Construction Jobs Booming but Workforce Still Lacks Women and African-Americans
KANSAS CITY (PRNewswire), September 2, 2007 - Though it comes at a time when transportation-related construction work is booming, this Labor Day will find African-Americans, Latinos and women being passed over for these living-wage jobs in large numbers, according to a study of 18 American metropolitan areas.
The study is the first of its kind to examine the employment of African Americans, Hispanics, and women in the construction field in mostly Midwestern and Northeastern cities that have seen most industrial jobs disappear. Much as manufacturing jobs once did, construction jobs offer a chance for pay significantly higher than minimum wage for workers without a college degree. The national average is over $19.00 an hour.
In every area studied, white males dominate construction work, regardless of the racial and gender makeup of the local workforce as a whole. The study found that, based on their share of the population, more than 42,000 black workers are missing from the construction workforce. Though half the population, women held 6 percent or less of the jobs, even though construction has become increasingly mechanized. Latinos lagged in at least 5 of the metropolitan areas studied.
The study also found that significant labor shortages in the construction industry will worsen in the years ahead. Nearly 2.5 million openings in the construction industry need to be filled between 2004 and 2014. On average, the industry will have to recruit and train nearly 250,000 new workers each year.
The report comes two years after Congress directed transportation agencies to ensure that disadvantaged local workers are trained and hired for construction projects as they spend the $244 billion authorized in the 2005 transportation bill.
The 18 metropolitan areas are Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City, Albany, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Honolulu, Kalamazoo, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Saginaw, South Bend, Syracuse, Virginia Beach, Los Angeles and Youngstown.
Background Checks are Critical in Today's Workplace
DENVER, CO (PRNewswire), September 2, 2007 - With recent events in the news, the importance of organizations conducting background checks on employees has been magnified. "It is critical for employers to understand who they are hiring," says Lorrie Ray, director of Outsourced Consulting Services at Mountain States Employers Council, Inc. (MSEC).
MSEC, a Colorado-based employers association, has 10 researchers dedicated to conducting pre-employment screening for employers. Ray notes, "We help employers prevent major problems down the road, as those who don't do checks can discover they're not really sure who they hired. A simple background check can avoid this."
MSEC expects to conduct over 10,000 background checks this year. Of those 10,000, almost 30% receive a hit with some sort of criminal violation or citation. Ray says, "Companies who hire workers through some agencies should make certain that background screenings are done, or they may find out later none were conducted. In addition, there are different levels of background checks, some not as reliable or thorough. And considering that 25% of all applications include at least one major fabrication, screening becomes critical in making everyday hiring decisions."
Criminal history, motor vehicle records, employment verification and drug testing are just some of the services that MSEC provides to organizations. Background checks can be conducted on potential hires not only nationwide, but worldwide. MSEC offers a full range of services to employers including: employment law services, human resource consulting, training, and surveys. Founded in Denver in 1939, MSEC members are served by 65 human resource and management development professionals and 35 staff attorneys.
|
More Than Half of Hourly Workers Say Job Is Career
KANSAS CITY (PRNewswire), September 2, 2007 - While they may not be whistling while they work, a new survey of U.S. workers finds that most Americans are very happy in their jobs, with those who are living in the West, married, and Hispanic showing the highest incidence of workplace contentment.
The SnagAJob.com Labor Happiness Survey, commissioned by the nation's largest online source of hourly jobs and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, a leading, independent, global-market research firm, found that 61 percent of American workers are very happy in their current positions.
"On-the-job happiness is a telling barometer for the larger employment picture in a number of ways," said Shawn Boyer, president and CEO of SnagAJob.com. "Happy workers are, by and large, more productive, more committed and more likely to seek advancement within their current places of employment. At a time when the economy is giving us mixed signals, this worker happiness survey is an unambiguously positive indicator."
The happiest workers, by demographic sector, are living in the West (67% vs. 64% in the Midwest and 59% in the South and 52% in the Northeast), married (64% vs. 54% for those not married) and Hispanic (67% vs. 61% for whites and 51% for others).
In addition to gauging happiness levels, the survey also provided insights into a range of other worker attitudes toward their jobs. More than half of all hourly workers (56%), for example, consider their job as their full-time career, especially men (62%). As a whole, two in five hourly workers (39%) reported having a household income of $50,000 or more.
"While many Americans take hourly positions as their first jobs or to supplement their income, most hourly workers in the U.S. are unmistakably career oriented," Boyer said. "As this survey makes clear, hourly workers are not the stereotypical low-wage earners but, in fact, have great potential to make an attractive income."
According to the survey, more than half (61%) of the working population consider health insurance their most valuable benefit at work, followed by a retirement savings plan (19%) and paid-time off (11%). Interestingly, health care also was cited as the single most important issue facing the country (21%), with the war in Iraq (20%) and the economy (18%) close behind.
As for workers' outlook toward the future, they indicated overwhelming unease over large future expenses, such as retirement and children's education, with 44 percent of survey respondents ranking it as their primary concern. Health concerns and family, including how they will be cared for, tied for second at 17 percent each.
|
Butting Heads With the Boss: Speak Your Mind Without Regretting It
The Kansas City Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 2007 Moore Design Group.