Today in Manufacturing
Higher unemployment and foreclosure rates raised the nation's economic stress in November, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis ... continue
Today in Manufacturing
China's currency is substantially undervalued and Beijing is moving too slowly to fulfill its promise to let it rise, Treasury Secretary said Wednesday ... continue
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With less than a month left to his 30-year career in the U.S. Senate, Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg last month, urging the agency to notify 'food manufacturers, transporters and retailers inspected by the FDA that plastic pallets containing decaBDE are inappropriate for use in scenarios that may bring decabromine into contact with food.' Click to continue
Today in Manufacturing
Haiti's government signed a deal with a South Korean garment manufacturer to create an industrial park that will export clothing to the United States ... continue
LOW GAS PRICES IN UTAH
Utah BusinessUtah’s motorists are enjoying the lowest gasoline prices in the country, and have been since the first of the year, reports AAA Utah. Utah’s current average price for a gallon of regular, self-serve gasoline is $2.80, a 1-cent drop since last month’s AAA report on December 14, but 22 cents higher than a year ago.
View Full Article (Blogger’s note: do you suppose the detractors in the legislature have noticed that Utah is lowest in nation? They certainly do when we are above the average. )
MOUNTAINLAND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE DEDICATES NEW MAIN CAMPUS BUILDING AT THANKSGIVING POINT
Education Director Christine Kearl says the Utah College of Applied Technology campuses play a significant role in Governor Herbert’s 2020 Vision plan for higher educationMountainland Applied Technology College (MATC) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday for its newest campus building at Thanksgiving Point at 2301 West Ashton Park Blvd. in Lehi, Utah. The 100,000 square-foot building will become MATC’s main campus. MATC is part of the Utah College of Applied Technology (UCAT) system.
Speakers at today’s ceremony included: Lt. Governor Greg Bell; Senator John Valentine; Governor’s Education Director Christine Kearl; Utah Division of Facilities Construction & Management Director Greg Buxton; Lehi Mayor Bert Wilson; UCAT President Rob Brems; and MATC President Clay Christensen.
“I can’t begin to tell you how important UCAT is,” said the Governor’s Education Director Christine Kearl at today’s ceremony. She went on to say that UCAT fills “a niche in Utah” as it works directly with employers in providing training for today’s workforce, helping the state keep its competitive edge.
Speaking of Governor Gary R. Herbert’s 2020 Vision plan for higher education, Kearl said that “UCAT’s role is significant.” The stated goal of the plan is for 66 percent of all Utahns ages 20-64 to have a postsecondary degree, certification or advanced training by 2020. While she expects 55 percent of that training to be fulfilled through traditional institutions of high learning, 11 percent of that training is expected to come through UCAT campuses like MATC.
Senator John Valentine said that MATC’s “new $19.8 million building represents an investment for the future as this institution continues to provide the training we need.” He urged current students and community members in the audience to “become educated” and to “be proud of the applied technology college you attend.”
MATC is one of the eight applied technology colleges that comprise the growing UCAT system. Its five campuses include: Spanish Fork, Orem, American Fork, Heber and the new building in Lehi. MATC currently serves over 7,500 adult and high school students annually, offering 26 full and part-time certificate programs.
"Since 1989, Mountainland Applied Technology College has rapidly grown to become one of the largest technical colleges in UCAT’s system. The completion of the new Thanksgiving Point facility provides a permanent home for MATC and allows the college to expand its mission to meet the needs of Utah's employers for technically skilled workers. MATC can now serve a much larger high school and adult population through this impressive new building," said UCAT President Rob Brems.
“The MATC is a flourishing college that will serve as an educational catalyst for the community. We provide hands-on training with industry expert instructors. Students can earn state and nationally recognized certificates and many programs have internships or externships in real world of work settings. Most programs are completed in six to twelve months without the general education coursework required in other educational environments,” said MATC President Clay Christensen.
Designed as a “green campus,” the new building received Silver LEED certification. Strategically placed recycling bins will also actively promote recycling on campus
MATC programs to be offered at the Thanksgiving Point campus include: pharmacy technician, cosmetology, dental assisting, emergency medical technician, certified nursing assistant, commercial truck driving, culinary arts, medical assisting, medical coding, medical office/billing certification, practical nursing (LPN), nail tech, barbering and information technology. For more information about MATC and its programs, go to www.mlatc.edu.
