Fresh from his Senate confirmation, David Michaels, the new Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, made his maiden speech as OSHA Administrator Wednesday. He spoke at a conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, an address entitled, “Making Green Jobs Safe: Integrating Occupational Safety & Health into Green and Sustainability.” Excerpt:

I think it’s very fitting and proper that my first speech as Assistant Secretary should address the issue of green jobs – what green jobs mean for the earth, for our economy and for American workers.

We’re all aware of the job opportunities that green jobs offer, and in the present economy, new technologies with the potential of new jobs are especially welcome.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis recently announced nearly $55 million in green job grants, authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These grants will support job training and labor market information programs to help workers, many in underserved communities, find jobs in expanding green industries and related occupations.

Is it fitting, really, that the first comments by a powerful federal regulator single out one segment of the economy for implicitly favored treatment? No one really knows what “green jobs” or “green industries” are; subjective definitions and standards are enemies of consistent regulation — and the rule of law, for that matter.

To be fair, the occasion was a forum dedicated to greenness, so comments to the topic were to be expected. But when speaking about the broader economy, Michaels offers even more of this subjectivity and invidiousness. This is a striking statement, coming as it does from a powerful regulatory and enforcement official who should embrace fairness and objectivity.

Where, and when possible, OSHA must move ahead on rulemaking for urgently needed standards – and to create good standards, we’ll need the input of scientists and engineers, academics, students and workers. We’ll also need allies in the progressive business community who will say “yes” to sensible changes and participate in the rulemaking process with constructive comments and insight.

Those comments divide employers into good business and bad business, progressives and reactionaries, those to be rewarded, those to be punished. In other words, “If you go along with us, support our proposals with our ‘sensible changes’ you’re progressive and good, and we’ll get along just fine. If you disagree with our proposals, object to our ‘sensible changes,” well, then, we won’t pay any attention to you. If you’re lucky. If you’re not, we might pay a lot of attention to you, and you won’t like it a bit.”

We would have expected a top official in the jobs-minded Obama Administration and Department of Labor to begin his tenure with speech that says, “We are going to work with everyone to create good jobs in a safe and healthy workplace.” Instead, we get a speech that told employers to fall in line with whatever OSHA says or pay the consequences.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Manufactures and our state allied associations in 29 states wrote President Obama before his trip to the København climate confab. Excerpt from the letter:

As our country struggles to emerge from the longest and deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression, we are opposed to any commitments that would give an edge to overseas competitors at the expense of domestic investment and job growth in the United States. Moreover, we are concerned that the competitive damage would be especially severe if the United States acts unilaterally while other manufacturing economies do not limit their own emissions.

Mr. President, we respectfully ask that you not make any international commitments that cost American jobs, raise energy prices for American businesses and consumers, or set our nation on a course contrary to our best economic interests.

Thanks to Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review’s The Corner blog for taking note.

And, a quick look around recent news reports finds:

• AP, “Obama adviser says job creation is top priority“
• Reuters, “Obama says boosting jobs is a top priority

Recent polling by the Workforce Fairness Institute shows that voters in Colorado and Nevada oppose the jobs-killing Employee Free Choice Act and are increasingly concerned with the state of our economy.

As the Las Vegas Sun highlights the feeling of Nevada voters on the bill:

The poll showed 57 percent of respondents oppose changing the way unions are organized and 64 percent oppose allowing mandatory arbitration to settle organizational disputes between workers and managers, as is proposed under the bill.

The Hill newspaper also notes that this polling shows that voters in Colorado oppose the bill and the proposed government takeover of wages and benefits that would result:

When read a description of EFCA, 66 percent of Coloradans said they’d prefer a candidate who would vote against the union organizing bill, compared to 29 percent who said they would prefer a candidate who supports the “card check” bill.

This data should send a strong message to Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Michael Bennet that voters in their states are focused on improving our economy and are not interested in radically overhauling our nation’s labor laws. It’s time for all Senators to finally take away the threat of this jobs-killing proposal and oppose card check legislation in any form.

Journal of Commerce, “House Votes to Extend Trade Programs”

The House on Monday voted to extend two widely-supported trade programs, but for only one year.

The General System of Preferences and the Andean Trade Preference Act were to expire on Dec. 31. The GSP, now in its 35th year, allows developing nations to export selected goods to the United States duty-free. There are currently 132 countries in the program, shipping some 3,400 products.

ATPA, started in 1991, gives similar benefits for exporters in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru in exchange for cooperation in counter-narcotics efforts. President Obama suspended Bolivia’s ATPA privileges for failing to commit to an anti-drug program.

Latin Business Chronicle, “Business Concern Over Ecuador Benefits,” citing rising objections to the deterioration of the rule of law in Ecuador under President Rafael Correa.

“We are disappointed that the Congress did not include a message specifically putting Ecuador on notice that its behavior puts its continued receipt of preferences benefits at serious risk,” Franklin J. Vargo, NAM’s international vice president, said in a letter Monday to the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means. “In light of the deteriorating investment climate in Ecuador, as well as Ecuador’s repudiation of its Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with the United States and President Correa’s announcement on sweeping aside fundamental patent protections for pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products, the NAM believes that language specific to Ecuador should have been maintained in the extension language of [the bill passed].”

NAM is concerned that without continuing language aimed at challenging Ecuador’s actions, other nations receiving preference programs will be tempted to follow suit, leading to worsening investment conditions and undermining a central tenant of preference programs that participants uphold their commitments to the United States on investment and rule of law, it said.

