More companies join NRCA's One Voice initiative
NRCA has announced eight more companies have joined its One Voice initiative and upgraded their associate memberships to "partner members":
The companies join five other companies that have committed to the initiative:
The One Voice initiative aims to collectively recognize threats to the industry and the opportunities they may present. The campaign also aims to unite the roofing industry and speak with one voice regarding matters of industry importance. The One Voice initiative initially will focus on developing a national worker training and certification program, legislative efforts and advocacy.
For more information about NRCA's One Voice initiative, visit www.nrca.net/onevoice.
IRE seeks volunteers for Community Service Day
The 2018 International Roofing Expo® (IRE) is seeking volunteers for its ninth annual Community Service Day, a home renovation and revitalization project to be held Feb. 5, 2018, in New Orleans. The IRE will partner with Rebuilding Together® New Orleans and NRCA's Disaster Relief Committee to host the event.
Community Service Day will be held from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and will involve renovating the homes of elderly individuals, disabled individuals or individuals who are financially unable to support a renovation.
Skilled volunteers from various construction disciplines are needed to help with the renovations, including roofing contractors, general contractors, project managers, home inspectors, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, masons, drywall contractors, HVAC technicians and tilers. All volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and will be asked to sign a waiver of liability.
Attendees and exhibitors can register for the event and/or make a monetary donation when they register to attend the IRE. A $25 fee includes transportation, beverages and snacks.
For the ninth consecutive year, Canton, Mass.-based Sika® Sarnafil is the primary sponsor for the event. Additional contributing sponsors include Carlisle Construction Materials, Carlisle, Pa.; CentiMark Corp., Canonsburg, Pa.; ICP Adhesives & Sealants Inc., Andover, Mass.; OMG® Roofing Products, Agawam, Mass.; and Roofing Solutions LLC, Prairieville, La.
The 2018 IRE will be held Feb. 6-8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. For more information or to register, visit www.theroofingexpo.com or call Brandi McElhaney, senior conference manager, at (972) 536-6392. For more information about NRCA's 131st Annual Convention, to be held Feb. 4-8 in conjunction with the 2018 IRE, visit www.nrca.net/convention.
Firestone Building Products welcomes new senior vice president
Vasuta |
Firestone Building Products LLC, Nashville, Tenn., has announced John Vasuta is the organization's new senior vice president of global sales.
In his role, Vasuta will be responsible for developing a global sales strategy for Firestone Building Products to accelerate the company's growth in key world markets.
Vasuta returned to Firestone Building Products after serving for three years as president of GCR Tires & Service, Nashville, a commercial tire and service business owned and operated by Bridgestone Americas Inc. During his previous tenure with Firestone Building Products, Vasuta served in several management roles, including general counsel and vice president of administration; vice president of strategic planning and corporate development; and vice president and managing director of international operations.
"John has a proven track record of driving growth and a strong background in international operations and strategy," says Taylor Cole, president of Firestone Building Products. "He is the right person to help us activate our customer-centric strategy around the world with increasing presence in all key global markets. This is something John started in his prior tenure with Firestone Building Products, and we are excited to welcome him back to the team."
Hurricane Irma causes record payroll decrease in Florida
Employers in Florida cut payrolls by a record 127,400 workers in September after Hurricane Irma caused business disruptions and property destruction, according to an Oct. 20 report from the Department of Labor (DOL).
The payroll change was the largest decrease for nonfarm payrolls of any state and the largest decrease for Florida since data was first recorded in 1982. Data from the DOL report support the idea the labor market generally improved in September outside of disaster-affected regions. Eleven states recorded a statistically significant decline in unemployment, and five states recorded higher payrolls; in comparison, the unemployment rate rose in four states, and payroll numbers decreased in six states.
Employment likely will rebound in the affected states as recovery efforts continue and business resumes in the job sectors most affected by the storms, including leisure and hospitality; construction; professional and business services; and trade, transportation and utilities.
Despite its dramatic payroll decrease, Florida's unemployment rate decreased from 4 percent to 3.8 percent in September as fewer people reported being jobless in a separate survey of households. In Texas, where Hurricane Harvey caused temporary oil refinery shutdowns and flooding in Houston, an overall payroll decrease of only 7,300 was recorded, and the state's unemployment rate decreased from 4.2 percent to 4 percent.
New York recorded the second-largest payroll decrease in the U.S. in September, and California recorded the largest payroll increase of 52,200 jobs.
Workplace safety and health commission resumes decision making
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) now is fully staffed with three commissioners and has resumed issuing decisions for the first time since April.
OSHRC is an independent federal agency that provides trial and appellate review of contested citations and penalties resulting from inspections. Administrative law judges conduct proceedings, and the commissioners act as an appeals court.
The third seat on the commission was vacant after Chairman Thomasina V. Rogers' term expired in April 2015 and no replacement was nominated by former President Obama. With a new commissioner in place, the commission has turned its attention to nearly two dozen cases that await decisions.
OSHRC can advance workplace safety and health law through its decisions. When the commission issues rulings, its interpretations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations serve as binding precedents for administrative law judges. With three commissioners in place, majority decisions now are possible and new legal interpretations likely will come in the near future.
"[We hope] the commission will take advantage of this moment and clear its backlog of cases," says Baruch Fellner, a partner with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP's Washington, D.C., law firm. "Usually, the more important cases are pending review, not the run of the mill."
On Oct. 12, OSHRC remanded two cases to administrative law judges. In an interview with Bloomberg BNA, OSHRC Commissioner Jim Sullivan explained OSHRC Chairman Heather MacDougall is deciding which cases pending review the commission will consider next and encouraging her colleagues to provide timely resolutions of workplace safety and health disputes.
"She's leading the way, but we're getting through them," Sullivan said. "She's pushing to get through these faster."
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