Assorted news and notes

Associated Builders and Contractors President Kirk Pickerel couldn't refute or defend the fact that ABC's apprenticeship programs in 37 states have an abysmal record of producing apprenticeship graduates.

As we reported in our last issue, in 37 states from 1995-2003, only 4,896 ABC journeymen graduates were produced from the 21,286 who registered into programs sponsored by the anti-union group - a record of less than 25 percent. By contrast, union programs in those 37 states graduated 45,580 journeymen, or 75 percent of those who registered. The AFL-CIO Building Trades Department, which conducted the study, asked the Department of Labor for an investigation of the ABC's lousy education record.

In the Construction Labor Report, Pickerel called the numbers "misleading," but didn't say why. He instead chose to attack the U.S. DOL for a perceived bias in favor of union apprenticeship programs, and said the Building Trades Department president "fears competition in the apprenticeship arena…."

He calls a 25 percent graduation rate - competition?

The Consumers Energy Karn-Weadock Generating Complex in Essexville near Bay City is gearing up for another outage beginning in January. The work will focus on the coal-fired plant's Unit 1. Consumers spokesman Kelly Farr said the outage, which will run through April, is expected to consistently employ about 400 construction workers - which is extremely welcome news to the building trades.

The Book-Cadillac hotel renovation project - which we reported last month had begun - has been placed on hold. A complicated financing deal for the project left little room for unanticipated costs, which have come in to play on the initial hazardous materials removal portion of the project. Union sources say contractors woefully underestimated the costs involved with the hazardous materials abatement.

The Greater Detroit Building Trades Council sends its thanks to the Walbridge-Aldinger Co. for the donation of 12 computers for use in the Safe-2-Work Program. 

"Helmets to Hardhats" received a $5.5 million grant from President Bush to fund the second year of operation for the program, which was set to facilitate the ability of military veterans to employment opportunities in the construction industry. Building trades unions and eight contractor associations developed the program in 2002.

Levi-Strauss and Co. is not exactly riveting itself to the Americans who want to buy North American-made goods. "At a time when 10 million Americans are looking for work, these plant closings are yet another indictment of a failed trade policy that is destroying entire industries." So said Bruce Raynor, president of the needle trades union UNITE, about Levi Strauss & Co.'s North American plant closings.

Levi-Strauss closed its last North American plants this summer - one in San Antonio and three in Canada - in favor of moving its operations offshore. Their move put 2,000 workers out of a job.

Want to take the sweat(shop) out of holiday shopping? The AFL-CIO has a couple of websites to visit if you're tired of scouring racks of clothing looking
for the union label or "Made in U.S.A." Visit the Union Mall at www.nosweatshop.com.

The AFL-CIO said the stores in this online shopping mall sell only union-made items, including clothing - "your guarantee the clothes weren't made under
sweatshop conditions." Other union-made purchases can be made at The Union Shop at www.aflcio.org/shop.

"Hand-arm vibration syndrome" is a construction worker malady that is just entering the radar screen. NIOSH - the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - estimates that 500,000 construction workers who use vibrating hand tools are at risk of developing the syndrome.

The syndrome is a progressive disorder that involves poor circulation and neural effects in the hands. Tools associated with the malady include chain saws, jackhammers and drills. Symptoms include numbness, pain and blanching in the fingers.

The use of anti-vibration gloves can help reduce harm to construction workers' hands, and NIOSH is continuing to study the syndrome.