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PRECISION PITTSBURGHPRECISION PITTSBURGHPRECISION PITTSBURGH
WINTER 2015 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
MANUFACTURING AMERIC A’S FUTURE
DATES TO
REMEMBER: Details available at: www.pghntma.org
APPRENTICE COMPETITION
NCC Training and
Innovation Center
February 27, 2015
BotsIQ PRELIMINARY EVENT
Butler Community College
March 6, 2015
MFG Meeting
Orlando, FL
March 4-7, 2015
BotsIQ PRELIMINARY EVENT
Westmoreland
Community College
March 13 & 14, 2015
One Voice
Legislative Conference
Washington, D.C.
April 21 - 25, 2015
BotsIQ FINALS
California University
April 24 & 25, 2015
APPRENTICE GRADUATION
Stratigos Banquet Center
June 10, 2015
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Fast Track: the wrong way to
do free trade
pg. 3
Make the Pledge
pg. 6
One Voice: Issues to Watch
pg. 10
New Training Approach for
Millenials
pg. 12
MFG Meeting
pg. 16
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL 401(K)
SAVINGS AND INVESTING By Arthur F. Hazen, Jr., AIFA Medallion Wealth Management Group
and Terry Connerton, Esq.
ONE VOICE LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE:
BE HEARD BY YOUR WASHINGTON REPRESENTATIVES By Franklin Partnership, LLP
You’re encouraged to bring some common-
sense solutions to Washington and join the
National Tooling and Machining
Association (NTMA) for the seventh-
annual NTMA/PMA One Voice Legislative
Conference in Washington, D.C., April 21-
22, 2015. This is your chance to have your
voice heard directly by the policymakers
who are creating the laws of the nation.
The 2014 elections ushered in yet another
wave of change in Congress—one that
allowed Republicans to take control of the
U.S. Senate and install Sen. Mitch
McConnell as the new Majority Leader. In
the House, Republicans hold their largest
majority in 86 years.
In 2015, Congress is expected to tackle
some tough issues such as energy costs and
taxes, while EPA and OSHA will be issuing
more regulations in the final two years of
the Obama Administration. It is important
that policymakers hear how these decisions
(Continued on page 9)
FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON THE
KEY ISSUES
ONE VOICE IS
ADDRESSING IN 2015
SEE PAGES 10 & 11
In today’s evolving marketplace,
a large portion of the onus for
retirement savings has fallen
primarily on employer
retirement plans and their
participants. Employers
establishing such plans have
challenges in understanding and
complying with fiduciary rules
governing the plan. Employees
are challenged to make
important decisions that will
have a significant impact on
their future. Let’s look at
several suggestions that may
help.
First, financial advisors are
stepping up to the plate in a co
-fiduciary or full fiduciary
capacity, assisting employers in
the selection and monitoring
of investment options made
available under their plans.
Part of the
responsibility of
fiduciaries to 401(k)
plans is to ensure
that participants
have multiple
options available to
them in which to
direct investment of
plan assets held in
their accounts. The
law requires a broad
range of investment
alternatives which are
diversified and offer materially
different risk and return
characteristics.
(Continued on page 4)
BIG THINGS IN STORE FOR 2015 A message from Chapter President Kevin Hartford, Alle-Kiski Industries
Page 2 PRECISION PITTSBURGH
www.allekiskiind.com
531 Hyde Park Road, Leechburg, PA 15656
(Allegheny Twp. - Congressional District #12)
Phone: 724-845-2799 fax: 724-845-2797
Kevin Hartford, President
Ed Newell, Vice President
MACHINING, FABRICATION AND ASSEMBLY
Pittsburgh Business Times 2011 Manufacturer of the Year
I promise I won’t begin this year by stating how quickly
last year flew by. I hope everyone has gotten off to a
positive start in 2015. From my vantage point there
sure appears to be quite a bit going on. We have quite
a bit going on with our Chapter, as well.
IN THE PAST YEAR, we’ve rewritten our bylaws,
which haven’t been revised since the beginning of this
millennium. The board is in the process of approving
the bylaws, and when completed, they will be sent to
the membership for your review and approval.
