The craft labor shortage in Northwest Indiana was the subject of a symposium on June 19 at the Avalon Banquet Center in Merrillville, sponsored by the Construction Advancement Foundation and the Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable.

Dubbed the Craft Labor Supply and Demand Symposium, the event brought together area owners, industrial contractors, and union reps for a dialogue on the challenge of the labor shortage and possible solutions.

The group of more than 100 identified key labor shortage issues in light of the forthcoming construction boom expected in Northwest Indiana, one which could total more than $5 billion in the next few years.

“We’ve got a serious problem with labor shortage but it’s a great problem to have because it shows that Northwest Indiana’s economy is growing,” said Joe Coar, vice-president of Tonn and Blank Construction in Michigan City.

Capital projects at BP, the Northern Indiana Public Service Company, and ArcelorMittal have industry leaders well aware that it will take a multifaceted approach to solve the labor-demand challenge faced by the entire country.

“We have to do a better job of communicating than we have in the past in order to solve these problems,” said Willis Shepherd, executive director of the Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable. “With so much construction on the horizon, it’s imperative we now work together for the betterment of everyone’s future.”

National leaders in attendance, including Steve Lindauer, CEO of the Association of Union Constructors, highlighted the collaborative effort already in place in Northwest Indiana with its strong contractor base, owner participation, and formidable union presence.

“You need to take the tripartite relationship”—owners, contractors, and unions—“to another level,” Lindauer said. “You’re all in this together. Either you work together or you fail together. And failure isn’t an option.”

Posted 6/26/2008