SUMMER 2012
PUBLICATION OF ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS OF MICHIGAN
The Merit Shop Celebrates the Struggle and the Victories
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Inside 4
Executive Perspective ABC of Michigan’s proud history is grounded in the ideals of Liberty.
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50th Anniversary Gala Event ABC of Michigan is celebrating this momentous occasion with a gala on October 27, 2012 at the University Club of Michigan State University.
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The Merit Shop in Michigan: Celebrating the Struggle and the Victories The Merit Shop and ABC of Michigan have grown up together over the past 50 years, in pursuit of open and fair competition, facing and overcoming violence and political obstacles. At the 50-year mark, the association, which has struggled to rise above those obstacles, has successfully garnered equality and liberty for its members in several of the key battles fought for the construction industry in Michigan.
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VOLUME VI, ISSUE 2 In 2008, ABC members completed River House at Bridgewater Place, Grand Rapids’ tallest building and Michigan’s tallest residential building.
Government Affairs Update 14 Gov. Snyder signs a new bill protecting the 2011 Fair and Open Competition Act.
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS and CONTRACTORS of MICHIGAN 2012 BOARD of DIRECTORS Dave Mollitor – Chairman Consolidated Electrical Contractors – Greater Michigan Chapter Chris Beckering – Vice Chairman Pioneer Construction – Western Michigan Chapter Dave Sheffield – Secretary/Treasurer Onslow-Sheffield – Southeastern Michigan Chapter Jim Cripps – Past Chairman Cripps Fontaine Excavating, Inc. – Western Michigan Chapter Rick Jackson Jackson Associates, Inc. – Southeastern Michigan Chapter Mike Kelly Wolverine Building Group – Western Michigan Chapter Rod Kloha Circle K Service Corp. – Greater Michigan Chapter Bill Molnar Wm. Molnar Roofing, Inc. – Southeastern Michigan Chapter Dan Murphy MAG Insulation – Greater Michigan Chapter Brian Stadler Wolgast Corporation – Greater Michigan Chapter Jack VandeGuchte Sobie Co., Inc. – Western Michigan Chapter Dan Welch Welch Tile & Marble Company – Western Michigan Chapter MICHIGAN MERIT CONTRIBUTORS Publisher: Christopher Fisher Managing Editor: Mary Boardway, CAE Communications Coordinator: Kelly Dancsok ABCMI Economist: Don Wilson Advertising Sales, Design and Printing: Keystone Millbrook Michigan Merit (ISSN# 1938-9051) is the official publication of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. of Michigan (ABC of Michigan) and is published quarterly at 230 N. Washington Sq., Suite 202, Lansing, MI 48933, (517) 853-2545. Please direct all inquiries to the previous address. Articles written by outside authors do not necessarily reflect the views of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. of Michigan. ABC of Michigan reserves the right to reject or edit all material submitted for publication. The appearance of an advertisement in Michigan Merit does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Michigan Merit or Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. of Michigan guarantee or warrant any claims or offers made by the advertisers.
