Nice uptick for construction pacts
Collectively bargained construction wage rates in the U.S. construction industry in 2006 saw an average 3.9 percent increase in the first year of contracts - compared to 3.0 percent a year ago. The median increase for all construction crafts this year was 3.6 percent.

That news came from information released last month by the Construction Labor Report. For collectively bargained contracts across all job sectors, wages increased 3.6 percent in the first year of contracts.

'Dirty Jobs' to air Mac episode Aug. 7
Mike Rowe, from the Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs," visited the Mackinac Bridge in late May to film an episode showcasing the work that bridge maintenance crews perform each year on the "Mighty Mac."

The hour-long Mackinac Bridge episode, entitled "Bridge Painter," is scheduled to air on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 9 p.m., on the Discovery Channel. The episode is airing in conjunction with the bridge's 50-year anniversary, reports the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Casino project wins in appeals court
A July 3rd decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has struck down the last challenge blocking the construction of the $270 million Firekeepers Casino in Emmett Township, near Battle Creek.

To rise on a 78-acre site, the facility is to be built by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians on property located near I-94 and 11 Mile Road. The tribe says it expects to break ground on the project this coming fall. Completion is being expected within 12 months.

Full House Resorts, Las Vegas, Nevada, has said it will be handling the facility's design and construction. The project has been opposed by a group known as the Citizens Exposing Truth About Casinos for about eight years. (From MichiganConstructionNews.com)

More schools get 'responsible'
Six more school districts in Michigan have adopted "responsible contracting" rules for hiring construction companies.

That brings the total to 35 in Michigan, in an effort that was started only two years ago by West Michigan Construction Alliance and its consultant, Ed Haynor. It's basically an effort to weed out "irresponsible" contractors, and hopefully help union contractors.

Responsible contracting suggests that before school boards and municipal authorities enter into any construction-related agreements, bidding contractors should meet several standards. They include:

*Documentation that contractors' training programs meet federal standards; an alcohol- and drug-free workplace policy; a local hiring policy, if applicable; documentation of any civil suits, arbitrations, or criminal convictions, and documentation of safety policies and experience.

*An explanation of the contractor's experience in the field.

*Ratings for worker's compensation insurance.