CORNHUSKER CHAPTER OF ABC APPLAUDS OSHA’S OVERSIGHT OF OUTREACH TRAINING PROGRAM: In an effort to crack down on fraudulent training classes, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) May 20 announced it is increasing oversight of its Outreach Training Program and changing how participants become authorized to teach. The voluntary Outreach Training Program is a national network of more than 16,000 independent trainers eligible to teach workers and employers about workplace hazards and to provide OSHA 10- and 30-hour course completion cards.
OSHA has increased unannounced monitoring visits to verify that trainers are in compliance with program requirements and will continue to refer fraudulent activity to the DOL Office of Inspector General. Trainers caught falsifying information will be subject to criminal prosecution. In addition, a “watch list” of outreach trainers who have received disciplinary action will be posted.
ABC’s Safety Directors are in full compliance with OSHA’s Outreach Training Program. Recently we have seen some classes that are being offered that may not be in compliance. Check with ABC’s Safety Directors if you need training.
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR LABOR UNIONS REACHES HISTORIC LOW: Public support for labor unions reached its lowest point since 1987 and an increasing number of people think unions have become “too powerful,” according to a May 21 survey by the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C.
The percentage of people who agree that “labor unions are necessary to protect the working person,” dropped from 70 percent over the past 10 years to 61 percent in 2009. Sixty-one percent of the public also agrees that labor unions are too powerful, up from 52 percent 10 years ago. In addition, 76 percent of those surveyed agree that “the strength of this country today is mostly based on the success of American business.”
HOUSE BILL WOULD PROTECT WORKERS FROM UNION VIOLENCE:ABC May 21 praised the introduction of the “Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2009” (H.R. 2537) by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.). The measure would levy a fine of up to $100,000, a prison sentence of up to 20 years, or both, to any person that commits an act of violence or extortion against another person during a labor dispute.
“Lawmakers on Capitol Hill need to send a clear message that any violence or intimidation during labor disagreements will no longer be tolerated,” said 2009 ABC National Chairman Jerry Gorski, president of Gorski Engineering, Inc., Collegeville, Pa. “This legislation is long overdue to help protect all workers in the construction industry.”
The “Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2009” would close a loophole in the Hobbs Act, a federal law that prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce.
ABC MEETS WITH OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO DISCUSS PLA EXECUTIVE ORDER:.ABC, along with two other trade associations, May 21 met with senior Obama administration officials and representatives from the Department of Labor to discuss the negative impact of expanding the federal government’s use of government mandated union-only project labor agreements (PLA), as directed by Executive Order 13502. Executive Order 13502, signed by President Obama Feb. 6, encourages federal agencies to require the use of government-mandated PLAs on federal construction projects worth more than $25 million.
“We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet and begin an open discussion about the detrimental effects expanding the use of PLAs would have on fair, free and open competition on federal construction contracts,” said Jerry Gorski, 2009 ABC national chairman and president of Gorski Engineering, Inc., Collegeville, Pa., who attended the meeting. “It’s important for federal officials to understand that government mandated PLAs will unnecessarily increase the cost of federal construction projects, and discourage 85 percent of the construction industry that choose not to belong to a union from competing for these contracts. “ABC will continue working with the administration to ensure everyone – including merit shop contractors – has an equal opportunity to participate on federal construction projects during a time when the nation is still shedding jobs and getting people back to work is a top priority,” Gorski added.
IMMIGRATION UPDATE:On April 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued new enforcement guidelines concerning undocumented workers. Under the new guidelines, DHS will focus more on criminal prosecution of businesses hiring illegal immigrants, and will place less emphasis on workplace raids to pick up undocumented workers. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) portion of DHS will now target employers who “knowingly hire illegal workers.” DHS noted that of more than 6,000 arrests related to worksite enforcement in 2008, only 135 of those arrested were employers. The construction industry is still a major “industry of interest” for DHS and ICE. Construction industry employers should be very careful to ensure accurate and timely completion of I-9 documents, in addition to any other preventative steps implemented by the employer to avoid hiring illegal workers.
By Bill Harding, Chapter Attorney
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SPRING/SUMMER TRAINING SCHEDULE
Training Classes
Management & Safety Class Schedule
First Aid/CPR Classes
$50.00 each attendee – Member Price/$60.00 each attendee – Non-Member
Recertification only - $40.00 each attendee – Member Price/$50.00 each attendee – Non-Member Price
¨ June 2, 2009 – 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. – OMAHA
¨ June 25, 2009 – 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. – LINCOLN
OSHA 10 Hour Class
OSHA requires a competent person on all job sites. This course ensures that your people have the necessary training to comply with OSHA standards CFR 1926.32(f) for a competent person. Training includes OSHA Construction Standards CFR 29 1926, Scaffolds, Ladders and Stairways, Housekeeping, Personal Tools, Electrical Hazards, Fall Protection, Materials Handling, Hazardous Communications and much more!
**CFR 192 OSHA Regulations Book for the Construction Industry with new steel erection standards will be available for $25.00** each for class participants.
$135.00 each attendee – Member Price/$240.00 each attendee – Non-Member Price
¨ June 17, 2009 - 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – LINCOLN
¨ June 24, 2009 - 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – OMAHA
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Omaha Classes are held at the Education Center, 2602 Harney Street, Omaha
Lincoln Classes are held at the Training Center, 830 Westgate Blvd., Lincoln
PLEASE DUPLICATE THIS FORM FOR MULTIPLE CLASSES
Company: Address: Phone: Fax:
Names (please print): Class/Date: Cost:
Class/Date: Cost:
Class/Date: Cost:
Return Registration Form and Check Payable to Associated Builders & Contractors
830 Westgate Blvd., Lincoln, NE 68528 FAX 402-477-4522
Email-debh@abcnebraska.org