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The Virginia Manufacturer - Focusing on Manufacturing Issues of Today and Tomorrow

Virginia Manufacturer's Association

In This Issue


Partner of the Month

Customized plans for your company's benefit packages, property & casualty insurance, product liability insurance and more. 

 

Call Billy Trigg of Rutherfoord at 804-915-5617 and tell him the VMA referred you.




Marketing Webinar

Digital Marketing - Tame the Chaos

 

10am, February 6th
 
Impression Marketing is hosting a FREE webinar on digital marketing for VMA members. Register today!



US Global Leadership Luncheon

11:30am, January 27th

The Jefferson Hotel

Richmond  

 

The U.S. Global Leadership Council invites VMA members to attend their Impact on Virginia luncheon featuring:

  • United States Senator Tim Kaine
  • General James Mattis, Former Commander, U.S. Central Command
  • Robert Zoellick, Former President, World Bank
  • VMA President & CEO Brett Vassey      

Contact Karl Beckstein at [email protected]

M2M & Virginia Values Veterans
Are you a hiring organization looking to recapitalize your workforce? 

February 11, 2014
MeadWestvaco
501 S 5th St
Richmond, VA 23219
 
Attend this interactive conference to learn how your organization can recruit and hire Veterans, Guardsmen, and Reservists.

VOLUME 7 | EDITION 1 | JANUARY 2014

New Year
VMA is preparing for an exciting year. We're starting off strong in January with two exciting events: the Craft Brewers Guild's Beer Caucus, and VMA's Day on the Hill. Building relationships with our elected representatives is essential to our government affairs strategy. You can demonstrate your dedication to protecting and growing manufacturing in the Commonwealth by participating in the VMA's 2014 Day on the Hill.
  • Meet with and educate state officials about issues affecting industry.
  • Advocate for VMA Priority Bills, giving practical feedback to your legislators from a manufacturer's point of view.
  • Build relationships with members of the General Assembly
Make sure to register for Day on the Hill today!
You can view all VMA events on our web calendar.
2014 Legislative Session

This afternoon, Virginia's General Assembly convened this year's 60 day session which adjourns on March 8th. Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe will be inaugurated on Saturday, January 11th. The General Assembly has a number of new members including seven new Committee Chairpersons in the House alone.  VMA will monitor over 2,500 bills and work with the new Administration and General Assembly on our own priority legislation to increase skills credential attainment in the emerging and incumbent workforce, lower the effective tax rate on industry, reduce the cost of regulatory compliance on industry while also protecting human health and the environment, and ensure that Virginia energy is affordable and reliable.

 

Keeping up with legislation affecting Virginia industry moving at this speed is possible through the VMA Legislative Action Center. Here you can view action alerts on priority bills, learn more about current issues and legislation, and contact members of the General Assembly. This free member resource will give you tools right on your desktop to track everything affecting your business.  Check out the Legislative Action Center here.

 

Of course, an outstanding government affairs program also requires an effective plan.  The VMA's member committees and Board have developed such a plan - the Virginia Industrial Innovation Strategy. This government affairs strategy covers everything from Workforce Development and Green Manufacturing to Taxation and Right-to-Work.  This 14 point plan provides a high-level public policy overview of what is important to industry.  To learn more about the Virginia Industrial Innovation Strategy, click here.

 

The VMA has been Industry's Advocate™ since 1922.  We are excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead of us in the 2014 legislative session.  Stay engaged through the VMA Legislative Action Center and help us be successful with priority bills this session by sending letters, making calls or just sharing your perspective at the VMA Day on the Hill.
Host a Town Hall
VMA is looking for locations across the Commonwealth to host our 2014  Manufacturing Town Halls. Town Halls are an opportunity to bring businesses, community partners and regional leaders together to highlight critical issues for the manufacturing sector. 
Manufacturing Makes Virginia

  • Fredericksburg
  • Roanoke
  • Lynchburg
  • Richmond
  • Southside
  • Hampton Roads
  • Southwest
If you're interested in hosting a Town Hall at your facility, please contact Cassidy Rasnick at [email protected]

Manufacturing Technician Level 1, Explained

The MT1 training program addresses the core technical compe-tencies required for skilled production occupations in all sectors of manufacturing. The core technical competencies certified are: (1) Math and Measurement, (2) Business Acumen and Quality, and (3) Spatial Reasoning and Manufacturing Technology. Training modules include quality practices and measurement, manufacturing processes, electrical and mechanical basics and maintenance awareness.

For more information,visit ManufacturingSkillsInstitute.org

Protecting Right to Work & First Amendment

In response to the National Labor Relations Board's refusal to ask the Supreme Court to review the recent D.C. Circuit Court's decision in the posting requirement rule case, the National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons issued a statement, "By allowing the Supreme Court's January 2 review deadline to pass, the NLRB has acknowledged its overreach in the case, permanently validating the NAM's victory." Timmons also said, "Manufacturers start off the new year with great news in our fight against an overreaching NLRB."

 

The National Association of Manufacturers and the Virginia Manufacturers Association also filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to stop the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs from compelling speech and violating the First Amendment as a result of its "posting requirement" rule. 
 
VMA President and CEO Brett Vassey said, "Protecting Virginia's 'right to work' status is integral to the mission of the VMA and the success of Virginia's manufacturers and contractors, and the OFCCP rule tips that delicate balance." Vassey also said, "We're proud to join with the NAM to take our case to the courts where we expect another ruling in favor of the First Amendment." 
 
To read the full release, click here.