SAN FRANCISCO — Members of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees-Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (UNITE-HERE) Local 2 began a boycott of the San Francisco Hilton Tuesday with an 800-person march and a 160-person sit-in, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The demonstration — which blocked the lobby of the hotel — resulted in the arrest of American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) President Richard Trumka and dozens of other workers, the story stated.
According to the story, workers began staging demonstrations after their contract expired in August in an effort to retain low co-payments for health care.
Hotel management has said the demonstrations are hurting the San Francisco tourism industry, while union officials have said the hotel chains can afford to maintain health care benefits for workers, the story added.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Zep Inc. acquires Amrep Inc. for $64.4 million
ATLANTA — Specialty chemical manufacturer Zep Inc. recently acquired maintenance chemical manufacturer Amrep Inc. for a price of approximately $64.4 million , according to a press release.
The acquisition of Amrep is an important strategic step in Zep Inc.'s efforts to utilize distribution to expand its presence, the release stated.
Amrep Inc. will operate as Zep Inc.'s ninth division and will maintain its current headquarters in Marietta, Georgia, the release noted.
According to the release, Zep, which expects the acquisition to provide an additional $100 million in annualized revenue, believes the acquisition will be earnings accretive within the first year.
John K. Morgan, chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Zep Inc., said: "I am extremely pleased to welcome Amrep Inc. to the Zep Inc. family. Amrep has a strong and well-known reputation along with a solid customer base that we believe will seamlessly complement Zep Inc.'s current operations. There are meaningful synergies that, when achieved with prompt discipline, should add significant value to the combined organization. We look forward to partnering with Amrep to optimize potential synergies and efficiencies we believe exist within the overall supply chain, including the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing and logistics. The combination of Zep Inc.'s existing product offering with Amrep's existing customer base and chemical formulations broadens our product line of best-in-class solutions and significantly increases our access to market."
Upon the closing of the transaction, Amrep Inc. became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zep Inc. but will maintain its commercial organizations, brands and go-to-market strategies, the release added.
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Scientists question effectiveness of mattress cleaning for dust-mite allergies
NEW YORK — Companies offering mattress sanitation services to combat dust-mite allergies do kill dust mites, but there is no proof the dust mites will stay away for good, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Dust mites, the microscopic arachnids that live in mattresses, pillows and other upholstery, are not harmful, but 18 to 30 percent of people are allergic to dust mite waste, the story stated.
According to the story, companies like Hygienitech Inc. and Dynamic Cleaning Systems Inc., both based out of Florida, utilize a variety of techniques like dry steam, ultraviolet-C light and high-powered vacuuming to remove dust mites from mattresses.
Cost of the service ranges from $45 to $80 depending on the company and the size of the mattress, the story stated.
Pediatric allergist and Professor Peyton Eggleston of John Hopkins Children's Hospital in Baltimore says that while these companies likely do kill dust mites, mattresses will probably go back to their original level of dust mites in about a month.
Eggleston said: "There really isn't any data in terms of treating mattresses, and what the effect short-term and long-term is."
According to the story, Hygienitech said it hired a lab to test the effectiveness of ultraviolet light and according to those findings claims its service removes 98 percent of mites and debris.
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IAQ project could cost taxpayers $7 million
BERLIN, CT — Proposed upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system at Catherine M. McGee Middle School could cost taxpayers as much as $7 million, according to the New Britain Herald News.
According to the story, an indoor air quality (IAQ) study commissioned by the Berlin Public Schools Board of Education in 2009 found that there is an ongoing problem with mold and permanent moisture causing headaches and rashes in students and staff.
Though the Catherine M. McGee Middle School classrooms were recently deep cleaned and wiped down with bleach, the IAQ is still a concern for many as complaints continue, the story stated.
Renovations are set to begin over the 2010 summer vacation and, although it will be expensive, the most cost-effective solution would be a four-pipe system that allows classroom temperatures to be individually controlled, the story noted.
John Pajor, superintendent of Berlin public buildings, said: "This is not a wish list or pie in the sky. It's what's necessary to make Catherine M. McGee Middle School operational."
