Florida has the ninth best environment for merit shop contractors out of the 50 American states and the District of Columbia, according to new data released on Nov. 16 by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).
“Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard” annually identifies, reviews and ranks states that implements the merit shop philosophy in legislation, policies, priorities and programs. The report also highlights states where improvements are needed to establish an environment conducive to the construction industry’s demands.
Rankings are primarily based on core issues affecting merit shop construction, such as state policies, state restriction of public-private partnerships, availability of grants or bonuses for employers that value training, and inclusion of career and technical credits in the high school curriculum.
In the website meritshopscorecard.org, Florida’s 2017 scorecard highlights the state’s 5-Year Average Job Growth Rate of 7.3% from 2011 to 2016. It likewise shows workforce development incentives that positively impact the industry, including the Quick Response Training Program and establishment of a state educational facility that assists with application, development and delivery of such program. More details are found in the state’s page.
“Florida’s policymakers have built a free enterprise-based business environment that allows merit shop construction contractors to grow while also protecting taxpayers from inflated costs,” said ABC East Coast Florida Chapter president Peter Dyga.
“ABC applauds Florida for banning anti-competitive and restrictive project labor agreement and inflated prevailing wage mandates while supporting Right to Work and important workforce development incentives that rewards the industry’s investment in its employees. These policies have helped promote economic growth, which leads to more job sites and more Florida construction jobs,” he said.
The Merit Shop Scorecard was developed with input from ABC chapters, industry stakeholders and economist Bernard Markstein, Ph.D.