ResearchAndMarkets.com published a new article on the construction industry "Impact of COVID-19 on Drywall and Insulation"

Housing completions fell by 7.3% between April 2020 and May 2020 and declined by 9.3% in May 2020 versus May 2019. The specialty trade contracting industry gained 325,300 jobs between April 2020 and May 2020 however industry employment was down 6.4% in May 2020 compared to May 2019. Demand for drywall is predicted to increase as the housing market recovers from COVID-19. Gypsum prices rose by 1.5% in May 2020 after a decline of 1.3% in April 2020. Prices are down 8.3% from the most recent peak in March 2018.

The shutdown of non essential construction left many construction projects unfinished. Since drywall and insulation installations typically occur towards the end of the project, in many cases this work was not completed. This created the risk of material degradation as well as water damage for partially built structures. Some contractors are concerned that there could be a decline in construction spending once projects started earlier in the year are completed. This is because developers may be more cautious until the economy has fully recovered.

To see the full article and a list of related reports on the market, visit "Impact of COVID-19 on Drywall and Insulation"

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Impact of COVID-19 on Drywall and Insulation - The Shutdown of Non Essential Construction Left Many Construction Projects Unfinished -...

OCONOMOWOC The citys newest senior living facility, Evin at Oconomowoc, 1101 Silver Lake St., is on track to be completed by October after breaking ground last summer.

The 80-room development being built by Matter Development in partnership with Koru Health is fully enclosed with the exterior shell being installed on the building, said Matter Development CEO Aaron Matter.

Matter said things are going well at the project with the inside being defined and laid out, but not having the drywall installed as of yet.

Ultimately the next step on the interior is ... theyre installing all the plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems including the HVAC systems in the building, Matter said.

The HVAC system Evin at Oconomowoc is installing is a special system that helps keep the residents stay safe, Matter said. The system is hospital grade and is the same one being used at facilities around the country, Matter said.

We recognize that there are big issues related to resident safety that were experiencing right now in the world, especially for seniors, Matter said. So the system we're installing in the building has been shown to be effective against removing the coronavirus from the air. Its something that I think will give people a lot of peace of mind for going above and beyond on that.

In a press release, Matter said Evin at Oconomowocs innovation for keeping their residents safe extends to touchable surfaces as well, with installing keyless locks, a video-capable entrance system for visitors so residents can see who is visiting them and commercial laundry machines for higher levels of sanitation.

The release states while Evin is prioritizing its residents through innovative practices, it is also thinking about the families and residents lifestyle.

President of Koru Health Andy Lange said Evin is creating a personal safety visitor lounge with a separate exterior entrance, and special considerations that allow the most opportunities possible for safe visiting by families and friends if there is a future flare up.

Here is the original post:
Evin at Oconomowoc on track to finish by October - Greater Milwaukee Today

Dear Ken: I have an old patio, and I need to give it a facelift. Should I patch it? Repour or replace it? Pete

Answer: Most of these attached concrete patios end up settling, cracking or both. Theyre ugly and in many cases let water drain toward the house. Its quite expensive to tear out and replace them since the old and the new concrete are heavy and difficult to get through the backyard around landscaping and fences. And so-called cosmetic coatings usually dont last as long as youd like (and theyre expensive, too!).

A better idea is to cover up these old white elephants with a brand-new surface to wit: a new deck. Leave the old patio right where it is and use it, instead, as a huge footer to hold up the new surface. This is really one of the easiest framing jobs youll ever encounter, so lets get started.

We simply build an underlying framework of treated lumber (the green stuff) to hold up the new deck boards. You can use say, treated 2-by-8s for your floor joists and space them 16 inches or 24 inches apart, depending on the span. The lumber yard can help you figure out size and spacing of the supports.

