By Kelvin Jordan on the Baltimore Sun  As the city of Baltimore and the wider region grapple with the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy, we must mourn the six men who lost their lives in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse last month, and never forget how fragile life can be, especially on a job site —…Read More…

This week, we celebrate the 26th anniversary of Women in Construction Week. It is an appropriate time to recognize the success that women are inexorably achieving in a profession that, until recently, appeared to be the stronghold of male workers. This outdated perception will dissolve as more women join the industry, shattering stereotypes about their…Read More…

As the construction landscape continues to change, supporting and hiring highly qualified apprentices is the foundation of the industry’s success. When a contractor hires an apprentice, they are not only getting a highly quality tradesperson, but they are also helping craft the future of the industry. Just as importantly, they become a contractor’s most reliable…Read More…

March is Women’s History Month. March 8 is International Women’s Day. And March 3-9 is Women in Construction Week. So, let’s see. Who would be a good guest for this special edition of NJBIZ Conversations? Of course: Cyndie Williams, the executive director of the Carpenter Contractor Trust and union member since 1999. The CCT is a labor-management organization of carpenters…Read More…

New Jersey’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy today joined key state agencies and stakeholders to showcase the environmental and economic benefits expected to be produced by the most recent awarding of 3,700 MW of offshore wind capacity to the Attentive Energy 2 project and Leading Light Wind, a partnership between lead developer…Read More…

(NEWARK, NJ) — On February 26, 2024, Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced that the City of Newark is one of 22 finalists, culled from a pool of 560 applicants, to now further detail its proposal for a federal grant under the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete).  Called “Newark Builds Newark,” the city’s project would create a…Read More…

by: Byron Tollefson Posted: Feb 12, 2024 / 06:11 PM EST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan officially got rid of its right-to-work law on Tuesday, making it the first state in nearly 60 years to ditch the law. Democrats made it a top priority in 2023 when they gained a trifecta controlling state government. The state…Read More…

The young hands are a bit uncertain as students take aim at the piece of wood clamped in front of them. They take short, choppy strokes as they navigate hand saws through the pine. Soon, though, their movements are more confident and intentional. It helps that Mike Schloff, the founder of Maplewoodshop, and a group…Read More…

By Cyndie Williams President Biden has recently taken another big swing to support workers by issuing a final rule that requires project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects costing more than $35 million. This rule, which stems from an executive order he signed in 2022, will ensure all workers on these projects benefit from collective bargaining,…Read More…

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule to help employers and workers better understand when a worker qualifies as an employee and when they may be considered an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The rule provides guidance on proper classification and seeks to combat employee misclassification, a serious problem that impacts…Read More…