Organization: PCA

Register Today for the UA-MCAA Labor Relations Conference

The 2019 UA-MCAA Labor Relations Conference: Succeeding Together is scheduled to take place October 29 – 30, 2019, at The Mirage in Las Vegas, Nevada and registration is now open!

The conference, jointly hosted by the United Association (UA) and MCAA, will feature panel discussions focused on topics such as growing apprenticeships, developing a joint labor-management strategic planning committee and retention of workers.

Acknowledging the importance of engaging the future of our organizations, the UA is asking all locals to bring one apprentice to the conference this year. MCAA will be hosting a breakout session with these apprentices to give them an opportunity to really dig into and ask questions about the management of the business with MCAA leaders one-on-one. Because apprentices are not only the future of the UA, they are the future of the MCAA as well.

To maximize our time together, MCAA is asking its members to plan joint dinners with their local labor partners following Tuesday’s reception. Exchanging ideas and experiences is how we will continue to thrive in this industry we all love, it is how we will be Succeeding Together.

PHC News Names J.C. Cannistraro Contractor of the Year

Congratulations to everyone at J.C. Cannistraro, LLC for being named PHC News magazine’s Contractor of the Year! The company, which is a member of MCAA and the New England MCA, was selected for its reputation as a leader in modular prefabrication and a very early adopter of construction technology.

There’s Valuable and Timely Information in MCAA’s New WebBook Library

MCAA members can now access some of our most valuable publications from their desktop computers on our new WebBook platform. You will be able to read Management Methods Bulletins and other resources, take notes, print sections, and share with colleagues. And most importantly, when we have updated content, unlike a downloaded pdf, our WebBooks can be instantly updated behind the scenes while your notes are preserved securely on your computer.

Relationship-Building Was the Name of the Game at the MCAA18 Exhibits

Contractors continued to build relationships with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council and student chapter members during the annual exhibits. The Annual Manufacturer/Supplier Council Exhibit highlighted well-known products and services as well as solutions that are just emerging to take on the anticipated challenges that lie ahead. The Student Chapter Exhibit provided members with another opportunity to meet students seeking their Great Futures in our industry.

MCAA Kicked Off Targeted Programming for Women Professionals at MCAA18

Our association’s leading women kicked off our Women in the Mechanical Industry forum with a networking reception. During the event, women learned how the forum will further enrich their careers through networking, educational, mentoring and career development opportunities beyond those already offered through membership in MCAA and MSCA. Women in the Mechanical Industry also sponsored a special session on two proven career advancement strategies measured to have the strongest payoff for women professionals.

Colorado State Wins Student Chapter Competition

The team from Colorado State University won the final round of the Student Chapter Competition at MCAA18, taking home the first prize and $10,000 for their efforts. Their proposal for the renovation of a New York City steakhouse beat out proposals from the Fairleigh-Dickinson University, the University of Washington and the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Second place honors and a $5,000 prize went to the University of Washington team.

University of Washington is Student Chapter Competition Runner-Up MCAA18

 

The other two finalist teams, from Fairleigh-Dickinson University and the Wentworth Institute of Technology, took home checks for $2,500.

Teams from six additional universities received Merit Awards and checks for $1,000. They were:

  • Ball State University
  • Kennesaw State University
  • McMaster University
  • Iowa State University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Illinois State University

MCAA President Fuller Opened MCAA18, Noting We Are ALL IN for the Future

MCAA President Greg Fuller opened MCAA18, saying “The amazing members of this Association never fail to go ALL IN. Each and every single one of you. We are the most involved, most dedicated, most generous membership anywhere, and have been for some time. And as a result, as an association, and as an industry, we are now seeing – we are now living – the benefits.” The convention’s Opening Session on March 26, 2018, included a presentation by Bestselling Author Malcolm Gladwell and the ever-popular president’s video.

Want to Connect with Students at MCAA18? Start at MCAAGreatFutures.org!

Looking for new talent to secure your company’s future? Hoping to connect during MCAA18? Start your research at MCAAGreatFutures.org.

A new search option helps you easily narrow your search to those candidates who are joining us at MCAA18. Look for it to the left of the Search by Keyword area, click the circle to select it and hit submit. Be sure to check back often… students are adding their resumes daily.

Additional Ways to Search

Looking for a specific skill like BIM or Autocad? Enter it into the keyword filter and you’ll get an instant list of students who fit the bill.

Prefer to search by university? We’ve got you covered – just select the university from the list and hit “Submit.”

Just want interns? Only looking for full-time professionals? The results can also be filtered by job type, so you can narrow them down depending on your needs.

Access to the resumes is exclusively for MCAA members, giving members first dibs on the talent the association’s Career Development Initiative has helped to nurture. To see candidate details, simply login with your MCAA.org username and password.

