CM FACULTY GO BACK TO SCHOOL FOR MEP BASICS

Sixteen faculty members from universities across the U.S. gathered at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS last week for the 10^th Mechanical-Electrical Academic Consortium's (MEAC) Faculty Training Conference. The three-day event is designed to provide faculty who teach mechanical-electrical-plumbing theory, techniques and practices to construction management and engineering students with the basics in these areas to augment or update their knowledge. Co-sponsored by the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) and the National Electrical Contractors Association's (NECA) Electri International, the conference covered: mechanical properties, air conditioning systems and components, and testing and balancing, temperature controls and system commissioning taught by Prof. Mike Feutz of Ferris State University; teaching mechanical estimating, scheduling and high performance contracting taught by Prof. Tim Wentz of Ferris State University; plumbing systems and codes taught by Prof. Tom Logan of Kansas State University; isometric drawings taught by Prof. Daryl Orth of Northern Kentucky University; electrical fundamentals, power distribution, lighting systems, commercial/industrial electrical systems and data communications taught by Prof. Mark Tatum of Auburn University; and electrical estimating and scheduling taught by Bill Tuinstra, a consultant to NECA. Field trips included tours of the Pittsburg State Performing Arts Center and the new Joplin Hospital in Joplin, MO, which replaces the one destroyed by a tornado three years ago. Our thanks to the Pittsburg State University Construction Management Department for hosting the conference and Prof. Daryl Orth and Prof. Shannon Nicklaus for organizing the program and the logistics, respectively. For information about MEAC and this conference, contact Ann Mattheis (amattheis@mcaa.org).

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR YOUR NEXT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATION?  

MCAA's Collective Bargaining Seminar (September 8-10 in Washington D.C) is designed to provide information that will help collective bargaining participants transform adversarial relations into win-win solutions. The program will cover: basic negotiation strategies; preparation tools, information and advice; current collective bargaining topics, including multiemployer pension issues; equal employment/affirmative action rules and collective bargaining issues for federal contractors; trade jurisdictional issues; and a roundtable discussion on National Labor Relations Board issues affecting contractors.  Plan now to attend this highly rated program. A preliminary program and registration details are at www.mcaa.org/education. If the need arises for industry to lobby hard for passage of multiemployer pension reform legislation, MCAA will schedule a legislative fly-in program concurrent with the conference.