But heres the slick part: After you set out the floor joists in rows, you simply install 2x4 legs of the same treated lumber every 3 feet or so, sticking right down to the old patio. Mark each leg in its place, and theyll cut off at whatever angle the patio surface has settled to. Attach it all together with the same screws youll use for the decking. Youll be amazed at how strong the whole thing will be with these vertical legs underneath.

Now the decking. There are at least three choices here. Sorted by price, lowest to high: pressure-treated Southern yellow pine, redwood or plastic composite. The first two, of course, require periodic stripping and restaining while plastic is essentially maintenance-free.

For the redwood or pine, the decking looks best-proportioned with 2x6 boards, screwed to the under frame with zinc-coated (gold or silver) 3-inch screws. Space them ever-so-slightly apart (the thickness of a nickel is OK), and, when theyre dry, theyll be just the right distance apart.

Wait a month or so (longer during these monsoons) to finish the boards. Choose a linseed oil-based product, like Super Deck, Behr or Cabots. If you prefer water-based, Olympic Ultimate, six-year, works well.

The plastic decking systems usually require special screws and some even come with hidden plastic clips that give a uniform appearance without the intrusion of fasteners.

Dear Ken: I have an attic fan that which seems to run all the time. Whats going on? Alan

Answer: If it never goes off even at night then it probably needs a service call. Ill assume that the thermostat on the fan is preset around 105 degrees. Im sure that your overnight attic temperature gets below that.

So you probably need some more attic ventilation. Proper circulation up there relies on bottom-to-top movement of air. So, the most likely culprit is those little soffit vents, up behind the gutters. Shine a light into them and see if theyre covered over with insulation. If so, remove it.

One way to keep track of this is to install a sensor for a remote-reading thermostat in the attic. That way you can correlate the temperature with the on-and-off operation of the fan.

Dear Ken: One of my electric circuits always seems to be going out. What should I do? Ed

Answer: It sounds like either an overload youre running too many things on the circuit or a weak circuit breaker. If youre comfortable around the breaker box, you can switch the offending one temporarily with another. If the new breaker stays on, then the original breaker is probably failing. They do age and sometimes just wear out. On the other hand, if the circuit keeps going out, it could be overloaded; remember that anything that produces heat draws lots of current.

Dear Ken: My dishwasher doesnt fill up with enough water. Whats going on? Rachel

Answer: Check the float its a dome-shaped device that sits in the bottom of the dishwasher tub and senses when the right amount of water has entered. If it doesnt move up and down freely, service it or replace. Also, the inlet pipe and/or valve may be clogged. Youll have to remove the front panel, disconnect the pipe and run water into a bucket to test it.

While youre in there, clean the drain filter in the bottom of the dishwasher and unscrew the spray arm and clean out the holes.

Dear Ken: I have a drywall crack in the living room ceiling of my 1963 house. How can I make it quit cracking and patch it? Dawn

Answer: If theres more than one layer of roofing on your house, added load from snow may be overstressing the rafter system. Generally, straight cracks (along a drywall seam) are less worrisome than random ones. Otherwise, spackling and the spray-texture-in-a-can is the only solution.

If it keeps coming back, one answer is to apply a decorative board to the ceiling to look like an intentional decorative or structural element.

Dear Ken: Ive got a sump pump pit in the basement with no pump, but it has some water in it that smells. What should I do? Sam

Answer: The smell can be ameliorated with a capful of Clorox in the water. If youre going on long vacations this summer, you might want to install a sump pump into the pit and run its pipe outdoors. But I must tell you that, if you only have some water in it after all this rain, youve lucked out!

Ken Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His radio show airs at 4 pm Saturdays on KRDO, FM 105.5 and AM 1240. Visit http://www.aroundthehouse.com

Excerpt from:
Around the House: Cover up cracked patio with a new deck - Colorado Springs Gazette

Nineteen students from nine different high schools have built a new home that will be installed on a lot in Pontiac for a family in need.

The house built by 19 Oakland Schools students in Pontiac.