Ideas have consequences. Throughout my life I have heard those words time and time again. I even worked for the organization where this powerful sentence was coined, and this was also the motto at my alma mater, Hillsdale College. I’ve always understood the theoretical and think-tank application of the phrase, but I actually never experienced it until I came to ABC. Ideas do have consequences, and we can see this around us every day. Of course, this is nothing new to ABC members who steadfastly defend and advance the ideals of the Merit Shop. 2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of ABC of Michigan. In 1962, three men started an association that was based upon the unalienable right of Liberty. Originally and aptly named The Liberty Association, we then became the Contractors and Suppliers Association, until finally taking on the name of Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan. While the name has changed, the central ideal of the association has remained: the free enterprise philosophy of the Merit Shop, rooted in Unlike other Liberty, and devoted to its advancement and defense. associations, ABC is Unlike other associations, ABC is not only about not only about what what we do. It is the only trade association in the United States that is primarily about what we believe. we do. It is the only This belief has been revolutionary. trade association in Fifty years ago, the Michigan construction industry the United State that was overwhelmingly unionized, legally permitted to is primarily about what discriminate on the basis of labor affiliation, and the Merit Shop was just a flicker of light. Today, 80% of we believe. the Michigan construction workforce chooses not to belong to a union, ABC has ushered through legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of union affiliation, and the Merit Shop is ablaze. It is because ABC’s mission hasn’t changed that Michigan has. The idea behind the Merit Shop has been immensely consequential. At Associated Builders and Contractors, we are fortunate to have seen this time and time again for five decades. As we begin the next 50 years, know that this powerful idea will not and cannot be diminished. ABC of Michigan will never falter from the first words of our organization’s founding Articles of Incorporation: “Liberty is the most precious possession, and…it will be taken away from any individual, group or nation unworthy of it…” Thank you to our chapters, supporters and, most of all, ABC members past and present. After 50 years there is much to be thankful for, and much to live up to. Yours for the Merit Shop Chris Fisher
Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from Michigan Merit, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. of Michigan.”
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Michigan Mer it
Gala
ANNIVERSARY
ABC of Michigan Celebrates 50Years With Gala Event On October 27, 2012, members from across the state will gather at the University Club of Michigan State University to celebrate 50 years of the Merit Shop in Michigan at ABC of Michigan’s 50th Anniversary Gala. The event begins with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. where members will be able to connect with old friends and meet new ones while they view a spectacular 18-foot 50-year timeline of ABC’s history in Michigan, complete with important events, dates and photos. At 7:00 p.m., guests will be seated for a gourmet dinner, topped off by a champagne toast and a special 50th Anniversary cake. Guests will then be treated to a fascinating look at the history of the Merit Shop in Michigan with a video featuring members and former members of the association who have been instrumental in that history. The commemorative video will bring to life the struggles and victories of the
Merit Shop movement over the past 50 years. The video will be followed by brief greetings from some of our honored guests. We will then be thoroughly entertained by comedian Norm Stulz. Again, plenty of time has been planned to sit and chat with those you haven’t seen in awhile or those you’re meeting for the ďŹ rst time. The U-Club is located at 3435 Forest Road, Lansing, MI. Adjacent to the U-Club is the Candlewood Suites Hotel where reservations can be made at the discounted rate of $96.00 before September 27th. Call (517) 351-8181 and mention the ABC Gala to receive the discounted rate. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event (since most of us won’t be around 50 years from now) so don’t miss out. Seating is limited and reservations are being taken on a ďŹ rst-come, ďŹ rst-served basis. Visit www.abcmi.com to register today. MM
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The Merit Shop in Michigan: Celebrating the Struggle and the Victories Fifty years ago, three Michigan contractors — Leonard Osterink, Albert Karsten and Thomas Stafford — armed with a vision and $100, established an organization dedicated to the ideals of liberty, personal responsibility and open competition. From these humble beginnings, the Liberty Association grew into the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan (ABCMI). Today, ABC of Michigan is part of a nationwide federation representing 23,000 member companies employing over 2 million workers, with Michigan being one of the most active states in the country, representing nearly 1,000 member companies and employing nearly 40,000 Michigan citizens. The struggle for the merit shop and the history of ABCMI is inextricably intertwined. The national movement began in the 1950s, in response to the vast influence of the trade unions and an array of restrictive and anti-competitive government regulations that limited access of merit shop companies and their workers to fair and open competition for construction projects. The underlying principle that fueled the movement was the idea that construction projects should be awarded based on merit, regardless of labor affiliation. The struggle to advance the “merit shop” ideal (a term first coined by ABC’s John Trimmer in 1952) has been likened to the tale of David and Goliath, since the trade unions in the 50s and 60s were extremely powerful, especially in Michigan, and were able to strongly influence