We’ve assisted BotsIQ in generating revenue and
expanding the program to 70-plus schools and more
than 1,000 students participating. The Southwestern
Pennsylvania BotsIQ program has gained such
recognition that NTMA National has asked OUR
BotsIQ Team to oversee their National Robotics
League.
For more information on how you can support this
tremendous workforce development program, check
out the article by Bill Padnos on page 6 and read
about the creative 5x5 pledge program. Still
wondering why it’s important? Read the interesting
article from the Post Gazette on page 12.
We have 177 apprentices going through our highly
acclaimed Apprenticeship Program. We have other
chapters asking us to assist them in setting up
successful programs for their members.
We have owners such as Rob DiNardi of L&S
Machine going on local TV to discuss our industry.
We have the Wall Street Journal featuring Oberg
Industries (the granddaddy of us all) in an article on
how all of us have to cope with the current economic
challenges and trends.
Bill Jones, president of Penn United, is leading a
group of our brethren to Washington, D.C. this
month to discuss the Free Trade Coalition and our
abiding principals with our elected representatives.
This is a passion of Bill Jones and Dave Frengel and
they do an outstanding job of representing our
industry. Dave has written an in-depth article about
the issues surrounding free trade that will offer some
greater insight.
Of course, free trade isn’t the only political issue
facing our industry, and the One Voice Advocacy
group is keeping abreast of the topics you’ll want to
follow. You’ll find a summary of the key items they
are following on page 10.
All this and it’s only February! Again we’ll have a lot
more to report in the second quarter. Until then stay
warm and busy.
ALL THE BEST FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THE YEAR!
Page 3
FAST TRACK: The Wrong Way to do Free Trade By Dave Frengel, Government Affairs Consultant
NTMA members are hard-working
entrepreneurs with an unwavering
belief in free-market competition.
Not one of them wants government
handouts or protectionism to help
them succeed. But regardless of how
competitive and independent they
are, none of them accepts every job
contract offered. There are good
contracts and bad contracts.
Successful business owners know that
too many bad ones put you out of
business.
The same
holds true for
trade
agreements.
That's why
manufacturers
are paying
close
attention to
the new
Republican-
controlled
U.S.
Congress.
During the January 20th State of the
Union address, the only time most
Democrats sat while most
Republicans stood to applaud was
when the President asked for Trade
Promotion Authority (also called Fast
Track) in order to get Congressional
approval for the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP), a trade
agreement among a dozen Pacific rim
nations that is not likely to gain
Congressional approval without Fast
Track.
That's not necessarily a good sign for
NTMA companies because there is
also a good way and a bad way to
expand global trade. The U.S.
Constitution spells out the right way.
However, because of Fast Track,
U.S. trade relations have been done
the wrong way for the past several
decades and the result has been a
series of bad trade agreements that
are putting lots of competitive
manufacturers out of business.
TPP is not only another bad deal, it
is bigger than all the other bad ones
combined. Unfortunately,
indications are that the Republican
leadership in Congress is aligned with
Obama to get it wrong again. This
could lead to the approval not only of
TPP, but also the equally big and
bad Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership (TTIP) with
the EU.
While the
Constitution
gives the
Executive
Branch the
authority to
negotiate
foreign
treaties,
Article 1,
Section 8
gives
Congress the
duty and
authority to "regulate commerce with
foreign nations." Congress, not the
President, should select our trading
partners and determine what does
and doesn't go into trade agreements
with them. Because of Fast Track,
that's not how it has been working.
The Executive Branch has been
(Continued on page 15)
“This is an ‘all hands on deck’
moment for American business
leaders to contact our federal
elected officials, especially the
Republicans, and urge them not to
renew hair-trigger Fast Track.
The Capitol switchboard will connect
you to them.
Just call 202-224-3121.”
Page 4 PRECISION PITTSBURGH
401K (Cont.)
The investment fiduciaries sift through the tens of thousands
of investment options to determine which funds with solid,
long-term performance records should be offered. Once
selection is made, then the investment fiduciaries follow a
process to continually
monitor the overall
performance of each
investment. The advisors
deliver periodic reports to
employers, showing not only
the investment results of
each alternative, and the fees
and expenses associated with
the alternatives, but also
whether the funds are
meeting the objectives set
out in the investment policy
statement. If not, then recommendations are made for
replacements. These processes for investment selections and
ongoing monitoring promote good plan management and well
-reasoned decisions, and help employers fulfill their fiduciary
duties. If there ever is a challenge to the decisions made, the
(Continued from page 1)
fiduciaries are well prepared to show through documentation
how and why decisions were made.
