Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. was founded in
Baltimore in 1950 by a group of seven contractors whose belief in America's Free
Enterprise System was in stark contrast to the prevalent compulsory unionism and
government bureaucracy. The founders of ABC and its members today, believe that
a contractor and their craft professionals should be rewarded and paid based
upon the respective effectiveness and value that they bring to a project; that
one should succeed or fail based upon one's merit. Members of ABC believe that
free and fair competition is essential, and it requires a free market that
operates without unfair constraints placed by special interest groups or
governments.
ABC values personal and corporate integrity and trust; that
it is important to model the highest standards of personal and company
integrity.
ABC believes that professionalism is characterized by a
commitment to achieve the highest standards of personal and company
performance.
ABC values good corporate citizenship; That while companies
should have the freedom to make decisions that allow them to pursue their
desired business without unfair restriction, companies also have a
responsibility to their employees and communities to provide economic
opportunity, safe working conditions, and to contribute to the improvement of communities as places for families to live and work.
From its humble
beginning just 60 years ago, ABC has grown to over 22,000 member companies
nationwide representing literally millions of industry employees. Today with 70
chapters and its national headquarters next door to Washington DC in Arlington, Virginia, ABC is the fastest growing construction association in the USA. At the
forefront of ABC is representation of the industry before local, state, and
federal policy makers and providing the industry with the training tools and
resources to develop the next
generation of construction craft professionals.
In Louisiana, ABC represents over 600 member firms and some 80,000 plus
employees through the Bayou Chapter in New Orleans and the Pelican Chapter in
Baton Rouge. ABC in Louisiana maintains administrative and legislative staff and
offices in Baton Rouge and New Orleans with training centers in St. Rose, Baton
Rouge, and Westlake Louisiana where literally thousands of craft professionals
have been trained, and where enrollment today is in excess of
1,500.
Merit shop contractors are committed to giving Louisiana its
money's worth in construction. From power plants to paper mills; shopping
centers to industrial parks;
if it's being built, there's a strong chance
that merit shop contractors are building it.
In the real world of
construction, ABC's maxim "Get into Politics or Get out of Business" is true.
The fact is, few businesses or individuals have the time or resources to monitor
legislation that directly affects their industry in addition to the influence to
get the attention of their law makers. Nationally, ABC has the time, the
resources, and the means to do just that. At the state level, ABC is the
construction industry's front line soldier.
ABC has a long history of
success with the Louisiana legislature, having worked hard on such legislation
as: Tort Reform, Right-to-Work, and Prevailing Wage Repeal. This benefit alone
saves association members hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. Whether
actively lobbying the legislature or just keeping abreast of legislation and
regulations that affect their business, ABC members are given the tools to take
action on legislation and the voice to lobby for change.
· Political
Action
· Legislative Action
· Lobbyist
-Full Time
Lobbyist
· Legal Resources
-Free one hour consult with
chapter attorney
-Labor Relations Resources
-Legal assistance via
Construction
-Legal Rights Foundation