San Diego airport officials vote to use PLA on $3B airport project

San Diego International Airport staff said agreements with local unions are key to keeping the design-build redevelopment on pace with its five-year schedule.

By Kim Slowey • April 8, 2019

Contractor sues developer over 'leaning' Manhattan high-rise

Former construction manager Pizzarotti LLC stopped work, claiming the 58-story structure should have been anchored into bedrock with piles but that Fortis went with a cheaper, less-safe alternative, which the developer denies.

By Kim Slowey • April 3, 2019

Bill aims to better classify California construction workers

State legislators are considering a new test for contractors to use when deciding if laborers and tradesmen qualify as independent contractors.

By Kim Slowey • April 2, 2019

OSHA slaps $106K on Georgia contractor's trenching hazards

The citation and proposed fines resulted from investigators witnessing Corley Contractors expose employees to unsafe conditions at an Acworth jobsite.

By Kim Slowey • April 2, 2019

Immigration reform could relieve pressure on Houston's construction labor market

Allowing some type of legal status for the undocumented workers who make up almost one-third of the city's labor pool could reduce project costs and improve quality of work, local industry leaders say.

By Kim Slowey • March 28, 2019

Chicago's building code overhauled after 70 years

The modernization brings the city in line with international standards and gives contractors more options for building materials and technologies.

By Kim Slowey • March 26, 2019

Contractor faces 20 years in prison for forced labor

The owner of several construction companies in northern California held undocumented workers in captivity, refused them pay and forced 24-hour shifts.

By Kim Slowey • March 25, 2019

LA's Oceanwide Plaza restarts, owing subs almost $100M

The largest recorded mechanic's lien so far reportedly has been for almost $53 million from subcontractor Webcor.

By Kim Slowey • March 25, 2019

Fed watchdog wants DOD to have better insight into contractors' safety records

The Government Accountability Office said that OSHA violations should be tied to a company identification number so that defense contractors can weigh safety records before awarding projects.

By Kim Slowey • March 21, 2019

Feds charge New Jersey contractor with defrauding schools

Prosecutors allege that Orba Construction Co. turned in false certified payrolls for work it performed on New York City School Construction Authority projects.

By Kim Slowey • March 19, 2019

UBC: $2.6B in taxes lost yearly to under-the-table pay

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters chalks up most of the loss to labor brokers that provide contractors with cheap workers.

By Kim Slowey • March 19, 2019

ABC branch sues school district over 'unconstitutional' PLAs

Even low bidders aren't entitled to perform work for Minneapolis Public Schools unless they agree to hire union workers.

By Kim Slowey • March 18, 2019

FEMA to fund only half of California's request for Oroville Dam repairs

The federal agency approved only $333 million of the $639 million the state requested, reportedly citing the dam's condition prior to the 2017 failure. 

By Kim Slowey • March 13, 2019

OSHA focuses blame for fatalities at Orlando hotel project to lead contractor

Universal Engineering Sciences' citations for the JW Marriott incident last year were dropped while PCL's still stand.

By Kim Slowey • Updated March 27, 2019

OSHA fines Pennsylvania contractor $209K for excavation violations

Etna Construction did not provide employees protective systems or teach them how to recognize dangerous excavation conditions, the agency said.

By Kim Slowey • March 11, 2019

Worker claims employer had him arrested based on his reporting of safety concerns

A Department of Labor lawsuit alleges Boston-based Tara Construction facilitated an employee's immigration detention after an injury he reported sparked an OSHA investigation.

By Kim Slowey • March 11, 2019

Related, NYC union coalition strike deal

The "historic ... win-win" agreement ends a period of contentious legal action between the developer of the $25 billion Hudson Yards project and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.

By Kim Slowey • March 8, 2019

Bankrupt contractor reaches settlement with FIU bridge collapse victims

If approved in bankruptcy court, Magnum Construction Management will pay up to $42 million to victims of the March 2018 incident and their families.

By Kim Slowey , Kathleen Brown • Updated May 3, 2019

Former Arkansas construction exec sentenced to 3 years prison for bank fraud

Matthew Beasley, former president of contractor Cobas Inc., submitted fake invoices to his bank in order to be able to draw on a business line of credit.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 28, 2019

Massachusetts contractors faced $2.7M in wage theft penalties in 2018

State Attorney General Maura Healey is just one state official trying to get construction companies to pay up after cheating their workers out of pay.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 28, 2019

Justice Department sues Ohio contractor, sub for fake invoices, kickbacks

The agency claims that subcontractor Wise Services gifted CB&I AREVA MOX Services employees in order to persuade them to submit about $6.4 million of false invoices on its behalf.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 27, 2019

$12B Texas bullet train construction could start this year

Texas Central Partners is pressing on with the Dallas-to-Houston line and will appeal a court ruling that denied it railroad designation and land rights.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

BUILD grants take $600M hit in new spending bill

With the federal transportation infrastructure program reduced to $900 million, competition for funds will be even fiercer in the next award application round.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

New York contractor pleads guilty to minority fraud

The Erie County District Attorney's office said that Nichter Construction falsely stated that it had met the minority contracting requirements on a state project.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 22, 2019

Justice Department subpoenas $9B Honolulu high-speed rail records

A federal grand jury is pursuing an investigation into funding and management of the beleaguered line, which has almost doubled in costs since 2012.

By Kim Slowey • Feb. 21, 2019