Second, we all have heard of the “retirement crisis” in this
country. The 2014 Retirement Confidence Survey published
by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that only
18% of workers in this country are “very confident” they will
have enough money for a “comfortable
retirement.” The report found that
60% of the workers have saved less
than $25,000, including 36% who
say they have less than $1,000 in
savings. Behind this backdrop, recent studies have shown that the
savings rate is by far the most
important factor in determining
how much money an employee will
have upon retirement. The
employer and advisory communities
were initially focused almost solely
on investment decisions (asset
allocation and risk-adjusted returns, fees and expenses). More
recently, they are directing their efforts on encouraging
employees to save more and at an earlier age. Some employers
do this by automatically enrolling employees in their 401(k)
plan and increasing their deferrals annually. More advisors are
spending time with participants on a one-to-one basis,
educating them on how much they need to be contributing to
the 401(k) plan to meet their ultimate retirement goals. The
sooner employees start contributing, the more likely they will
meet those goals.
Third, more employer attention is being focused on how to
improve participants’ investment decisions. Initially,
employers were afraid to wade into the participant education
waters because of their fear of exposing themselves to fiduciary
liability. Participants were left to their own devices in making
decisions on the investment of their plan assets. Information
they received consisted of dense fund prospectuses that were
rarely reviewed or understood. Rather than following a
strategic rational process in making investment decisions,
decisions were all too often based on emotions (e.g., fear of
losses or overconfidence,) with too much emphasis on recent
market events. The impact of these mistakes has been shown
to have significantly decreased retirement savings. Now
employers are retaining advisors who focus on financial
education for participants, and even assume fiduciary
responsibility to provide investment advice to individual
participants. Most importantly, advisors who offer consistent
education and advice to participants have been able to change
irrational behaviors, obtain better investment results and give
participants the confidence necessary to navigate volatile
markets.
In the end, employer-sponsored retirement plans are critical in
providing employees with adequate income to retire. With a
well-managed fund, participant education and advice on
savings rates and long-term investment strategies, employees
will be better able to achieve a comfortable retirement.
18% of workers in this country are
“very confident” they will have
enough money for a “comfortable
retirement.” … 60% of the workers
have saved less than $25,000,
including 36% who say they have
less than $1,000 in savings
Page 6
MAKE THE PLEDGE By Bill Padnos, executive director, BotsIQ
Pledge $5 per employee for the next five years to
ensure the STRENGTH OF MANUFACTURING
TOMORROW.
For the past two years, I have written articles for this
newsletter talking about the need for manufacturing
companies to be a part of the BotsIQ program. We
have asked for industry advisors to work with the
teams in designing and building their bot and we have
made requests for volunteers for our competitions. In
each article, I have talked about the manufacturing
skills gap and need to find talented young people to
fill the workforce pipeline.
I have dedicated column space talking about
manufacturing companies not being able to bid on
new business due to the workforce shortage along
with companies having to pay more overtime to be
able to finish their existing projects. Instead of
spending this opportunity reminding you that 40
percent of the current manufacturing workforce will
be at retirement age by the year 2020, I want to focus
on a bright future for manufacturing in southwestern
Pennsylvania.
This sunny outlook comes from the tremendous initial
success of the BotsIQ program. The number of schools
participating in BotsIQ program has grown 50 percent
over the past two years. Most of all, the number of
students involved in the program has increased almost
100 percent. The BotsIQ program is designed to be an
applied learning program where students gain a better
understanding of the manufacturing process and the
benefits of working in industry. We are not looking to
inspire students, we frankly want for them to recognize,
explore and consider manufacturing as a viable career
option.
BotsIQ has reached a critical point. We are not able to
sustain our growth without your financial support. Unlike
other programs out there, NTMA members will benefit
directly from our success. The simple truth is that BotsIQ
is the only program dedicated to help fill your workforce
(Continued on page 8)
Company:
Contact:
Address:
Phone:
e-mai l :
Number of Employees:
Annual Pledge Amount:
With your support, BOTSIQ WILL build a workforce for your company’s future.
