Leadership

Congressman Tiberi to Resign

Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-Galena) this week announced his intention to resign. He will take a position with the Ohio Business Roundtable.

Tiberi, a Republican whose district is in central Ohio, is a well-respected, influential congressman. He is also a great friend of American manufacturing and the OMA.

This is a big loss for the Ohio delegation, but a terrific decision by the board of the Roundtable. 10/19/2017

Share Your MFG DAY Photos with Us!

If you don’t mind us boasting about your event, send us a picture or two from your MFG DAY activities.

We’ll highlight them in the upcoming Ohio Manufacturers Workforce Summit on November 1.

Please send photos as attachments to this email address by Wednesday, October 25, 2017.

• Please name your images with identifying information (example: YourCompanyName_MFGDAY2017.jpg)
• PNG or JPG format
• For best results, size photos to 1024 x 768 pixels, or 1400 x 1050 pixels.
• When emailing photos, please remove any of the other images that you may have in your e signature (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, your company website).
• By submitting photos to the email address above, you are granting OMA permission to use these photos at the Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit and potentially in other OMA communications.

Thank you! And don’t forget to register for the Summit! 10/16/2017

House Introduces New Unemployment Compensation Legislative Package

This week Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) introduced new unemployment compensation solvency legislation (House Bill 382). The bill would make a variety of changes to the state’s unemployment compensation program; it would:

• Raise the taxable wage base from the current $9,500 to $11,000
• Charge employees a new co-insurance payment of 10% of the amount paid by the employer
• Freeze benefits for 10 years
• Reduce the maximum number of benefit weeks from 26 to 24

There is concern that the newest bill to tackle the issue would not be in compliance with Department of Labor requirements. Rep. Schuring views the bill as a starting point for new discussions to fix the state’s unemployment compensation system solvency problems.

The House also introduced a resolution (House Joint Resolution 4) that would create a bond fund that could be used to pay off any new debts from the state’s unemployment system. That resolution would need approval of the voters. 10/12/2017

OMA Board Position on Issue 2: No

As early voting is now underway, we’d like to remind readers that, earlier this year, the OMA board of directors voted to oppose the “Ohio Drug Price Relief Act,” now known as Issue 2 on the November 2017 general election ballot.

If passed, the State of Ohio would be prohibited from entering any agreement for prescription drugs unless the net cost is the same or lower than the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Services.

Experts who have studied the issue say it would be difficult if not impossible to implement.

The proposal is backed by the AIDS Health Care Foundation, a Los Angeles-based organization headed by controversial activist Michael Weinstein.

In its statement opposing the measure, the OMA wrote: “As manufacturers, we are concerned with any plan to impose artificial price controls on products. The OMA is concerned that price controls would not stop with medication but would apply to other products purchased by government.”

NBC4 WCMH-TV in Columbus hosted a Statewide Issue 2 Forum aimed at getting the facts about the prescription drug initiative; proponents and opponents were invited to the forum (recording here).

Issue 2 is also opposed by the Akron Beacon Journal, the Columbus Dispatch and The Plain Dealer. 10/12/2017

Governor Declares October 2017 Manufacturing Month

Ohio Governor John R. Kasich and Lt. Governor Mary Taylor have issued a resolution declaring October 2017 as Manufacturing Month throughout Ohio, encouraging all Ohioans to participate in the statewide events taking place in October to celebrate the importance of manufacturing in Ohio. 10/1/2017

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, manufacturing has been one of the principal economic drivers of the economy of the state of Ohio since the late 1800s, and Ohio is the third largest state in manufacturing, producing over $100 billion in manufactured goods annually; and

WHEREAS, Ohio is a leader in the production of primary and fabricated metals, machinery, electronic products, transportation equipment, food and beverages, as well as rubber and plastics; and Ohio leads in American aircraft engine production with 16 percent of the total U.S. employment located in Ohio; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of Ohioans are currently employed in manufacturing careers, nearly 13 percent of Ohio’s total employment; and manufacturing is a leading sector in rural counties, employing over 20 percent of the local labor force; and

WHEREAS,various manufacturing industry leaders have developed a series of activities in October to highlight their industry to students, potential employees and the general public, from plant tours and career workshops to a live interactive telecast being made available to high schools and middle schools statewide.