Today in Manufacturing
Authorities confiscated huge caches of dangerous milk powder in the latest bid to root out the melamine-tainted dairy that killed six children in 2008 ... continue
Today in Manufacturing
U.S. trade deficit down to the lowest point in 10 months as exports, helped by a weaker dollar and rising foreign demand, climbed to the highest level in more than two years ... continue
Today in Manufacturing
December wholesale prices posted the biggest increase in nearly a year, lifted by more expensive energy and food costs, but other prices suggest inflation isn't spreading ... continue
Today in Manufacturing
Labor Department said that the number of people seeking benefits jumped by 35,000 due to retailers shedding temporary holiday employees ... continue
UMA VISITS WITH SENATE LEADERSHIP ABOUT PENDING SESSION
UMA board members joined UMA president Tom Bingham at a breakfast earlier this week to hear from Utah Senate leaders regarding the upcoming 2011 General Session and what they see as budget and issue priorities. It was a very informative session and gave a glimpse into what to expect from lawmakers beginning Monday, January 24.Senate President Michael Waddoups started the discussion with an overview of key issues he expects to address in Utah’s upper chamber. He identified a slightly more favorable condition for the Utah economy with home sales and auto sales increasing. He said there will be some message bills especially aimed at the Federal Government challenging their over-reaching in areas of environment, transportation and healthcare. Waddoups concluded that major issues taking large amounts of time in the upcoming session include alcohol control, Medicaid reform and redistricting. Redistricting will largely be addressed in the interim after the 2011 general session, he said.
Executive Appropriations chairman Lyle Hillyard gave a surprisingly positive budget projection announcing that there is no budget shortfall for fiscal year 2010-2011 (ending June 30, 2011). He said he was pleased to report that the figures indicate a $6 million surplus for this period. He was, however quick to add that for the next fiscal year, there is a $313 million structural imbalance that must be addressed before new money is allocated for any programs. He explained that the imbalance comes from having spent one-time money on ongoing programs during the recessionary period of the past couple years. He believes they can correct much of it this year if they continue to hold the line on agency budgets in the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
Therefore, he said they have informed all agencies that they need to submit budgets 7% below this fiscal year’s budget to begin the session and that back filling will occur as funds are available. He said the 7% budget would be passed in the first few days of the session as a place to begin the budgeting process. He concluded that the Senate majority has committed again this year, no tax increases.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins highlighted key issues to be addressed noting that key among them is immigration. He said he is aware of at least 20 bill files open on immigration but most are protected. The Senate will attempt an omnibus immigration bill to address the issues in all the 20 or more bills introduced, he said. He was quick to note that this idea is not a very popular thing with many who are trying their own version of immigration reform but that it was something he believed needed to be done to attempt to resolve the conflicts among legislators in both houses. The only thing that is clear about immigration, he said is that the feds are not going to deal with it this year. Jenkins expressed personal concern that he is seeing inflation showing up in his industry and in concerned we may be facing yet another problem in the near future.
Senate Whip Wayne Neiderhauser laid out a plan for a budget reform by listing four principles to drive state government in Utah going forward. His principles include: 1. Look long term; 2. Departmentalized government to avoid duplication; 3. Transparency; and 4. Result and outcome focus to addressing state government programs. He said all bills this session will carry a performance note along with the traditional fiscal note. Neiderhauser promised all state entities, including education, will have to follow these principles. He has joined a growing number of Senators who are focused on realigning education with workforce needs in Utah.
This promises to be an interesting session with no shortage of difficult issues and budget challenges.
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Industry group says pace may be slowing, however. Click to continue
CPSC TO ROLL OUT PRODUCT SAFETY DATABASE
NAM Capital BriefingThe Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) launched its education efforts this week for the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database that will go live this March. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 requires the CPSC to establish and maintain a publicly available, searchable database on the safety of consumer products. The CPSC adopted its final rule on the database on November 24.
The NAM believes the rule makes it more difficult for manufacturers to effectively defend their reputations and will not improve product safety for children.