Yes.
Please contact me about being an Industry advisor.
*WE WILL INVOICE YOU ANNUALLY.
5x5
I’m doing something about the future of manufacturing.
MAKE YOUR PLEDGE TODAY.
SIMPLY CUT ON THE DOTTED LINE AND RETURN TO:
SWPA BotsIQ 305 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15129 or e-mail: padnos@ncsquared.com
Page 8 PRECISION PITTSBURGH
needs. Well-staffed companies become thriving
companies. This is good for you, our region, our
state and our country.
This is why, if you are reading this newsletter, we
need you to make the 5X5 Pledge. We are just
asking for $5 per employee for the next five years.
For a shop with 25 employees, that’s a pledge of
just $125 per year for the next five years. Is
securing the future of manufacturing worth the
same cost of purchasing the Subway foot-long
sandwich monthly special for you and each of your
employees? While buying and eating a Subway sub
might result in a satisfying lunch, your pledge of $5
per employee for the next five years will fund the
BotsIQ program and support our efforts in building
a future manufacturing workforce. As a result, you
will not only recoup your investment but deliver
dividends for years to come.
The time to act is now. Make sure that everyone
knows that you are doing something about the
future of manufacturing. Go to www.botsiqpa.org
to download the 5X5 Pledge Card or simply cut
and mail the form on page 7 of this newsletter. All
contributions made to the campaign are tax
deductible.
(Continued from page 6)
5x5 PLEDGE (Cont.)
Take the Pledge, but don’t stop there.
Encourage your employees to volunteer at the Southwestern PA BotsIQ Preliminaries and
Finals.
Go to botsiqvolunteer.org to register today.
Page 9
QMS certified to API Q1, ISO/TS 29001, and ISO 9001:2008
impact you and your business.
What should I expect?
The program kicks off on April 21
with a lunch meeting featuring an
issue briefing from the One Voice
Washington team. As a group, we
will then head to Capitol Hill for
meetings before enjoying a
networking reception in the
evening. The entire day on April 22
will be spent on Capitol Hill
meeting with more lawmakers. In
addition, participants will enjoy
lunch with members of Congress—
a highlight of the conference that
offers a unique opportunity to chat
with legislators in a more casual
setting.
Your One Voice Washington team
takes care of scheduling all of your
congressional meetings. You will be
placed into a small group with
others from your area along with an
experienced team leader who will
take the lead in the congressional
meetings. Your job is NOT to be a
policy expert. Rather, it is to tell
members of Congress your own
story so that they can learn more
about your company and how
issues like tax policy, regulations
and others impact your business.
Additionally, there will be a pre-
conference webinar on April 9 plus
a briefing from our One Voice team
on April 21 to prepare you for the
meetings.
Registration Information
Please plan to join us April 21-22
in Washington—the more people
who attend, the stronger our voice
is in our nation’s capital to
strengthen manufacturing in
America.
(Continued from page 1) “NTMA/PMA One Voice
Legislative Conference April 2015”
to receive the room rate of $279 per
night (plus tax). The deadline for
reservations is March 31. Rooms at
this rate after the cutoff date are
subject to availability.
For More Information:
Please visit
www.metalworkingadvocate.org or
contact Kristen Hrusch at 216-264-
2845 or khrusch@ntma.org with any
questions.
LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE (Cont.)
To ensure that there is sufficient
time to schedule your congressional
visits, registration for this event
closes on March 9. Register online
at: http://
www.metalworkingadvocate.org/
sites/default/files/u3/
LegislativeConfFlyer-2015.pdf or
submit the by the March 9 deadline.
Hotel Accommodations
Reservations may be made by calling
the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
(2660 Woodley Rd. NW) at 877-
212-5752. Please reference
Page 10 PRECISION PITTSBURGH
ONE VOICE FOCUS Courtesy of the Franklin Partnership, LLP
NLRB Ambush Elections (April 2015) On Capitol
Hill and in the courts, One Voice and coalition
partners have repeatedly defeated the Ambush
Election rule. However, the National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB) issued a new final rule in
December 2014 to shorten the time from when a
union election is called and a vote is held to as
little as 10 days (from the current average of 56
days). Through its coalition partners, One Voice
filed a lawsuit against the NLRB over this new
rule, which attempts to circumvent a court ruling
striking down a previous Ambush Election NLRB
proposal.
