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NEWS
Tuesday, April 15
Michigan Tech Lode
The Workers strike for enforcement of prevailing wage world at a glance KATELYN WAARA News Editor
Scan the QR code to learn about subduction zones from National Geographic.
Seismic activity strikes Solomon Islands The Solomon Islands experienced a powerful 7.6 earthquake on Sunday, April 13. The quake sent large waves into the area, which caused a tsunami alert to be issued. According to an ABC News report (http:// abcn.ws/1nj1rnz), a tsunami warning was cancelled by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Although three large waves were reported by people on the islands in the vicinity of the quake, no reports have been made of damage or injuries. The Solomon Islands, described as a hidden paradise, are currently recovering from severe flash floods. Striking Honiara, the capital city, the floods on April 3 reportedly killed 23 people and left 9,000 homeless. Others still remain missing. Thousands of miles from the west coast of the United States, the earthquakes felt on Sunday in the Solomon Islands were no threat to California, Oregon, Washington State, Hawaii or Alaska. The legendary Ring of Fire lies beneath the Solomon Islands. According to Volcano World, offered by Oregon State University, the Ring of Fire is home to most of the Earth’s subduction zones. A subduction zone is a location in the earth’s crust and upper mantle where one plate is shoved beneath another, causing stress. The heavier plate most often slips under the lighter one, melting back into the Earth’s mantle. Subduction zones are oftentimes the sites of volcanos. In total, the Ring of Fire encompasses 25,000 miles in its horseshoe shape. National Geographic Education (http:// bit.ly/1gTMzqc) said the Andes in South America, the Cascade Range in North America and the Southern Alps in New Zealand and all part of, or associated with, the Ring of Fire. An example of an active volcano in the Ring of Fire is Mount St. Helens in Washington State.
Spring graduation is looming over the heads of many Michigan Tech students. Like all upcoming graduates, students in fields where construction and innovation are key building blocks in their role in society are pondering the possible positions they can hold in the near future. Whether they’re in a construction manager role or one as hard-working and dedicated laborer, it is helpful to be aware of the potential ambiguities and details of fair labor practices in this workplace. If you, or someone you know, wasn’t paid what they were due, how would you react? In a recently settled lawsuit, Moyle Construction, a local contractor and property developer, paid over $450,000 of unpaid pension funds and lost opportunity costs to former employees, some of which worked on Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) project. Current striking workers involved in the suit, former employees, local clergy members and other supporters feel it is necessary for the public to fully understand the severity of this issue. Last Friday, April 11, a large group gathered on Michigan Tech’s campus near the intersection of MacInnes Drive as well as entrances to the Memorial Union Building (MUB) and library to raise awareness so something like this doesn’t happen again. The busy intersection was a prime location to gain exposure for their cause. Darin Burcar and Rich Simons, striking employees of Moyle, first noticed discrepancies on their paychecks, which led to concern and further investigation. The GLRC and other projects were part of Federal Davis-Bacon or State Prevailing Wage projects from 2009 through the end of 2012. According to a recent press release, Moyle Construction regularly reported the funds, but the money never reached employees’ pension accounts. According to Gregg Richards, Facilities Engineer and Project Manager on
the GLRC project, Moyle was acting as a subcontractor under Granger Construction, out of Lansing, Mich. “As a State University, MTU falls under this rule to require contractors to use the prevailing wages,” said Richards in an email, adding, “Typically, we contract with a general contractor who usually uses subcontractors with specialized skills (plumbers, masons, electricians, steam fitters, etc.). During the GLRC project our [the University’s] contract was with Granger Construction who in turn subcontracted out portions of the work to several companies, one being Moyle.” As one of many regional projects workers completed over the course of the four years in question, the GLRC project
“In any case, the institution who works with the contractor would hold responsibility to enforce the paying of wages to ensure fair labor practices for the workers.” is a direct instance where a contractor (or subcontractor), Moyle Construction, allegedly did not pay their workers what they were owed in pension funds. According to its legal documents, the University should have been overseeing that. “All subcontractors were required to provide certified payrolls with their application for payment to Granger. Granger would then review all the subcontractor’s payment applications and if correct, include them in their payment application to the University,” said Richards. Tim Helminen, President of Moyle Construction, was contacted, but did not have comments to make at this time. Chris Rootes, supporter of the workers and their cause, said that even though Michigan Tech has language in place, a
lack of enforcement is the real issue. In essence, it is the end-users responsibility. In any case, the institution who works with the contractor would hold responsibility to enforce the paying of wages to ensure fair labor practices for the workers. In this case in particular, it should have been Michigan Tech doing the enforcing. “MTU has a responsibility to comply,” said Rootes. Under Michigan Tech’s written policies for contractors, Article 1.2.28 Prevailing Wage reads, “Rates of wages and fringe benefits to be paid to each class of mechanics employed by the contractor and all subcontractors, shall be not less than the wage and fringe benefit rates prevailing in the locality in which the work is to be performed.” The language also states that the contractor needs to keep records of all wages paid to employees, and that “This record shall be available for reasonable inspection by the Michigan Department of Labor and the University.” Bucky Beach, Pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, said he feels it is important to address this issue. Initially approached by Burcar and Simons, clergy members agreed to support their efforts. “They [clergy members] felt it is a moral issue and churches would be the place to go for moral support,” said Beach. In all actuality, this type of occurrence could happen to students in the future. Across the country and in our community, tradesmen and women have sons and daughters looking to go to college. Tuition isn’t cheap, and wage and pay struggles in construction-related workplaces are oftentimes daily struggles. In the case of Moyle Construction, general construction, Michigan Tech and the enforcement of the legal policies regarding fair labor and prevailing wage, it is not a matter of placing blame, but one of stopping this from affecting the young, innovative, soon-to-be graduates of the future construction and contractor business, some of which Michigan Tech has sown.
Michigan Environmental Hall of Fame inducts Wolf-Moose study Lead Director of Research John Vucetich accepts award in Grand Rapids AUTUMN CHANNEY Lode Writer Michigan Tech’s Environmental Science department has been working on an important study of the predator-prey
relationship between two of the Upper Peninsula’s beloved animals for over five decades. On April 10, John Vucetich, Lead Director of Research, accepted the Michigan Environmental Hall of Fame award on behalf of Michigan Tech. Because the Hall of Fame is located in Grand Rapids, Vucetich traveled
downstate to accept the award. He also gave a lecture at Grand Valley University discussing the decade-long study. The wolf-moose study shows the predator-prey relationship between the wolves and moose populations of Isle Royale, Michigan’s northernmost National P a r k Continued on page 5