So reach out and get in touch. You may just find the next star employee to ensure your company’s great future!

MCAA’s Student Chapter Competition: Final Four Selected!

The results are in! Congratulations to our four finalists for the 2018 MCAA Student Chapter Competition:

This year MCAA’s Student Chapter Competition drew 28 teams, including two new chapters. The project involved the renovation of the heating and cooling systems for the Fogo De Chao Brazilian Steakhouse in New York City where chapters were tasked with coordinating the removal of the existing equipment and installing the new equipment.

The top competition prize is $10,000. The second place team receives $5,000 and the other two finalists will each receive $2,500.

You can see the final four teams compete at the 2018 MCAA Convention in the Grand Oaks Ballroom on Monday, March 26 at 1:30 p.m.!

The winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence breakfast on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:00 a.m. We’ll also be announcing the Chapter of the Year, Educator of the Year, and presenting new student chapter charters to:

Our convention is a great place to meet students from many schools who are interested in internships or jobs with MCAA member companies. You can attend the Annual Manufacturer/Supplier Exhibit on Tuesday, March 27 from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., where you will be able to talk to the students at their chapter tables.

Don’t miss the chance to meet our future industry leaders at this year’s Convention!

Visit the MCAA18 Website

Register Now!

Discover How to Improve Staff Job Performance and Engagement at MCAA18

Connie Podesta Our industry is all about people who bring their skills, experience and personalities to work every day. Making sure your employees perform at their best and get along well with each other ensures your company will grow and thrive. Connie Podesta will lead two sessions at MCAA18 that will show you how to create a team of over-achievers who enjoy what they do and who they do it with.

Learn How the Power of Accountability and Ownership will Increase Performance at MCAA18

In a perfect world, all employees would be high achieving, self-motivated, engaging team players who see the big picture and always strive to do their best to get the job done on time without complaining. In the real world, many employees simply “meet expectations,” lack initiative, bring their personal life to work, stress over every change and whine about having to work…on the job!

This session will empower you with the attitudes, mindsets and strategies necessary to create a team that’s willing, able and excited to get the job done the right way! You will learn how to turn negative attitudes into positive ones, entitlement into accountability, complacency into productivity, complaining into solutions and “that’s not my job” into ownership.

Discover How the Power of Personality and Communication Will Increase Engagement at MCAA18

Imagine what you could accomplish if you could decode the mystery of human behavior and truly understand what makes people do what they do and say what they say. Research shows that the #1 key to success is the ability to get along with other people…at work and at home.

This session will both challenge you and empower you with the knowledge you need to get along better with the people in your life. It takes you inside the minds and personalities of the people you deal with every day – bosses, colleagues, partners, customers, friends, and family – so you can act, rather than react to whatever life throws your way. Get ready for less stress and more success!

Connie Podesta is a game-changing, revenue-building, sales-generating ball of fire whose rare blend of laugh-out-loud comedy, killer take-away strategies, and interactive, no-Power-Point delivery style have made her one of the most unique and memorable speakers on the stage today. A Hall of Fame speaker, she is also the award-winning author of seven books.

Learn More About Connie Podesta

Learn More About MCAA18

Visit the MCAA18 Website

MCAA President Greg Fuller Tells You All About MCAA18 in Just 30 Seconds!

MCAA CEO John Gentille recently challenged MCAA president Greg Fuller to put together a compelling video that would convince everyone to go ALL IN at MCAA18 this March 25-29 at the beautiful JW Marriott Hill Country resort in San Antonio in only 30 seconds. See what you think! Online registration remains open through our MCAA18 website, and for you procrastinators, we’ve extended the early-bird cutoff a week, to January 12th!

 

Workplace Violence Prevention and Protection Safety Training Video & Materials Now Available

MCAA’s new worker safety training video, Workplace Violence Prevention and Protection, and its accompanying materials are now available to members. The video teaches viewers to identify warning signs and take appropriate action to prevent workplace violence. It also shows viewers how to protect themselves and others if they find themselves in an active workplace violence situation.

Download or play the video

There’s More…

Accompanying materials are also available to assist you in highlighting key training points, documenting worker training and confirming that workers understand the training concepts:

Highlight key training points

Download the Pocket Guide

Document worker training

Download the Documentation Sheet

Confirm that workers understand the training concepts

Download the Test

Download the Test Answer Key

Want Even More Safety Resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.

A Thank You from Our Family Members Devastated by Hurricane Harvey

Hear from some of those affected by the Houston floods earlier this year. Your donations to the MCAA Disaster Relief Fund are making a difference for them and other UA and MCAA family members whose lives have been turned upside down by natural disasters.

If you would like to make a contribution to our Fund you can easily do so via a check made out to the “MCAA Disaster Relief Fund.” Checks can be mailed to the attention of MCAA CEO John Gentille at the MCAA National Office, 1385 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.

