COMMITTEE UPDATE
Orleans in June 2007. J. Robertson learned what CURT (Construction Users Roundtable) + ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) and major contracting firms are doing about Workforce Development. Conference was titled: “Crisis in Construction – Help Wanted”. i. In November 2008, a tripartite MOU was agreed between GCC-GCAGCATA for mutual cooperation and benefit. It has served as a guiding principle between the three organizations up until the present day. j. GCA took the lead in August 2008 with Chamber of Commerce and Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association in pushing back a ±30% wage increase imposed by Guam DOL and USCIS. k. On 23 September 2008, the GCA Committee on Military, Government & Labor Relations provided testimony again before Honorable Donna M Christensen, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Committee on Natural Resources, U.S. House of Representatives. The oversight hearing was on the subject: “Identifying Labor Solutions for the Guam Military Build-up”. Other presenters were Congresswoman Christensen, General David F. Bice (U.S. Marine Corps Retired), Douglas Domenech, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior for Insular Affairs, Maria Connelley, Dr Robert Underwood and Dr Mary A.Y. Okada. l. In August 2009, the GCA successfully fought off action in the House of Representatives by Congressman Abercrombie to impose Hawaii wage and benefit provisions in Guam through amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2010. m. During 2009 and at other times, efforts have been made to make changes to the statute concerning the Manpower Development Fund (MDF) to make funding more accessible to trainees at the GCA Trades Academy. The funds are generated from fees charged for H2B worker processing. The effort has not produced the
12 | APRIL2014
desired result. However, as a result of the Tripartite Agreement between GCC-GCA-GCATA, some funds are now flowing through the Community College to the Trades Academy. n. In November 2009, GCA participated in a “Workforce Summit” where John Robertson addressed the group on: “Embracing Workforce Solutions and Challenges (Regulatory Environment)”. o. GCA took the lead with Chamber of Commerce, the Employers Council and Hotel & Restaurant Association in defeating the Obama Executive Order regarding PLA’s (Project Labor Agreements) which would have made unions compulsory on Federal projects. This included provision of written and verbal testimony at a hearing in Guam on 06 October 2010. p. The foregoing is not enough. Workforce Development in Guam has slipped into the background as result of Military Buildup being postponed. 4. Guam Contractors Association must take the lead in developing an efficient local construction workforce a. NAVFAC Marianas, the major user of construction services on Guam has expressed interest in working with GCA on Workforce Development. It is in their interest to improve the quality of construction and reduce the cost and time of construction projects by Guam having a well-trained and efficient workfo0rce. We and GCA need to first establish a position on the subject. b. Various Chapters of ABC across the US cooperate to derive benefit for all members. This makes open shop – merit shop a viable solution as compared to closed shop as practiced by most AGC chapters.
d. The effort may border on social engineering; but what is wrong with that, if all GCA members benefit from a trained and experienced workforce. There is a need to view the long term situation. The increased level of construction activity will continue to 2024 and beyond. e. Workers may move from one employer to another but provided each contractor does his fair share in developing the local workforce, all contractors benefit more or less equally. f. The skilled workforce shortage is more serious than some suspect. There are shortages everywhere – Guam is not unique. Action is needed before the need for a trained workforce begins to peak. 5. Plan of Action – Could look something like the following: a. Develop skilled tradesmen from existing workforce plus new recruits from local community and CNMI. Special focus on veterans. b. Develop semi-skilled workforce from FSM, Marshall Island, Palau, American Samoa. Cooperate with CME (Center for Micronesian Empowerment) in attracting and training these individuals. c. Make certification by Trades Academy or GCC a requirement for say 30% of the workforce on every project. Make apprenticeship a requirement for say 10% of the workforce. d. Increase wages and/or benefits for skilled tradesmen to attract more competent people into our Guam construction workforce.
c. We do not need a labor union to bring training to our workers as happens in a closed shop environment. This concept is partly geared toward making the unions unnecessary on Guam.
CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
www.guamcontractors.org