Masonry Magazine April 1985 Page. 24
PLANNING & EDUCATION
There are other activities we should engage in.
Over the past few years, the leaders of MCAA have given thought to these matters, and some positive steps have been taken. We improved the continuity of our participation in joint programs by rotating officers onto and off the boards of those organizations on a planned basis. And one of the benefits of the IMI reorganization which took place almost four years ago was the achievement of greater coordination among the various joint programs.
I believe that MCAA must go a step further and create a relatively small, continuously functioning planning unit made up of officers who will review all MCAA activities, and also look at the comprehensive needs of our members to determine if our activities correspond with our responsibilities.
The second question - does what we are doing now tell us something about the direction in which MCAA is, and should be going? - should also be answered positively. I believe that MCAA's roles in the areas of labor/ management relations, government relations and industry relations are well established and recognized. It seems to me, however, that a survey of current MCAA projects and programs reveals that many of them fall into the "education" category. They involve conveying information and ideas to our members - often, information and ideas gathered from some members and transferred to others - that help us do our jobs better, that keep us abreast of industry developments and aware of opportunities.
The building industry is undergoing many changes right now, and these will affect us. They will shape the kinds of services our clients will ask us to provide, and they will determine how we should provide those services. None of us can keep abreast of such broad and rapid developments on our own.
I believe that MCAA has begun to involve itself in educational activities more relevantly in recent years, and this development should continue. We may find ourselves in a few years at a point where education may become more important than any other Association function.
If MCAA is to regain its membership strength, it must do so through service, and the current movement which I see toward the field of member education is important in that respect and should be encouraged and extended.
I look forward to serving as your President for a second year. One year is not enough. There is too much to do, and I hope that I can help us successfully tackle some of our challenges in the next 12 months. But if I can help, so can any member. Our Association is so structured that every member has an opportunity to participate and to be of service.
As I look back on my first year as President, I am impressed by the debt I owe to all those officers and members who helped me. As I look ahead to the next year, I am equally impressed by the obvious need I will have for even more assistance.
I am grateful to all of you for the things you have done, but I am not at all reluctant to tell you that in the coming year I will call on you to do more.
THE RIGHT STUFF
If it saved you money when common labor was $1.50 an hour, think what it can do for you now. Today Prime-Mover mason tenders are a better value than ever.
L-812
mason tender
CALL 319/262-7738
for dealer/demo
Dealer inquiries invited (selected areas)
PRIME-MOVER
THE PRIME MOVER CO/MUSCATINE, IOWA 52761/DIVISION, HON INDUSTRIES
MCAA CONFERENCE
for recovery in instances such as this."
He urged contractors to have "hold harmless" clauses written into their contracts to protect them from any liability manufacturers may encounter and to consider "all-risk installation" floaters in their insurance coverage.
"Dramatic coverage changes are being made with more exclusions being added," Derk said. "The insurance industry has been taking a beating and premiums are going up as a result."
MCAA's legal counsel, George Plumb, discussed contract clauses and their effect on a mason contracting operation. "Have a dialog with manufacturers, since contractors must follow specifications and have little discretionary power," he said. "If the manufacturer has to defend his product, will he defend you? Be sure this provision is written into your contract."
Plumb recommended that all MCAA members study Contract Documents, a highly informative book produced by the Associated Specialty Contractors, an organization