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I remember the first time I crossed a strike picket line. It was at a construction site for a Holly Sugar Beet processing plant in Hereford, Texas. The electricians union who wanted higher pay for their workers called the strike. The picket line was comprised of my neighbors who I carpooled the 90 miles to the construction site with most days. Once they struck, they refused to give me a ride and were suddenly calling me a scab even though I worked in the engineer’s office on the drafting board. Serious stuff for them. Scary for me. Shut down the site for a week. That was then, this is now.Today, members of the United Steel Workers (USW) are on a five-week strike at several of the major refineries in the country while the negotiators work to replace the “three year collective bargaining agreement that expired at the beginning of February”. The strike action is over what the unions call unfair labor practices (ULP) claiming that the industry has neglected the “health and safety” of their workers.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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One of the coolest things afoot in Silicon Valley is the new Google headquarters building, if you can call it a building; it's more a living environment. The company has announced it is venturing into robotics, and the new headquarters will use robots, no, “Crabots” to be able to reconfigure the spaces overnight once the original buildings are complete.
March 06, 2015
The lunch whistle has sounded at ABC's 2015 National Craft Championship, signaling to craft professionals that it is time safely secure their workstations and proceed to lunch. This morning, a similar whistle sounded, signaling the beginning of the skills portion of the craft competition. Within moments, the quiet focus and anticipation felt in the Grand Hall was overcome by organized commotion. Saws began to buzz. Hammers went to work. The smell of fresh cut wood accompanied fleeting whiffs of welding fumes.
March 05, 2015
Walmart made waves recently with the announcement that the largest retailer in the world will boost pay for its employees and do more to create career paths within the company for those employees.It seems the same discussion that construction executives have been having for years about how to create a sustainable workforce is now being hashed out in Walmart’s boardroom as well.In an open letter, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said the most immediate change will be raises for employees. Beyond that, he also said there will be chances for those workers to earn more based on their performance.
March 05, 2015
Applause erupted as spectators watched nearly 200 proud craft professionals march by and into the Floridian Ballroom at the Broward Convention center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, kick-starting ABC's 2015 National Craft Championships.
March 04, 2015
According to NCCER’s 2014 Craft Professional Wage Survey, wages for craft professionals continue to rise with the average annual salary being more than $50,000, excluding overtime, per diem, bonuses or other benefits. This is very encouraging news for anyone looking for career opportunities and alternative options to a four-year degree.NCCER began collecting this data in a quest to provide accurate information about the numerous construction career opportunities available to students, transitioning military and displaced workers. NCCER participates in numerous career fairs, presentations and panels representing the industry to a variety of organizations throughout the year including counselor and teacher associations. I personally have used this survey in presentations in which I have had educators ask if individuals can really make that kind of salary in the construction industry. As an industry, we have to realize that the majority of the public really has no idea about the amazing opportunities construction offers.
March 04, 2015
We hear that question a lot on the Internet these days, but my question refers to the picture of a class of students who attend the Career Pathways Institute in Grand Island, Nebraska finishing concrete for a townhouse project for Ryan Bartels Construction Company.The story chronicles the way that one of those students, Caleb Wardyn, a senior at Central Catholic high school found a part-time job with Bartels. It also talks about how Bartels, a staunch supporter of the CPI construction pathway, brought Caleb and 11 other students who are in the construction pathway at CPI to work on a project where they get “hands-on” experience while they are still in school.
March 03, 2015
Construction spending slips for month but rises year-over-year; input price cuts spreadEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Construction spending in January totaled $971 billion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, down 1.1% from the rate in December, but up 1.8% from January 2014, the Census Bureau reported today. Private residential spending in January climbed 0.6% from December but slid 3.4% from a year earlier, while private nonresidential spending fell 1.6% for the month but rose 4.8% year-over-year. Public construction spending decreased 2.6% from December but increased 5.1% from January 2014. The largest private nonresidential segment was power construction (including conventional and renewable power plus oil and gas fields and pipelines), which plunged 13% year-over-year.
March 03, 2015
Crane Institute of America has long focused on providing technical training for equipment operators and riggers, but as American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards have evolved, placing greater emphasis on the responsibilities of other crew members, Crane Institute has expanded its available training programs.“There is an increasing need for formal training for other crew members, such as Assembly/Disassembly Directors, Lift Directors, Master Riggers, and Site Supervisors,” said Jim Headley, President of Crane Institute.The newest training program to join Crane Institute’s Management Training Curriculum is the four-day Lift Director/Lift Planner course. The first open-enrollment classes will be held March 9-12 at Crane Institute’s headquarters in Sanford, Florida.
March 02, 2015
State funding for college campus construction projects has been described by many around Texas as “long overdue.” Leaders in the Texas legislature have agreed on the fundamentals in recent years but have been unable to come to a consensus on the details of a solution.
February 27, 2015
