New delay for steel standard?

OSHA has delayed implementation of the new standard for steel erection six months until January 2002, and if the Associated General Contractors has its way, the wait will be even longer.

The new steel erection standard was developed with input from the Iron Workers International Union and contractor . It's estimated that the standard will save 30 lives per year.

The AGC wants to re-write several areas of the rule, specifically:

• Changing the rule's requirement that steel connectors tie off at a height of 15 feet or more. The AGC is pushing for the tie-off to take place at a minimum height of six feet, regardless of the work being performed.
• The rule that would prevent shear connections from being attached during the fabrication process, allowing the work to be done on the construction site.
• The rules defining "controlling" contractors - are they "prime," "general contractors" or "construction managers" - controlling steel erection work done by subcontractors.

AGC Chief Executive Officer Stephen E. Sandherr said in a letter to OSHA, "Unless changed, the rule will put workers at an excessive risk of injury and death."

OSHA said the request for a further delay is under review. In the meantime, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association wants an exemption from the new provisions,

because OSHA "did not fully consider the safety implications."

Huron Valley voters asked to OK bond

Building trades members who live in the Huron Valley School District in northwest Oakland County are urged to support a $110 million bond issue on the Tuesday, Sept. 25 ballot.

The money will be spent on a major overhaul of the school district's buildings. A coalition including the school district, the teachers' union, administrators, parent groups and construction unions are seeking community support for the bond issue. Building trades unions have contributed $5,000 to promote passage of the bond.

Plumbers Local 98 BA Rich Gaber said the building trades are working on establishing a union-only project labor agreement with the school district, if the bond issue is adopted by voters.

Labor wants Fast Track protections

AFL-CIO leaders worked in areas around the nation on Labor Day to bring attention to "Fast Track," a bill that would give President Bush authority to broker deals and negotiate a North American Free Trade Agreement with every nation in the Western Hemisphere, except Cuba.

NAFTA, the controversial U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade treaty, has cost 756,000 U.S. jobs, according to the liberal Economic Policy Institute, working with federal figures.

Aside from the loss of jobs, organized labor wants language in the agreement that addresses minimum wages, safety and sanctions for child labor violators. The fast track legislation Bush pushes has no labor standards language at all.

Bush's fast track bill faces an uncertain future. President Clinton tried twice to get fast track during the last three years of his second term, but lost to labor lobbying both times.