Central Washington Hispanic Chamber focuses on growing By Jan Teague, President/CEO
Last week I spoke to the thriving Central Washington Hispanic Chamber in Yakima where members talked with me about their interest in supporting the success of Hispanic businesses across the state.
Cristobal Guillen, who is the state's President/CEO for the Association of Washington Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, attended the Yakima meeting and encouraged the group on its efforts. Cris wants to find ways to better communicate the positive impact that Hispanic business owners are having in their communities and the growing significance they play in the economy.
Berta Alicia Garza, the President of the Central Washington Hispanic Chamber, is making membership growth a priority for the group. She told me that the Garza family is over 500 people strong in the Yakima area and that the family has generations of successful business owners who make up their community. Berta is a major property owner in Yakima and very involved in civic activities. She also spends time helping people get through all of the hoops for becoming a business. Also attending the meeting was Gustavo Montoya, owner of the El Mundo, a statewide Hispanic newspaper. The newspaper is planning to expand as more Hispanic businesses are identified across the state. According to Cris Guillen, information is lacking on which businesses are owned by Hispanics, a problem that keeps them from easily organizing. The El Mundo can get the word out to its subscribers who will hopefully pass on information.
I shared with the group retail trends in Yakima and across the state. But what was most interesting to audience members was learning how they could attract retailers to their communities and how to make retail contacts that would be willing to talk with them about their unique Hispanic customer needs. As retailers continue to look at specialization, this question is a great one.
Everyone in attendance agreed that because Washington State does not collect much demographic information on Hispanics, they are an underserved population that retailers should see as a new opportunity.
The outcome of the event was a commitment to share information that might be of use to each of our groups. As this unfolds, I will share what they send to me in future reports in our weekly e-mail, the WIN.
WRA Board of Directors annual elections
Board of Directors positions are now open at the Washington Retail Association. Please consider participating on the Board.
WRA's Board of Directors has the responsibility of directing the affairs of the Association, determining its policies, overseeing finances, and adopting the legislative agenda. The Board also participates in the planning and evaluation process for both long-range government affairs goals and association operating objectives.
The Board meets three times each year and has opportunities to chair or participate on committees such as the Small Business Committee, the Human Resource Committee and the Government Affairs Committee.
Each legislative session the Board meets in Olympia and spends time talking with leaders of the House and Senate. The Board also meets with the Governor or Chief of staff to discuss WRA priorities.
If you would like to consider serving on the Washington Retail Association Board of Directors, please contact Jan Teague at 360-943-9198 ext. 19 or email her at jteague@retailassociation.org
WRA comments on NW ports' clean air strategy
Mark Johnson, Vice President of Government Affairs for WRA, attended and commented this week at the Port of Seattle Commission meeting during an update of the NW Ports Clean Air Strategy (NWPCAS).
"How the ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, B.C. are addressing the issue of clean air is a model for other ports and regions around the country and the world." Johnson said.
He complimented port officials for rejecting consideration of container taxes to pay for the program.
"Taking an aggressive, pro-active approach that involves port users, such as retailers, to craft an achievable solution that doesn't stymie economic growth by imposing new punitive fees such as a container tax, or truck tax, is the right way to go." Johnson said.
Crucial to the success of the NWPCAS is the ports' plans to introduce trucks that create less air pollution. Elements of the ports' Clean Truck Plan (CTP) include: · Trucks entering terminals must be 1994 or newer effective January 1, 2011 · 80 percent of trucks must meet Federal 2007 emission standards that measure particulate matter by 2015 · 100 percent of trucks must meet Federal 2007 particulate emission standards by 2017 · Terminal operators will support enforcement of timelines and targets at port gates · Ports will support funding of buy-back/scrapping program for pre-1994 trucks · Ports will continue a small business assistance program for owners/operators
Unlike overly prescriptive approaches, the strategy takes into account the many differences in port operations and allows for customers and tenants, such as retailers, to choose those strategies that are most cost-effective for their particular business model.
To learn more about the NWPCAS and CTP programs visit the Port of Seattle website at www.portseattle.org.
WRA monitors discussions to clarify employee rest periods
Tammie Hetrick, Vice President of Retail Services, is monitoring Department of Labor & Industries discussions to clarify regulations regarding employee meal and rest periods while at work.
L&I is working on a draft of language expected to be released by October for public hearings before the rules take effect this coming January.
Hetrick attended a human resources meeting on this subject earlier this month. She reported some employers were confused about how many rest periods to grant for employees who work 10-hour workdays. Employers also have been unclear about the conditions under which employees must be paid during a break period.
Hetrick said she is following the issue to avoid confusion among employers and to avoid any possible fines that could result from mistakes.
