Posts for July 27, 2010

WESTERN STATES TO TRY CAP-AND-TRADE SYSTEM

July 27, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net
Coalition of western states and Canadian provinces has produced its most detailed strategy yet for controlling greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change ... continue

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE CONTINUES TO DECLINE

July 27, 2010 – Today in Manufacturing.net
After declining in June, monthly consumer survey shows Americans' confidence in the economy eroded further in July amid job worries ... continue

FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS LEGAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

July 27, 2010 – FLAG Weekly Communication

The House Energy and Commerce Committee last week voted out H.R. 4678, the Foreign Manufacturer Legal Accountability Act, with a manager’s amendment from Chairman Waxman. (Committee mark-up documents here.) The National Association of Manufacturers was concerned that House leadership would rush the bill to the House floor as part of its “Make it in America” week to promote the Democratic caucus’ support for manufacturing, but it appears the NAM and other business groups raised enough serious objections to slow the process. As Tory Newmeyer of Fortune reported:

Top Democratic aides are working with industry groups to head off any provisions that would engender private-sector opposition. One early problem: a proposal from sophomore Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) that would force foreign manufacturers to be legally accountable for products they sell in the U.S. The National Association of Manufacturers is arguing that language in the bill would effectively force companies it covers to waive their right to defend themselves against suits. "Who needs a food fight on the floor?" one senior Democratic aide said, suggesting the language should be dropped.

The National Association of Manufacturers, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers and Organization for International Investment last week sent a joint letter to the committee sharply opposing the measure. (Available here). The American Association for Justice (AAJ) issued a news release hailing committee passage, “House Energy and Commerce Committee Approves Legislation to Help Hold Foreign Manufacturers Accountable for Safety.”

NEW UTAH DRUG TESTING LAWS

July 27, 2010 – Employers Council

Two new Utah drug and alcohol testing bills enacted this year (2010) recently went in to effect. Summaries are in our March 8 newsletter. Here is a snapshot:

1. Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing (eff. 5/11/10) Amends Utah's Drug and Alcohol Testing Act to require that confirmation tests be performed by a federally certified lab and grants greater protection to employers who use an MRO to interpret test results.

2. State Construction Contracts & Drug/ Alcohol Testing (eff. 7/1/10) Requires random drug and alcohol testing of employees working for contractors (and most subs) in safety sensitive positions on state construction projects. Also requires a notice be posted.

OBAMA PLEDGES CONTINUED PUSH FOR CLIMATE LEGISLATION

July 27, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net
Despite setbacks on Capitol Hill, President Obama said he still supports the need for broad climate legislation and pledged to keep pushing for it ... continue

“OBAMACARE” COMPARISONS

27 July 2010 – Jeff Thredgold – Tea Leaf

Supporters of America’s move toward a government-controlled health care system frequently make reference to similar “successful” programs in other nations. A glimpse at three such national programs seems timely…

Canada

A recent Reuters headline noted, “Soaring Costs Force Canada to Reassess Health Model.” The article notes that with pressure from an aging population and the need to rein in budget deficits, Canada’s provinces are taking tough measures to curb healthcare costs.

Healthcare in Canada is delivered through a publicly funded system, which covers all “medically necessary” hospital and physician care. It now accounts for roughly 40% of provincial budgets. Such spending was a mere 7% of provincial government expenditures in the 1970s (Investor’s Business Daily).

Rationing of health care, including reasonable access to specialists, is a major, and sometimes deadly, problem. It has become an all too common practice that when wealthier people or high-level Canadian political leaders require immediate access to health care, they routinely come to the U.S.

Once banned by law, private-sector health care clinics are expanding across Canada. Health care funding and the word “crisis” go hand-in-hand in Canada today.

Cuba

This largely failed Socialist nation 90 miles from Florida prides itself on high-quality health care. However, the system is broken, and is slowly bankrupting the nation.

Cuba boasts of having the best doctor-patient ratio in the world, with one doctor for every 170 people, versus one doctor for every 390 Americans…

…but hang on

More than half of all Cuban physicians work overseas, many after defecting. Doctors who remain in the country earn about $25 per month, with many instead taking jobs as taxi drivers or hotel workers, where they can make more money (The Wall Street Journal).

Cuba has a small number of higher quality clinics catering to paying medical tourists and high-level politicians. However, the majority of Cubans take their chances in filthy, under-resourced hospitals. Women regularly avoid gynecological exams “because they fear infection from unhygienic equipment and practices.”

Planning to visit a Cuban hospital as a regular citizen? Plan on taking your own syringes, towels, bed sheets…and soap.