Its the second year for the educational construction project at Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast. Under the instruction of teachers and industry professionals, the students spent 7,300 hours building the 1,368 square-foot home.

Oakland County and Oakland Schools representatives cut the ribbon.

A ribbon cutting for the project was held on Wednesday, July 1. Shortly after, the 164,000-pound house was transported to Pontiac, where the Community Housing Network will match it with new homeowners.

This program allows students to gain essential skills for working in the real world, Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson said.

Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson speaks prior to the ribbon cutting of the second home to be built at the Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast Campus.

From raising the framing to installing plumbing, electrical, windows, insulation and drywall, the students spend the school year bringing the house to completion. When class was let out early this March due to the coronavirus, the schools partners in the trades industry stepped in to finish the job, according to Paul Galbenski, dean at the technical campus.

Students at the ribbon cutting for the home they built with Oakland Schools.

These students have turned a pile of wood into a home that, when they pass by 10 or 25 years from now, they can still see what it is they accomplished here, Galbenski said.

Construction technology students at Oakland Schools take one last look at the home they spent months building which will now make its way to Pontiac.

Students from this years home building project come from: Pontiac High School, Pontiac Academy for Excellence, Auburn Hills Avondale High School, Rochester High School, Rochester Stoney Creek High School, Rochester Adams High School, Oxford High School, Lake Orion High School and the Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmers recommendation Tuesday that the MHSAA play football and other fall sports in the spring of 2021 to combat

A 20-year-old Pontiac woman was saved Monday night by Oakland County Sheriff's deputies after she tried to kill herself by cutting her wrist a

Most fireworks displays, ceremonies and festivities are canceled or postponed due to coronavirus concerns. However a few communities and lake

Continued here:
Building trade skills and a new home, Oakland Schools cuts ribbon on student house project - The Oakland Press

She's kind of a cross between your grandma and an Army drill sergeant.

Shelia Garrett, the lead cashier at Ace Hardware on Rosedale Highway, is in her 16th year at the family-owned store. But this year she's starting to earn a reputation as "The Mean Mask Lady" for her straightforward,no-nonsense approach to customers who feel the need to challenge the store's requirement that masks must be worn inside.

"Shelia's not really mean," said assistant manager Donald Johnson. "She's just the first one customers see when they come in."

Indeed, Garrett is often working the cash register right inside the front door. And when someone comes in without a mask, she's no shrinking violet.

"I will say something," she said.

And word has been getting around. Garrett has become something of a local celebrity for her uncanny ability to make grown men feel like they're in trouble with their third-grade teacher.

What's a macho, drywall-installing, red-blooded American male supposed to do when this grandmotherly type lays down the law?

There's only one thing to do, unless he doesn't mind coming off like a real jerk.

Garrett can laugh about it, but she says this has been her toughest year yet in retail.

The big chalkboard outside is clear: "Masks are required," it says.

But apparently it's not that simple.

Every employee at the store wears a mask for eight or nine hours a day (apparently without suffering oxygen depravation), yet some customers act like wearing a mask for a few minutes in the store isa major inconvenience.

And the employees have heard it all.

"Its against my religion."

"I have a medical condition."

"I vowed I would never wear a mask, and Im not going to start now."

"I might be mistaken for a robber."

And being sworn at. Yes, it's a thing.

It's even gotten physical, Johnson said.

According to multiple news reports, a Target employee in Van Nuys was injured after helping to remove two customers who refused to wear masks.

In Pennsylvania, a convenience store clerk was punched in the face after declining service to a man without a mask.

And there's been much worse.

"I've been here a long time," Garrett said. "Most customers are good about it."

It only takes one or two to ruin your day.

On Friday, Gilbert Beal was shopping at Ace with his 5-year-old son, Liam. Both father and son were wearing masks.

"The way I understand it, wearing a mask doesn't protect us, it protects those around us," said the Marine veteran turned law enforcement officer.

"It's gotten to the point some people are getting out of hand," he said. "Put a mask on. Be courteous to others."