To read the state's current work rules pertaining to meal and rest periods, click here.
Generally, according to L&I:
*Workers can take a 10-minute break after four hours of work.
*They are entitled to a 30-minute meal break after working for five hours. An employer is not obligated to pay an employee who is not on call during a meal break, but must pay if the employee is on call.
Federal government issues new workplace guidelines for swine flu
The federal government has issue updated guidelines to businesses to avoid absences in the upcoming flu season.
The update includes precautions on the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic, which has seen people becoming ill throughout the year instead of just the winter flu season. The new guidelines were compiled by the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control.
These agencies are advising employees with flu symptoms, including fever, to stay home from work until 24 hours after a fever has subsided.
Tips from a Webinar on the guidelines include:
*Business should draw up and discuss a recovery plan in case of a flu outbreak. The plan should include considerations such as using telecommuting rather than face-to-face meetings and "social distancing" -seating employees farther from each other - to prevent spread of the disease.
*Post signs reminding employees to vigorously wash their hands for 20 seconds and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
*Regularly disinfect common surfaces such as computer keyboards and door handles. Keep your hands away from your nose and mouth.
*The agencies discourage employers from requiring doctors' notes regarding illness so as not to overwhelm hospitals and medical offices.
For a full report on flu precautions, visit www.flu.gov.
Retail import volume lowest since 2002
The latest port import cargo volumes continue to reflect the recession, but there are predictions that the pace of declines is slowing.
Retail cargo volume is predicted to be down 18.8 percent by the end of the year, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation. The prediction for this year would result in the lowest import volumes at major U.S. ports since the last recession of 2002.
Ports in the survey include Tacoma and Seattle and measure volumes by Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units, or one 20-foot container or its equivalent.
Lower retail import volumes reflect smaller orders from stores, the result of dropping sales from the recession. Monthly import volumes have declined for 24 consecutive months.
But there are projections that though monthly volumes will remain lower than the same months a year ago, the declines are getting smaller.
"The national recession has clearly been reflected in the volume of cargo U.S. retailers have imported this year," said Jonathan Gold, NRF's Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy. "Numbers are down significantly, but the good news is that we're expecting to move from double-digit declines into the single digits by the end of the year."
December's cargo volume is projected to be down 3.8 percent compared to the same month a year ago.
Source: National Retail Federation
Free Webinar coming on business recovery from disasters
"A Roadmap to Business Resiliency," a free Webinar for small businesses, has been scheduled from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23 to address how businesses can overcome various disasters including earthquakes and flooding.
Topics to be covered will include business continuity planning tools, business interruption insurance options and preparedness training for employees. Speakers from the Washington State Emergency Management Department, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Small Business Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner are scheduled to participate.
Two small business workshops coming next two months
Two free small business workshops are scheduled in the next two months.
The first is the Washington Small Business Fair on September 12 at Renton Technical College. It requires no pre-registration and will include unpaid speakers, no private vendors or selling allowed.
Seminars will range from understanding taxes to business planning and from marketing to starting a Website. A list of exhibitors is posted at the fair's Website, www.bizfair.org. You can also visit the site for directions to the college and updates about the fair.
The second workshop is Oct. 7, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, 1500 Broadway. It will occur the first day of a two-day Governor's Industrial Safety & Health Conference.
Both workshops will be stressing recession survival skills. To pre-register for the Tacoma event, visit www.wagovconf.org/SmallBusiness.htm.
Safety Tips: (one in a series)
Set a tone for safety in your workplace
A commitment to maintaining a safe workplace starts at the top, with the boss, says Patti Vernie, WRA's Safety Advisor.
Employees tend to take their cues from their employers, she said.
There can be plenty of opportunities for employers to emphasize safety in ways their employees will follow. Maybe it's cleaning up a spill when you find it rather than deciding it's someone else's job. Or closing a cabinet door or picking up a piece of trash on the floor to avoid a possible injury.
If you, as the employer, ignore the spill or the piece of trash, so might your employees, Vernie said. But if you set an example by practicing a committed pro-safety attitude, chances are good your employees will follow the example. The result, Vernie said, will be a safer workplace.
Vernie is available to WRA members for on-site safety reviews. To arrange an appointment, call 360-943-9198, Ext. 21 or e-mail her at patti@retailassociationservices.com.
The Washington Retail Association, WRA, is a 501 C 6 trade association formed to advocate for Washington State’s retailers at the local, state and national level. Since 1987, the WRA has protected Washington's retailers from unreasonable taxes, fees, regulations and legislation. The efforts of the WRA benefit all Washington state retailers and help fuel statewide economic growth.