United Kingdom

The National Health Service (NHS) is the U.K. version of government-run health care. It is the largest employer in Europe with more than 1.3 million employees, and has been around for 62 years. It has an annual budget equivalent to more than $160 billion (The Wall Street Journal).

It is now planning to undergo a major overhaul that will (in theory) cut high swaths of bureaucracy by eliminating a layer of financial managers. The plan is to put more power in the hands of doctors to decide how to spend the money…

…what a concept!

The plan calls for reducing management costs by more than 45% over the next four years. Unfortunately, placing the words “reducing management costs” and “government” in the same sentence rarely, if ever, succeeds.

Various proposals to help control hospital costs have been suggested or—on occasion—enacted. These have included removing every third light bulb in a corridor, asking patients to bring their own medicines from home, cutting the number of sterile packs used, and not changing the sheets between patients, but merely turning them over.

“Obamacare”…We can hardly wait

PROVISIONS OF THE FINANCIAL OVERHAUL BILL

July 27, 2010 – Zions Direct
Highlights Of The Compromise Legislation To Overhaul Financial Rules

OVERSIGHT
A 10-member council of regulators led by the Treasury secretary would monitor threats to the financial system. It would decide which companies were so big or interconnected that their failures could upend the financial system. Those companies would be subject to tougher regulation.

If such a company teetered, the government could liquidate it. The costs of taking such a company down would be borne by its industry peers.

The council could overturn new rules proposed by the consumer protection agency. That’s supposed to happen only to rules deemed a threat to the financial system.

CONSUMER PROTECTION
A new independent office would oversee financial products and services such as mortgages, credit cards and short-term loans. The office would be housed in the Fed.Auto dealers, pawn brokers and others would be...
Read More at http://think.zionsdirect.com/2010/07/21/provisions-of-the-financial/?utm_source=ym_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_1&utm_campaign=provisions_of_financial_overhaul_bill_07_27_2010

SENATORS MOVE TO REVIVE ESTATE TAX AT REDUCED RATE

July 27, 2010 – Zions Direct

Unless Congress Acts, Estate Tax Will Return At A Much Higher Rate Next Year

The federal estate tax would be revived, but at a reduced rate, under a plan being pushed by two senators, a Democrat and a Republican.

Democrat Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona hope to attach the new estate tax to a small business lending bill pending in the Senate. Their bill would set the top estate tax rate at 35 percent, with a per-person exemption of $5 million, indexed to inflation.

In 2009, the top estate tax rate was 45 percent with a per-person exemption of $3.5 million. Congress allowed the estate tax to expire this year, but it is scheduled to come back next year with a top rate of 55 percent, unless Congress acts.

“It’s time to take decisive action on the estate tax, and provide the permanent solution that...
Read More at http://think.zionsdirect.com/2010/07/22/senators-move-to-revive/?utm_source=ym_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_3&utm_campaign=provisions_of_financial_overhaul_bill_07_27_2010

Supervisory Skills Program -- 5-day Certificate Program - 6 SPOTS LEFT!

Thursdays, August 12 - September 9, 2010
Employers Council

This program is designed to provide participants with thorough knowledge of contemporary skills to be effective in the workplace. Our instructor, Dr. Brent Soffe, is an entertaining presenter who strongly encourages students to participate actively in individual and team assignments and demonstrate critical skills in the classroom. This sequential approach incorporating principles, skill practice, and on-the-job application is the most effective means for realizing a maximum return on training investment.

Overview of Topics Covered:
Core supervisory functions - planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling
Time management techniques
Elements of effective objectives and action plans
Essential communication and listening skills
Keys to organize and delegate work
Employee motivation principles
Methods to deal with employee performance problems and workplace conflicts
Operational basics - performance measurement, retention, controlling for quality, and team building

When: Thursdays, August 12 - September 9, 2010 -- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: SLCC, Miler Campus, 9750 S 300 W, Sandy, Utah
Cost: $649 per Council member student; $799 per Non-Council member student
Certification: Participants who successfully complete the required course objectives will receive a certificate issued by The Employers Council. This program has gained recognition by business enterprises throughout Utah for providing managers and supervisors with the skills and information they need to excel in the workplace.

To register, download and return the registration form at http://ecutah.org/ssp.pdf. Enrollment is limited to 30. Contact the Council office or reply to this email with any questions.

Terri Whitehouse
The Employers Council
175 West 200 South, #2005
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
801.364.8479 voice - 801.364.8915 fax
terriw@ecutah.org - www.ecutah.org