Posts for July 9, 2010

HIRING SKILLED WORKERS WILL BOOST MANUFACTURERS’ COMPETITIVENESS

July 9, 2010 – NAM Capital Briefing

On June 24, Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) introduced the AMERICA Works Act (S. 3529). The legislation recognizes the need for a strong technical workforce in America and prioritizes funding for programs that provide industry-recognized, nationally-portable credentials. It specifically cites the NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System (SCS), whose credentials offer real value in the workplace for both workers and employers.

Developed and deployed by The Manufacturing Institute, the SCS is an industry-driven approach that integrates the needs and skill requirements of employers directly into education programs. Individuals pursuing credentials supported by the SCS will have the right technical skills and workplace competencies to be immediately successful in any entry-level career across all sectors in manufacturing. Companies requiring the certifications in the SCS for employment will know they are hiring an individual with the skills necessary to succeed in manufacturing.

The SCS is currently being deployed through statewide community college systems with the intention of expanding into high school and baccalaureate programs of study. The SCS offers students, as well as new and transitioning workers, a clear pathway to in-demand skills so they can prepare for good, high-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing. The certification system addresses industry-wide technical skills, as well as basic competencies in applied science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Increasing access to an educated, flexible and knowledge-based workforce is critical to helping small and medium manufacturers succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.

IMF: U.S. NEEDS TO CUT DEFICIT, RAISE TAXES

July 9, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net

International Monetary Fund is calling for U.S. to curb its budget deficits and suggested a range of tax increases to get the deficit down to a manageable level ... continue

NAM URGES LABOR BOARD TO UPHOLD CURRENT UNION ELECTION PROCESS

July 9, 2010 – NAM Capital Briefing

The NAM has submitted comments in response to the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent request for information and ideas on how the Board might utilize “electronic voting services” for union representation elections. The NLRB’s proposal states that it is looking for solutions “that support mail, telephone, web-based and/or on-site electronic voting” and indicates that the Agency is interested in performing union representation elections through devices that can be used remotely – which is much different from the current process of NLRB-supervised elections that typically take place at work sites through manual ballots. The NAM’s July 1 letter urges the Board to uphold the integrity of the current union election process, which safeguards employees from intimidation and coercion. The NAM also expressed concern over efforts to implement the goals of the jobs-killing Employee Free Choice Act through actions by Executive Branch agencies.

FOCUS: RENEWING DEEPWATER DRILLING BAN WOULD COST MANUFACTURERS’ JOBS

July 9, 2010 – NAM Capital Briefing

On June 22, the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana issued a ruling to lift the Administration’s six-month deepwater drilling moratorium, which affected wells in depth of 500 feet or more. The judge who made the ruling stated that the government had not provided adequate reasoning for the moratorium and that it would have a permanent and harmful effect on the economy of the Gulf region.

Despite the judge’s ruling, deepwater drilling on the affected rigs has not resumed and jobs and wages are suffering. In a court filing July 7, the Obama Administration asked the Louisiana court to reinstate the ban. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has said the Administration is considering is a new, scaled-back moratorium to replace the initial ban. An official announcement is expected this month.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) believes renewing or replacing the moratorium has the potential to do far more damage to businesses, jobs and the economy and would have harmful ripple effects on the supply chain.

For every one employee on an oil rig, there are nine employees onshore supporting that one employee. These are good, high-paying jobs that contribute to the Gulf region's economy. “With a new ban in place, manufacturers throughout the country who make and supply equipment, services, engines, boats and materials such as steel and concrete would suffer massive economic consequences,” said NAM President John Engler.

As Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) stressed in a June 2 letter to Secretary Salazar, "During one of the most challenging economic periods in decades, the last thing we need is to enact public policies that will certainly destroy thousands of existing jobs while preventing the creation of thousands more."

In addition, it is important to understand the impact the moratorium would have on America’s energy security and independence. The Gulf provides about a third of the nation's domestic oil and 10 percent of its natural gas. Eighty percent of that oil and 45 percent of that natural gas come from deepwater wells more than 500 feet deep. Virtually all of these wells have been developed and operated without loss of life or damage to the environment.

Petroleum and natural gas account for over half of all industrial energy use in the United States. Stopping domestic deepwater production will lead to higher energy prices and puts manufacturers at an economic disadvantage globally. Manufacturers and Americans already suffering will be faced with even higher costs for electricity, heating and cooling and gasoline. Higher energy prices hurt job creation and manufacturers' ability to compete in a highly competitive and growing global marketplace. They would be especially detrimental at a time when unemployment levels remain high and manufacturers are facing unprecedented competition at home and abroad.

Manufacturers believe it is critically important to understand the causes of the Gulf accident. However, it is a mistake to put a moratorium on exploration and development of our nation’s oil and natural gas resources. Efforts to cancel existing leases would set our country back in achieving economic security and energy independence and would increase America’s reliance on foreign sources of energy.

The United States does not need to choose between energy security and environmental safety. America must continue to strive for both.

The expansion and development of the Outer Continental Shelf is vital to affordable, reliable energy, the long-term health of our economy and the prosperity of American workers. The NAM will continue to make the case with the Administration and Congress for a full reversal of the moratorium to protect manufacturers and the economy and help the Gulf region recover.

STATE LEGISLATIVE ETHICS COMMISSION SELECTED

July 9, 2010 – UB Daily

July 9, 2010 Legislative leaders announced appointments to the Ethics Commission, created this year in a package of reform bills. The new five member commission will consist of a retired Supreme Court Justice, former Appeals Court Judge, former District Court judge and two distinguished former legislators. This new commission is tasked to investigate allegations of ethical breaches within the state legislature, patterned after the work of Judicial Conduct Commission.
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STATE OF UTAH TAKING PROACTIVE STEPS IN GREEN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

July 9, 2010 – UB Daily

July 9, 2010 The Utah Generated Renewable Energy Electricity Network (UGREEN) Authority Board issued its first Letter of Support to PurpleEnergy, a company seeking a $5 million grant from the Department of Energy to explore low temperature geothermal technology in New Castle. PurpleEnergy, in partnership with the University of Utah’s Energy and Geoscience Institute, is seeking funding for Phase I of its hybrid geothermal project in Iron County and is undertaking novel efforts to understand how to best utilize and commercialize low heat geothermal resources. PurpleEnergy’s assessment of the thermal resources in the area suggests temperatures in the sub-300 degree Fahrenheit range, typically too cool for traditional development.
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THE END OF 'MADE IN CHINA'

July 9, 2010 – LateWire from Manufacturing.net

Factory workers demanding better wages and working conditions are hastening the end of an era of cheap costs that helped make China the world's factory floor ... continue