62 JUNE 15, 1962: ABC OF MICHIGAN IS INCORPORATED AS THE LIBERTY ASSOCIATION.
65 1965: MICHIGAN’S PREVAILING WAGE ACT BECOMES LAW, BASING WAGES ONLY ON UNACCOUNTABLE LABOR UNIONS. AUGUST 18, 1965: THE LIBERTY ASSOCIATION IS RENAMED THE CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION. OCTOBER 6, 1965: THE DETROIT FREE PRESS ANNOUNCES “UNIONS DECLARE WAR ON NON-UNION BUILDERS” AFTER LOCAL TRADES COUNCIL THREATENS TO BRING ALL OPEN SHOP CONTRACTORS INTO THE AFLCIO FOLD OR RUN THEM OUT OF BUSINESS.
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federal and state legislation.
A Turbulent Beginning 1965 was a pivotal year for the merit shop movement in Michigan. It was the year that Michigan’s Prevailing Wage
68 1968: WESTERN MICHIGAN CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION IS AUTHORIZED TO BEGIN AN EMPLOYERSPONSORED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
69 FEBRUARY 17, 1968: FIRES OF “MYSTERIOUS ORIGIN” START AT TWO GRAND RAPIDS MERIT SHOP CONSTRUCTION FIRMS CAUSING $80,000 OF DAMAGE.
70 JUNE 8, 1970: CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION IS RENAMED MICHIGAN STATE CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION
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1971: THE METROPOLITAN DETROIT CHAPTER IS FOUNDED, LATER BECOMING THE ABC SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN CHAPTER.
1972: UNION BULLIES IN LAPEER DYNAMITE SEVERAL SHOPPING CENTER SITES, STORAGE AREAS, AND AN ASPHALT PLANT IN A STATEWIDE RAMPAGE, CAUSING OVER $250,000 WORTH OF DESTRUCTION, AGAINST MERIT SHOP FIRMS AND THEIR CLIENTS.
JULY 1973: LABOR UNREST IS FINALLY SETTLED AFTER MONTHS OF UNION DEMONSTRATION, VIOLENCE AND NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION IN KALKASKA FOR THE USE OF NONUNION WORKERS ON A $20 MILLION SHELL OIL CO. CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
OCTOBER 30, 1972: THE CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHAPTER IS FOUNDED. DECEMBER 1972: NEARLY 150 UNIONISTS MASS AROUND THE $1 MILLION POINTE NORTH PROFESSIONAL BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN LANSING, LEAVING $50,000 IN DAMAGES.
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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1973: MORE THAN 1500 PICKETS BLOCK GATE 52 AT DOW CHEMICAL IN MIDLAND AFTER DOW AWARDS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO MERIT SHOP FIRMS. 1973: THE WESTERN MICHIGAN CONTRACTOR & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION CHANGES ITS NAME TO THE ABC WESTERN MICHIGAN CHAPTER. THE CHAPTER IS THE OLDEST IN THE STATE, DATING BACK TO 1956.
75 FEBRUARY 4, 1975: UNION BUILDING TRADESMEN AND MERIT SHOP CONTRACTORS SIGN A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT PLEDGING TO END VIOLENCE AT MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION SITES. SEPTEMBER 26, 1975: MICHIGAN STATE CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION IS RENAMED ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, INC. OF MICHIGAN.
