.
"A bold infrastructure package will support job creation and recovery; putting folks to work, moving goods more effectively and efficiently, and ensuring mobility for our essential workers," AGC and nearly 100 other organizations told legislators in a recent letter sent by the Keep Washington Rolling coalition. A full copy of the letter with all the signers – who include business, labor, environmental and local government groups – can be seen here.
Different proposals have been floated in Olympia. Sen. Steve Hobbs, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, has drafted a $17-billion, 16-year plan. Meanwhile, Rep. Jake Fey, chair of the House Transportation Committee, has drafted a $26-billion, 16-year plan. Neither proposal has been put into legislative language yet as negotiations continue. Read more...

AGC construction inflation alert
(AGC of America) The construction industry is currently experiencing an unprecedented mix of steeply rising materials prices, snarled supply chains, and staffing difficulties, combined with slumping demand that is keeping many contractors from passing on their added costs. This combination threatens to push some firms out of business and add to the industry’s nearly double-digit unemployment rate.
The situation calls for immediate action by federal trade officials to end tariffs and quotas that are adding to price increases and supply shortages. Officials at all levels of government need to identify and remove or lessen any unnecessary or excessive impediments to the importation, domestic production, transport, and delivery of construction materials and products. Project owners need to recognize how much conditions have changed for projects begun or awarded in the early days of the pandemic or before and to consider providing greater flexibility and cost-sharing. Contractors should become even more vigilant about changes in materials costs and expected delivery dates and should communicate the information promptly to current and prospective clients. Read more…

Culture of CARE
2021 Spring Forum
The 2021 Culture of CARE Spring Forum on April 29 will delve into the topic of LGBTQ worker inclusion on construction jobsites. Hosting the forum is acclaimed jobsite culture advocate and superintendent at Hensel Phelps, Kabri Lehrman-Schmidt. Our featured program will be presented by Morgan Mentzer, co-founder and attorney at the Lavender Rights Project, a LGBTQI+ legal-services nonprofit, and co-founder of the Reckoning Trade Project, a nonprofit focusing on increasing representation and retention of LGBTQI+ trades workers.
Morgan will give our Forum audience an overview of the Reckoning Trade Project's training resources for LGTBQI+ inclusion, and give us a primer on best practices for employers to create inclusive practices for gender diversity in the workplace. She'll focus on gender diversity in the trades and explain the differences between sex, gender identity and sexual orientation; pronoun usage, and state/federal discrimination law. Register today...

Biden's $2-trillion infrastructure plan
has something for everyone.
And that's its biggest risk.
(Construction Dive) With a $2 trillion spending proposal that dwarfs both the New Deal and the build-out of the American interstate highway system, President Joe Biden provided long-awaited details for a massive infrastructure plan that touches on everything from airports to highways, clean drinking water to revamped electric grids, school construction to public transit and clean energy to bolstered broadband deployment.
Biden's "American Jobs Plan," released on Wednesday, carves out $621 billion for transportation infrastructure; $689 billion for buildings and utilities; and $500 billion for worker training, research and development and domestic manufacturing initiatives. Read more…

The AGC Education Foundation continues to offer virtual continuing-education classes in a live, interactive, remote environment. They're working closely with instructors to maintain high-quality training programs and are finding great success in the virtual environment.
Visit the AGC Education Foundation website for more information on upcoming classes and programs.

Construction Technical Skills B:
Interpreting Blueprint Plans and Specifications
April 5 – May 6 (5:00 pm – 8:00pm) | Remote Class | Register today

Supervisory Training Program Unit 4: Contract Documents
April 13 – 22 (5:00 pm – 8:00 pm) | Remote Class | Register today

24-Hour Fall-Protection Competent Person
April 20 – 22 (7:30 am – 4:30 pm) | Seattle | Register today

Supervisory Training Program Unit 5:
Improving Productivity & Managing Project Costs
April 26 – May 5 (5:00 pm – 8:00 pm) | Remote Class | Register today

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