Masonry Magazine October 1993 Page. 38
Legislative Update
An up-to-date report on legislation affecting the mason contractor being tracked by MCAA.
By MICHELLE PRZEKWAS
MCAA Legislative Assistant
The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) tracks legislation that may have an impact on mason contractors' businesses. Current legislative issues being watched include Striker Replacement, Comprehensive OSHA Reforms, Health Care Reforms, and Prompt Payment for Federally Assisted Construction.
* Coverage of public employees,
* Victim's rights.
* A national surveillance program,
* New time frames for establishing OSHA general standards, hazard-specific standards and enforcement response.
* Expanded OSHA coverage, enforcement, training and requirements for education, records, reporting, State Plans and Special "whistle"
STRIKER REPLACEMENT
Striker Replacement legislation is due for a vote in the Senate once it returns from its Labor Day recess. This legislation would amend the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 to prohibit employers from hiring permanent replacement workers any time two or more workers walk off a job during an economic strike. Under this bill, striking workers could not be permanently replaced; anytime the strikers decided to return to work, the employer would have to reinstate them and fire any temporary replacements.
This legislation, which has already passed the House in the form of H.R. 5. would overturn a 1938 Supreme Court decision that allows companies to hire permanent replacements for striking employees unless the workers are protesting unfair or unsafe labor practices.
President Clinton has agreed to sign Striker Replacement legislation if it reaches his desk.
Legislation such as this could unbalance the relationship between organized labor and management in collective bargaining.
COMPREHENSIVE OSHA REFORM
Comprehensive OSHA Reform bills are currently in House and Senate Committees and Subcommittees. The bills are meant to overhaul the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 by adding new provisions for:
* Mandated employer occupational safety and health programs, with one section (Title XII) specific to the construction industry.
Non-Stop SCAFFOLDING
Increase Production 20%-35%
When the wall is waist high to the bricklayer, he will produce more. Government studies, the experience of our customers, and our own experience have proven that point most convincingly. Actually, it's basic human nature. When the bending, reaching, and stooping are eliminated, a mason will fall into a fast, comfortable side-to-side rhythm when laying brick and block. He'll put in more units and be less tired at the end of the day. How much more production depends on the type of work. Production increases of 20% are common, while 35% is typical for blank walls like warehouses. Our users have reported production increases as high as 47% on 12" blocks.
When you calculate the labor savings from this feature alone, you will see that Non-Stop can easily pay for itself in the first 10 to 20 weeks. Some masonry contractors say that their scaffolding paid for itself on the first job.
Never Run Scaffold-High Again
Building a wall from the ground to scaffold high and then moving your men is another unnecessary expense to eliminate from your operation. It sends to scatter your men, creates extra work for the laborers, and wastes ten to fifteen minutes of production time getting the crew started again.
Using Non-Stop, you will set your scaffolding in place first, before any work begins. Stock it with materials and your masons start the wall right off the scaffold. Once they have reached a comfortable working height, their walk boards can be dropped in place in about 30 seconds and they continue working uninterrupted until the wall is topped out. Non-Stop gives you the ability to put your masons walkboards as low as 4' off the ground.
Another standard feature Non-Stop provides is the ability to add an extra walkboard for the masons. In many situations, like brick veneer with block back up, you must run the block up first. Using Non-Stop, you can run the block with 3 planks for the masons, let the scaffold down, and then run the brick with 2 planks, without moving or replumbing the scaffolding.
The Fastest.