FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mike Nystrom, Executive VP
September 21, 2018
MITA, National Guard Working on How to Bring
National Guard in to Restart Road Projects
This statement is from Mike Nystrom, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA). Nystrom is commenting on discussions now underway between MITA and the National Guard on how best to deploy National Guard heavy equipment operators to road projects currently shut down because of a defensive lockout with Operating Engineers (OE), Local 324. Gov. Rick Snyder has proposed using National Guard equipment operators to restart work on stalled road projects until OE 324 workers are back on the job. On June 1, the contract between MITA member companies and OE 324 expired.
LANSING, Mich. – “MITA is in direct conversations with high-ranking officials at the National Guard about how the industry and National Guard might work together to jumpstart road projects that have been affected by the Operating Engineers, Local 324 (OE 324) defensive lockout. MITA is surveying its members to determine specific operator needs required to temporarily replace all OE 324 members in terms of numbers, qualifications and geographical needs across the state. Due to the fact that not all operators use the same pieces of equipment, it is important for the safety of the job site and the integrity of the work that each project gets the appropriate operators for the job. Once this is determined, MITA and the National Guard will work with MDOT to determine how these equipment operators will be integrated into the contractors’ workforce. In the meantime, MITA continues to stand ready to meet with OE 324 leaders anytime to start meaningful talks.”
MITA (www.thinkmita.org) is a statewide construction trade association of more than 500 Michigan companies representing construction disciplines such as road and bridge, sewer and water, utility, railroad, excavation and specialty construction throughout the State of Michigan.
For more information or background on labor negotiations, go to https://michiganinfrastructurelabornegotiations.com/
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