More patrol money for work zones
The Michigan Department of Transportation is identifying locations across the state where increased law enforcement in work zones may help keep motorists and workers safer as the road repair season approaches.

MDOT will be using at least $350,000 to cover the overtime costs of state police troopers, sheriff's deputies and local police officers patrolling work zones. They will watch for speeding, reckless driving and other dangerous habits that put drivers and workers at risk.

"When I leave for work in the morning, I'm reasonably assured that I will be going home at night," said state Transportation Director Gregory Rosine. "We can't always say the same for road workers, and that is truly sad. By teaming with road workers, police and motorists, we hope to make 2002 the safest season ever."

This is the first year that county and local law enforcement agencies are eligible to receive the funding.

In recent years, MDOT and the State Police have worked together to increase law enforcement in work zones. In addition, the Michigan legislature has increased fines and penalties for traffic violations in work zones, and for injuring or killing a highway worker.

"It's great to expand our partnership to include all law enforcement agencies this year," said State Police Chief Operations Officer Larry E. Tibbets. "All the flashing orange lights in our work zones are helpful but nothing compares to one red light atop a police car."

Trades focus more on pipelines
Four building trades unions are launching a massive joint organizing drive targeting workers on U.S. interstate natural gas pipelines.

The Pipeline Utilization Mobilization Project (PUMP) involves the Laborers, the Operating Engineers, the Plumbers and the Teamsters, with AFL-CIO technical aid and some money.

PUMP's objective is to re-organize the industry, which employs between 25,000 and 50,000 workers, depending on the season and economic conditions.

Before 1970, the pipeline construction industry was almost 100 percent union, but it is now approximately 40 percent, Laborers President Terence M. O'Sullivan said in an interview with Press Associates on Feb. 26 during the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in New Orleans.

He said the decline in union pipeline work was accelerated in part by pipeline companies being purchased by anti-union multi-national companies.

Now, the unions want to reclaim market share in pipeline construction, to better wages and working conditions during a two-year campaign, he said.

They'll provide the organizers, the money and the reasons in a campaign to organize the Sundland company - the first joint organizing target - while the AFL-CIO may add money to the proposed $2.5 million campaign, plus research and strategy options, O'Sullivan said.

"Our operating committee has representatives from all four unions, and each of us provides organizers based on the work involved" in any particular pipeline segment, he explained.

In Michigan, unions have a good handle on pipeline work. Between 500 and 1,000 building trades workers toil full-time on installing and maintaining the state's pipelines. Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. alone supplies fuel through 15,000 miles of smaller distribution mains and 2,500 miles of high-pressure mains in Michigan.