NJECPAC Protecting NJ Electrical Contractors

Joseph Hovanec Jr. IEC National
 Government  Affairs Chairman

We have seen unions being beaten back across the country which in the public sector and for taxpayers may be a good thing however, the consequence could be a focus and strengthening of Construction Labor Unions. 

Unions know that Merit shop construction trades are vulnerable and unorganized. NJECPAC primary focus is Electrical Contractors, we predict increased union activity and a rough road ahead for Merit Shop Electrical Contractors that will be forced to defend themselves against union organizing attempts. 

In NJ there are many separate Electrical Contractor Associations however, the large majority of Merit Shop Electrical Contractors do not belong to an Association, which leaves them out in the cold with no protection when they are targeted by a union. 

Another issue that is easily corrected is Organizations that do exist primarily focus on mandated Continuing Education and not much more. The leading organizations know the importance being active in Government and Regulatory Affairs and are members of NJECPAC.    

NJECPAC is the common thread protecting Merit Shop Electrical Contractors in NJ against egregious Legislation and Regulations coming from Trenton. Local Electrical Contractors Association squandered an opportunity to protect their members when they rejected a motion to merge with an Association that works to protect their interests in NJ and also in Washington DC. Power and influence comes with numbers.


Every NJ Electrical Contractor has an obligation to their industry and their own business to be members of the strongest Association(s) in the State.  A good place to start is with a NJECPAC member Association. 


NJECPAC Member Associations are the leaders in New Jersey providing Education in Government & Regulatory Affairs, Credibility & Strength to NJ's Electrical Contractors. Strong Associations provide their members with the ability to protect themselves from unscrupulous union organizing activity, damaging Legislation, and Regulations, all of which can put them out of business before they know what happened. 

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What Next?

President Obama has officially added $5 trillion (That's $5,000,000,000,000) to the national debt in his first three years in office. ~ That’s more than all other presidents combined. View Depiction of Debt in $100 Bills Here

I want to know why Obama can spend $5 trillion with nary a peep from the Left or the AWOL main stream media, meanwhile I can't be even a couple of days late on a my $250 Verizon Cell Phone Bill without receiving a phone call hounding me to pay my late balance over the phone. 

OUT OF CONTROL DEBT

President Obama wants “the rich” to pay “their fair share.” As far as I can see, our definition of “the rich” needs some adjusting. It’s obviously not a phrase that applies to thousands of small businesses that clear $250,000 a year in business but barely turn a profit. 

'Fair Share' is a phrase much like 'Living Wage', both are arbitrary politically convenient terms that are impossible to be accurately defined. Read More

Election Day is November 6th  ~ VOTE !!! 

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Federal Court Delays NLRB Poster Requirement

On Friday April 13th, The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. granted an injunction regarding the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB's) mandate requiring employers to post a notice advising employees of certain rights under the National Labor Relations Act. This rule was scheduled to take effect April 30, 2012.

The Court of Appeals granted this injunction following a federal district court's decision in South Carolina late last week that ruled the NLRB overextended their authority in mandating such a requirement. The decision was in response to an appeal filed by the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and the US Chamber of Commerce, both of which IEC is a member.

"IEC appreciates that this rule has been delayed, particularly given the recent decision of the South Carolina district court," stated IEC National Executive Vice President/CEO Thayer Long. "We now have the opportunity to present our case on the appropriate role of the federal government in the workplace, and that employees should be allowed to be fully informed of all the facts before making decisions about union representation." Read More

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Top 10 Most Expensive Obamacare Taxes and Fees

Now that tax day has passed and we will be working for months to come to pay this years taxes, we are reminded of how big the federal government has become and how Obamacare is on track to makes things a lot worse.

The President’s health law will be partially paid for by tax increases and the creation of new taxes. When the law was passed, the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that its tax hikes would total $502 billion over the next 10 years. 

However, most of the new, higher taxes were intentionally designed to kick in later in the decade producing an deliberate false cost number. When the full law is implemented, taxpayers will be paying far more than the either knowingly or ignorantly false estimated.

A new study by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) has revealed that Obamacare will impose higher taxes totaling $4 trillion (That's $4,000,000,000,000) between now and 2035, with the most substantial hits falling on the shoulders of working Americans. That works out to more than $1.7 trillion over a decade, more than triple the original 10-year score.

