The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

For full details, see the poster bleow.

You can download the info here.

MN Government Daily Press Briefing March 30, 2020

Governor Walz

• Governor Walz announced that state COVID-19 deaths have risen to 10.
• He also said that over the month of March, traffic flow is down 71% in Greater Minnesota and 79% in the metro area. This is one aspect of social distancing that has allowed the state to buy valuable time to prepare hospitals, do more testing, and make other preparations as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In accordance with Executive Order 20-14, the governor reiterated that evictions will be halted beginning April 1.
• When asked whether the state’s hospitals and medical facilities have enough personal protective equipment, the governor responded, “As of today, yes.” However, he said the state does not have enough personal protective equipment right now for when the peak in infections arrives. The governor said the state is ramping up acquisition of such equipment – ventilators and personal protective equipment – for those on the front line.

To All Local34 Members:

The 2020 Fishing Outing has been cancelled.

Reminder:

All April meetings have been cancelled.

Stay safe!

In Solidarity,

Samuel Schultz

Walz Daily Press Briefing

The governor was asked today during the press briefing about the level of restriction on construction in his order in relation to expected tightening referenced today by Governor Cuomo in NY. Governor Walz responded that NY is more dense and that current modeling allows construction to continue here. He gave a compliment to the building trades for strong adherence to the CDC and MDH guidelines.

This afternoon, Governor Walz and administration officials held a conference call with reporters to update the public on state efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please find attached the slides from a Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council webinar on COVID-19.

It provides a good summary of relevant rules and guidelines.

Download the pdf here.

The House and Senate passed another COVID-19 response package to assist Minnesota coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related disruptions.

• This legislation provides $331 million to help Minnesotans withstand the effects of this global pandemic. It establishes a dedicated COVID-19 Minnesota Fund that will be used by the Walz Administration to keep Minnesotans safe during this emergency. The package also includes funding for childcare providers, college students, small businesses, veterans, homeless shelters, and food shelves. The two previous COVID-19 bills passed by the legislature allocated a combined $221 million in funding for medical needs – bringing the total to $552 million this year to address the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota.

With the increasing restrictions being implemented nationwide regarding an appropriate response to Covid-19, I wanted to assure you that TEAM's services continue without interruption. We have been monitoring the situation daily and continue to update our strategy in order to become more accessible during this time of crisis.

Local34 Members:

Please find the attached Executive Order issued by Gov. Walz along with my read of it (same text as below).

Executive Order

Okay to Work

Response by Sam Schultz

My initial read of this order is that it allows workers in the following critical service categories to go to work:

• Workers in skilled trades related to construction of all kind.
• Workers engaged in roadway construction, maintenance and utility projects.
• Workers performing public workers construction including construction of critical or strategic infrastructure.
• Construction materials suppliers and workers providing services necessary to maintain construction materials sources.
• Workers supporting building code enforcement.
• Workers performing any construction required in response to COVID-19, including health care faciilties and essential businesses and services.
• Construction required for emergency repairs and safety.
• Critical Labor Functions. Includes labor union essential functions, including health and welfare funds and monitoring safety of members.

We are considered an essential worker. If you want to continue to work and your job stays open it will be allowed. Please keep social distancing and stay safe in this time.

In solidarity,

Samuel Schultz

To: Local34 Members

From: Samuel Schultz

Please see new information about the impacts of COVID-19 in the attached documents:

Emergency Order Update from the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services

Open letter from the NABTU to state and federal governments.

In solidarity,

Samuel Schultz

Legislative Updates:

• Bonding.  We are tracking the bonding proposals.  We are also looking to identify bonding projects to highlight as we advocate for a bonding bill that meets the construction needs in Minnesota. If you have projects that you would like highlighted, please contact .    
• Equity in Bonding.  The Department of Human Rights has proposed to expand its equity hiring goals to all local bonding projects.   Attached is the MDHR Fact Sheet from the bill last year.  There is a hearing on this bill on Thursday 2/13. 
• Energy. Attached is the MBT Energy Policy Priorities information that we are sharing with legislators.  
• Agenda.  As a reminder – our policy agenda top priorities for this session are:
• Bonding to Build Minnesota.
• Prevailing Wages Build Minnesota.
• Construction Workforce Development through Registered Apprenticeship.
• Pro-Worker Energy Policy.
• Pro-Worker Housing Policy. 

Political Updates:

• CD 1.  Candidate Dan Feehan will be at the State Building Trades Council on Wednesday, February 19 to meet with the MBT officers.  Any State Council Executive Board member that would like to attend are welcome.  Pease let me know if you would like to attend. 
• Endorsements.  No State Council endorsements have been finalized yet.  As a reminder, our endorsement process is here: https://mntrades.org/priorities/endorsements/. This information can be shared with any interested candidates.  

Council Updates:

• Extern.  Law student Katy Traynor Rollins starts her Externship with the MBT tomorrow.  She will be shadowing at the Capitol on Wednesdays during session. 
• Legislative Conference.  The NABTU Legislative Conference  is March 29 – April 1, 2020.  There will be a Minnesota Breakfast on Tuesday, March 31 from 7:30 – 8:30 am, location TBD.  All of the MBT rooms are spoken for.  If you have any questions, please contact Jenn at . 
• 2020 Convention.  Planning is underway for the July 22 – 24 convention.  Save the Date information will be out on March 2.

In the News:

• Polymet.  Harry represented the MBT at the Jobs 4 Minnesotans press conference today, 2/11 supporting the Polymet project. 
• Child Labor.  Attached is the BT statement on the DLI Child Labor Report.  Here is a link to the Finance and Commerce article: https://finance-commerce.com/2020/01/agency-job-sites-too-risky-for-teens/. Please let me if you are hearing about efforts to change Minnesota’s child labor laws. 
• Wage Theft.  In case you didn’t see the coverage about the charges filed against Merit Drywall, attached is the MBT statement.  WCCO press coverage is here:  https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/01/21/hennepin-co-attorney-mike-freeman-announces-felony-charges-against-former-owners-of-merit-drywall/

Upcoming:

• March 29 - April 1 - NABTU Legislative Conference, Washington DC
• April 8, 2020 -  State Council Executive Board Meeting