This Week

Discover Maui Anew and MCAA 2015

Collective Bargaining Seminar Expands Scope of Issue Coverage

Movement on Pension Reform

Learn How to Work Safely Around Electricity

Your Service Managers Can be Great Leaders with MSCA Training

AIPM Can Make Your Best Project Managers Even Better

Are Your Senior Executives Ready for the Next Industry Challenge?

There's Still Time to Register for the 2014 Student Chapter Summit

MCA of Omaha Contributes to MCERF

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MCAA National Update for September 15, 2014

Discover Maui Anew and MCAA 2015

By now, you should have received the beautiful Travel Planning Guide for MCAA 2015 (March 8 - 12, 2015) that shows off the tropical wonders of Wailea, Maui, HI - the sunrises and sunsets, the beaches, the infinity pools, the flowers -they're all there, ready for you to discover and enjoy once again. And, we've blocked accommodations in three amazing luxury hotels that are lined up on Maui's southwest shore - the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa and the Andaz by Hyatt. If after reading through the Guide, you've selected a hotel and a room view that best suits your needs and desires, we suggest you register now to secure your preferred accommodations. It's easy to register - just go to http://www.mcaa.org/mcaa2015 to sign up online or with the downloadable form.

Collective Bargaining Seminar Expands Scope of Issue Coverage

MCAA's expanded Collective Bargaining Seminar featured federal labor policy makers from several agencies who addressed rapidly expanding rules and regulations affecting multiemployer bargaining units and non-bargaining unit employees. The program began with Richard Barnes, former director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, who described successful approaches to improve communications and relations with labor bargaining counterparts to achieve gains for both sides. Joining Barnes were local execs and contractors who described the beneficial impact of improved labor/management communication in the bargaining process. MCAA legal advisors then explained the key legal factors involved in negotiations and the the most important elements of most collective bargaining agreements. There were in-depth analyses of the impact of the new health care law and pending pension plan changes on the bargaining process. Chief Legal Counsel Peggy Mastroianni of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provided guidance on evaluation of credit background checks and criminal history information in making bargaining unit and non-bargaining unit employment decisions. Debra Carr, policy director for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, briefed attendees on new agency goals requiring federal prime contractors and subcontractors to employ a workforce composed of 7% of individuals with disabilities and 8% who are veterans. Director Carr also discussed the criteria that public and private contractors must meet to be eligible for federal prime contracts and subcontracts when the Fair Play and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673 takes effect in 2015. (MCAA is providing further input into the pre-regulatory consultation process to ensure that the executive order is fair to both legally compliant prime contractors and subcontractors and improves the contract competition and administration process.) NLRB General Counsel Richard Griffin, the UA's attorney Jim O'Connell, and MCAA's labor advisor Mike Boldt engaged in a detailed roundtable discussion on a wide variety of current labor and collective bargaining issues impacting bargaining unit and general employment administration. Several participants also visited with their Congressional representatives to press for multiemployer pension reform this year.

Movement on Pension Reform

The House Ways and Means Committee's Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee has scheduled a September 17 hearing on Private Employer Defined Benefit Plans. "The hearing will focus on the challenges facing employers, employees and retirees who rely on defined benefit pension plans to help provide retirement security. It will examine the funding rules governing multiemployer plans, as well as selected issues that affect single employer plans." Majority members of the subcommittee include Representative Pat Tiberi (R-12-OH) (chairman), Erik Paulsen (R-3-MN), Kenny Marchant (R-24-TX), Jim Gerlach (R-6-PA), Aaron Schock (R-18-IL), Tom Reed (R-23-NY), and Todd Young (R-9-IN). Majority members include Representative Richard Neal (D-1-MA), Ranking Minority Member John Larson (D-1-CT), Allyson Schwartz (D-13-PA), and Linda Sanchez (D-38-CA). If you are represented by one of these members, please go to http://www.mcaa.org/advocacy and use the Voter Voice Congressional e-mail feature to send a message promoting passage of the Solutions Not Bailouts proposal.

Learn How to Work Safely Around Electricity

Knowing the potential hazards of working around electricity is critical for technicians and other employees who are potentially exposed to live conductors of 50 volts of electricity or more during their workday, and especially mechanical service technicians who work on units that generate up to 480 volts. The NFPA 70E Qualified-Level Arc Flash Safety Training Webinars on September 24, 2014 at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern time is an excellent resource for obtaining that critically important training. Presented by the Hilgeman Group, the session covers all applicable OSHA and NFPA requirements, best practices, NFPA's most recent changes to the 70E requirements and provides participants with real-world accident information to reinforce the training. Contact the Hilgeman Group (ahilgeman@frontier.com) to register.

