June 12-25, 2002

MOVERS & SHAKERS
At its recent, 33rd annual meeting in Ft. Myers, Fla., the NEA: The Association of Union Constructors elected two new representatives from the Great Lakes Fabricators Association to its board of directors -Ronald L. Hausmann from Walbridge Aldinger Co., Detroit, and Robert J. Dunn of National Riggers & Erectors of Bedford, Ohio. Currently serving on the board are two other GLFEA members - Cyndi Broad Nester of CBN Steel Construction Co. and William Treharne of Midwest Steel Inc., both of Detroit. The NEA's president is Donn R. Traylor, Century Steel Erectors Inc., Dravosburg, Pa., with Gerard T. Schreiber, Graycor Industrial Contractors Inc., Homeswood, Ill., as first vice president; William W. Brown, Ben Hur Construction Co., St. Louis, Mo., as second vice president; Thomas E. Kerr, IC Construction Co. Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, as secretary; and Edward L. Calcaterra, Alberici Constructors Inc., St. Louis, Mo., as treasurer. Also at the meeting, Walbridge Aldinger was presented with the 2001 Thomas J. Reynolds Safety Award for the best overall rating in the category of over one million work hours. In all those hours, Walbnridge Aldinger's workers achieved a zero lost time incidence rate. Last but not least, general foreman Dallas Compeau, a member of Ironworkers Local 25 with American Bridge Co., received an NEA Craftsman Award in the 75,001 to 150,000 hours work category for his innovative system of collapsible shaties used while making repairs to the Mackinac Bridge. Mr. Compeau's innovation allowed workers to take breaks without the need for climbing back up to the main roadway to face potential fall and traffic hazards.

FOR CLEANER AIR
On June 6 announcement of a $106 million contract with Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co. Inc. was made, calling for the construction and installation of nitrogen oxide reduction equipment at two Midwestern electrical generation stations. The firm will be installing selective catalytic reduction systems (SCRs) at the Kyger Creek power plant, a 1,075 megawatt facility in Cheshire, Ohio, and the Clifty Creek power plant, a 1,290 megawatt station located in Madison, Ind. They're owned and operated by Ohio Valley Electric Corp. and the Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corp. respectively. The work includes the erection of structural steel, the reinforcement of structural steel, erection of flues, installation of the SCR reactors, and a variety of piping and other mechanical systems. B&W will be teaming with American Electric Power, Babcock Borsig Power, and Siemens Westinghouse. Together they will be responsible for engineering, design, procurement, installation, checkout, and startup for all the work associated with the SCRs. The SCRs are to be installed on all five power production units at Kyger Creek and all six units at Clifty Creek. Each unit is expected to be pulled out of service for seven to nine weeks to allow for SCR installation. All of the work is scheduled for completion by mid-July 2003.

WINGMATES
A pilot partnership has begun between the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Iron Workers International Union, and the NEA: The Association of Union Constructors to enhance OSHA compliance officer training for the new steel erection standard. "OSHA is very pleased with this partnership, which will allow our compliance officers to receive the best training possible on the steel erection standard," says John Henshaw, OSHA's administrator. "By collaborating with the NEA and the Iron Workers, we are taking a major step in our efforts to reduce injuries and illnesses in this industry." The effort uses Iron Worker training facilities to assist compliance officers in understanding how the new standard applies to real working conditions. The first training session was conducted May 20-24 at the Iron Workers training facility in Springfield, N.J. Thirty compliance officers from most of OSHA's regions attended, with instructors from the OSHA Directorate of Construction, the OSHA Training Institute, the Iron Workers, the NEA, and others. Future courses are being planned for training centers located in other regions of the country.

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS
Just in case you haven't heard, Eugene Hopkins, FAIA, a partner and senior vice president of the SmithGroup, Detroit, was recently elected first vice president and president-elect of the American Institute of Architects. He will assume his new national office in December and is slated to become the national AIA president in 2004. At the SmithGroup Mr. Hopkins leads its architecture, engineering, and planning efforts. Before joining his current company he was the founder and principal of Architects Four. In 1994 he served as president of the AIA Michigan and received the AIA Honor Award for Architecture in 1996.

