Masonry Magazine March 2002 Page. 25
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targeted toward parents that answer the important questions that parents have regarding our industry. I, for one, am excited about reaching beyond the student to talk directly to the parents, since it is the parents that have tremendous influence over their children's futures.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The role of any national association is to perform tasks that individually local chapters can't accomplish on their own. One critical area that the MCAA should be playing a vital role is that of public affairs and more specifically, government intervention.
Few areas of our business can impact us more rapidly and without impunity than government intervention. We all know too well the effects an OSHA regulation can have on our businesses. Taxes, labor laws and other government regulations also can make running a successful and profitable masonry business almost unbearable. And the role of government in our business lives is only going to become more burdensome with the prospects of an ergonomics regulation for all of us to contend with.
Thankfully, the nearly 700 page OSHA Ergonomic Standard that was passed early last year was rescinded by Congress and approved by the Bush Administration. But had the Clinton Administration had their way, as contractors, we would be faced with adhering to the most burdensome regulation, making HAZ-COM look gentile. The state of Washington, however, is implementing an ergonomics standard in July of 2002 and could well become the leader on this issue. What would it cost your businesses to give each of your employees two hours of paid breaks each day? That was one of the new regulations that was proposed by OSHA. Thankfully more level heads prevailed.
However, the issue is not going away and we will once again be faced with an ergonomics standard in the future. It is issues such as this that have prompted the MCAA Board of Directors to make a stronger commitment and statement in the area of Public Affairs.
At our last Midyear Meeting this past fall, the Board approved the funding of a full time staff person to fight for our members on Capitol Hill. Supported by a modest dues increase, it is our hope to have the interests of mason contractors and more specifically, MCAA members represented in Washington, D.C.
As a national association, we have done a reasonable job of looking after the interests of our members in Washington. But like codes and standards, being effective in Washington requires full time attention. We can no longer hope to impact future regulation and legislation last minute. Being effective in this area is much like winning a football game. Most of the success of the game is fought minute by minute in the trenches. We must be diligent and be in the offices of members of Congress and federal
The MCAA has actively expressed the interests of mason contractors to Congress and our National Government. The MCAA addressed our position in writing to the Secretary of the Labor Department during the Ergonomics debate.
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