The National MCAA Update

A Weekly News Update from MCAA

Anne Newcombe, Editor, Ph: 1-800-556-3653, Fax: 301-990-9690

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Volume 4, Number14 - April 5, 1999

REGISTER ONLINE FOR THE 4^TH MID-YEAR EDUCATION CONFERENCE – Methods for managing productivity and controlling costs, some of the primary keys to profitability, are important elements of MCAA's 4^th Mid-Year Education Conference (June 23-26 in Toronto, Canada). You can read all about this valuable educational experience and register for the conference online at www.mcaa.org/conference/99myec. A brochure and registration form will be mailed this week.

SEEKING A WELL-QUALIFIED INTERN? POST THE POSITION @mcaa – MCAA's Career Development Initiative incorporates a strong belief in the value of internships, because they provide students with positive experience in our industry and they help MCAA contractors assess potential members of their future workforce. Now members can post available internships on MCAA's home page at www.mcaa.org/careers. Through a simple online questionnaire, MCAA members can provide basic information on job duties and responsibilities, location, dates and compensation/benefits. Students seeking internships will be able to see what's available in different parts of the country. We fully expect that members will take full advantage of this online opportunity and that everyone involved will profit.

INDUSTRY IMPROVEMENT FUNDS OPERATIONS GUIDE AVAILABLE ONLINE –The updated Industry Improvement Funds Operations Guide is now available online as a free download from the MCAA Online Store. This operations guide was prepared by MCAA's Industry Improvement Funds Committee as a reference for the mechanical construction industry. It offers suggestions and guidelines for the organization and administration of industry improvement funds. The book, as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file, may be downloaded from the "Free Stuff" area of the MCAA Online Store for Members at: www.mcaa.org/store.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION – Senate Adopts Davis-Bacon Act Reform—Not Repeal—Amendment -- The Senate approved a "Sense of the Senate Amendment" introduced by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), stating that members of Congress are interested in Davis-Bacon Act reform, not repeal. The amendment states that, "It is the Sense of the Senate that in carrying out the assumptions in this budget proposal, the Senate will consider reform of the Davis-Bacon Act as an alternative to repeal." According to Sen. Santorum's office, the Senator is a long-time supporter of Davis-Bacon reform, and he is opposed to outright repeal. MCAA, and its partners in the Mechanical-Electrical-Sheet Metal Alliance, sent a letter on March 25 to a number of senators -- Santorum among them -- urging well-considered reform, not repeal, of the Act…Davis-Bacon reform is just one of many legislative issues on which MCAA and its allies in the Mechanical-Electrical-Sheet Metal Construction Alliance are working. To learn more about Davis-Bacon reform and other legislative issues that affect your business, attend the 1999 Construction Alliance National Issues Conference, in Washington, DC, April 25-27. To register, contact Shawn Durand (shawn@mcaa.org).

NEW ENGLAND SIGNERS DAY HELD IN BOSTON -- Nearly 80 people attended a signing ceremony for the New England Schedule "A" to the National Equipment Service and Maintenance Agreement on March 31. The Schedule "A" was approved in August 1998 and covers the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The New England Schedule "A" provides signatory service contractors with the flexibility to use the "serviceman" employee classification for residential and light commercial work. During the ceremony, UA General President Martin Maddaloni said, "The service industry demands flexibility and the National Agreement provides that, while maintaining local control through local oversight committees." Others attending included UA International Representatives Thomas P. Kerr and Donald C. House and MSCA Executive Director Barbara Dolim.

MSCA SALES INSTITUTE SOLD OUT –The first two sessions of the MSCA Sales Institute, scheduled for April 18-22 in Phoenix, Arizona, and May 16-20 in St. Louis, Missouri, are sold out. Fall sessions will be announced soon. Contact Adrienne Breedlove (abreedlove@mcaa.org) for more information.

MCAA PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EDUCATION FORUM– Representatives from construction, academia and government convened in Las Vegas on March 21-22 to brainstorm about the future workforce of the construction industry. The Forum was sponsored by the American Council for Construction Education, the accrediting body for all U.S. university construction management programs. Pete Botting (W.A. Botting Co., Seattle) and MCAA Director of Career Development Dennis Langley represented the mechanical construction industry.

MORE OSHA REFORM – Representative Cass Ballenger (R-NC) is drafting new legislation that would reform the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. One bill would prohibit OSHA from using a company's own safety audit results to issue citations and fines. Another bill would provide penalty relief for small employers. Last year two of Mr. Ballenger's occupational safety and health reform bills were signed into law. One of the bills prohibited OSHA from establishing inspection and revenue quotas for compliance officers. The other bill codified OSHA's existing consultation program that assists small businesses in protecting their workers from job site hazards.