With continued struggles against illegal
subcontracting, a growing number of
immigration crackdowns, and union pressure
continuing to mount on our industry, the issues affecting
BSCAI members at the federal level are of considerable
importance. Revised overtime regulations, and regulatory
changes at the federal level are likely to create new
challenges for the industry, and federal budget deficits
have created a bleak outlook for additional tax relief.
Fortunately, BSCAI’s Government Affairs Team
continues to build relationships with key Members of
Congress and agency officials to ensure that the interests
of all BSCAI members — from veteran multi-state
operators and franchises, to our newest building service
contractors — are on the table. Working together with the
GAF Team, building service contractors nationwide have:
- Developed a “toolkit” to assist BSCAI members in
addressing worker misclassification at a local, regional
and federal level;
- Created an industry-leading Alliance with the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) focused on improving understanding of the
unique needs of our industry and providing enhanced
education and outreach tools;
- Challenged efforts by the department of Labor to
modify overtime regulations that would substantially
change how BSCAI members pay their employees;
- Assisted the White House in securing key business tax
incentives in the President’s tax cut;
- Advanced legislative proposals by the White House
that would alleviate worker shortage through the
development of a guest work program;
- Developed and distributed updates to BSCAI
members on current and proposed state services
taxation for all 50 states;
- Provide guidance and “best practices” on how to
challenge proposed state services taxation proposals;
- Continued outreach with Members of Congress and
IRS officials on the issue of illegal subcontracting;
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- Engage in regular dialogue with senior IRS and Social Security Administration officials regarding “no-match” enforcement;
- Continued to enhance and expand an interactive
Internet information network for BSCAI
members that ensures rapid communication
on time-sensitive Congressional and regulatory
issues;
- Successfully overturned, with BSCAI’s
Congressional allies, controversial and costly
OSHA ergonomics rules;and
- Remained active in coalitions of small
businesses from a vast array of industries to
preserve workplace tax credits used by BSCAI
members.
No single member of our industry can change
the course of the debate on critical issues like
immigration reform, worker shortage, tax relief,
or the minimum wage, but your support of the
Government Affairs Fund allows BSCAI to leverage
the collective voice of our industry to take action
on the issues that matter most to your business.
Policymakers, regulators, and the media alike look
to BSCAI for the latest in industry developments — and through your support the Government
Affairs Team is able to deliver our message clearly
and effectively to shape the debate.
Through regular updates, the Team makes sure
that BSCAI members keep abreast of developments
in Washington, and uses member surveys to hone
its advocacy message to ensure that the views and
concerns of all BSCAI members are addressed in
our dialogue with Washington decision makers.
The ability to maintain this advocacy presence,
and fight for building service contractors in
Washington, hinges upon the contributions we
receive to support our Government Affairs Fund.
A contribution to our industry’s efforts is an
investment that yields great returns for both your
business and the building service contracting
industry. Please make a contribution now to help
us continue to make a difference in Washington.
For further information on Government Affairs, contact Gail McCauley, gmccauley@bscai.org. |
Building Service Contractors Association International