The following are only 10 of Obamacare’s 18 tax increases. Hospital Insurance Tax - Mandate Penalties - Health Insurance Provider Fee - “Cadillac” Tax - Prescription Drug Fees - Ethanol Tax - Medical Device Tax - Business Regulation Costs - Reducing Medical Deductions - FSA Limits. The economic damage from these tax hikes is one of many reasons to repeal Obamacare and pass legislation that would sensibly reform the health care system. Read More

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Obama Jobs Plan: Test A Job And Keep Unemployment Benefits

In an attempt to lower the unemployment rate the Obama Administration is tossing yet another plan at the wall and hoping it will stick. 

To that end the administration has announced the start of a new strategy to curb nagging unemployment by allowing Americans to keep their benefits while trying out a job. 

The program will be administered on the state level, with the Labor Department opening the application process Thursday for 10 model programs across the country. 

The program called 'Bridge to Work' was in fact a key part of the payroll tax cut package. Read More

The problem with the funding source is that the so-called payroll tax cut is not a tax cut at all. It is a cut in the payroll contribution into Social Security which in effect further de-funds Social Security and will lead to accelerating its path to insolvency. 

What incentive would there be for an employee to work hard and excel in the workplace, knowing that if fired or if they quit they will still collect a check? 

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Democrats No Longer Attending Budget Meetings

Budget Committee With Empty Democrat Seats

Solving our nation’s fiscal crisis should be priority number one from the White House down to the local municipality in which we live, politicians should cast aside the partisan bickering used purely for political gain. But you wouldn't know it by looking at the latest from Democrats in Congress who are digging in by refusing to recognize the reality of America’s budgetary disaster.

Yesterday, the Senate at finally voted on House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) 2012 budget previously passed the House. It was defeated 57-40, with no Democrats voting for it. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) had their budget alternatives defeated as well. 

Senate Democrats have yet to even offer an Alternative Budget, and, whats most notable is President Barack Obama’s Budget Failed yesterday 97-0, defeated by the same margin it was defeated by last year garnering not a single vote. The House Defeated the Presidents Budget 414 -0 Read More Here

It is obvious that Democrat Controlled Senate led by Harry Reid is not serious or interested in fulfilling their Constitutional responsibility to pass a budget. Perhaps if the Senate swings to the GOP we will see a budget but it is more likely that in the minority Democrats would still block a Budget begging the question, why on earth would anyone vote to have them remain there?

Read More Here

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Supreme Court Now Poised To Rule On Constitutionality Of The Affordable Care Act

Justices' questions suggest skepticism about health care law


The questions asked by U.S. Supreme Court justices Tuesday during arguments on the constitutionality of the 2010 health care law suggest that a majority on the court may have serious doubts about whether the law can be upheld. Yesterday, justices will considered whether parts of the law can remain in place if the court strikes down the requirement that individuals carry health insurance.


Realistically, In the case before them it is not the job of the Supreme court to decide or even take into account the sustainability of the rest of the Law. The case before them is the Constitutionality of the Mandate to purchase Health Insurance or be penalized. What happens to the law if they decide the Mandate is Unconstitutional is not their role in the case.

Justices on the asked highly nuanced questions over the three straight days of oral arguments. It seemed that some are torn on whether it would be more of a break from past cases to strike down the so-called individual mandate to obtain insurance or to uphold it. What past cases have to do with if a law is constitutional or not is beyond me.

They were aggressive in their questioning of both sides, and fired off hard-hitting questions about the limits of the federal government's power and whether it could even extend to requiring eating broccoli and buying gym memberships or cars, and rightfully so.

The main stream media defined Conservative Justices took aim at the insurance mandate, while the so called liberal justices supported it. Which is to be expected. 

We question the Medias defining a Supreme Court Justice as Conservative or Liberal, They are there to rule on the law and constitutionality of various issues. It is not their role to impose their assumed political ideology 

A ruling on the law is expected in late June. Read More

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IEC Member Continues Fight Against PLA'S In Connecticut

On January 17, 2012, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in agreement with IEC New England member Electrical Contractors Inc. (ECI) stating they have the right to challenge the project labor agreements (PLA) of two area public schools. ECI now has standing to sue the City of Hartford for the use of PLAs.

