Membership Benefits
AOL offers a
broad spectrum of membership programs, which are highly-valued by loggers and forest
contractors. Membership benefits comprise sought-after programs, including: group
insurance benefits, government affairs, industry relations, field communications,
professional logger certification, public relations, technical assistance, and community
service. A summary of these programs follows:
Group Insurance Benefits
AOL Group Workers’
Compensation Insurance. Workers’ Compensation Insurance through AOLS/SAIF
Program which provides:
- On-Site Loss Control
- Classification/Audit Assistance
- First Aid Training/Hearing Test Reimbursement
- Safety Program Assistance
- Employer Training
- Special Insurance Consultation Coordination
AOL Group Health
and Health-Related Insurance. The AOL Insurance Trust endorses Timber
Products Manufacturing Trust and other carriers through AOL's insurance agent CFP
Inc., which provides:
- Health and Accident Insurance
- Accidental Death Insurance
- Employee Benefit Plans
- 24-Hour Owner/Officer Coverage on and off the job, Medical Insurance and Disability
Income Program
AOL Group Property
Casualty Insurance. AOL's special Property & Casualty group is underwritten
by American States Insurance Co., wholly owned by Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. American
States/AOL has teamed to save members hard-earned dollars, while meeting their unique
insurance requirements. Since inception in the early 1990's, this program has earned
many dividends amounting to more than $2 million in returned premium, direct to
participating AOL member companies.
For information about the availability & marketing of these insurance programs,
call the AOL office.
Governmental Affairs
Objective: To
assure a future timber supply to be logged under fair contracts and regulations,
and to help maintain cost effective, safe and sustainable timber harvest which is
environmentally sound.
- Analysis and input on state & federal policy-making for forestry, insurance,
and other small business matters.
- Advocate logging issues on Federal Timber Purchasers Committee and other advisory
groups.
- Maintain communications with legislative and congressional delegations.
- Sponsor both state and federal Political Action Committees (PAC) that support favorable
candidates.
- Champion logger
positions at Oregon Board of Forestry sessions and other state boards and commissions.
- Stand for the loggers’ perspective in the activities of the Northwest forestry
associations.
- Represent Oregon loggers as a founding member of the American Loggers Council.
- Uphold networking with grassroots citizens groups and provide support for their
efforts.
- Cooperate with allied forestry associations to influence favorable timber availability
and harvest practices.
- Provide for loggers’ input in the Oregon Legislature, and advance bills benefiting
logging business.
- Assure logger positions are represented on federal legislation in US Congress.
Legislative Affairs
AOL plays an
important role in influencing favorable law-making for the logging business, as
well as stopping bad legislation by the Oregon Legislature and US Congress. AOL-sponsored
Political Action Committees assist Association efforts to elect favorable candidates
and encourage responsible legislative voting on logger matters.
Government Rule Making
Assuring that
public agencies develop and administer forest business regulations that are advantageous
to loggers. AOL represents the logging industry with procedures such as Oregon Forest
Practices Rules, state and federal administrative rule-making, Board of Forestry,
endangered species, OR-OSHA, Bureau of Labor & Industries and Workers’
Compensation Division.
Forest Planning
AOL is actively
involved in state and federal planning processes at the district, regional and national
levels. AOL forestry staff interacts with the Oregon Department of Forestry, US
Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other agencies. Government forest
planning guides the available public timber supply.
Forest Business Policy
AOL members are represented in many other public policy issues that affect logging
businesses such as: forest practices, insurance matters, tax policy, OR-OSHA inspections,
labor concerns, forestry incentives, industrial fire regulations, timber trespass,
safety issues, law enforcement, liability matters, Governor’s resource policy,
land-use planning and land exchanges.
Judicial Review and Legal Actions
In today’s contentious forest policy arena, litigation and legal scrutiny
of both forest policies and timber sales have become common place. Your Association
represents loggers’ interests in various legal proceedings to effect favorable
rulings and legal outcomes.
Operations Liaison
AOL works with the federal and state agencies to improve operational conditions
for the logging industry. If an AOL member experiences problems in areas such as
forest practices rules, sale layout, safety, contract interpretation or other related
matters, they should contact the AOL office for assistance.
Industry Communications
Objective:
Keep the members up-to-date on current events affecting the logging industry in
areas of political events, government regulations, Forest landowner issues, matters
of general business operations and to offer opportunities for members to discuss
these and other issues.
- Monthly Newsletter
- Special Publications and Action Alerts
- Booth at Oregon Logging Conference and Other Functions
- Logger Recognition Programs
- One-On-One Contact for Special Needs
- Represent logger interests with allied Forest landowners and forest industry organizations
- Assist Local AOL District Meetings
- Facilitate Standing Committee Projects
- Annual Statewide Wage Survey, plus Special Surveys and Opinion Polls
- AOL Website
- Offer logger training and education sessions
AOL
holds four major statewide events each year.
