My firm also has begun increasing the sums compensable to owners for contractor delays in completing construction projects. The idea is to make the cost of delay so high that contractors will divert labor to the delayed projects first.
r: What has been the construction industry’s reaction to the shrinking pool of skilled laborers.
Lazo: Larger construction companies are now establishing in-house recruiting departments and paying signing bonuses to prospective construction workers who are in the most demanded of work trades. Construction companies also are working with labor unions and trade organizations to find, recruit and train people for construction positions.
r: What can we expect during the next three-plus years of the Trump administration if the wall between Mexico and the U.S. is built, travel bans are fully instated, etc.?
Lazo: We need to find a balance between the needs of our society and the benefits gained by use of immigrant labor. It is nonsense to keep out workers who are willing to perform jobs that Americans tend to avoid, especially when manpower has not kept pace with demand.
If the economy is to expand, the number of workers currently available will not suffice. To continue our expansion and provide a quality product within a reasonable price, there needs to be an understanding of the economics associated with slamming the door shut on immigrant labor. Whether the implementation of immigration goals is through policy or mere intimidation, our neighbors to the south are a valuable part of our overall economy, especially the construction industry.