Want to Teach Your Workers to Prevent Jobsite Fires? Check Out this Video!

MCAA’s Fire Safety Training Video will teach your workers to recognize common causes of jobsite fires and how to prevent them.

Your workers will learn about:

  • Health effects of smoke inhalation and burns
  • Common causes of jobsite fires
  • Proper fire prevention techniques
  • Safe fire response, including knowing when to fight the fire and when to get out and leave it to the professionals

Download or play the video

There’s More…

Accompanying materials are also available to assist you in highlighting key training points, documenting worker training and confirming that workers understand the training concepts:

Highlight key training points

Download the Pocket Guide

Document worker training

Download the Documentation Sheet

Confirm that workers understand the training concepts

Download the Test

Download the Test Answer Key

Want Even More Safety Resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.

MCAA’s “A Day in the Life of Ted” Video – A Must-See for College Students!

“Despite being on the executive board of my school’s MCAA Chapter, I still didn’t fully appreciate what it is actually like to work for a mechanical contractor until this presentation. The “A Day in the Life of Ted” video was an excellent view as to what makes your section of the industry different than a typical building contractor.” That was one student’s reaction to the video at MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum.

The video follows Ted McHugh of West Chester Mechanical in Aston, PA through a typical workday. In addition to highlighting the daily demands associated with keeping a project on time and within budget, it showcases for students how a great future is achievable in the mechanical industry!

“I have never been more proud to be a plumber for a union contractor…”

MCAA is a family. Tragically, members of our family now need our help. Many of our MCAA and UA families had their lives turned upside down by the unbelievable tragedy named Harvey.

That’s why MCAA established the MCAA Disaster Relief Fund. THANK YOU to those MCAA-affiliated local associations, individuals and member companies, both contractors and manufacturer/suppliers, that have contributed to our Relief Fund.

Together, We are Making a Difference!

If you would like to make a contribution to our Fund you can easily do so via a check made out to the “MCAA Disaster Relief Fund.” Checks can be mailed to the attention of MCAA CEO John Gentille at the MCAA National Office, 1385 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.

 

It’s Not Too Late to Reserve Your Room for the 2017 UA/MCAA Labor Relations Conference

The UA/MCAA Labor Relations Conference will be held at The Mirage in Las Vegas, November 14-15, 2017. The conference theme is “Highlighting Best Practices.” This will be a very positive and forward-looking event. There will be substantial UA attendance as the UA is holding a Business Managers Meeting in conjunction with the Labor Relations Conference. It will be great, therefore, to have robust attendance from MCA affiliated associations. To encourage maximum attendance there will be NO registration fee.

To reserve your room at The Mirage:

Reserve Online

To reserve by telephone:

Call: 800-627-6667
Reference code: SUAM1117

Room rates begin at $180.00/night and must be booked no later than Friday, October 20, 2017.

Registration for the conference will open in August. The conference will begin with a reception the evening of Tuesday, November 14. The conference program will be all day on Wednesday, November 15. That evening MCA local associations and UA local union attendees are encouraged to hold joint dinners. MCAA participants should, therefore, not plan on departing before the morning of November 16.

For more information, contact John McNerney.

Do You Want to Start Your MCAA.org Experience on a Particular Page?

If you have an iPad or iPhone, it’s easy. Follow these simple steps to customize your MCAA.org experience by making, for example, our Safety Excellence Initiative or MSCA.org or any other page an app on your home screen!

  1. Open Safari and navigate to MCAA.org.
  2. Use the menu to find the page you use most often.
  3. Touch the “share” button in the Safari menu bar to see the options (it looks like a box with an upward arrow coming out of it).
  4. Check out the lowest row of options, and scroll until you see the plus sign icon “Add to Home Screen.”
  5. Select it and rename the page if you choose to something shorter, “Safety” or “MSCA”.
  6. And there you have it! Hit the home button to leave Safari and you should see the new “App” on your home screen.
  7. You can even make as many as you need. Calendar? Resource Center? NCPWB? Virtual Trade Show?

It’s that easy!

OSHA Raises Civil Penalties for Violations

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has raised civil penalties for violations of its rules. OSHA raised the penalties to account for the rate of inflation, which has increased since penalties were last raised in 1990.

The new Interim Final Rule, which was published in the Federal Register on July 1, will take effect on August 1, 2016 for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015.

The differences in the penalties are shown below:

Type of Violation         Previous Penalty Amount            New Penalty Amount


Willful or Repeat                     $5,000 to $70,000                           $8,908 to $124,709

Serious                                                           $7,000                                     $12,471

Other-Than-Serious                          Up to $7,000                               Up to $12,471

Failure to Correct                              Up to $7,000                               Up to $12,471

Violation of Posting                          Up to $7,000                                Up to $12,471