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Act became law and the Liberty Association was renamed the Contractors and Suppliers Association. It was also the year that the trade unions declared “war” on merit shop contractors. In November of that year, the Lansing Building Trades Council declared a three-day “labor holiday” in a move to completely eliminate nonunion commercial construction. The general strike involved approximately 2,500 union tradesmen and was punctuated by sabotage and violence, including overturned work trailers, broken windows and intimidation of nonunion workers. Jim Parish of Parish Corporation, Lansing’s first merit shop general contractor, remembers nearly 5,000 pickups driven by union workers descending on one of his worksites in Lansing. “Some workers even went to the restaurant across the street owned by the project developer and cut open the cushions on all the seats.” Incidents of violence against Merit Shop firms continued throughout the ensuing decades, including firebombing and mysterious fires at two Grand Rapids merit shop firms, Herrema Plumbing and Heating and Pioneer Construction Company in 1968. In 1972, union workers dynamited several shopping center sites, storage areas and an asphalt plant in Lapeer and caused nearly $50,000 in damage to the Pointe North Professional Building in Lansing, another project of contractor Jim Parish. “There were at least 1,000 pickups that showed up at the site, filled with union workers who wanted to stop the progress of the Merit Shop by any means,” Jim recalls. One of the most notable incidents has been called “The Battle of Kalkaska.” In 1973, a merit shop contractor from Houston, Delta Construction, began building a $20 million
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1977: SAGINAW VALLEY CHAPTER OF MICHIGAN IS FOUNDED.
1981: SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN CHAPTER BEGINS CRAFT TRAINING.
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83 1983: ACCORDING TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 2/3 OF MICHIGAN’S CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE CHOOSE NOT TO BELONG TO A UNION. 1983: SAGINAW VALLEY CHAPTER BEGINS CRAFT TRAINING.
85 1985: ABC MEMBERS SUCCESSFULLY REQUEST A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST VIOLENT UNION DEMONSTRATORS IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
94 1994: MICHIGAN’S PREVAILING WAGE LAW IS SUSPENDED FOR 30 MONTHS FOLLOWING A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT RULING RESULTING FROM ABC MEMBERS CHALLENGING THE COSTLY AND RIGGED WAGE MANDATE SCHEME. 1994: THE ABC OF MICHIGAN SELF INSURED WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FUND IS CREATED. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, IT HAS RETURNED $20,000,000 TO ABC MEMBERS WITH A 36% AVERAGE RETURN RATING.
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gas processing plant for Shell Oil in the little town, using merit shop workers. Six months of picketing and violence brought a national spotlight to the union violence that then Governor William Milliken described as “guerilla warfare.” The violence ended when a judge ordered all parties into mediation in his chambers and brokered a deal between Delta Construction, Shell Oil and the local trade unions. A second notable incident that same year occurred in Midland at Dow Chemical Company as it worked on a project with merit shop contractor JW Fisher Construc-
96 1996: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REPORTS THAT 75% OF MICHIGAN’S CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE CHOOSES NOT TO BELONG TO A UNION.
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1997: A FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT REVERSES THE LOWER COURT AND REINSTATES MICHIGAN’S PREVAILING WAGE ACT.
07 APRIL 2007: ABC MEMBERS COMPLETE THE NEW MIDLAND BALLPARK, DOW DIAMOND, WHICH IS NAMED BEST NEW BALLPARK IN THE U.S. BY BASEBALL DIGEST.
JULY 1, 1999: ABC MEMBERS HOLD A LARGE TRUCK RALLY IN DOWNTOWN LANSING PROTESTING THE USE OF UNIONONLY LABOR IN THE CAPITOL CITY.
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tion. An estimated 1,500 union workers began picketing at Dow, blocking gate 52 in mid-September, and continuing for weeks. Police officers were assaulted, threatened and even stoned by extremists as they defended ABC members and tried to keep the peace. Sometime later in Brighton, Dan Vos Construction Company was awarded a large contract to build a distribution facility for Gordon Foods. As work commenced, the union pickets and mobs swarmed the worksite after demands for a union-only construction project were rejected. Over
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09 2009: ENGINEERING NEWS RECORD REPORTS THAT 9 OF THE TOP 10 “GREEN” BUILDING FIRMS IN THE U.S. ARE ABC MEMBERS, AS WELL AS 2 OF THE TOP 3 IN MICHIGAN.
