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Advocacy
Numbers tell it all. Approximately one in seven Ohioans in the adult labor force is employed by manufacturing companies. These manufacturers represent 14% of all Ohio jobs, while another 41% of these jobs are dependent on manufacturing. Yet it is apparent that manufacturing’s influence on the American scene has been in decline for years.
Realizing these facts, in 2004, WIRE-Net became administrator and facilitator for the Northeast Ohio Campaign for American Manufacturing (NEOCAM), a new, diverse, non-partisan, and issue-focused coalition of area manufacturing, business, civic, and industry leaders. NEOCAM’s purpose is to promote policies that will improve the health of this important driver of the US economy. Critical issues of concern to northeast Ohio manufacturers include:
- quality healthcare
- government restructuring
- infrastructure improvements
- trade and tax policies
- education
NEOCAM holds forums, sorts out issues, and encourages conversations with elected officials and the media. Get involved and speak up! |
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Mission Reminder Often overlooked by the practical manufacturing community, is the power of the pen, the press, and a focused constituency. If advocating for a cause is logical in other contexts, why not for our livelihood? WIRE-Net is here to connect our leaders with public leaders, and to provide discourse on issues important to our industry. |
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MANUFACTURING
MATTERS
- Manufacturing matters in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio
- 30,000 Clevelanders earn over
$1.2 billion/year working at over 1100 establishments
- 309,000 regional workers earn over $12.7 billion/year working
at 7500 establishments
- Most
manufacturing jobs are neighborhood jobs, accessible to
residents who desperately need them
- For these reasons alone, manufacturing must be a top
priority… for the city…for the region
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STAY INFORMED
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NEOCAM - North East Ohio Campaign
for American
Manufacturing.
WIRE-Net's
Manufacturing
Matters blog
Fair Currency Coalition
Thomas
- Legislative Information on the Internet
Capitol
Hill Basics
Tips about communicating with Members and general
information about Hill staffers, the legislative process and
more.
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MANUFACTURING
ACTION: Speaking up for Northeast Ohio Manufacturing
According
to the Ohio Manufacturing Association, manufacturing companies
employ approximately 823,000 Ohioans, one in seven adults in
the state’s labor force. These businesses account for
14% of all jobs and another 41% of all other jobs are
dependent on manufacturing. Manufacturing contributes
over $80 billion to the state’s economy.
In
2004 WIRE-Net took on a new leadership role by creating a
coalition to promote public awareness of the importance of
manufacturing businesses to our regional economy. The
Northeast Ohio Campaign for American Manufacturing (NEOCAM)
became the vehicle for a diverse, non-partisan, issue
focused group of
Northeast Ohio
manufacturing companies, business leaders, civic and industry
organizations to promote policies that would improve the
health of this important driver of our economy. This
initiative is a collaboration that represents over 900
Northeast Ohio
manufacturing businesses, which combined, employ more than
90,000 people. WIRE-Net, as NEOCAM’s administrator and
convener, has elected its 501(h) option with the IRS,
proactively reporting the scope of its non-partisan advocacy
work.
Approximately
44,000 manufacturing jobs, representing 21% of our
manufacturing base in Greater Cleveland, were lost over the
four-year period, November 1999 – November 2003. While
many of those lost jobs can be attributed to the recession,
our local, state, and federal policies were also contributing
factors. Through NEOCAM, WIRE-Net can direct attention to
critical issues about which
Northeast Ohio
manufacturers are most concerned:
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Quality
Healthcare – Promoting a plan for healthcare providers to
improve their service delivery and bring down their costs;
using Lean or another technique similar to manufacturing
companies for improving quality and productivity.
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Government
Restructuring – Promoting government efficiencies to
improve local and state permitting processes to promote rapid
business expansion and attract new investment.
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Infrastructure
Improvements – Supporting local initiatives to direct new
public investment in improving roads and bridges in and around
urban industrial zones.
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Trade
and Tax – To promote smart tax and. trade policies that
will ensure
Northeast Ohio
manufacturing companies have a competitive advantage in
national and or global markets.
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Education
– Supporting initiatives for improved public education,
including vocational, post-secondary technical, and incumbent
worker training to provide a competitive workforce to meet the
current and long-term employment needs of industry.
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LET YOUR VOICE BE
HEARD
Contact the Media
Take your message to your local and to the national
media. Take time today to write or email and let them
know about the state of manufacturing and its importance to
our way of life - to our community and our economy. To find
out how to contact local and national media, click here.
Contact Government Officials
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