Archive for March 2015

Georgia Capitol Visit

March 6, 2015 Home, Open Editorials, Recently Posted, Resources, Share Your Ideas, You Should Know No comments

The result of the gathering at the State Capitol. Information about how prison has become “big business.” Be careful! Thanks Matthew!

Our story with the most shares this week focused on the rise of private, for-profit prisons. Yes, there is such a thing; in fact, it’s a $70 billion industry and many of the major contractors who oversee these prisons are also publicly traded corporations.

Wait, how?

States hire these companies because they’re cash strapped, and the cost of incarcerating people is not cheap — between $24,000-$30,000 annually. Private prison companies claim they can house, feed, and monitor inmates more cost effectively than state governments and so there you have it– they win big contracts.

Why is this messed up?

Most private prison contractors have occupancy guarantees that mandate their prisons remain between 80 and 90 percent full. In other words, the more prisoners they house, the more money they make. And the more prisons that are built, the more contracts they win.

A perverse business model

The business model of private prisons is to maximize the amount of people in America who are locked up– not to rehabilitate or ultimately lower incarceration rates. That’s why these companies fight hard for “tough on crime” policies. In the past 10 years, the Corrections Corporation of America (the largest private prison company) spent 17.4 million on lobbying government to criminalize more activities and increase sentencing periods.

This is one reason why America has more prisoners per capita than any other nation in the world and why nearly 1 in 3 young people will be arrested by age 23.

So what can we do?

For starters, do not invest in or buy shares of publicly traded private prison corporations. Second, vote for politicians who want to reduce the incarceration rate and end the War on Drugs. If you are not registered to vote, you can do so here.

 

Follow the link for more future news –  LINK

 

 

 

 

Job Opportunities for Veterans

March 4, 2015 Uncategorized No comments 
Hi there,

We are looking for any veterans you may know of for the job posting below.
Application steps are listed at the bottom:
Construction Laborer Job Overview
Laborers tasks involve physical labor at construction sites to assist with the
installation for excavation support.  Main skills required include hand digging and
backfilling for the installing of lagging or underpinning. Other typical laborer
activities associated with sheeting and shoring include but are not limited to
mixing grout, tending tieback drill rigs, shotcrete work or digging trenches,
cleaning up debris or other duties.

Laborers usually work eight-hour days; however, overtime may be necessary on Saturdays or night shifts. Workers may be asked to travel. When that happens, laborers are compensated with shift pay and travel allowances. Minimum Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) required includes hard hats, gloves, eye protection and steel-toed boots. Laborers also operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments.

Job Responsibilities

· Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials (signaling)

· Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones (roadway flagging) · Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications (rigging)

· Dig, trim, clean and prepare piles, then install and backfill for hard wood lagging

· Dig, trim, ring and backfill for underpinning pits, place and vibrate concrete, mix sand-cement and dry-pack for underpinning piers

· Mix Portland cement grout · Tend machines that pump grout or concrete as well as, apply shotcrete through spray nozzles for application to walls.

· Lubricate, clean, or repair grout pumps, mixers or other machinery, equipment, or tools · Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.

· Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, compact and level earth, use picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes as necessary

· Tend for heavy equipment operations such as soldier pile or tieback drilling Requirements · Be able to pass drug and alcohol screening

· Be at least 18 years old · Have a high school diploma or GED · Possess valid driver’s license or other accepted legal ID

· Union affiliation or willingness to take the necessary steps to join the union · All new hires will be E-Verified Skills, Abilities and Behaviors

· Reliable · Safety conscious (comply with proper safety procedures) · Construction laborer background preferred · Experience with picks, shovels, and air tools for excavation

· The ability to take direction and work together with others

· Preference given for experience with forklift, small earth moving equipment such as mini excavator, or skid steer loaders. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES SPECIFICATIONS Physical Demands Ability to climb, kneel, stoop, crouch, balance, squat and tolerate heights without fear due to nature of job typically outside with often uneven and/or muddy ground; Must have the ability to exert heavy physical effort, handling average weight objects up to 50 lbs.; lift to chest height, carry and break 94-lb. cement bags repeatedly throughout the work day Work Environment Work in levels of noise, dust, moisture and temperatures normally found on construction sites; work in confined space (as required for underpinning)

DISCLAIMERS Consistent with the ADA, as amended, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, when such an accommodation does not create an undue hardship for Schnabel Foundation. Any misstatement, omission of material fact, or falsification of any statements on any application by an applicant may be sufficient cause for rejection of the application, or dismissal of the Applicant after indenture or employment. Schnabel Foundation Company is dedicated to complying with its obligations as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Our recruiting and hiring procedures are free of discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, covered veteran status, including disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans or any protected group status as defined by law.

Company Description Schnabel Foundation Company was formed in 1959 as a foundation engineering and construction company in business to design and build excavation support and specialized foundation systems. We still do that today. We have grown from a single office in Washington, DC to include nine offices from coast-to-coast where we now employ over 40 professional engineers who design and manage the construction projects in those offices.

APPLICATION STEPS Please go to our website and complete the application process by clicking on (or pasting the address in your browser):

Please go to our website and complete the application process by clicking on (or
pasting the address in your browser):

https://schnabelsoutheastregion.applicantpro.com/jobs/158636-39358.html

If you do not have an internet connection, please mail cover letter and resume with
references to:

Schnabel Foundation Company
1654 Lower Roswell Rd
Marietta, GA 30068

In your cover letter, please indicate the position you are applying for and any
relative experience you may have. You will be required to complete an online
application for consideration. You may either be contacted by return email or by
phone to be informed of the deadline for applying online.