Good patents protect jobs
All politicians should support the patent-reform bill
Thursday, April 07, 2011
By William George
All eyes have been on Wisconsin lately, as union members and the governor's office have battled very publicly over the conditions of employment in the state. Some political observers have speculated the fight might come to Pennsylvania next.
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What Separates Union Ironworkers from Non-Union Ironworkers? Training
Reprinted from the Iron Workers Magazine
The Iron Workers JATC, journeyman apprenticeship training committee, and in Canada TICs, trade improvement committees, are one of the bestkept secrets at our disposal.
When was the last time you invited elected officials, or candidates, to your local apprenticeship training?
On December 20, 2010, Local 22 (Indianapolis, Ind.) held an open house and tour of their training
facility. In attendance were representatives from Eli Lilly, a large construction user, contractors, and Congressman Andre Carson (IN-07). The theme for the event was “Training to Build the Facilities to Keep and Create Jobs in This Country.” The event was facilitated by the PILMA (Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association). Dave Kolbe, political and legislative director, serves as
trustee to PILMA representing the Iron Workers.
All locals have relationships with major industries in their area. When industry, contractors and building trades work together to educate elected officials they have a better understanding of issues like prevailing wage, project labor agreements, independent contractors, and safety.
In the private sector, project labor agreements ensure the best, fastest, and safest construction
projects. Why can’t they then work in the public sector building our infrastructure, everything from dams, water projects, roads, and bridges? Go to the PILMA website to check out
the YouTube video of this event: http://www.pilma.org/goodworks.html
Union workers play role in bioscience future--Feb. 22, 2011, Letter to the editor, Indy Star--In his State of the Union address last month, President Barack Obama shared his thoughts for how America can return to its previous strength: “We need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,” he said.
Congressman Carson Praises Unions, Companies Collaborative Approach to Jobs and Innovation in Indiana's Bioscience Sector
Dave Kolbe, Political Director, the International Association of Bridge,
Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers and Jeff Stinson
of Iron Workers Local 22 with Rep. Carson
On Monday,
December 20, 2010, the Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association
(PILMA) hosted Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN) at a tour of a state-of-the-art
training facility run by Iron Workers Local Union 22 in Indianapolis. The event, cosponsored by PILMA partner
Hoosiers Work for Health, brought together leaders from industry, labor and
government to focus on job creation and innovation Indiana’s bioscience sector.
Local Union
22 and Eli Lilly have worked together for years to keep Indiana at the
forefront of innovation and job growth in the pharmaceutical industry. Before the tour, Local 22 Business
Manager Jeff Stinson and Eli Lilly and Company representative Mike O’Connor both addressed
the group and spoke to the success of this partnership.
READ ON >
California PILMA Delegation Visits Santa Clara Sheet Metal Training Center
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Scott Corstairs (Therma) and
Donna Kaylor (Pfizer)
Sheet Metal Workers Local 104’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Center in Santa Clara recently hosted a tour by a delegation of pharmaceutical industry executives and California labor leaders from PILMA.
The tour showcased the training that members of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) undergo to prepare them to master various welding specialties and unique technical skills that are essential in the construction of specialized structures such as cleanrooms, fume hoods and other critical components of modern pharmaceutical production facilities. READ ON >
Pennsylvania--Good Works, Great Jobs
Vincent Panvini of the Sheet Metal Workers
International Union, Senator Robert Casey,
Dom Argento of Amgen
PILMA, in conjunction with We Work For Health, co-sponsored a September 10th visit by Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey to Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Center in Philadelphia. The session showcased the strategic partnership between the biotechnology industry and labor for some 35 biotech professionals and representatives from PILMA’s labor and industry partners—including SMWIA, GlaxoSmithKline, Endo Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer.
This was the first of several planned site visits to familiarize industry officials with the skill levels and training that various union craft workers bring to specialized construction challenges in the biotechnology industry.
The event earned notice from local print media and the ABC Philadelphia TV affiliate.
More from Pennsylvania
Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association Applauds Senator Casey (D-PA) For Biopharmaceutical Job Creation Efforts
The Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA) today applauded Pennsylvania Senator Robert Casey’s record of leadership on the issue of creating high-quality jobs in the life sciences sector. This afternoon the senator will be joined by Dave Holveck, CEO of Endo Pharmaceuticals, to advance the discussion of promoting innovation in the industry that leads to job growth.
Senator Casey knows first-hand the critical link between public policies that enable the U.S. pharmaceutical industry to remain globally competitive and putting people to work in good-paying, high-quality jobs. This past fall Senator Casey toured Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Training Center in Philadelphia, joined by union and company representatives to identify ways of working together to spur jobs and innovation in the industry. Today he is taking that hands-on experience and translating it to an important discussion about the role that Congress can play in supporting the men and women who make a living in the pharmaceutical industry.
PILMA recently released an in-depth report on the very subject of today’s event, “Jobs Today: Cures Tomorrow—Innovation and the Biopharmaceutical Industry”. In our report, we note that the United States has “the opportunity to create jobs and strengthen U.S. global competitiveness by both promoting and expanding biopharmaceutical industry investment in R&D.”
The ultimate goal, of course is better patient outcomes. Across the country, working men and women are utilizing the latest innovations to build and maintain facilities, research and find cures to diseases and enhance and sustain the lives of all Americans.
We look forward to working with Senator Casey and members of both parties to advance a pro-innovation, pro-jobs agenda based on creating a business environment that enables the life sciences sector to continue to thrive here in the United States.
For a copy of “Jobs Today: Cures Tomorrow—Innovation and the Biopharmaceutical Industry” or more information about PILMA, log on to www.pilma.org.
Unions for Alliance to Bolster State Economy: An editorial by SMWIA Local 19 President Joe Sellers
The Promise of Science: Pennsylvania Must Support the Biosciences to Create Cures and Jobs--By William George Pittsburgh Post-Gazette June 17, 2010 Editorial (Post-Gazette link) View article (pdf format)
Delaware
Life Sciences Need Cultivation--By Sam Lathem (Delaware News Journal 8-9-2010) (pdf)
Maryland
Maryland's Coming Bioscience Revolution--By Fred D. Mason Jr. (The Bowie Star 9-16, 2010) (pdf)
Ohio
Bioscience Offers Jobs of the Future--By William Burga (Cincinnati Enquirer 9-14-2010) (pdf)
Patent Reform Legislation Would Usher Out U.S. Jobs--By William Burga (
Op-Ed from the Columbus Dispatch 3-8-2008)