In any case, the House has now gone on record in support of lowering U.S. trade barriers to imports from foreign countries. It’s time to now lower foreign barriers to U.S. exports by approving the U.S.-Colombia, U.S.-Panama and U.S.-Korea free trade agreements.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), ranking member on the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, from The National Journal, “Climate Costs Would Add to Mounting U.S. Debt“:

Climate talks have already stalled over the demands of poor countries who expect rich nations to provide between $100 billion and $200 billion each year for energy technology and other climate mitigation costs. In contrast, developed nations, including the U.S., have proposed a $10 billion “starter fund.”

Countries like China and India have said nations like the U.S. need to provide funding in the neighborhood of 1 percent of GDP. For the U.S., that price tag is $140 billion a year, which is in addition to the $28 billion a year the U.S. already spends in foreign aid. For a U.S. family of four, China’s demand comes to nearly $1,900 in yearly taxes. And that’s just the beginning.

How would this create jobs in the U.S. manufacturing sector?

From The Washington Post’s page one story this morning, “U.S. urges carbon cuts in the developing world“:

Though the talks remain fragile, the U.S. moves appeared to rebuild momentum after comments by major participants, most notably China, that chances of even a modest deal were fading. The shift happens as the United States backed what amounts to the single biggest transfer of wealth from rich to poor nations for any one cause — in a sense offering compensation for decades of warming the Earth.

So that’s what København is all about?

From Association BisNow, “Homepage is Where the Heart is“:

Yesterday, 185 of you climbed out of your cyber caves for our first association event on social media strategies at BLT Steak. Thanks to our sponsors: office furniture dealer MOI, human resources outsourcer TriNET, and business and financial service provider CBIZ.

Social media is becoming a primary form of communication, says National Association of Manufacturers brand and digital media VP Christian Moritz. The trick is to find a way to provide content with a unique, edgy, or funny perspective. Christian, who previously led marketing campaigns for Pepsi, Heinz, and Coors suggests YouTube for explaining complex policy issues to the masses in an easy to digest way. NAM created one such animation video explaining the health care reform bill as a summer picnic. It also posts vids of “Cool Stuff Being Made” (like chocolate, helicopters, and flashlights) to promote US manufacturing.

Come to think of it, that video remains timely.

To close on a uniquely unedgy note, posting at Shopfloor.org now slows as we begin the holiday hiatus. There will probably be reports from Oregon again, including updates on LNG. Here’s timely, positive news from The Wall Street Journal, “Federal Regulators Authorize Jordan Cove LNG Terminal In Oregon.” Oregon is, of course, planning to appeal, because the 11.2 percent unemployment rate shows insufficient commitment to the anti-energy lifestyle.

Getting into the holiday spirit here with a Jonathan Coulton song and well-crafted video by Tom Ellsworth from the Jonathan Coulton Project.

E-cards available here!

Today I was one of just a handful of business community reps invited to attend the formal exchange of instruments of ratification ceremony at the U.S. State Department where the “123″ Agreement on Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation between the U.S. and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Governments. This 123 Agreement is a prerequisite for U.S. companies to be able under U.S. law to supply nuclear equipment, services, or technology to a foreign partner nation. And the UAE is huge potential market and a stalwart partner. For once, our government is to be commended for moving quickly and effectively to conclude an agreement that is in concrete terms good for the American economy, for the global environment, and for long-standing U.S. nuclear non-proliferations policies. And there are indeed huge business opportunities in the nuclear energy sector in the UAE- starting with a $ 40 billion project currently in the final stages for procurement award. With more to come. This landmark deal will provide a framework for American companies, large and small, to compete to supply goods and services to the UAE in its ambitious nuclear power development. This agreement will also ensure the highest standards of non-proliferation, safety and security for the UAE project.

The NAM and our member companies have been strong supporters of this pact from the start and helped promote its negotiation and approval by Congress. NAM President John Engler has been speaking out forcefully, both publicly and in key private meetings, over the past year leading the business community efforts to push this 123 Agreement through to what we saw achieved today. A more robust nuclear power industry would help our country meet its clean energy goals while creating thousands of high-paying jobs here at home. There is every reason to be optimistic that full entry into force today will translate into U.S. companies winning important export contracts and creating great new manufacturing jobs here at home. This is, indeed, a very good day for U.S. business and for the NAM. Highly-qualified companies and skilled workers will now be able to be able to compete on a level playing field and win business in the UAE. I also hope that experience and success in places like the UAE will help reinvigorate our own nuclear power industry and workforce. (continue reading…)

We looked through WhiteHouse.gov for information — maybe a transcript? — about Vice President Biden’s meeting with manufacturers at the White House Wednesday.

Here’s what we found:

Creating Clean Energy Manufacturing Jobs

Vice President Biden announces up to $5 billion in funding to create new jobs in clean energy manufacturing during a meeting of the Middle Class Task Force. December 16, 2009. (Public Domain)

Download Video: mp4 (783MB) | mp3 (100MB)

Maybe we missed it despite all the key word searches. But there’s nothing on the Middle Class Task Force blog since Labor Secretary Solis’ post of November 12. Nothing on the Middle Class Task Force section at all.

Thing is, there really was some good insight offered by the participants, the leaders of major manufacturing companies and employers. Hope there’s a full accounting of the session soon.