Why Become A Member? Associated Builders and Contractors is the only association committed to ensuring an open and competitive construction marketplace. We believe every person must have the opportunity and right to work. As and association we prepare, educate and foster goodwill for employers as well as its employees. The opportunity to market your company is an added benefit for both associate and contractor members. We know members supporting members builds a stronger and more resourceful organization. The choice is up to you to join, the challenge to keep a competitive marketplace is up to us. ABC has been successful in stopping Union Only contracts in the past and we will continue our work until we are all on a fair playing field.
Member Testimonial:“ABC has been a great experience professionally and financially. Through involvement with the STEP Safety Plan, OSHA Partnership and SFM Worker’s Comp programs our company has saved thousands of dollars which will more than pay for our dues the next few years. Add this will all the other programs that ABC has to offer and you have a recipe for success. They key is to get involved to reap the benefits. You make the call. “Thanks ABC” for helping me succeed.”-Dale Gruber - President Dale Gruber ConstructionInterested In ABC Membership? Click here: mbergmann@mnabc.com , and ABC's Membership Director will contact you with additional information about the benefits of membership in ABC. Or call at 952-941-8693.
We need you to join us! As open-shop, merit contractors we can either hang together or hang alone. If we don't fight for your rights, no one else will. We need your support to thrive .
ABC Highlights in 2009: Clear Focus on the Merit Shop Contractor
MN ABC continues to move forward in serving merit shop contractors across the state by remaining focused on our mission to protect and promote competition and free enterprise. These basic concepts are constantly under attack and need protection, if we are to grow and prosper in the future. Below are a few highlights that have kept us true to our beliefs through the year:
Government Affairs:
• Conducted the first ever Anti-Job Targeting campaign in the nation. We have talked with legislators, put up votes, and persuaded the predominantly union Associated General Contractors to oppose job targeting.
• Encouraged Governor Pawlenty to sign an Executive Order banning Project Labor Agreements by state agencies, and obtained his veto threat to stop countless pieces of anti-merit shop legislation and tax increases.
• Drove the message on Prevailing Wage by conducting a scientific study, successfully suing to stop prevailing wage on school projects, conducting numerous campaigns to stop individual prevailing wage mandates, and educating construction owners about the costs and hassles of prevailing wage. We are continuing by seeking to reset the prevailing wage rates at market rates, reform the classification systems, and end the prevailing wage mandate on private work for apprentices. Kare-11 News also recently featured us in a multi-segment series on prevailing wage.
• Hired a public relations firm to conduct a campaign on the union's unfair use of Job Targeting. Job Targeting by the unions simply destroys the free bidding process! Unions are cheating to win work on construction projects. These “market recovery funds” takes money from union workers' pockets to target specific merit contractors by unfairly subsidizing union bids. This prevents merit contractors from being able to compete on an equal footing. Minnesota unions dished out more than $87 million in targeting money between 2000-2006.
Education and Safety Program:
• Construction Education Foundation (CEF), ABC’s training arm, had the only association approved apprenticeship program in the state.
• ABC offered a myriad of continuing education and prep classes to satisfy most licensing needs.
• ABC formed a partnership with MN OSHA to improve safety on the job-site.
ABC’s Business Development & Networking
• Hosted 6 “Meet the General” events throughout the state, allowing opportunities for member-to-member business relationships to be established.
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Hosted 4 "Meet the General Summer Sessions" events throughout the state. Allowing our members to meet some of the state's largest contractors for a complimentary lunch.
• Held Annual Meeting and Excellence in Construction banquets to celebrate our members’ successes.
• Distributed membership directory and fielded calls daily on members searching for other members.
• Engaged members in fun events including our Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Tournament Weekend, Terry Korthoff Sporting Clays Shoot and Golf Tournament.
Affinity Programs to save contractors money:
• Your ABC membership can pay for itself with our national partnerships with General Motors and Ford! For example, you can save an additional $2000 on top of all available incentives for each GM Cargo van that you purchase in 2009 with a valid ABC membership.
• To see other ways that your membership can pay for itself, please click on Affinity Partnerships under the membership section of this webpage.