A
United States Senate office building was the site of an unlikely lunch
gathering late last month, as lobbyists, union reps, lawmakers and corporate
officials gathered on April 27th to announce the merger of an
unexpected team, the Chemical Industry Labor-Management Committee.
This
merger links the chemical industry to NABTU, the North America’s Building
Trades Union and the ACC, the American Chemistry Council. The goal of this powerful
group of dominant sectors is to collaborate and develop solutions that effect
both sectors. Areas of interests to be addressed include, work-place safety
mandates, regulatory issues, the delivery of quality insight to the public and
government authorities on fracking and environmental issues.
The
collaboration on the Hill brought discussion of plastics to the floor with
interests on each side of the spectrum. Key players in the topic of discussion
include the involvement of the construction sector with an extraordinary group
of plastic products ranging from sidings, windows, insulation and pipes as well
as, liquid natural gas being brought to the table as an area of interest, as it
is an explosive motivator in the $164 billion investment that has been poured
into the chemical industry at this point.
An
invite to Capitol Hill was clearly well-structured and perhaps a bit overdue,
as the plastic industry should have had a seat at the table long ago. Rep.
Brian Babin (R-Texas), said it best when he stated, “plastics make it
possible.” These words uttered from the mouth of the man who represents The
Texas 36th, which happens to have the highest number of chemical
plants and refineries in the country. Add that to the motion of Bill Pascrell
(D-New Jersey), to initiate a 15-cent per pound tax break for bio-based
producers of plastics and most would agree that plastics has finally taken the
floor at Capitol Hill.
Founding
members of the collaborative team also include Calgon Carbon Corp., the
Laborers’ International Union of North America, Albemarle Corp., the United
association Union of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders and Service Techs and the
International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.