3 ms·

The bigger problem is that we have more people retiring than entering the workforce. This demographic collapse has been forecast for decades. COVID just pushed

The bigger problem is that we have more people retiring than entering the workforce. This demographic collapse has been forecast for decades. COVID just pushed us ahead on the curve with some early retirements. I wrote about this [0] and welcome input on how my thinking might be incorrect. I work in multiple industries and am struggling with recruiting labor that requires years of training. I welcome creative ideas on how to have my companies succeed in this environment. Fixing immigration is the only near term solution. 0: https://enki.org/2022/05/17/demographic-impacts/ https://enki.org/2022/05/17/demographic-impacts/

toomuchtodo 4y ago
This is not a problem for labor, but for Capital and institutions used to obtaining labor on their terms. If you need labor trained in your industry, train them. If you can’t attract labor, you will have to pay them more. Not you specifically, but in general. [redacted broad statement on immigration and working conditions, as it is a complex topic and not all jobs and situations are the same] https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/american-workers-face-terrible-working-conditions-new-report-claims/150316 https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/american-workers-fa... https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/american-working-conditions.html https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/american-w... (Great blog post btw, here’s one that expands on it: https://archive.ph/2022.10.27-015740/https://www.businessinsider.com/great-labor-shortage-looming-population-decline-disaster-global-economy-2022-10 https://archive.ph/2022.10.27-015740/https://www.businessins...)
- mcculley 4y ago
  Pay is not the problem. I am offering competitive pay. Tugboat captains with a Master of Towing require years of sea time. More are retiring than being created. I am currently training deckhands. It will be years before they are ready. Meanwhile, I am keeping boats less utilized than they could be. Fixing immigration would allow me to hire qualified captains from abroad. It would similarly benefit other kinds of companies.
  - toomuchtodo 4y ago
    Have you explored the EB3 visa for hiring for these roles?
    - mcculley 4y ago
      We have researched this a bit. We are working with a staffing company that claims to know how to execute the process. It is not yet clear to me if we should be outsourcing this or trying to do it entirely ourselves.
    - sgent 4y ago
      Any ship using US deckhands will need US command crew (Jones Act). Immigration might open up deckhand positions, but not master positions until they naturalize.
      - mcculley 4y ago
        Yes. I don’t expect fixes to immigration to resolve constraints with Jones Act. I do expect it would make other large parts of the labor market more flexible and relieve pressure on positions constrained by Jones Act.
        toomuchtodo 4y ago
        As someone in the industry, what changes would you make to the Jones Act to better enable you to fill the roles you’re having a challenge filling while still meeting the merchant marine industry capacity national security concerns the Jones Act attempts to solve for? I would pay to read this as a blog post btw. Policy must evolve to meet the needs of society. Edit: no rush! I understand time is at a premium and in short supply.
        mcculley 4y ago
        I will try to articulate a coherent answer for this. It will probably take me a while. I appreciate your interest.
- shagie 4y ago
  > If you need labor trained in your industry, train them. If you can’t attract labor, you will have to pay them more. Not you specifically, but in general. From the article: > Recognizing the old military adage that “an army travels on its stomach,” the Coast Guard is pushing hard to fill the gap. An enlisted recruit with a culinary degree can get a $50,000 bonus, jumping the recruit and apprentice ratings to enter the Coast Guard as a full-fledged Third-Class Petty Officer. A culinary certificate holder gets $45,000. An untrained Coast Guard recruit with an interest in tending a kitchen can go to culinary school, and, upon completion, get a $40,000 reward That is exactly what the Cost Guard is doing - the untrained recruit can go to school, have tuition covered, and on completion get a $40k bonus.

toomuchtodo 4y ago

This is not a problem for labor, but for Capital and institutions used to obtaining labor on their terms. If you need labor trained in your industry, train them. If you can’t attract labor, you will have to pay them more. Not you specifically, but in general. [redacted broad statement on immigration and working conditions, as it is a complex topic and not all jobs and situations are the same] https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/american-workers-face-terrible-working-conditions-new-report-claims/150316 https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/american-workers-fa... https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/american-working-conditions.html https://www.rand.org/education-and-labor/projects/american-w... (Great blog post btw, here’s one that expands on it: https://archive.ph/2022.10.27-015740/https://www.businessinsider.com/great-labor-shortage-looming-population-decline-disaster-global-economy-2022-10 https://archive.ph/2022.10.27-015740/https://www.businessins...)

mcculley 4y ago
Pay is not the problem. I am offering competitive pay. Tugboat captains with a Master of Towing require years of sea time. More are retiring than being created. I am currently training deckhands. It will be years before they are ready. Meanwhile, I am keeping boats less utilized than they could be. Fixing immigration would allow me to hire qualified captains from abroad. It would similarly benefit other kinds of companies.
- toomuchtodo 4y ago
  Have you explored the EB3 visa for hiring for these roles?
  - mcculley 4y ago
    We have researched this a bit. We are working with a staffing company that claims to know how to execute the process. It is not yet clear to me if we should be outsourcing this or trying to do it entirely ourselves.
  - sgent 4y ago
    Any ship using US deckhands will need US command crew (Jones Act). Immigration might open up deckhand positions, but not master positions until they naturalize.
    - mcculley 4y ago
      Yes. I don’t expect fixes to immigration to resolve constraints with Jones Act. I do expect it would make other large parts of the labor market more flexible and relieve pressure on positions constrained by Jones Act.
      - toomuchtodo 4y ago
        As someone in the industry, what changes would you make to the Jones Act to better enable you to fill the roles you’re having a challenge filling while still meeting the merchant marine industry capacity national security concerns the Jones Act attempts to solve for? I would pay to read this as a blog post btw. Policy must evolve to meet the needs of society. Edit: no rush! I understand time is at a premium and in short supply.
        mcculley 4y ago
        I will try to articulate a coherent answer for this. It will probably take me a while. I appreciate your interest.
shagie 4y ago
> If you need labor trained in your industry, train them. If you can’t attract labor, you will have to pay them more. Not you specifically, but in general. From the article: > Recognizing the old military adage that “an army travels on its stomach,” the Coast Guard is pushing hard to fill the gap. An enlisted recruit with a culinary degree can get a $50,000 bonus, jumping the recruit and apprentice ratings to enter the Coast Guard as a full-fledged Third-Class Petty Officer. A culinary certificate holder gets $45,000. An untrained Coast Guard recruit with an interest in tending a kitchen can go to culinary school, and, upon completion, get a $40,000 reward That is exactly what the Cost Guard is doing - the untrained recruit can go to school, have tuition covered, and on completion get a $40k bonus.