OSHA Reform Bill Not Sent to Floor for Vote
UPDATE: Due to the efforts of the small business community to educate Congress about the drastic effects the OSHA reform language included in the mine safety bill would have, House leadership has not sent the bill to the floor for a vote.
The Protecting America's Workers Act (PAWA) legislation is a major piece of the White House and Congressional Majority push to "reform" the Occupational Safety and Health Act. In reality, workplace accident, injury and fatality rates have been in decline for decades thanks to employers focus on safety, along with a cooperative working relationship with OSHA. PAWA would not in any way create or promote safer workplaces, instead focusing on increased enforcement and penalties.
Two weeks ago, some of the key provisions of PAWA were inserted into legislation concerning mine safety, which has become a hot button subject after several recent tragedies, most notably explosions at the Upper Big Branch and Sago mines in West Virginia. Despite the title, The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) actually contains several provisions from PAWA that deal with OSHA.
Federal Contractors Must Post Notices Encouraging Employees to Organize
Effective June 21, 2010, all new federal contracts will contain requirements that prime contractors and subcontractors post notices informing their employees of their rights to form a union, pursuant to the National Labor Relations Act.
This new regulation implements President Barack Obama's Executive Order 13496, which stated the workers' productivity is enhanced and federal contracts efficiently and economically completed when workers are well-informed of their federal labor law rights.
Final Rule Issued to Implement Project Labor Agreements (PLAs)
The Obama Administration has published, in the Federal Register, the Final Rule implementing Executive Order 13502, which encourages and authorizes the use of union-only PLAs on federal construction projects.
Union-only PLAs restrict competition by requiring that a contract be awarded only to companies who agree to collective bargaining and union hiring. Union-only PLAs exclude a majority of the workforce from the opportunity to participate in federally-funded projects.
To read the entire Rule, please click here.
IEC Unveils New Voter Registration Materials
IEC National has launched its 2010 "Get-Out-The-Vote" campaign by mailing all contractor members and chapters a new poster that encourages members and employees to register to vote. These posters can be placed in the office or on the jobsite. IEC has also created a
paycheck stuffer urging voter registration. If you would like to print out a smaller version of the poster you may
download here, or to order additional copies please email Steve Hinton, IEC's Political Affairs Director, at
shinton@ieci.org.
Click on the banner below to register to vote. Simply enter your address to download and print your state's voter registration form.
If you have any questions or would like to share your legislative experiences, please contact govtaffairs@ieci.org.
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