- In January, the entire AOL membership gathers
for a two-day Annual Convention designed to keep loggers better informed about new
trends in logging and issues affecting their businesses. There are also sessions
on business management and opportunities to hear leaders of government and industry
speak about issues surrounding logging.
- Each Spring, AOL holds a weekend Board meeting.
The AOL Board of Directors (state officers,
charter members, past presidents, and district representatives) and the general
membership discuss AOL’s plans for the coming months. The Board members make
decisions regarding new and continuing AOL programs and approve the budget for operations.
- Each Fall, AOL holds another weekend Board
meeting, just as in the Spring. All AOL members are invited and encouraged to attend
the Board meetings.
- Each Fall, AOL hosts a statewide Logging
Safety Conference.
Other seminars on issues, procedures and AOL services are held throughout the state
during the year.
Oregon Professional Logger Program
Objective: The
Oregon Professional Logger program (OPL) is the voluntary professional standard
that certifies harvesting companies for their continuing education in sustainable
forestry, safety & business. The OPL program promotes high standards for sustainable
Oregon forest operations through training in current forestry, safety and business
subjects. OPL is the only logging operator training program recognized by the Sustainable
Forestry Initiative program in Oregon.
- Continuing education helps Oregon logging operators keep pace with a rapidly changing
world by acquiring important business and forestry tools needed to succeed in today’s
competitive times, and to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.
-
Foster operator compliance with Oregon forest practices and fire regulations through
improved understanding of rules, compliance methods, and cooperation with state
foresters.
- Foster operator compliance with Oregon safety, labor and business regulations through
improved understanding and compliance. Foster federal regulation compliance.
- Demonstrate logging operator professionalism through voluntary education, without
more government regulations.
- Maintain record of qualified Oregon Professional Loggers; publish OPL Directory
available to others in the forest industry upon request.
-
Qualify contractors to meet operator training & education standards required
by many industrial timber landowners in Oregon, which comply with the Sustainable
Forest Initiative (SFI).
- OPL logging operators fully qualify for Master Logger Certification, or MLC. MLC
is the national logger accreditation program sponsored by the American Logging Council
for the purpose of promoting professionalism in the logging industry, as well as
responding to the growing forest certification movement across America.
- Work in partnership with American Logging Council to advance the Sustainable Forestry
Initiative, which includes contractor-training objectives across America.
- Sponsor training workshops and publish training videos for logging operators.
- OPL professional standards directed by a committee of logging operators. AOL maintains
academic records for OPL companies.
Public Relations
Objective: To
carry out public information and education communication programs that promote timber
harvest and issues important to loggers.
- Organize programs that promote timber harvest, forest stewardship and logger stature.
- Media public relations program including news releases and conferences.
- AOL website providing logging and forestry information on the world wide web.
- Speaking engagements at group meetings of outside organizations.
- Support local educational events which further loggers' goals.
- Encourage logger grassroots activism.
- Promote public education on balanced forest resource management.
- Support effective forest information and education programs of allied organizations.
-
Develop educational
materials for students, the members and public.
- Provide input to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.
- Cooperate with allied forest associations in climate building for active forest
management.
AOL has a long-term public relations program that has as its objectives, enhancement
of the logging industry image, building of public acceptance of logging and providing
the facts about our forests.
Technical Assistance
Objective: To
provide consultation when asked to facilitate the conduct of the loggers' operations.
- Provide on-site input at logging operations.
- Represent loggers with Oregon OSHA.
- Provide for logging safety and training support programs.
- Act as loggers' representative, when requested, with agencies, purchasers and forest
owners.
- Act as liaison in general forest industry problems.
- Work with higher education and others on logging research and development.
Communication Services
Objective: Provide
members cost-effective communication services for business and as emergencies necessitate.
- Northwest Oregon AOL Radio Network includes DTMF automatic phone patches, answering
services, and a series of repeaters. AOL’s Network will become short-band compliant
in 2013, as required by federal FCC regulation.
- Internet home page provides information to members on important issues affecting
the profession. Information on various AOL programs, economic impacts, work force
recruitment, forest industry resources and links to other industry groups are available
on line.
Community Service
Objective: Support
worthwhile benevolent opportunities for logger involvement and service to their
communities in ways that spotlight logger commitment, pride and professionalism.
- Sponsor Log A Load For Kids fund-raising
campaign in Oregon to benefit children in the three Oregon Children’s Miracle Network
hospitals.
- AOL is the sole member of the Friends of
Paul Bunyan Foundation, which serves to further the cause of forest science;
education and public understanding of actively managed forests through grant programs.
- Sponsor a College or Trade School Scholarship Program
for students studying to prepare for a career in the logging industry.