THE HOUSE SAYS YES
It's up to the U.S. Senate now, say backers of an effort to fully repeal federal estate taxes. On June 6 the House voted 256-171 on a measure to make the temporary phase out of the tax permanent in 2011. The current law phases the tax out gradually until 2010 but at that point the legislation "sunsets," meaning the estate tax will immediately return to its 2001 level in 2011 unless Congress acts. Many Republicans, led by President George W. Bush, support the permanent repeal. Commenting on the House action, the White House noted that "making the tax repeal permanent will ensure that Americans can make long term plans when saving for their children's education, when undertaking new business ventures, when planning for retirement, and when planning future contributions to charity and passing on a family business to their children." Even so, at this juncture it's uncertain if enough support among Democrats. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.;) has promised to have the measure come up for a vote by June 28.

GROUNDBREAKERS
Some interesting projects have gotten underway recently in Michigan, mostly in the Detroit area. On May 17 the soil was first turned for the Michigan Labor Legacy Project in downtown Detroit, involving the creation of a public work of art to honor working people. To be called "Transcend," it will feature a stainless steel arch standing 60 ft. above ground between West Jefferson Ave. and Hart Plaza. A "spark" created by two lights shining between the two uppermost portions of the arch - which will be left open - will represent labor's unfinished work. There will be a collection of gears, each containing quotations appropriate to labor, and 14 large boulders holding bronze castings depicting labor's story. The artwork is being crafted by sculptors David Barr and Sergio DeGiusti…In early June work commenced on the Walter "Ralph" Mabry Labor Center Union Hall in Warren. Plans call for the 35,000 sq. ft. building to house several locals, including Millwrights Local 1102. Completion is scheduled for sometime next year…On June 20 construction is expected to begin on a $65 million administrative and processing center for the Detroit branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. The structure is set to rise on a 17 acre site at Warren and Russell streets, near Detroit's Eastern Market. Completion is expected by 2005. According to a spokesman for the Fed, the design calls for a five story office complex along with a large, single story check and cash processing center. Expected to yield a spade at the groundbreaking ceremony is Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve…Finally, for those of you who like a soup and salad bar with your double decker hamburger, on June 9 Big Boy Restaurants International LLC broke ground in Grand Rapids on a new prototype Big Boy restaurant. Currently an existing company-owned Big Boy restaurant sits on the site for the new prototype, located at 407 Pearl St. NW. It has a reputation for being frequented by this writer. The new prototype is to rise on the old restaurant's parking lot, which will continue to operate while the new one is being built. When the new building opens for customers, sometime before next Christmas, the old one will be razed. Someone please tell Santa. The new restaurant will enclose approximately 4,400 square feet and seat up to 150 customers. Besides food service, there will also be a dedicated retail shop selling Big Boy packaged foods. Louis & Partners, Bath, Ohio, conceived the new design. Yeah, I'll be dropping by to eat there. And no, I won't be wanting fries.

GOOFING OFF
During the June 15-22 timeframe I'll be conducting what has become an annual pilgrimage to DisneyWorld near Orlando. You'll discover me visiting old friends and begging my wife to finally allow me to "experience" Space Mountain. (It was hard enough last year gaining her consent for the Tower of Terror. No, she won't ride either.) In any event, this column will be pausing a week. Assuming I can be successfully recaptured, I'll return to this space on June 26, rested and very, very tanned.

Questions? Comments? Idea?
Please submit your responses to the Great Lakes Fabricators & Erectors Association as soon as possible. You can call our new offices in downtown Detroit at 313/309-2000. Or you can drop an email to Guy Snyder at guysny@concentric.net or call him at 313/961-9217. We hope to hear from you soon!