Whatever Garrett and her co-workers are doing seems to be working. Compliance for the mask requirement is virtually 100 percent at Ace.

Down the street at the big-box Lowe's Home Improvement store, mask compliance was only about 40 percent on Thursday afternoon. Even some employees weren't wearing a mask.

Customer Roslyn Atherly, however, was masked up as she exited the store.

"I am concerned," she said as she stopped to talk.

After seeing so many customers without masks, even as the county of Kern is seeing an increase in reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Atherly said the community's behavior is worrisome.

"You don't have to have symptoms to pass on the infection," she said.

These are strange times. But Garrett seems to have a knack for enforcing a requirement that not everyone cares to abide by. And she does it with class.

She's not afraid to give customers the business even as they're giving the store theirs.

Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC.

Link:
Ace is the place with the Mean Mask Lady - The Bakersfield Californian

A: When the wall is removed, it will be replaced with a horizontal beam, which will be supported at each end by a vertical post. These posts carry the concentrated load of all the ceiling and roof weight. This project definitely requires permitting. The permit will dictate that a construction engineer ensure that the replacement posts and beam are sufficient to hold the weight that is being displaced by the removal of the wall.

Q: What are the steps in the removal of the wall?

A: The right way to remove the wall involves prep work, creating a footing and installing the posts and beam.

Whether the beam is exposed is a matter of preference. Some homeowners like the look of the exposed wood. It does cost a bit more to recess the beam.

If the beam is exposed, it is attached to the bottom of the joists. This beam will be exposed when the drywall is replaced. It can be stained or painted to accent the room. If it is preferred that the beam is hidden, the ceiling joist will be cut just enough to slip the beam up so that it will be flush with the ceiling. Ceiling joists must be anchored to beams with appropriate hardware.

Q: What is involved after the beam is installed?

A: Heres a checklist for finishing the job:

View post:
Rosie on the House: Any load-bearing wall can be removed, but itll cost you - Arizona Daily Star

For something so small, tiny houses are tough to ignore. There are more than a dozen tiny-house TV shows on cable and streaming, and entire tiny-house communities are popping up in California, Texas, Florida and beyond. Its kind of a big deal.

Two years ago, Tim Maron heard a story on NPR about tiny-house communities in the South. Around that same time, the then-Life Scout from Pennsylvania happened to be brainstorming ideas for his Eagle Scout service project.

Thethought occurred to me that I could create a tiny house in my area for someone in need, just as they had in the South, he says.

But he didnt want to build a house for just anyone. Tim, who has grandfathers, uncles, and cousins who served in the military, wanted to build a tiny house for a veteran.

Veterans served our country and were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, only to return home to homelessness or poverty, he says. I felt the house should be created to give back to the veteran community.

After raising $55,000 and working tirelessly to lead a team of fellow Scouts, adult volunteers and professional contractors, the house was completed in 2019. Rich Kisner, executive director of project beneficiary Community Strategies Group, told WNEP-TV that he had worked on housing projects before but had never experienced anything like this.

He did all the work, Kisner says of Tim, who was 17 when the project was completed. It was really rewarding to be a part of to see a young Scout like this take the initiative.

For building a home from scratch for a Pennsylvania veteran, the Eagle Scout from Troop 300 of Hobbie, Pa. (Columbia-Montour Council), received the 2020 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award for the Northeast Region.

The 2020 Adams awards, detailed at the end of this post, recognize outstanding Eagle projects completed by young people who earned Eagle in 2019.

After brainstorming potential Eagle Scout projects, Tim narrowed his list to two ideas: revitalize the public-address system at his high school stadium or build a tiny house for a veteran.

As Eagle projects go, that second option wasnt going to be easy. Tim had to find a location, secure a zoning change, hire an architect and a contractor, figure out a budget and recruit volunteers.

And then there was the small matter of money. Tim needed to raise more than $55,000 to build the 550-square-foot home.