Although there were no contaminants found in the air, the negative air pressure in the building is thought to be compounding the moisture problem and contributing to student and staff respiratory ailments, the story added.
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Window cleaning at the world's tallest building
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — As the world's tallest and arguably most impressive building, the Burj Khalifa has some unique requirements regarding cleaning and maintenance, notably to the windows that make the structure glisten to the Gods, according to the Gulf News.
To date, the 23,000 glass panels that make up the Burj Khalifa's exterior have only been cleaned by rope access, but 18 building maintenance units (BMUs) with specified cleaning ranges have been installed that allow workers easy maneuverability to clean the building's exterior, the story stated.
According to the story, under normal weather conditions, with all 18 BMUs in operation and 36 men manning the machines, the entire facade of the Burj Khalifa will take approximately two to three months to clean.
Theo van der Linde, operations manager at Cox Gomyl, manufacturer of the Burj Khalifa's BMUs, said: "The cleaning cycle is influenced by weather conditions; if we have a dust storm the windows will need to be cleaned more often; if we have a lot of rain the cleaning will be much faster. The normal cleaning cycle is four cycles per annum, always starting from the top going down to prevent dirty water from falling on clean windows. Also, during the summer, the windows become very hot so once water is applied to the glass it evaporates immediately. The cleaning cycle should follow the shaded area of the building. The BMUs, which took almost a year to install, had to be designed to operate in extreme conditions. Factors that had to be taken into account were wind speeds, movement of the building and extremely tight tolerances. The cleaning cycle also had to be taken into account given the size of the building."
According to the article, Megarme, a rope cleaning specialist contractor, is currently trying to secure the facade cleaning and maintenance contract at the 160-story Burj Khalifa.
All cleaning and maintenance workers are fully trained to meet Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) requirements and are then assessed, registered to an appropriate skill level and qualification and required to refresh their training at least once every three years, the story noted.
Because of the extreme threat from the sun, the work is planned around the positioning of the sun by using the natural shade of surrounding buildings, the story added.
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The USGBC approves 11 new online LEED preparation courses
TAMPA, FL — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently approved 11 new online Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) exam preparation courses offered by RedVector Inc., according to a press release.
The new interactive offerings add 34 course hours to RedVector's industry-leading 95 USGBC-approved course hours, the release stated.
The new courses are ideal for LEED and Green Associate (LEED-GA) exam preparation, and for fulfilling the Continuing Maintenance (CM) requirement that will go into effect in mid-2010 for all LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED-AP) and Green Associates, the release noted.
Ryan Sparks, vice president of content for RedVector, said: "When RedVector joined the USGBC in January of 2009, we pledged to support the organization's initiatives and their goal to drive green market transformation through quality education. Since then, we've had the honor of becoming a USGBC-registered provider and have introduced industry-leading green online education exclusives in conjunction with the University of Tennessee's College of Architecture and Design."
Some of the newly approved courses include "Green Building: Commercial High-performance Guidelines," "Solar Electric Generation: Technologies," and "Biofilters: A Natural Approach to Storm Water Pollutant Removal," the release added.
Click here to read the complete release.
Oregon Contractor on trial over asbestos-related charges
SWEET HOME, OR — The owner of Western States Land Reliance Trust will see his asbestos case continue into 2010 after a judge decided to reconvene the hearings January 11, 2010, according to Business & Finance News.
Dan Desler and his company have been charged with crimes related to asbestos air pollution that resulted in fines of $192,343 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the story stated.
According to the story, Desler was arrested in April on multiple felony air pollution charges stemming from his alleged mishandling of asbestos-related material.
Desler, who faces seven counts of first-degree air pollution, must also answer to three counts of second-degree air pollution, supplying false information and reckless endangerment, the story noted.
Desler, who claims innocence, was performing work on a site, but stopped work in 2007 after the 153-acre property was found to contain asbestos, the story added.
According to the article, Desler immediately stopped work once the asbestos was discovered, but left 4 million pounds of asbestos-tainted debris, which was later cleaned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at an approximate cost of $1.1 million, uncovered on the site.
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