
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 15, 1994                   TAG: 9403150205
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Chicago Tribune
DATELINE: CHICAGO                                LENGTH: Medium

MANUFACTURERS: GOVERNMENT POLICIES ARE KEEPING COMPANIES FROM HIRING

U.S. manufacturers believe they have participated in one of the ``most extraordinary comebacks in modern history,'' but government regulations have stopped them from doing much new hiring, according to a survey released Monday.

``Government policies are out of step with manufacturing's dramatic competitive comeback in the Midwest and across the nation,'' said Robert Pritzker, chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers, at a news conference at McCormick Place, where the survey results were announced. Pritzker also is president and chairman of Chicago-based Marmon Group Inc., an association of more than 60 privately owned manufacturing and service companies.

``Government policies often do more harm than good to manufacturing's competitive position,'' Pritzker said. ``Our survey shows policies and paperwork hinder manufacturing hiring, export growth and investment.''

Exports have helped lead the United States out of the recession, association officials said, with manufacturing exports contributing strongly to the 7.5 percent economic growth rate in the final quarter last year.

Nearly 80 percent of the 2,000 manufacturing executives responding in the survey said government regulations had caused them to use overtime and temporary help rather than hire new employees.

Nearly 65 percent said they had delayed hiring more workers because of government regulations, and 55 percent said they had been obliged to shift additional resources to legal affairs and compliance efforts.

By comparison, less than 5 percent said they had moved U.S. production abroad or located new plants abroad instead of in the United States because of government regulations.

Asked more generally whether government policies had encouraged or discouraged increased employment over the last five years, 88 percent said employment had been discouraged, and fewer than 1 percent said it had been encouraged. The rest had neutral responses.

Jerry Jasinowski, president of the manufacturers association, said the group's No. 1 concern is provisions in a proposed new Occupational Safety and Health Act that would add costs for manufacturers and criminalize activity that resulted from simple mistakes by employers.

by CNB