Masonry Magazine April 1989 Page. 31
Congress will probably pass a hike in the minimum from $3.35 an hour to $4.65 or a little less phased in over three years. A NATIONAL-SERVICE CORPS FOR THE YOUNG IS SEEING SUPPORT in Congress. A number of legislators are urging consideration for such a plan during 1989. Young people would be able to chose either military or civilian-type service. In return, they would get cash payments to use for financing college costs, for vocation training, for the down-payment on a home, or any other purpose. Civilian-service volunteers would receive $100 a week and medical coverage. Military-service volunteers would receive two-thirds the base military pay. In addition, civilian volunteers would get a $10,000 voucher for each year, while military volunteers would receive $24.000 on completion of two years. Civilian volunteers could choose between working in several areas: Education, human, conservation, and public safety. NEW POWERS FOR THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMM. MAY EMERGE in 1989. SEC wants greater authority to punish violators of Federal securities laws, including barring individuals from serving as officers of public companies. The SEC also wants to impose much larger fines for security-law violations. Fines would go as high as $500,000 per institution and $100,000 per person. Even higher fines could be set to capture gains made by breaking the law.
ASC Legislative Conference
Making Congress aware of the specialty contractor's legislative agenda is the goal of the 1989 Associated Specialty Contractor's Legislative Conference. On April 23, 1989, members of eight associations that represent the nation's major construction specialty contractors will begin a 3-day meeting in Washington, D.C. This fifth annual ASC National Legislative Conference will concentrate on presenting positions of the industry on key legislation now before the House, Senate, and regulatory agencies.
This Conference, "Advocacy For Today," will include presentations of legislative views by leading members of the House and Senate on such key construction-related issues as prompt payment, mandated benefits, dual shop reform, and workplace health and safety. It will also feature face-to face meetings in which the contractors who attend will be able to present their views on specific legislation to their own Senators and Representatives.
This 1989 ASC Legislative Conference will be held at the The Capital Hilton in Washington. For further information about the Conference program registration, contact Joanne Oxley at (301) 657-3110.
NCMA/CSI Training Program
A technical sales training program cosponsored by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), Alexandria, Virginia, is continuing to grow in importance to the concrete masonry industry.
As of January 1, 10 individuals had been awarded the title of Certified Consultant of Concrete Masonry after passing two phases of the rigorous two-week technical sales training program.
Fifteen more students have recently completed both phases of the technical sales training program and were at this writing awaiting their final test results.
For information on upcoming sessions of the training program, contact the Engineering Dept., NCMA, P.O. Box 781, 2302 Horse Pen Road, Herndon, VA 22070-0781.