General contractors and specialty contractors will have full equality within the Associated General Contractors of America for the first time in the association’s 98-year history. The board vote to amend the group’s national bylaws, giving all members equal status, came on the final day of AGC’s national convention. The annual event, held March 9-11 in San Antonio, drew more than 2,300 attendees.
Member representatives from the specialty trades can now hold board positions and run for the association’s highest offices, including president, which, previously, they could not do. But association officials said the change would not alter the traditional path toward AGC leadership, which runs through its four divisions: building, federal and heavy construction, highway and transportation, and utility infrastructure. Also, revision of the national bylaws will not affect GCs and subs at the chapter level, AGC officials said. Many chapters already have adopted their own parity measures.