This database has alarmed manufacturers, who fear that it will become a poorly monitored site that encourages reputation-harming complaints. Unfortunately, the new rule invites the gaming of the database to the detriment of manufacturers of safe products, even to the point of expanding the definition of "consumer" and "public safety entities" – those who can register an online complaint – to include trial lawyers and activist groups.
"This can create a database full of misinformation that will be of less use to the consumer," said Rosario Palmieri, vice president for infrastructure, legal and regulatory policy at the NAM. The Commission will include a disclaimer on the database noting that the CPSC cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any of the complaints. However, because the database will be managed by the federal government, the information it contains will have significant standing. Palmieri added, "When the CPSC as a government organization publishes this information . . . it gives it weight and credibility."
Extensive debate took place both in Congress and within the CPSC on the appropriate types of "reporters" to include in the database – which individuals or groups would be recognized for registering legitimate complaints. The CPSC's final rule acknowledged that Congress provided an exhaustive list of reporters but expanded the definitions of "consumers" and "public safety entities" beyond their clear public meaning and the intent of the drafters of the legislation. As a result, the database will be filled with spurious reports inspired by political or financial motives rather than safety.
"We're not opposed to a database," said Palmieri. "We're opposed to a database that's full of inaccurate information."
Congress struck an appropriate balance in the legislation between the speed of publication of reports and the desire for accuracy as well as the protection of confidential business information. The final rule provides for no such balance and creates a default for immediate publication before any meritorious claims regarding trade secrets or material inaccuracy are resolved.
In addition, sufficient clarity is still lacking regarding the enforcement of the CPSC's testing and certification requirements of the lead substrate standard. The NAM's CPSC Coalition and numerous other business groups sent a letter to the Commission on January 10 requesting a further extension of the stay – set to expire on February 10, 2011 – delaying enforcement of these requirements.
Many companies are uncertain about what rules to implement once the stay expires. The few weeks remaining before the stay's expiration leave insufficient time for the Commission "to issue the final rule, clarify industry's compliance questions and for our members' supply chains to absorb and incorporate those new rules."
The letter adds, "Without clarity, companies have been left navigating diverse, and sometimes contradictory, interpretations on how the testing requirements apply to their products."
Consumer product safety is of the utmost importance to U.S. manufacturers. Congress should ensure that proposals to improve the CPSC continue to focus on safety, not on increasing litigation or establishing unnecessary mandates. American consumers need legislation that bolsters CPSC resources to help the Commission fulfill its mission effectively.
The NAM is committed to working toward definitive, clear and comprehensive rules that all companies can realistically be expected to comply with, combined with a predictable and transparent enforcement regime.
NAM SUPPORTS MORE CHALLENGES TO EPA REGULATIONS
NAM Capital BriefingThe NAM has filed amicus briefs in two cases challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Air Act regulations. In one case, the state of Texas sued to block the EPA from taking over its permitting powers with respect to the construction or modification of large stationary sources that emit greenhouse gases in the state. The NAM urged the court to issue an emergency stay of the EPA's action, but on January 12, the Court, while allowing the litigation to proceed, declined to stop this latest EPA tactic. See Texas v. EPA (D.C. Cir.). In another case, the NAM and others sought to file a brief in a challenge to two new EPA regulations governing emissions that occur during the startup, shutdown or malfunction of process equipment or pollution control equipment at Portland cement plants. The EPA plans to apply its novel interpretations in this industry to a variety of other sectors, including chemical plants, pulp and paper mills, steel pickling operations and wood furniture manufacturing. The case is expected to focus on the EPA's requirements for installing "maximum achievable control technology" (MACT) at manufacturing facilities.
NLRB CONSIDERS LIMITING PROPERTY RIGHTS TO FAVOR UNION AGENTS
NAM Capital BriefingThe NAM and many other national, state and local business organizations joined together on January 7 under the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace to urge the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to allow companies to prevent nonemployee union members from handing out literature that is detrimental to those companies. Companies should be able to distinguish between some handbillers, such as charitable solicitors, and others, like those engaged in harmful boycott activities, when deciding whether to allow access to private property.
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