ABC-SEMI Issue 4, 2020

2 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. The construction market has been white hot since companies were able to return to work after the coronavirus closure. This seems largely due to the delayed launch of construction season. The prospects for 2021 remain much less certain, as companies are reporting a limited amount of work under contract for next spring. At ABC/SEMCA, we were flying high last year, experiencing our strongest ever membership growth, apprenticeship enrollment, and overall financial position. Our January strategic plan was predicated on building on our recent successes as a launch point to aggressive new horizons. In an instant, we were having discussions about “what-if” scenarios of massive downsizing and staff cuts. Those internal discussions forced us to transition from thinking about running up the score to “how do we survive” in a worst-case scenario? In a strange sense, it was a healthy exercise, because we had to think real hard about our core values and purpose. Our fire drill exercise was probably not all that different than conversations around your offices during early spring. Luckily, we’ve managed to do well, despite the initial uncertainty. Even so, we’re cautiously optimistic for 2021, with backup plans to address a sudden downward change in the construction industry. ABC Supports Unlock Michigan Associated Builders and Contractors is a construction trade association that promotes free enterprise. We initially supported Gov. Whitmer’s first temporary shut-down order until we fully understood the health risks associated with COVID-19 and we helped craft a return-to-work-safely plan for the construction industry shortly thereafter. With such a safety plan in force, we lobbied to allow construction to get back to work. While we were successful in that goal, Michigan’s economy can’t thrive if significant parts of the economy remain shut down indefinitely, as they are today. We have grave concerns that Gov. Whitmer is unilaterally making decisions under a World War II-style emergency declaration without the Legislature’s involvement. As a result, ABC has made a significant financial contribution to the Unlock Michigan effort, which is collecting petition signatures to repeal the 1945 Emergency Declaration law. The goal is to collect 500,000 signatures, which would allow the Legislature to approve the repeal without a veto threat from the governor. Sincerely, Keith Ledbetter | President and CEO ABC Southeastern Michigan Chapter KEITH LEDBETTER ABC SEMI President President’s Letter