NWLETT - Northwest Construction News

CDC Environmental and Disinfecting Recommendations

| Health, Safety

Asbestos certificate refresher interim guidance

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, and CDC guidance on social distancing, DOSH is making some temporary policy changes in the handling asbestos supervisor and worker refresher training.

Asbestos workers and supervisors with expiration dates between March 13th 2020 and June 13th 2020 will have a three (3) month extension on their certification. If you take your refresher class within that time frame, there is no need to take the state test.

Example 1: A supervisor’s certification states an expiration date of March 18^th, 2020. They will be able to work until June 18^th, 2020. If they take a refresher course before June 18^th, 2020 they will not need to take the state test.

Example 2: A worker’s certification states an expiration date of June 5^th, 2020. They will be able to work until September 5^th, 2020. If they take a refresher course before September 5^th, 2020 they will not need to take the state test.

When an official DOSH Directive regarding asbestos worker and supervisor certifications is issued, the guidance in that directive will replace the guidance in this email.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

13 Mar

Coronavirus: Operations Update

| Apprenticeship, General Information, Health, Safety, Schedule

Good afternoon!

In an effort to ensure the health and safety of our membership and staff, as of today (Friday, 3.13.20), all in-local classes are cancelled for the entire month of March.

The Kingston, office will continue to operate limited hours for the week of March 16-20. Our training sites in Spokane and Utah are currently closed.

This page, as well as our Twitter account and Facebook pages, will continue to be updated as the situation evolves.

Thank you for your patience, and be safe!

12 Mar

LIUNA Apprenticeship Programs Prevail

| Apprenticeship

LIUNA Apprenticeship Programs Prevail

Activism of Tens of Thousands of Members Makes a Difference

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2020) – Terry O’Sullivan, General President of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – made the following statement today on the U.S. Department of Labor’s final rule on apprenticeships:

Union registered apprenticeship programs are the gold standard in the construction industry and the DOL’s final rule on IRAPs was a validation of that fact. This decision will ensure that LIUNA and the building trades first-class, cutting edge apprenticeship programs will continue to be the construction industry standard bearer.

This victory would not have happened without the extraordinary activism of LIUNA members in defense of our training and apprenticeship programs. The more than 88,000 comments submitted by our members is a testament to LIUNA’s solidarity, strength, and activism.

LIUNA thanks those in the Administration who supported us and we are grateful for the many Members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, who stood with us and weighed in with the Department of Labor to protect LIUNA apprenticeship programs. We will not forget their efforts.

We won this battle and we will be ready for whatever comes next. Whether it’s an attack on our wages, pensions, or our right to collectively bargain, LIUNA will remain vigilant.