The third week of October—Oct. 16–20, 2023—is Construction Inclusion Week, a program that ABC members helped launch and sustain. Given the workforce shortages and inter-industry competition for talent, creating conditions where all are welcomed, valued and included in our industry is an absolute no-brainer.

Providing opportunities for all is fundamental to ABC’s purpose, which is set out in Article I of our bylaws. You can read Article I in its entirety at abc.org/about-abc/leadership/bylaws-policies; here are the provisions that I think speak most directly not just to Construction Inclusion Week but to the underlying philosophy that directs everything ABC does to inspire and advocate for the merit shop:

The Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. is the voice of the Merit Shop in the construction industry. We assume the responsibility of making that voice heard.

We believe that the Merit Shop movement is a movement for the betterment of the individual, the industry and the nation.

We believe that the employer must have concern for the general welfare of the employee and that there must be fair compensation for work performed.

By the same token, we believe that the employee has an obligation for satisfactory performance of assigned work.

We support sound legislation in the areas of workers’ compensation, safety and unemployment compensation. We believe legislation that embraces fair play for both employer and employee is essential to the preservation of our free enterprise system.

We oppose violence, coercion, intimidation and the denial of the rights of both employees and management.

We believe that work opportunities in this nation should be made available to all our people, regardless of race, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, membership or non-membership in a labor organization, protected veteran status, qualified individuals with disabilities or other protected class, and we support programs toward this end.

We believe that the destiny of all Americans can best be served by cooperation and following the tenets of free enterprise and democratic government.

We believe business leaders can best preserve these tenets by becoming active in politics and civic affairs.