The response from the community was very positive, he says. Many companies and organizations donated to the project some of them found me instead of me going to them first. The project really brought out the best in the surrounding community.

Donations came pouring in $10, $50, $100 or more at a time. But still, Tim wasnt near the $55,000 he needed. He started a GoFundMe page, applied for grants (most of which were denied, he says) and presented at local veterans organizations to ask for money.

I was struggling, he says. The breakthrough came when I received a notification that I had received a grant from Wells Fargo.

The Wells Fargo Foundations VeteranWINS program, which provides grants to address veteran homelessness, agreed to donate $45,000 to Tims effort.

Building a house takes a lot of paperwork permits, applications, something called a letter of nonconformity. And this was while Tim was still in high school, where a mix of studying, writing papers and participating in extracurriculars kept him plenty busy.

I was surprised at how long it actually took, he says. The process may have been slowed down due to me being in school and afterschool activities, but it was still very lengthy.

But things really picked up once all the Is were dotted and Ts crossed. The house began taking shape, all under Tims direction. Like any good leader, he assembled a great team and let the experts do their jobs.

Being the leader of the project was a challenge, Tim says, but it was made easier through the delegation of work to others, as well as the advice from adult peers that had been through the process before.

Tims team included Scouts, Scout leaders, volunteers from the community, volunteers from Wells Fargo, contractors and sub-contractors. Thats a lot of moving parts, but under Tims leadership, all of these different groups worked together smoothly. Once the process began, momentum carried it forward quickly.

The amount of time it took to construct the house compared to getting ready for the construction surprised me, he says. I learned a great amount about constructing a house and what the process is like, from laying the block, creating the base, framing the house, installing drywall, doing the electrical, painting and all the finishing touches.

Building a house seems like a herculean effort, and it is. But Tim encourages younger Scouts considering Eagle project ideas to dream big.

No matter how large of a project they may be attempting to complete, if they set their mind to it and dedicate themselves to completing the project, they will be able to achieve their goal, he says. As long as they do not give up and keep working, they can achieve their goal.

But whatever the projects scope, it should have some sort of personal significance, Tim says. Then all that work feels a little less like work.

Pick a project for a not-for-profit that means something to you, he says. This will make doing your project more enjoyable and raise the anticipation to see the project completed.

This post is one of a quartet of articles recognizing four outstanding Eagle projects by Class of 2019 Eagle Scouts.

Each project covered in these posts received theGlenn A. and Melinda W. Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award.

The award process begins at the council level, where each council can nominate one outstanding project to the National Eagle Scout Association. From there, one project from each BSA region Central, Northeast, Western and Southern is selected to receive the Adams award.

Regional recipients get $500 each for future educational purposes or to attend a national or international Scouting event or facility. Their councils also get $500 apiece.

Next, a special selection committee of the National Eagle Scout Association selects a national winner from among those four recipients. The national recipient gets $2,500 for future educational purposes or to attend a national or international Scouting event or facility. Their council gets $2,500, too.

2020 Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award recipients

Aaron Derr and Gina Circelli from Boys Life magazinewill interview each of these recipients live on Facebook. Check out the schedule below. Cant watch live? The interviews will live forever on theBoys LifeFacebook page so you can see what you missed.

Related

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2020 Northeast Region Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year - Scouting Magazine

Nearly three years ago two long-time members of the Goderich Art Club had an aha moment.

Madeleine Roske and Nancy Marchl realized that their long membership in the club provided them with memories and insights that were increasingly rare amongst the current club membership.

As Roske and Marchl thought about this fact, they realized that unless someone took on the task memories of the clubs history and of its founding members would be lost.

Roske and Marchl soon embarked on their research interviewing, collecting photos, and memories, and writing.

What has emerged from this work is a book filled with memories and photos of the Goderich Art Club and its members from 1952 until present day.