“We were excited for the result of the ruling and the impact for the merit shop industry moving forward,” said Jim Nasuta of ECI. “It’s been a long and stressful fight but we feel we are close to the end. While the case is ECI vs. the city of Hartford, this outcome is much bigger than just us. This result could have a potential impact around the country.”

The case began when ECI successfully bid on two construction projects for schools in Hartford, Connecticut. The company was then asked to sign a PLA, which they refused stating that they would use their own workers and should not be forced to use union labor. Read More

The case now moves back to the local courts with ECI having the grounds to sue the City of Hartford. “The next step is to go back and try to win this case in the local court system,” Nasuta continued. “This has been a financial strain on our company. The case needs to be finished and if there was ever a time when we need support, it is right now!”

IEC National Government Affairs Chairman Joseph Hovanec said "This case can set a national precedent for PLAs on public projects. Project Labor Agreements PLAs are an issue that effects every Merit Shop Electrical contractor in the country. As you can imagine their fight has had a heavy financial toll on ECI's business, but they are determined to see this through for the good of the Merit Shop Industry. I highly encourage anyone that has been effected or may be effected by a PLA to do what you can to help Jim and ECI with their fight.

If you would like to offer support in this case, please contact Jim Nasuta at (860) 549-2822.  

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Obama Can Sieze All US Resources

Obama Signs Executive Order Allowing Control Over All US Resources

On March 16th, President Obama signed a new Executive Order which expands upon a prior order issued in 1950 for Disaster Preparedness, and gives the office of the President complete control over all the resources in the United States in times of war or emergency.

The National Defense Resources Preparedness order gives the Executive Branch the power to control and allocate energy, production, transportation, food, and even water resources by decree under the auspices of national defense and national security. The order is not limited to wartime implementation, as one of the order’s functions includes the command and control of resources in peacetime determinations.

Section 101. Purpose. This order delegates authorities and addresses national defense resource policies and programs under the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (the “Act”).

(b) assess on an ongoing basis the capability of the domestic industrial and technological base to satisfy requirements in peacetime and times of national emergency, specifically evaluating the availability of the most critical resource and production sources, including subcontractors and suppliers, materials, skilled labor, and professional and technical personnel; – White House

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Court Decision on NLRB Posting Not Much Of A Win For Employers

COURT DECISION ON NLRB POSTING REQUIREMENT
ISN'T MUCH OF A "WIN" FOR EMPLOYERS

Last week a federal judge ruled on the NLRB Posting Rule of the National Labor Relations Board was not a total loss for employers, but it was hardly a resounding victory.

In National Association of Manufacturers v. NLRB, Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., upheld the notice-posting requirement but found that the Board had exceeded its authority (1) by creating a new unfair labor practice based on failure to post the notice, and (2) by pre-determining by rule that a failure to post the notice would toll the six-month limitations period for filing unfair labor practice charges that is found in Section 10(b) of the NLRA. Unfortunately, these latter parts of Judge Jackson's ruling may provide little comfort to employers because, as the judge indicated in her decision, the Board may pursue these results on a case-by-case basis – just not by way of general rulemaking.  More on the Rule Here

The plaintiffs in the case, which included the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation as well as the NAM, brought the court challenge to the Board rulemaking implemented in August 2011. They contended that the Board had no authority under the NLRA to make such a rule and that the rule interfered with employers' right to refrain from speech, thus violating the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They also contended that the Board could not add a new unfair labor practice to those explicitly set forth in the NLRA and that the Board could not adopt a rule automatically imposing tolling of the Section 10(b) limitations period simply because of a failure to post the notice.

The future of the rule is still uncertain. The Right to Work organization has vowed to appeal Judge Jackson's decision. The Associated Builders and Contractors and other groups still have law suits pending against the NLRB on the rule.

To read a copy of the rule requiring the posting, please click here.

• Employee Rights Under the NLRA poster, two-page 8.5 x 11 version (pdf)
• Employee Rights Under the NLRA poster, 11 x 17 version (pdf)

Because the end result still unclear, NJECPAC Advises Members To NOT POST The NLRB Poster Until the Actual Date Required Which Is Currently April 30th

View Poster Here 


When and If the NLRB Poster is required to be posted, NJECPAC will provide a Supplemental Poster to be posted adjacent to the NLRB Poster. The Supplemental Poster contains additional employee rights that the NLRB intentionally omitted.

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