Well, isn't this just great. These guys just managed to steamroll a like bill through the Washington Legislature and now the the State FM is stuck trying to figure out an equitable method of enforcement. Of little solace overall but of monumental importance is that the Washington State bill says nothing of "approved apprenticeship programs" but rather allows the State FM to determine acceptable levels of training and testing. This is important because it removes the standard of care from the legislation which, by my understanding of Washington law, would default to the Department of Labor & Industries for enforcement. L&I presides over what apprenticeship programs are approved and has doggedly and for years refused to approve the AFSA program even though it is approved by the US Dept. of Labor. THe ONLY approved fitter apprenticeship program in Washington is the Union's. Had the legislation we've beent saddled with up here carried language similar to California's we would soon see the demise of the merit shop. And as an aside, so you all may know where I'm coming from, let me give you some personal background. In California I was once an IBEW electrician (from a family of unionists, either IBEW or Railroad & back further to socialists in pre-Fascist Italy--don't let the name confuse you) and then went on to be a Santa Cruz County Building Inspector. When I came north anti-California sentiment was rife in Washington. There was even a weekly (maybe daily) California bashing columnist (Emmett Watson) in the Seattle Times. My union "brothers" just couldn't seem to find me work so I went to work for a union sprinkler company as an inspector. Now that job wasn't a union job and my good brothers in the fitter's union didn't think the three inspectors at this company were worth bringing into the fold. I worked there at abysmal wages so as to feed my children until I found a better paying job with a merit shop. Being ambitious I rose rather rapidly and soon (at least after the first two years) was making scale or above. I then went into management. I am now no longer directly in the fire protection industry but rather in the education business and once again a union member although this time the American Federation of Teachers. I have always been an executive board officer in AFT in some capacity. I will tell you that if the Safeway workers strike or the service staff at a hotel or restaurant puts up a picket line I will not cross that line and I wouldn't do it even in the days when I was not in a union. I didn't eat grapes and I didn't eat lettuce in the days of Cesar Chavez. On the other hand I find a union that uses it's substantial economic clout to lobby for legislation that will harm the public by restricting trade, particularly when purporting that that legislation has been proposed for the benefit of the public, again particularly when its supposed to be a remedy for an ailment that doesn't exist, is deplorable and does not warrant my support. And the disclaimer is no shots taken at the fitters. Hope I didn't bore you all.
On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 1:50 PM, Terri Leyton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thank you Carole!! I was waiting for someone to act! > We'll buy the drinks next time we see you! > T > > Terri Simmons Leyton > PROTECTION DESIGN & CONSULTING > Ph: 858-751-2930 - ext. 101 > Fax: 858-751-2933 > Cell: 619-871-8450 > > Education is too important to be left solely to the educators. --Francis > Keppel > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Carole Holmes > Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 1:00 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Bill AB2288 > > All, > > An interesting read, whether or not you work in CA I recommend checking it > out. > > > > http://www.fpcmag.com/fpcnew.html > > > > > > Carole C. Holmes > > B.L. Harroun & Son, Inc. > > Kalamazoo, MI 49007 > > ( P: 269-345-8657 > > Ê F: 269-345-8684 > > ÈC: 269-377-6973 > > š email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > :8 internet: <http://www.blharroun.com/> www.blharroun.com > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 3201 (20080619) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 3201 (20080619) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > -- Ron Greenman at home.... _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
