KC & St. Louis NTMA Members visit Officials in Washington

The Kansas City and St. Louis Chapters of the NTMA were well represented in Washington DC by a team of members who made the trip to attend the NTMA/PMA “One Voice” legislative conference May 8th and 9th.

Those making the trip were: Dick & Rick Schwind of Continental Tool, Craig Schroer of Unitech Inc, Greg Carr of Deco Tool Supply & Tom Goodpasture of Pride Manufacturing. The group joined with Herb Homeyer of Homeyer Tool & Mike Mittler of Mittler Bro. from the St. Louis Chapter to make visits to both Kansas & Missouri Representatives.

During the-two day event the group visited three US Senators and eight US House Representatives. Issues discussed focused on the serious condition of the trained skilled workers for our industry.

Currently manufacturing suffers with a 600,000 skilled worker shortage nationally with 2.7 million expected to retire in the next 10 years. Taxation and regulation that burdens American manufacturers and makes the US the most expensive place in the world to operate was also discussed. The EPA’s current discussion and consideration of nickel as a hazardous substance was also a hot topic. The team came back feeling that they had a number of good conversations. Manufacturing and the machining industry is being looked to as a solution to create jobs and being welcomed by both sides of the aisle to discuss the possibilities unlike many past years.