Associated Builders and Contractors President and CEO Michael Bellaman released the following statement on the U.S. Senate confirmation of Mayor Marty Walsh as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor:

 

“ABC’s member contractors know how to build and rebuild and will be essential to achieving the Biden administration’s goal to ‘Build Back Better.’ As we collaborate with DOL to create environments for our workforce that prioritize safety and total human health, we believe our core values of fair and open competition, innovation and entrepreneurship can play a meaningful role in the administration’s efforts.

 

“ABC’s aim will continue to be creating value for the taxpayer through employee and employer choice, because we believe workers and job creators should have the freedom to choose how to achieve their career dreams in union or nonunion environments and the opportunity to win and deliver work based on merit.

 

“Secretary Walsh has a construction background and knows our industry, so ABC urges him to work with us to create conditions that benefit the entire industry. By encouraging the participation of both union and open shop contractors, we can harness the strength and talent of our full construction industry to rebuild America, and the results will be more inclusive and ultimately more successful. I believe that as a public servant, Secretary Walsh understands the practical impact of federal regulations on state and local stakeholders. We look forward to working with him to create the landscape so that each worker and job creator can prosper in a safe and healthy environment.”