Each summer, the National IEC Safety Committee invites every contractor member to take part in the annual Spark Safety
Awareness survey. The materials provided in the Spark Program Awareness and Retention Kit enables contractors
to give their company a safety checkup while providing IEC with valuable information for improving its benefit packages.
As an added incentive, each company receives a certificate for participating and will be honored for their emphasis
on safety!
Government Contractors Required to Use E-Verify System
On June 9th, President George W. Bush signed an Executive Order requiring contractor participation in the E-Verify system. This new
regulation will also apply to current employees, hired in accordance with pre-existing rules and standards, who are working on
federal contracts.
The proposed rule provides detailed guidance on how that requirement is to be implemented. However, it is important to note that the
proposed rule is not a final rule; it is a proposal that is open for public comment at this time.
It is not yet clear when this Executive Order will become effective. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has yet to propose
rules for implementation and enforcement of this Executive Order.
E-Verify (formerly known as the Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification Program) is an Internet based system operated by the
DHS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their
newly hired employees. You can learn more about E-Verify and how to utilize the program by visiting
www.uscis.gov.
As the DHS moves forward with the rule making process, IEC will keep its contractor members apprised of any new developments.
On June 5, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter made good on his promise to be a friend of Colorado's business community and
vetoed HB-1170. News of the Governor's decision brought to an end nearly six months of heated debate regarding how to
properly train apprentice electricians within the state.
In a letter to members of the Colorado House of Representatives, Governor Ritter stated that:
"(Although) HB-1170 would establish continuing competency standards for Master and Journeymen electricians, implement
education standards regarding alternative energy technologies, and introduce new training requirements for electrical
apprentices, I believe that the additional requirements for electrical apprentices contained in this bill will be
unduly burdensome, particularly for independent and rural contractors."
IEC is extremely pleased with the Governor’s veto decision, which will now allow a wider range of parties involved in the
trade to participate in determining its future – including how to most effectively recruit and train its workforce.
The Rocky Mountain Chapter wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to its membership for taking such
an active part in defeating this legislation. By becoming involved in testifying before House and Senate committees, and
then, more recently, by providing an endless stream of letters, e-mails and faxes to the Governor’s office,
they undoubtedly helped create an awareness regarding how detrimental this bill would be to the business community.
To read Governor Ritter's veto letter in its entirety, please
click here.
IEC Releases its 2007 Annual Report to the Public
While 2007 was a year to recognize the Independent Electrical Contractor’s 50-year history, the association's main focus continues
to be confronting the issues that face the electrical industry today. It is for this reason that IEC is pleased to make available
the 2007 IEC Annual Report, giving association members and others the opportunity to learn more about how the association
is working for you. Read about the four percent membership growth in 2007, an IEC contractor member testifying before the U.S.
House of Small Business Committee, and IEC’s positive goals for the future of electrical contracting.
To read the 2007 IEC Annual Report, please click here.
Majority Voices Support of Secret Ballot Elections
In the wake of recent news reports indicating that labor unions have spent millions on behalf of the presidential campaigns
of Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and millions more on Senate and Congressional races, a new survey
warns that support for Big Labor's agenda, including the poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), could spell
trouble for candidates in close races on Election Day.
The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) recently released results from a series of surveys in the battleground
states of Minnesota, Colorado and Maine conducted by McLaughlin & Associates. Nearly two-thirds of voters in Colorado (68%),
Maine (72%) and Minnesota (65%) oppose the EFCA. Moreover, voters in Minnesota and Colorado would be less likely to support
candidates who support the EFCA. Specifically, a plurality of voters would be less likely to vote for Mark Udall (44%)
and Al Franken (41%) if they support this legislation. Moreover, at least 80% of voters in all three states believe
that secret ballot elections are the cornerstone of democracy and should be kept for union elections.
To read this article in its entirety, please click here.