Department of Labor Persuader Rule (July 2015)
The Department of Labor indicated it would
release its final “Persuader Rule” in July 2015 after
repeated delays of its initial proposal beginning in
June 2011. The Secretary of Labor has long said
the rule is a priority and forthcoming. The new
regulation requires that employers and their
advisors file certain reports with the Department if
they use outside labor consultants to interact with
their employees during a union organizing activity
or collective bargaining dispute.
OSHA Electronic Recordkeeping (August 2015)
One Voice filed comments opposing an
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) proposal to post on the Internet incident/
injury reports similar to Form 300A. The
administration is trying to require businesses with
20 or more employees to file incident/accident
reports electronically on an annual basis (those
with more than 250 employees file quarterly)
which they will make public. In August 2014,
OSHA issued a supplemental notice to amend the
original rule to require that employers inform their
employees of their right to report injuries and
adding whistleblower protections for employees.
The proposed rule does not improve workplace
safety and will only create a misperception of
manufacturing as a dangerous occupation. The
OSHA Electronic Recordkeeping rule becomes
final in August 2015.
Greenhouse Gas Rule (June 2015) One Voice filed
comments opposing a June 2014 EPA draft
regulation aiming to reduce carbon dioxide and
other emissions from existing power plants up to
30 percent by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.
The regulation follows a rule regulating emissions
from new power plants, requiring new coal-fired
facilities to trap or "capture" carbon emissions – a
roughly 60% reduction. More than 2.65 million
stakeholders filed comments on the proposal. EPA
is on track to finalize the rule in June 2015.
Ground Level Carbon Emissions (October 2015)
The day before Thanksgiving 2014, the
administration announced it would move forward
with further regulation of ground level ozone, the
main component of smog. One Voice is strongly
opposed to this new initiative, which experts say
will cost the U.S. economy $3.4 trillion by 2040
and put nearly 3 million jobs at risk each year. The
White House twice ordered the EPA to delay the
proposal – ahead of the 2012 Presidential elections
and most recently, prior to the 2014 Congressional
midterms. The proposal will reduce ground level
ozone levels from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to as
low as 65ppb. Some environmental groups are
calling for a reduction to 60ppb, which would
classify the entire U.S. as a non-attainment zone,
potentially limiting manufacturing production,
expansion of facilities, and hiring new employees.
The EPA announced it will finalize the new ozone
standards by October 1, 2015.
IRS 501(c)(4) Political Activity Report (Pending
2015) In May 2014 the IRS announced it will
withdraw a proposed rule governing the political
activities of IRS(c)(4) groups. One Voice filed
comments with the IRS against the proposed rule,
which the agency considered extending to
nonprofit groups such as PMA and NTMA. The
rule could prevent associations from distributing
information to their members about congressional
candidates in the final weeks of a campaign.
Sources indicate the IRS will now try again and
move the rule in 2015.
The final two years of the Obama Administration promises to bring a flurry of environmental and work-place regulations. In 2014 alone, the EPA proposed rules costing manufacturers billions of dollars each year. Following are a few of the regulatory issues on which One Voice is focusing its attention in 2015:
Page 11
Creation of Micro-Unions within a Single Employer
(Pending 2015) One Voice is part of a broad
coalition involved in challenging the legality of an
NLRB decision allowing as few as two employees to
form a micro-union. This potentially means
employers would have to negotiate with multiple
unions in contract discussions – from production to
janitorial to administrative. Opponents have filed
suit and will continue to fight the latest attempt by
the NLRB to permit the formation of micro-unions.
Courts are expected to rule in 2015.
Combustible Dust Standards (February 2016)
OSHA pushed back its proposed Combustible Dust
Standards while it worked on the Silica Dust rule.
However, the Department of Labor announced in its
Fall 2014 Semiannual Regulatory Agenda that
OSHA plans to convene a small business review
panel for combustible dust in February 2016. Since
2011, OSHA repeatedly delayed convening the
panel, a requirement before the rule may proceed.
Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2)
(October 2016) In 2014, under pressure from One
Voice and other industry partners, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) quietly
announced it is delaying a proposed rule requiring
employers to implement an Injury and Illness
Prevention Program (I2P2). This proposed rule will
include new standards of what constitutes an
effective workplace safety program. The
International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) is working on global guidelines it may finalize
in October 2016 (ISO 45001: 2016)
Page 12 PRECISION PITTSBURGH
Finding millennials who are interested
in manufacturing and have the aptitude
for it are two challenges facing Western
Pennsylvania manufacturers trying to
replace retiring baby boomers. But
there’s another: teaching millennials
once they find them.
Employers are discovering that the next
generation of workers learns differently
than they did.
“Millennials like to see results right
now,” said Scott Covert, who runs an
in-house training program at Penn
United Technologies, a Butler County
tool-and-die shop that employs about
600.
That requires online courses and lots of
hands-on work where students learn
practical applications of theory.
At Butler County Community College,
which offers a number of
manufacturing-related degrees, getting
and keeping millennials engaged means
using 3-D printers, laser cutters and
other equipment that puts a finished
product in students’ hands quickly. The
products include 3-D printed plastic
molds used to make chocolate candies
featuring the school’s logo.
“These students are so used to instant
gratification. This feeds right into their
personality,” said Mike Aikens, a
natural science and technology
professor. “We have to connect with
them. They are digital natives.”
One of the classes Mr. Aikens teaches
was developed through National
Science Foundation grants promoting
science, technology, engineering and
math, or STEM, skills. The grants fund
workshops where teachers learn how to
teach other teachers how to incorporate
lessons in those subjects into a semester
-long class where students make custom
-designed electric guitars.
About 2.7 million manufacturing
workers are expected to retire in the
next eight years or so, according to the
Manufacturing Institute, the research
arm of the National Association of
Manufacturers. While the economy and
a lack of retirement savings may
(Continued on page 13)
MANUFACTURERS DRAW IN MILLENNIALS
WITH NEW TRAINING APPROACH By Len Boselovic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“We have to connect with them.
They are digital natives.”
Page 13
persuade some boomers to work a few more years,
manufacturers know they will eventually have to replace
them.
However, the pool of potential recruits is limited by the
mistaken impression that manufacturing means doing
dirty jobs in dirty places.
“Advanced manufacturing today is a very high-tech,
high-skilled career,” said Neil Ashbaugh, who oversees
training at Oberg Industries, a Buffalo Township
company that produces machined and stamped metal
parts.
Mr. Ashbaugh, 45, joined Oberg as an apprentice in
1993, knowing that it would take him 42 to 54 months
to complete the program. Today, online courses allow
apprentices to complete the program at their own pace,
Mr. Ashbaugh said.
“I still enjoy seminars where I sit and get lectures. The
millennials are a little different,” he said.
They include his son, Ian, who is pursuing an associate
degree in engineering at Butler Community College.
This semester, Ian Ashbaugh and his classmates
designed novelty holders for USB devices, then
produced them on the school’s 3-D printer. Some
designs didn’t work because they didn’t take into
account the space needed to insert the USB device into
a port.
Mr. Ashbaugh said his son reported the assignment
taught him that while manufacturing creates neat things,
“When you get into business, you have to create neat
things that work or solve a problem.’’
Last year, Penn United started a semester-long program
that teaches high school students basic technical skills
through a combination of online learning and hands-on
work at the company’s training center. About 70 to 100
students from Butler, Knoch and Karns City high
schools and Evangel Heights Christian Academy are
expected to complete the free course this year, Mr.
Covert said.
Kennametal, a Latrobe-area tool maker, started a high
school-level program three years ago to get students
interested in manufacturing careers. About 150 students
have completed its semester-long Young Engineers
program, which is available at Greater Latrobe Senior
High School as well as at Solon High School in
suburban Cleveland, where Kennametal has a plant.
Several graduates of the program later accepted
internships with the company.
Matt Kovac, dean of Butler County Community
Colleges Natural Science and Technology
department, said the school’s emphasis on hands-
on learning and making things fills a void in
millennials’ experience.