JUNE 1, 2008: ABC MEMBERS COMPLETE RIVER HOUSE AT BRIDGEWATER PLACE, GRAND RAPIDS’ TALLEST BUILDING AND MICHIGAN’S TALLEST RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
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100 local and state police troopers were dispatched to the scene to protect the ABC member’s workers who were confined to the worksite following an insurgence of unionists from across Michigan and other Midwest states. The unionists damaged the site and even ripped down the American flag, replacing it with a picket sign portraying a rat. Eventually a Livingston County Court order brought
10 2010: MEMBERS OF THE ABC SIWCF ARE FOUND TO BE AMONG THE SAFEST CONTRACTORS IN THE STATE, OUTPERFORMING AVERAGE MICHIGAN ACCIDENT COSTS BY 58%.
about jobsite peace. “I look at it this way; it’s a free country,” reflected Dan Vos, who became ABC National’s president in 1996. “I didn’t know there was a boundary in this state that we live in and do business in that says ‘Dan Vos Construction, you can’t go beyond this line.’ That bothers me because we’re a quality contractor and I ought to have the right as an American to go anywhere in this country and to make a living doing what we’re good at. Nobody should have the right to tell me I can’t go beyond a certain point. That’s what the building trades tried to do. And that’s wrong. We are willing to stand on our Merit Shop principle.”
A Proud History, Strong Values Throughout five decades, the Merit Shop Movement and ABC of Michigan have stayed true to the original principles of liberty and free competition, with the result being the growth of ABC of Michigan and its chapters, and increas-
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2011: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATISTICS SHOW THAT OVER 80% OF MICHIGAN’S CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE CHOOSES NOT TO BELONG TO A UNION. JULY 19, 2011: GOVERNOR RICK SNYDER SIGNS PUBLIC ACT 98 OF 2011 THAT BANS UNION-ONLY PLAS AND PROHIBITS UNION-BASED DISCRIMINATION ON ALL GOVERNMENT-FUNDED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. AUGUST 15, 2011: JOHN KING, OWNER OF TOLEDO’S LARGEST MERIT SHOP ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING COMPANY, SURVIVES BEING SHOT AFTER HE SURPRISES A MAN TRYING TO SLASH HIS TRUCK TIRES OUTSIDE OF HIS MONROE COUNTY, MI HOME. DECEMBER 1, 2011: CENTRAL MICHIGAN AND SAGINAW VALLEY CHAPTERS MERGE FORMING THE GREATER MICHIGAN CHAPTER.
JUNE 29, 2012: GOVERNOR SNYDER SIGNS PA 238, PROTECTING MICHIGAN’S FAIR AND OPEN COMPETITION IN GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRUCTION ACT AND REAFFIRMING MICHIGAN’S COMMITMENT TO THE MERIT SHOP. OCTOBER 27, 2012: ABC OF MICHIGAN CELEBRATES 50 YEARS.
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Michigan Mer it
Article
F E AT U R E
ingly changed attitudes of workers, government and the public toward free market ideals. Today 80% of Michigan’s construction workforce chooses not to belong to a union and performs the majority of the construction work in our state. Throughout the years, there have been other accomplishments as well. Today, merit shops are some of the most innovative in the construction arena. Across Michigan you will find projects built by ABC members that are unparalleled in quality and creativity. From community churches to towering skyscrapers, many of the most noteworthy and recognizable projects are built by ABC members. In addition, ABC members are leaders in cutting-edge building techniques such as Building Integrated Modeling (BIM) and green building. Recent data reveals that 9 of the top 10 “green” building firms in the country are members of ABC and that 2 of the top 3 in Michigan are ABC members. Safety has been a priority for ABC nationally and here in Michigan. “There is nothing more important than protecting employees,” says ABC member Mark Balthuis from Parkway Electric & Communications in Holland. Balthuis, appointed by Governor Snyder as a commissioner with the MIOSHA Construction Safety Standards Commission, is a certified OSHA Outreach Instructor, the past Chair of the ABC Western Michigan Safety Steering Committee, and the safety director at his company. According to Balthuis, safety training has been a critical component of ABC’s services to its members. Established in 1989, the Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) serves as a valuable tool for ABC members to consistently build upon their safety training programs and gain recognition for their outstanding efforts. In addition, most merit shop contractors have weekly safety “toolbox talks” that focus on hazard awareness and abatement. “Concern for employee safety is not only a moral imperative to take care of our workers, but it makes sense from a business point of view,” adds Balthuis. Training new workers is also a priority of ABC. “ABC continues to train new workers better than anyone else,” says President & CEO Chris Fisher. The three ABC apprenticeship programs in Michigan (detailed in last month’s issue) offer apprenticeship and craft training in every facet of construction.