NOW, THEREFORE, We, John R. Kasich and Mary Taylor, Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the State of Ohio, do hereby recognize October 2017 as

MANUFACTURING MONTH

throughout Ohio and encourage all Ohioans to participate in the statewide events taking place in October to celebrate the importance of manufacturing in Ohio.

NAM Reports Historically High Optimism Continues Among U.S. Manufacturers

Last week the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) published its latest Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey. It found that the historically high levels of optimism that U.S. manufacturers expressed during the first two quarters of 2017 continued through the third quarter.

NAM reported: “In March, 93.3 percent of respondents were positive about their own company’s outlook, an all-time high in the survey’s 20-year history. That dropped slightly in the second quarter to 89.5 percent, then rose a bit again in the third quarter to 89.8 percent. As a result, this year we have seen the highest consecutive three-quarter average—90.9 percent having a positive outlook for their company—in the survey’s history.”

Access the report here. 10/3/2017

Lawmakers Learn About Driverless Vehicles

Members of the House Transportation Committee this week heard presentations on autonomous vehicles by national automobile trade associations.

Josh Fisher of the Association of Global Automakers briefed committee members about the benefits of automated technology, the evolution of technology and speculated on time frames for implementation. He also addressed public policy considerations and the role of local governments.

Jonathan Weinberger of the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers addressed several specific policy changes ranging from testing to manufacturer liability and provided this presentation about driverless cars. 10/5/2017 

Pictured: Rep. Doug Green, Chairman, Ohio House Transportation Committee, with Josh Fisher of the Association of Global Automakers

Send Us Your Pictures!

At the upcoming Ohio Manufacturers Workforce Summit on November 1, we’d like to highlight in a slide show the many MFG DAY and other activities and events happening at your facility.

Please send us photos that capture manufacturers with young people, parents, educators and the community. We want to recognize the many ways manufacturers are reaching out to the community to share career opportunities.

Please send photos as attachments to this email address by Friday, October 20, 2017.

• Please name your images with identifying information (example: YourCompanyName_MFGDAY2017.jpg)
• PNG or JPG format
• For best results, the photos should be sized to 1024 x 768 pixels, or 1400 x 1050 pixels.
• When emailing photos, please remove any of the other images that you may have in your e signature (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, your company website).
• By submitting photos to the email address above, you are granting OMA permission to use these photos at the Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit and potentially in other OMA communications.

Thank you! And don’t forget to register for the Summit! 9/28/2017

Trump to Address Manufacturing Leaders Today

This morning President Donald Trump will speak with America’s manufacturing leaders when he addresses the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) board of directors in Washington, D.C.

OMA president Eric Burkland is a member of the NAM board of directors.

The president is expected to highlight how bold tax reform will make America more competitive, put more money in workers’ paychecks and improve the quality of life for everyone in our country.

You can tune in here starting at 11:00 a.m. EDT to watch the president’s remarks live.

The NAM invites you to take action on tax reform by texting ActOnTax to 52866 or click here. 9/29/2017

Send Us Your Pictures!

At the upcoming Ohio Manufacturers Workforce Summit on November 1, we’d like to highlight in a slide show the many MFG DAY and other activities and events happening at your facility.

Please send us photos that capture manufacturers with young people, parents, educators and the community. We want to recognize the many ways manufacturers are reaching out to the community to share career opportunities.

Please send photos as attachments to this email address by Friday, October 20, 2017.

• Please name your images with identifying information (example: YourCompanyName_MFGDAY2017.jpg)
• PNG or JPG format
• For best results, the photos should be sized to 1024 x 768 pixels, or 1400 x 1050 pixels.
• When emailing photos, please remove any of the other images that you may have in your e signature (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, your company website).
• By submitting photos to the email address above, you are granting OMA permission to use these photos at the Ohio Manufacturers’ Workforce Summit and potentially in other OMA communications.

Thank you! And don’t forget to register for the Summit! 9/28/2017