Previous generations had plenty of opportunities to
learn how to fix or make things, whether it was
through Lincoln Log kits or getting help fixing a
car from their father or neighbor. Millennials
“don’t have the built-in familiarity with fixing
(Continued from page 12) things, making things,” he said.
Mr. Kovacs wonders if some of the enthusiasm generated
when students learn how to make guitars, USB device
holders and other things comes from the fact those kinds
of opportunities aren’t as abundant as they were when he
was their age.
Copyright ©, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2015, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
Page 15
choosing where to open trade and
what goes into our trade agreements.
Fast track is a special rule
circumventing regular Congressional
order to move trade deals quickly to
approval. It requires that when the
President officially submits trade
agreements to Congress there will be
an up or down vote by both the
House and Senate, without
amendments, within 90 days. This
makes it too easy for both good and
bad trade deals to get approved.
First instituted during the Nixon
administration, Fast Track and the
trade agreements that have been
approved using it are so
controversial, they have always been
set to expire after five years. The
fourth and most recent renewal of
Fast Track expired in 2002. Fast
Track legislation also has always
included Congressional standards for
what should and shouldn't be
included in trade agreements.
To make matters worse, although
the President is not authorized to
limit Congressional access to trade
negotiations, Obama's trade officials
have been keeping TPP and TTIP
documents under lock and key;
unprecedentedly allowing Members
of Congress only very limited access
to them and entirely barring the
public, including Congressional
trade staffers, from access. Leaks
clearly indicate, however, that the
most important trade agreement
priorities set by Congress have been
ignored by negotiators in both of
these trade deals.
If Congress gives Fast Track to
Obama, he will get away with all of
this because Fast Track has a hair
trigger; the special rules go into
effect when he submits these trade
deals to Congress for approval,
regardless of whether or not they
meet the standards set by Congress.
Fast Track's hair trigger allows
neither elected officials and their staff
nor the public sufficient opportunity to
thoroughly examine these huge trade
contracts before Congress has to vote
on them. So there will be only a
kindergarten debate: "Are you a free
trader or a protectionist?!"
Even genuine free-trade Congressmen
can't risk being labeled protectionist,
even for voting down a bad trade
agreement. So under Fast Track,
Congress just keeps rubber-stamping
one bad trade deal after another.
Combined, TPP and TTIP encompass
about 80% of the global economy.
Getting both of them wrong will change
the global political economy in many
significant and undesirable ways that
we will have to live with for a long time
- ways from which American
manufacturing and our national
sovereignty will likely never recover.
Thankfully a growing number of
Republicans and most Democrats are
not in favor of doing trade this way
anymore.
A better way to promote free markets
and the broad national interest is to
restore the balance of power. Trade
agreements should move through
Congress under regular order unless
Congress has been actively involved in
the selection of nations targeted for
trade agreements and in the negotiation
process. New trade legislation also
must insure that there is regular public
disclosure of trade negotiation draft
documents and that any special rule to
move proposed agreements quickly to
approval is triggered only when it is
determined that they meet the
standards set by Congress.
This is an "all hands on deck" moment
for American business leaders to
contact our federal elected officials,
especially the Republicans, and urge
them not to renew hair trigger Fast
Track. The Capitol switchboard will
connect you to them. Just call 202-224
-3121.
We cannot afford more bad trade deals.
FAST TRACK (Cont.)
107 Freedom Court
Moon Township, PA 15108
Phone: (724) 601-6008
e-mail: office@pghntma.org
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GREENSBURG, PA
The fifth edition of The MFG Meeting, March 4-7, 2015, will bring together the manufacturing community to
learn, network and be inspired. This year’s meeting will focus on the power of manufacturing, which is driven by
innovation, design, insight, and people. The presentations from industry leaders will provide creative ways to
optimize the drivers of manufacturing and provide
solutions to strengthen your business. The event is
organized by AMT – The Association For
Manufacturing Technology, the National Tooling
and Machining Association (NTMA) and the
Precision Metalforming Association (PMA).
For a complete agenda, list of speakers and travel
information, visit: http://
www.themfgmeeting.com/ or call: 800-248-6862.
FEEL THE POWER OF
MANUFACTURING AT MFG 2015!
The MFG MEETING: Manufacturing For Growth
MARCH 4-7, 2015
ORLANDO, FL
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