As they began this project they were fortunate to have been able to meet with both Paul Carroll and Jean Culbert, both of whom were life-long members who had kept photos and had memories, which they generously shared.

Paul Carroll had become a member when he was a teenager, and related how helpful those early members were in the development of his own life-long interest in art.

Now, some might think that they have no interest in art, or that they dont know any of the members, so this book would be of no interest to you. Yet, think again, because paralleling the history of the art club is a history of post World War II South Western Ontario.

This was an era of can-do people suffered great losses, had to ration, experienced lots of worry, and absorbed harsh news on a daily basis during the war years.

Now in the 1950s they had emerged into modern times. Colour, leisure, new ideas, and recreational pursuits were now seen as important and popular.

Artistic endeavours such as painting, drawing, and fancy needlework, rather than rationing of supplies, blackouts, and knitting or sewing for the war effort, had become very au courant.

Suddenly art supplies and vibrant new paint colours were readily available, and people were eager to try things they had not had the time or resources to do during many years of privation.

Now in an era of prosperity, modernity, and newly found leisure, artistic pursuits would have fit right in.

On first reading it seemed simply astonishing that a group from a small town would simply pick up the phone to ask a well known artist, who at that time was Curator of the London Art Gallery, to come to town to help them establish an art club. Yet, thats exactly what they did.

Mrs. Iona Hind called Mr. Clare Bice, Curator of the London Art Gallery, a highly respected Canadian artist who has paintings in the National Gallery of Art in Ottawa. He was asked to come and help them with the founding of the club.

Subsequently, three lectures on How to Paint Pictures were arranged, and soon, Mr. Selwyn Dewdney, Mr. Simon Versteeg, and Mr. Herb Ariss were all enlisted to provide theses first lectures. These talented London artists were paid $15.00 each, plus expenses for their foundational instruction, and the Goderich Art Club was up and running.

The club has existed ever since, in many different formats and in many different homes. It has now settled permanently at the McKay Centre for Seniors.

However, just because the club meets there, doesnt mean that membership is restricted to seniors, which is definitely not the intent.

Currently, members paint together on Wednesday afternoons, and Saturday mornings. Art Club members hold a popular annual Show and Sale during Celtic weekend, and frequently offer lessons and demonstrations of particular painting techniques. Information on how to join is available by calling the McKay Centre, or dropping in for a visit during regular painting sessions. All who are interested will be welcomed, and, probably invited to stay for a cup of tea and a cookie as they visit.

Some may think they have no interest in art, but they just might discover that their parents, or grandparents, aunts, or uncles have had some involvement with the Goderich Art Club over its long and varied history.

The history of the Art Club is also a history of Goderich, from the 1950s to the present, which is of interest to everyone.

Roske and Marchl have included photos, memories and anecdotes, and with the skilled assistance of Rhea Hamilton-Seeger have organized it into a fascinating look-back at Goderich, its citizens, and art in the community.

You can get your own copy of this book at Finchers, and Elizabeths Art Gallery, or by contacting Madeleine Roske.

Read more:
Memories of the Goderich Art Club - Goderich Signal Star

The University of Toronto(U of T) made waves in the local architecture worldwhen in Spring, 2018 their plan to build the tallest mass timber and concrete hybrid building in North America was announced. More details emerged in September, 2018, when the U of T submitted their plans to the City, seeking rezoning to permit the proposed 14-storey, timber-frame Academic Wood Towerabove the north end of the recently constructed Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

Looking northwest to Academic Wood Tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

Designed byPatkau Architectsof Vancouver andMacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects(MJMA) of Toronto, the project's initial design evolved with an April, 2019 resubmission for zoning which addressed concerns raised by City staff to details of the 2018 submission. Revisions were made to some ofthe building's internal componentsand elements of the projects crystalline massing and building envelope.

Looking southwest to Academic Wood Tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

The plan has since advanced again, with a May, 2020 application now seeking Site Plan Approval (SPA) including a number of minor revisions and clarifications.Again, there are changes that addresscomments received from City staff to the previous submission, while also seeking to clear conditions to have the plan proceed to City Council for approval.