Your Service Managers Can be Great Leaders with MSCA Training

MSCA's Service Manager's Training Improves Leadership Skills

MSCA's Service Managers Training (November 10-13, 2014, in Alexandria, VA) is designed to help service professionals improve their management and leadership skills and effectively contribute to the bottom line results of their company. This highly interactive, hands-on workshop incorporates the daily issues that service managers typically confront. It will give them the fundamental financial and interpersonal skills they need for managing all aspects of the service operation. This program is recommended for managers with all levels of experience, including those who have risen through the trades with little or no formal training as well as those who want to enhance their leadership skills to better serve their teams. Class size is limited and a few seats remain, so register today at http://www.mcaa.org/education/msca/svcmgrtraining. Contact Sobeida Orantes (saorantes@mcaa.org) with registration questions.

AIPM Can Make Your Best Project Managers Even Better

MCAA's Advanced Institute for Project Management (AIPM) is specially designed to enhance the management and leadership skills of experienced project managers. The next AIPM (January 18-23, 2015, University of Texas, Austin, TX) will cover: Advanced Leadership Skills; Keeping Customers forLife; Legal Issues with Difficult Jobs; Risky Business: Insurance & Bonds for Contractors; Staying on Top of Scheduling and Productivity Impacts; Effective Notice: Improve Your Negotiating Position and Avoid Litigation; Operational Management: Tips from the Pros; and Goal Setting: How to Effectively Manage Yourself and Those You Influence. This program fills quickly, so don't delay registering your senior project managers. Go to http://www.mcaa.org/education/mcaa/ipm/ipm-advanced for program information and a downloadable registration form. Please contact Beth Miller at bmiller@mcaa.org with registration questions.

Are Your Senior Executives Ready for the Next Industry Challenge?

Our dynamic industry is facing continual changes in the marketplace, technology and customer requirements for buildings that are more sustainable. MCAA's premier educational offering - the Advanced Leadership Institute (ALI) - is your best buffer against the next "big thing." Whatever the challenge, it can adversely impact your business if you are not equipped to respond effectively. The ALI is designed for our industry's top executives and management leaders with a curriculum focused on strategic planning and leadership development that addresses today's and tomorrow's toughest business challenges, even those that have yet to surface. We've also added a module on "Branding" and another on "Customer Partnerships" to enhance the value of the program. The branding module will include Webex-delivered components during the interim period between Week 1 and Week 2. Dates for ALI's Course 15 are: September 27-October 2, 2015 (Week 1) and November 8-13, 2015 (Week 2). To request an application or learn more about the ALI, please contact Dennis Langley (dlangley@mcaa.org).

There's Still Time to Register for the 2014 Student Chapter Summit

If you thought you missed the registration deadline for the 2014 Student Chapter Summit, you have an extra day. Hosted by the MCA of New Jersey and the MCA of New York, the conference will bring together college students majoring in construction management, mechanical engineering, architectural engineering, and other disciplines related to our industry from colleges and universities across the country. Meet and network with more than 150 of the brightest young people whose career plans are aimed straight at our industry. The conference program is excellent, featuring sessions on estimating (the cost of one hour of labor, pricing General Conditions correctly, and the take-off), customer relationships, resume development, interviewing techniques, the project for the 2014-2015 Student Chapter Competition, a presentation by the 2013 Student Chapter of the Year, a tour of the mechanical systems supporting the September 11 Memorial & Museum and a dinner cruise around Manhattan. For more information and to register, please contact Ann Mattheis (amattheis@mcaa.org).

MCA of Omaha Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) received a generous contribution of $3,000 from the MCA of Omaha, raising its total contribution to $132,500. And, the association designated 50% of its contribution to the MCERF Scholarship Fund. The MCERF Board of Trustees greatly appreciates the support which helps the Foundation continue its funding of education and research programs that help our industry grow and thrive. Find out more about MCERF and its programs by visiting www.mcerf.org.

The MCAA National Update is is a weekly publication of the
Mechanical Contractors Association of America
1385 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.
Questions? Contact Ann Mattheis, Editor, Phone: 301-869-5800; Fax: 301-990-9690