started out as the Metropolitan Detroit Chapter in 1971. Each chapter contributed to the advancement of the Merit Shop cause in Michigan and ABC of Michigan has complimented their efforts by providing a strong presence in state government. ABCMI has worked tirelessly to protect members from unfavorable legislation and onerous regulations. In fact, it has become one of the most influential business groups in Michigan. There have been many political successes, culminating in 2011 with the passage of the Fair and Open Competition in Governmental Contracting Act, which banned project labor agreements for state, local government, public school and university construction projects and prohibited discrimination on the basis of labor affiliation. In 2012, another law furthering fair and open competition was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Snyder after the unions challenged the 2011 law in court. “ABC of Michigan will continue to fight against those who would see this law repealed, and for any
Coming Together, Creating a Consistent Message ABC Members attribute the success of the Merit Shop Movement to the core values and consistent message of liberty and freedom. Inspired by the establishment of the national ABC group, contractors from the state took up the challenge. The Western Michigan Chapter is the oldest of the chapters, incorporating in 1956 as the Western Michigan Contractor and Suppliers Association, changing its name to ABC–West Michigan in 1973. The Saginaw Valley Chapter, founded in 1977, and the Central Michigan Chapter, founded in 1972, merged in December 2011 to become the Greater Michigan Chapter. The Southeastern Michigan Chapter www. a bc mi. c om
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
CALL TODAY! 517.322.2440 Steve Russell acser@comcast.net 7837 Lanac Street Lansing, MI 48917 S ummer 2012
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legislation that supports free and open competition,” ABC of Michigan president Chris Fisher stated after passage of the landmark open-competition laws. Besides representing ABC member interests to the legislature, ABC of Michigan has grown to serve its members in a variety of ways, providing referral services to members, as well as legal services, statewide networking opportunities and a nonstop flow of information about changes in the industry itself and in the economic and political environment that affect member businesses. ABC of Michigan also has found ways to save members money. In 1994, they created the Self-Insured Workers’ Compensation Fund. Since its inception, it has returned $20,000,000 to ABC members with a 36% average return rating. Membership in ABC also entitles businesses to discounts on gasoline, on purchasing fleet vehicles, and more. One of ABC of Michigan’s greatest accomplishments, according to Jim Parish, owner of Parish Construction, “has been protecting members against violence by helping them fight violators in court.” “Their advocacy in Lansing and workmen’s comp and health programs also have been instrumental in the success of merit shops across the state,” he adds.
