Lisa Pate, FRSA Executive Director
In early April, approximately 22 people from Florida attended NRCA’s Roofing Day in D.C. for the first in-person meetings with members of Congress in two years. Our group was part of over 220 participants from around the country that included contractors, suppliers and manufacturing members. All there to speak with one voice on items that are important to the industry and to advocate for solutions to workforce and supply chain challenges through immigration reform, Perkins career and technical education grants and reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Immigration Reform that Meets Workforce Needs
Roofing industry employers provide family-sustaining jobs for qualified employees but face chronic workforce shortages because of an aging workforce and other demographic trends. In fact, workforce shortages are the biggest impediment to the ability of roofing industry employers to sustain and grow their businesses while providing families with the most basic necessity – roofs over their heads. Congress should enact immigration reform that helps grow the economy by meeting the workforce needs of the roofing industry.
The roofing industry supports increased border security, improving workplace enforcement of immigration laws, visa reform that allows workers to enter the U.S. legally when our economy needs them and addressing the status of undocumented individuals
in a balanced manner. Sensible immigration reform should address the workforce needs of the roofing industry in a way that ends illegal immigration without encouraging a hidden economy that results from the current policy. This hidden economy penalizes employers that follow the law and rewards those who do not. It is imperative immigration reform address this growing concern.
The roofing industry supports the establishment of a visa system that meets the workforce needs of employers in the 21st Century. Any new visa system should be governed by market forces and provide more visas in times of economic strength and fewer during downturns. It should protect workers, be easy for employers to use and enable job creators to obtain the workers needed to sustain and grow their businesses. Legislation to achieve these goals was introduced as the Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act (H.R. 4288) and the roofing industry continues to support this important reform.
The Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act would address chronic workforce shortages by establishing a two-track visa system that matches willing employers with willing temporary workers based on economic conditions. To obtain a permit to hire a visa
holder, an employer must first attest the position cannot otherwise be filled. Unlike existing visa programs, the employee or the employer may terminate the relationship at any time, giving the employee portability among employers with permits to hire visa holders. Participating employers also must use E-Verify to enhance workplace enforcement efforts. This new, innovative visa system would help address workforce needs in a balanced manner.
The roofing industry also supports legislation to allow qualified individuals who have been working legally under Temporary Protected Status or the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program to adjust to lawful permanent resident status and the potential opportunity to apply for citizenship. Many such individuals currently are working in the roofing industry and make invaluable contributions to their communities. Allowing these hard working individuals to obtain lawful permanent status will allow them to continue supporting their communities and will strengthen our economy. The roofing industry urges Congress to prioritize solutions that protect our security, meet our workforce challenges and provide a permanent solution for TPS and DACA individuals.
The roofing industry is an essential $100 billion economic sector with nearly one million employees. It is vital to address affordable housing shortages and to build, repair and maintain schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure nationwide. These efforts are in jeopardy as the roofing industry is experiencing unprecedented supply chain and workforce disruptions that show little indication of easing soon. Systemic issues in technical education and career training have resulted in too few skilled trades men and women who manufacture, transport and install products that provide shelter to all Americans. The supply chain challenges that began during the pandemic have exacerbated workforce shortages, which have been ongoing for many years. We support the following policies to address these critical challenges.
The roofing industry supports robust funding for Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Grants that help employers meet workforce development needs. This funding for improved and expanded CTE is critical to ensuring more students obtain the training needed to close the skills gap in the workforce. It is vital Congress provide sufficient funding for CTE programs to provide more opportunities for students to develop skills and pursue rewarding careers in the roofing industry. This is even more true given economic trends that have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting supply chain disruptions.
The roofing industry supports efforts in Congress to reform the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to ensure more job creators and workers can take advantage of its benefits. Authorized funding has grown modestly through 2020 and Congress is discussing ways to reform this program. In addition to increased funding for WIOA, the roofing industry supports reform that addresses burdensome paperwork for small businesses, lack of awareness of the program within communities, allowing funding to be used for competency-based programs and required credentialing and better functioning workforce boards that meet the urgency of workforce needs.
NRCA staff prepared participants for congressional meetings with speakers that included congressional Chief of Staff personnel. They shared insight and best practices for our visits, sharing that often a staff member is better equipped to discuss issues than the person they work for. Over the past five years, we’ve had most of our meetings with staff. They are understanding, polite, educated and interested.
Thanks to the team from NRCA – Reid Ribble, McKay Daniels, Duane Musser, Deb Mazol and Teri Dorn. They continue to refine the event and make it easier for the industry to participate. Please mark your calendars for Roofing Day in D.C. 2023, April 18-19.
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