Canceled contract delays PLA resolution

Unemployment rates rose in 27 US states in June

Published: July 20, 2012
Tags: Labor Department, U.S. Department of Labor, unemployment, Unemployment rate

Unemployment rates rose in 27 U.S. states last month, the most in almost a year and a reflection of weaker hiring nationwide.

Health care, taxes top issues for small business

Published: April 26, 2012
Tags: Dan Danner, DOL, health care, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, National Federation of Independent Business, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, osha, taxes, U.S. Department of Labor

Dan Danner never expected to end up in the middle of the health care debate. Or, for that matter, in politics.

Roofers rail against renewed fall protection

Published: April 8, 2011
Tags: Demlang Builders Inc., F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing Co. Inc., Metropolitan Builders Association, Metzler Roofing Inc., National Roofing Contractors Association, regulation, roof, roofing, U.S. Department of Labor

The revival of a long-dormant residential construction regulation designed to increase safety is threatening the already-thin margins on roofing jobs.

Work site boards get bigger and bigger

Published: May 21, 2010
Tags: display boards, Hoffman Construction, Jim Hoffman, job sites, LaLonde Construction, Local 139, Mark LaLonde, National Labor Relations Act, Operating Engineers Local 139, plywood, Steinke, U.S. Department of Labor, Zignego, Zignego Co.

By Sean Ryan The 4-foot-by-4-foot display boards used to be big enough for all of the posters required on federal construction job sites. But they are obsolete. And the bigger boards that replaced them may soon follow suit because the federal government is requiring a new National Labor Relations Act poster. “It’s one thing you [...]

State apprenticeships pass federal muster

Published: January 27, 2010
Tags: apprentice, Berth, Blackman, DWD, joint apprenticeship committee, Jones, minority, participation, U.S. Department of Labor, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/Big Step
Comments: 1

By Sean Ryan Those fighting for more minorities in construction apprenticeships are split over whether it will take a heavy or a helping hand to get the job done. Paul Blackman, who last year complained to the U.S. Department of Labor about minority participation in Wisconsin construction apprenticeship programs, said he prefers a stricter approach. [...]

Letter: Committed to apprenticeship diversity

To the editor: We in the Department of Workforce Development take issue with a number of the points in your recent article on Wisconsin’s apprenticeship program. For the record, we completely support the need for racial diversity in construction apprenticeships, and since 2002, we have made progress in increasing the representation of minorities in the [...]

Feds investigate minority apprentices

Published: November 16, 2009
Tags: apprentice, apprenticeship program, Blackman, Buford, Fed, Jones, Kubica, Paul Blackman, Steelworkers Federal Union No. 19806, U.S. Department of Labor, union, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, WRTP/Big Step
Comments: 2

By Sean Ryan A former union president is joining the chorus of criticism of state-certified apprenticeship programs and prompting a federal investigation of minority recruitment and retention. Paul Blackman, retired president of Steelworkers Federal Union No. 19806 in Milwaukee, said the state is not doing enough to police the programs it certifies to make sure [...]