December 7, 2023

Contacts

One Voice Washington Office:
 
410 First Street SE
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20003
info@metalworkingadvocate.org
 
Press:
 
Paul Nathanson
2001 M Street NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036
media@metalworkingadvocate.org

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Regulations

Message to Congress - Federal regulators must comply with small business review procedures and honestly analyze how their rules impact the economy. Congress should work to block or repeal unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful regulations while working to reform and make transparent the regulatory process. 

U.S. manufacturers are already at a 20% disadvantage compared to their overseas competitors, and complying with federal regulations adds significant costs and burdens to remaining competitive and growing their businesses. The regulatory compliance cost on average per employee is $10,585 for small businesses, while the cost is over $30,000 for small manufacturers. 

The EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Power Plant Carbon Emissions proposal to cut emissions from existing plants will increase the price of electricity annually by 6-12% by the EPA’s estimates and 20% by industry data. The average One Voice member spends $150,000 each year on energy with 2/3 expecting an avg. price increase of 7% in 2016 – a combined 13-27% annual price increase. 

Concurrently, an EPA proposal lowers the permissible Ground Level Ozone emissions rate from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This requires states to implement plans to reduce their ozone levels, in part by restricting economic activity and manufacturing expansion. While, some regulations may exempt small manufacturers from direct penalties and fines, when the cost of manufacturing in America increases for a key energy and material supplier or customer, then the cost also increases for small businesses. 

The Department of Labor (DOL) is also targeting metalworking manufacturers and their facilities. The NLRB’s Persuader and Ambush Elections rules will undermine the local employer-employee relationship and deny workers access to vital information. In addition, OSHA plans to publish online all incidents/injuries at businesses without explanation, creating a false impression of unsafe work environments at a time when the government and employers are working together to attract more young people into manufacturing. The Administration’s efforts to increase the overtime exemption threshold by 113% virtually overnight will harm millions of workers who have earned salaried positions. It will also force many small businesses to change their classifications as they cannot keep up with the 10% threshold increase called for in the proposal. Most concerning of all, is an agreement signed by DOL calling on the Justice Department’s Environmental Criminal Division to enforce workplace law, an area with which they have no expertise. 

 

 

To stimulate manufacturing in America:

  • EPA should withdraw ozone, power plant and water rules; 
  • The Labor Department should reverse action on Ambush Elections, persuader, and overtime rules; and
  • Regulators should comply with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), Administrative Procedures Act, and Regulatory Flexibility Act

 

For More info on Regulations from One Voice: