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INDUSTRY NEWS Controversial Union "Secret Ballot" Bill Scheduled to Pass House This Week As previously reported, H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, has received 234 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, which more than assures the bill receiving 51 percent of the vote required to pass the House. Only seven House Republicans have signed on despite proponents' claims that the bill is receiving "bipartisan" support. The bill has now been placed on the House's Union Calendar and a floor vote is expected before the end of this week The misnamed legislation would deprive employees of the right under current labor law to vote in a secret ballot election on whether or not they want union representation. Ironically, this bill preserves the existing requirement for a secret ballot when employees vote to decertify a union from representing them. Also, the bill requires collective bargaining talks to begin within ten days after the employer has received a request from a newly certified union. If the first contract has not been agreed upon within 90 days, both sides must submit to binding arbitration whereby the arbitrator can set the terms of the contract over the objections of both employer and employees. Proponents of the legislation claim that a provision increasing civil fines of up to $20,000 for repeated violations of fair labor practices by employers is needed. However, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the amount of such fines imposed under H.R. 800 "is likely to be less than $500,000 annually." This estimate suggests that CBO has determined that unfair labor practices are not particularly widespread. The legislation will be transferred to the U.S. Senate where Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) has said that he plans to introduce a companion bill later this year. Although the bill most directly affects businesses not currently unionized, subsequent amendments could affect employers with union shops. Likewise, recent labor union efforts at unionization have involved businesses with as few as three employees. In short, the bill will affect all businesses in the United States. VA Consults with ICCFA for Improving Veterans' Burial Benefits On February 14, representatives of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs arranged a conference call with members of the ICCFA leadership to discuss ways of improving veterans' burial benefits. President-Elect Paul M. Elvig, Past President William L. "Bill" Wright, CCE, and External COO and General Counsel Robert M. Fells represented the Association. The purpose of the call was to assist the VA in developing questions for focus groups and included inquiries into how veterans and their families felt about the current burial allowance and what constitutes a dignified and honorable burial. Of particular interest were questions involving the benefits and drawbacks of prepayment/reservation programs in the private sector. The ICCFA representatives urged that plot and marker allowances for use in private and religious cemeteries should be restored to pre-1990 eligibility levels. More controversial, the VA sought ICCFA's input on a proposal to institute a financial means test on the eligibility to receive the burial allowance. The VA wanted to know what impact a means test would have on funeral homes and funeral professionals in terms of work load, training, and changing responsibilities. The ICCFA indicated its concerns with a means test method of eligibility and the VA representatives indicated that they had received only negative feedback whenever they brought the issue up to various stakeholders. This conference call was a follow up to a similar discussion the VA held with ICCFA almost one year ago. VA Sets New Cash Allowance for Private Purchase of Outer Burial Container at $188.67 for 2007 A recent VA burial benefit permits veterans and their families to upgrade the outer burial container used for interment in national cemeteries. Where another container is privately purchased for use in lieu of the government-issued one, the VA provides a cash allowance to the family equal to the average cost of the government-furnished liner, minus administrative costs. For the year 2006, the government's average cost per liner was $197.67. Administrative costs incurred by VA including costs relating to processing and paying the allowance were determined to be $9.00 for 2006. Therefore, the cash allowance for 2007 is $188.67. This amount represents an increase of over $26.00 in the allowance provided during 2006 of $162.22. The 2006 allowance was an increase of only 20 cents over the 2005 amount. ICCFA NEWS ICCFA 2007 Convention Registration Booming ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the largest in the association's history in terms of attendance, educational programming, number of booths and international attendees. With less than a month until the event kicks off, registration numbers are outpacing those from last year, and the Expo Hall is nearly sold out. Don't miss out on this opportunity to attend the industry's most comprehensive educational event, covering all areas of cemetery management, funeral service, cremation, memorialization, sales and marketing and more. You will have many opportunities to network with colleagues and suppliers from across North America and around the world, and you will be among the first to discover the latest products and services available to you and your client families. Please note that rooms are nearly sold out at Mandalay Bay. Rooms within the ICCFA room block have completely sold out, but a few rooms may still be available outside the room block. All who plan to attend are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible. Contact Mandalay Bay at 1.877.632.7000, and identify yourself as an attendee of the "International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association Event" to receive the group rate. If rooms are no longer available, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 for a list of nearby hotels. For Convention program details and to download a registration form, visit www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm or call 1.800.645.7700. For information on exhibiting, visit www.iccfa.com/pdf/07_prospectus2.pdf or call Nichole at 1.800.645.7700. ICCFAU Now Offers Cremation Certification The 2007 ICCFA University will be held July 20-25 at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee. New this year, the College of Cremation Services includes a certification program available to employees of all cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories and related businesses. Students completing this program will receive three certification designations:
CE Credits are available for all ICCFAU colleges, depending on individual state approvals. For questions on whether credits are available from your state, call 1.800.645.7700. In March, programs will be mailed out to ICCFA members and will also be available online. Check www.iccfa.com for updates. Cooking Demo Program Tickets Selling out! Only a few tickets are left for the Spouse/Guest Activity during the ICCFA's 2007 Convention & Exposition, March 20-23, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year's activity, a cooking demonstration and meal with world-renowned chef Rick Moonen, will begin on Thursday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m. at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's rm Seafood. Please note that tickets to the demonstration and lunch are not included in the registration Spouse/Guest fee. A separate ticket is required for admission. This is a can't-miss event for seafood lovers and anyone who enjoys cooking! Rick Moonen is executive chef and owner of New York City's rm, and has earned critical acclaim, including three stars from The New York Times and four stars from the 2005 Mobil Travel Guide. He has moved to Las Vegas to personally oversee his newest venture, opened in January 2005. Moonen is also the author of "Seafood Without a Doubt," a practical hands-on guide to cooking with fish. The ICCFA encourages anyone interested in this program to sign up immediately. Spots are rapidly filling up, and the event is expected to sell out. Remember, a separate ticket is required for this program. Download a registration form at www.iccfa.com/ac07.htm, or call 1.800.645.7700. Product of the Month: Consumer Brochures Only a few days remain to take advantage of the discounted price on ICCFA's "Straight Answers to Real Questions" brochures (when purchased as a set of four). These colorful and user-friendly consumer brochures offer information on four topics: Cremation, Cemeteries & Burial, Funerals and Advance Planning. They make ideal giveaways for one-on-one presentations, promotional mailings, group meetings and consumer trade fairs and can be used to provide an attractive and helpful display in your cemetery or funeral home foyer, arrangements offices and other public areas. Sold in packages of 100, each brochure has room for you to include your logo and contact information. They may be purchased separately or as a set of all four. The regular price for a set of all four brochures is $99 for members and $139 for non-members. For the month of February, the full set is available for just $85, plus shipping. Call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700 to place an order! Earn CE Credits Online: ICCFA Online Institute and Dignity University Cemetery and funeral home owners, managers and staff can now participate in online safety training, thanks to a partnership between the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association's Online Institute and Dignity University™, an educational arm of Service Corporation International. On February 1, the ICCFA and Dignity University™ launched 12 Web-based courses on topics related to safety training for cemeteries and funeral homes. The courses can be accessed through the ICCFA Web site at www.iccfa.com/institute. Developed specifically for the cemetery and funeral service profession, the courses can be used to fulfill OSHA training requirements, and ICCFA-member funeral directors in most states can earn continuing education credits. Visit www.iccfa.com/institute for more information, or call 1.800.645.7700. CLASSIFIED ADS Chief Executive Officer The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc., seeks a Chief Executive Officer to manage the overall daily operations of the corporation. The authority, duties and responsibilities of the CEO extend to the five major cemeteries and 33 parish cemeteries of the Archdiocese, located in the District of Columbia and five counties of the State of Maryland. Candidates are required to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and a minimum of five years management experience with three years executive level experience. Years of experience should be with an organization whose operation encompasses multiple locations and over 60 employees. Resumes may be sent to Attn: CEO Search Committee by fax 301-460-7025 or e-mail fjm@ccaw.org. Caring Cemetery Counselors Needed Our Catholic cemetery organization located in Baltimore, MD is looking for Family Service/Pre-need Sales Counselors. Successful candidates will enjoy direct selling; have a proven track record in sales and excellent communication skills, as well as be highly motivated, well organized, and detail oriented. 3-5 years sales experience required, preferably in cemetery sales, but we will train. These positions are commissioned with a draw and benefits are available. Send resume to Director of Operations, 7401 German Hill Road, Baltimore, MD 21222 or email tjdiciurcio@redemcem.org. Exciting Sales Opportunities! StoneMor, a leader in the industry, has exciting opportunities for Sales Professionals at many locations. We boast one of the highest commission rates in the industry and our Sales Managers enjoy triple override bonuses on all location sales after hitting performance goals. We have excellent benefits including:
EOE For more information, please call 877-857-8890 and refer to this ad or send your resume via fax at 215-826-2929 or email it to jobs@stonemor.com. www.stonemor.com Grow Your Business with FuneralHomes.com FuneralHomes.com—the Funeral Director's Resource for Effective Customer Acquisition. We connect At-need and Pre-planning consumers with Funeral Homes in their area, you are missing out on business! Position your Funeral Home at the top—Call us at 1.800.208.2580 to start receiving business today. www.FuneralHomes.com. New Opportunities Await You! People preplan for many reasons. Chief among them is peace of mind. Now you can offer your families additional peace of mind through the Omega Assured Return Plan, a service option offered through Inman Shipping Worldwide. Inman Shipping Worldwide has been the recognized leader in the deathcare industry for the repatriation of human remains, from anywhere in the world, for over 30 years. With society traveling more and more today for business, vacations and even health care in distant cities, death away from home is becoming more common. When death occurs 100 miles or more away from an individual's legal residence, all the necessary services for returning the deceased to their home are covered for those enrolled in the Omega Assured Return Plan. The Omega Assured Return Plan is the logical companion for cemetery, funeral and cremation prearrangements. An ideal supplemental product, the Omega Assured Return Plan provides another opportunity to maintain contact with your client families. A simple enrollment form and onetime payment will provide a lifetime of coverage for this valuable service. Expand your selling portfolio and earn generous commissions. No license is required. To find out how you or your company can offer the Omega Assured Return Plan, call our toll free number at 1-888-889-8508 from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM Eastern time Monday through Friday or send an email to omegareturninfo@yahoo.com. Reach Thousands of Cemeteries and Funeral Homes With Your Classified Ad!
And more ... ICCFA Introduces New sales Training Programs by sales trainer and professional speaker Gary O'Sullivan, CCE. O'Sullivan's two latest products include a 10 DVD Series—The Power to Sell Preneed, and a training support system called the GoSell System. Both products provide sales managers with tools and training strategies that will help them to strengthen and motivate their teams. Click here to download a detailed description of each prodcut: www.iccfa.com/docs/osullivan.doc. To place an order, call the ICCFA at 1.800.645.7700. Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 Keeping It Personal (KIP) Awards! The KIP Awards recognize outstanding examples of personalization of services or products in the cemetery and funeral service profession. Read about the winning entries at www.iccfa.com/kip.htm. For a limited time, ICCFA members can purchase the McQuaig Job Survey, the McQuaig Word Survey and the McQuaig Self-Development Survey for just $100 per assessment, a savings of up to 50 percent off the regular price. The member discount offer expires June 30, 2007. Companies assessing more than 100 candidates per year are eligible for additional discounts. For additional information, visit http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig2.pdf and http://www.icfa.org/pdf/mcquaig.pdf. For questions and to sign up for the program, contact Michael Gravelle at The McQuaig Institute at 1.800.387.5455, ext. 361, or mgravelle@mcquaig.com. Join today! The 2007 Music Licenses are available for just $232, no additional fees. Covers ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Any U.S. funeral home, cemetery or related business is eligible for membership as a Music License Member. Join today! The ICCFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICCFA resources and training products online. Some products are available for immediate direct download, including the newly released Wirthlin Report on consumer attitudes and article packages on cremation, cemetery and funeral home valuations and trust funds. The ICCFA News Page takes you to sources throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else and is one of the most visited page on the ICCFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why. The Network is an online e-mail service that offers ICCFA members an easy, free way to share questions and answers to everyday on-the-job challenges. Recent discussions have examined issues such as working with the Muslim community, distance between burial sites, direct mail marketing, the growing popularity of geocaching at cemeteries, recruiting staff and more. Ideal for smaller companies with smaller budgets. Join today! The ICCFA Internet Expo is the largest online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and funeral home owners and operators will find 300+ providers in more than 100 product and service categories. Exhibit space is provided as a free, exclusive benefit to all ICCFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today! Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICCFA's HR Law Benefit program offering members no-cost telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICCFA via an exclusive retainer agreement. ICCFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICCFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, D.C., for telephone consultations for up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member benefit, call Schneider at 202.393.7600. The ICCFA and Applied Merchant Systems of Chicago, Illinois, currently offer members a Credit Card Processing Program with a special low discount rate of 1.75 percent, with no per transaction processing fee. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who wish to pay via credit card. For more information, call 1-800-675-6573. The ICCFA Insurance Program, administered by Alliant Insurance Services, allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance -- including general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more -- at rates they probably would not be able to afford on their own. To advertise in the ICCFA Wireless: The ICCFA accepts limited advertising in the ICCFA Wireless newsletter, a bi-weekly newsletter e-mailed to all ICCFA members that are current on their dues and have provided a current e-mail address. For rates and to place your insertion, contact Nichole Causey at ncausey@iccfa.com or 1.800.645.7700. To unsubscribe from the ICCFA Wireless: Send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line to: wireless@icfa.org. Please include your name and company name in the body of the e-mail. International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 Sterling, VA 20164 1.800.645.7700 703.391.8400 Fax: 703.391.8416 www.iccfa.com Copyright 2007 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. |