Looking Forward to the Next 50 Years Over the past fifty years, the Merit Shop philosophy and ABC of Michigan have grown and prospered because its ideals of open competition and fairness continue to be recognized as fundamental to our democratic way of life. As Dan Acciavatti, ABCMI member and former Michigan State Representative puts it, “Americans understand that success should be based on how good you are. And that inspires merit shops to offer safer, better projects at lower costs.” Former president of the Central Michigan Chapter Patrick Hanes agrees. “Success has to be earned, not dictated by outside forces. These are the ideals upon which our country was founded.” Jim Parish knew he wanted to be a merit shop from the very beginning of his career in construction. “The merit shop means freedom of choice as a general contractor. During the hiring and bidding process, you are free to hire whomever you feel will do the best job. Other people don’t dictate that process.” Jim feels so strongly about the underlying values of ABC that serving the organization has been a family affair. Both he and his son have served as president of ABCMI, and his daughter has worked with the Greater Michigan Chapter. As far as the future goes, ABC of Michigan and its members remain committed to its fundamental mission – to encourage and support open competition and a free enterprise approach that awards contracts based solely on merit, regardless of labor affiliation. ABC of Michigan will continue to be the voice of the construction industry in every area of the Michigan state government, and to promote laws, programs and services that assist Michigan’s construction industry to thrive and grow. MM 12
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Michigan Mer it
Gala
ANNIVERSARY
Thank You 50th Anniversary Gala Sponsors ABC of Michigan would like to thank the sponsors of our 50th Anniversary Gala Event. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
ABC Self-Insured Workers Compensation Fund Message Makers AIS Equipment Airport Lighting Miller Johnson Regency Group Valley Electric Enterprise Fleet Management G. E. Insulation Masud Patterson Pinnacle Insurance Allied Electric Alloy Construction Andrews Hooper Pavlik, PLC Architectural Metals Citizens Management Consolidated Electrical Contractors Hannahs Electric Company Loomis, Ewert, Parsley, Davis, Gotting, PC Pioneer Construction Rockford Construction The Tancor Corporation Three Rivers Corporation Tradesmen International William Molnar Roofing Wolgast Corporation Wolverine Building Group Art Craft Display Cintas Corporation Dan Vos Construction Flo-Aire Heating & Cooling Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, PC Jackson Associates Sobie Company
Your generosity made this event possible. MM
ABC of Michigan
50th Anniversary Gala Cocktails at 6:00pm Dinner at 7:00pm Saturday, October 27, 2012 University Club of Michigan State University 3435 Forest Road Lansing, MI 48910 Join us for a night filled with Cocktails, Dinner and Entertainment! Visit www.abcmi.com to register today! Space is limited.
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Affairs Gov. Snyder Signs Bill GOVERNMENT
Ending Construction Industry Discrimination and Providing Fiscal Accountability in Michigan On June 29, Governor Rick Snyder signed into law Public Act 238, again making government mandated project labor agreements (PLAs) that discriminate on the basis of labor affiliation illegal in Michigan. “Today is an important day for all Michigan workers and taxpayers,” said Chris Fisher, president of ABC of Michigan. “This law means that all businesses and all workers—union and nonunion alike—have a level playing field to compete for and build publically-funded construction projects and ensures that nobody is denied a fair shot at succeeding in Michigan.” New changes to the Michigan Fair and Open Competition Act specify that contractors may enter into a PLA only if doing so is voluntary and not mandated. On taxpayer-funded construction projects, a mandate that requires or prohibits contractors to sign a union-favoring PLA or other agreement as a condition of performing work is illegal. In addition, any term discriminating on the basis of labor affiliation is illegal. The law requires the neutral, economical, nondiscriminatory and efficient procurement of construction services by the state. “This major reform protects citizens
with transparency in governmental contracting and defends taxpayers against costly special interest handouts that eliminate competition when public money is at stake,” Fisher explained. “As of today Michigan is again a national leader, joining with more than a dozen other states that are promoting construction industry competitiveness, growth and opportunity.” In early 2012, a Federal District Court judge made a controversial decision to suspend the Michigan Fair and Open Competition Act. Public Act 238 creates new protections that are not
affected by the court’s previous ruling. “We commend Governor Snyder, bill sponsor Senator John Moolenaar, and the legislature for standing up for Michigan citizens and for their staunch support of fiscal accountability and equal opportunity,” said Fisher. MM
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S ummer 2012
15
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANSING, MI PERMIT NO. 75
Associated Builders & Contractors of Michigan 230 N. Washington Sq. Suite 202 Lansing, Michigan 48933
A member-owned program that controls costs, provides value and delivers personalized service.
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