Looking south to Academic Wood Tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

Clarifications concerning the tower's exterior cladding are included in the revised application, specifying that it is proposed with aglass fibre-reinforced concrete panel or cement board panel system in a custom colour in a warm tonal range. This durable materialwith a natural texture formed during the fabrication processis to be installed in a board-like format with large reveals, to evoke a wood-like finish that ties in with the timber themes.

Looking west to Academic Wood Tower, image via submission to City of Toronto

Additional information and images can be found in our Database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread, or leave a comment below.

* * *

UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for afree trial of our New Development Insiderhere.

Follow this link:
U of T's Academic Wood Tower Advances with Resubmission - Urban Toronto

The BDN is making the most crucial coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact in Maine free for all readers. Click here for all coronavirus stories and here for the free collection. You can join others committed to safeguarding this vital public service by purchasing a subscription or donating directly to the newsroom.

PORTLAND The stakes are growing in a strike against Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works during a global pandemic as company-provided health insurance is running out for 4,300 shipbuilders whove left their jobs.

Striking workers from Machinists Union Local S6 will be responsible for their own insurance effective Wednesday, just days after three workers who carpooled together tested positive for the coronavirus.

At least one of those three workers who tested positive had been on the picket line in Bath, a union spokesman said.

Striking workers said Tuesday they were determined to press on even with the strike as tens of thousands of people remain unemployed in Maine, and several states report surging cases of COVID-19.

The workers are striking over subcontracting, work rules and seniority, while wages and benefits are a secondary concern. The companys final offer called for a three-year contract with pay raises of 3 percent in each year.

The choice is very simple. I had to strike. There was no other option, said Brad Farrell, whos married and has four children, and fears subcontracting and seniority changes could force him out of his job in the tin shop.

Workers overwhelmingly rejected the companys final contract proposal and went on strike June 22. There have been no talks since then. The company had no immediate comment Tuesday.

The last strike, in 2000, lasted 55 days.

Workers are getting prepared for the long haul, looking at other jobs and health care options. Keeping health insurance through the so-called COBRA program can cost up to a couple of thousand dollars a month. Others said they will simply do without health insurance.

Kelley Ammons, a 58-year-old marine electrician, opted to forgo purchasing insurance and filled a blood pressure prescription Tuesday, before the expiration of the companys insurance.

Hopefully thatll get me through until the team can get back to the negotiating table and work out a deal, Ammons said.

Gordon Campbell, a 55-year-old sandblaster, has money set aside, and hes paying more to be on his wifes insurance. I just hope that both sides will get together and try to resolve this, he said.

Bath Iron Works, a subsidiary of Virginia-based General Dynamics, provided a good insurance plan for workers because the union negotiated for it, and that underscores the necessity of fighting for a good contract, said union spokesman Tim Suitter.

The strike has big implications not just for the shipbuilder but also for the Navy, which wants warships to be delivered as quickly as possible at a time of growing competition from Russia and China.

Bath Iron Works is one of the Navys five largest shipbuilders and one of only two that make destroyers, the workhorse of the fleet, which are capable of simultaneously battling aircraft, missiles, warships and submarines. Some of them have ballistic missile defense capability.

The shipyard is already about six months behind schedule, partly because of the pandemic, and it will need subcontractors to help get back on schedule, Bath Iron Works President Dirk Lesko has said.

The union has characterized some of the shipyards proposals as an attempt to break the union, while the company contends it needs to streamline operations to lower prices to remain competitive.

The company hired 1,800 workers last year and is hiring another 1,000 this year, so theres no effort to shrink the workforce, the company said. The shipyard employs about 6,800 workers.

Story by David Sharp, The Associated Press

See the rest here:
Striking BIW shipbuilders are losing health coverage in pandemic - Bangor Daily News