Latest news with #laborShortage
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
North Texas construction faces labor shortages, rising costs amid immigration crackdown, tariffs
They were already concerned about tariffs, but construction businesses in North Texas said they have new fears with the president's immigration crackdown. Alan Hoffmann, an executive board member with the Dallas Builders' Association, said the current immigration enforcement is causing at least a 30% labor shortage within the industry in the metroplex. Hoffman said not only are current policies impacting them, but tariffs on certain materials as well. "It's really in framing, concrete work, things like that, where those are harder labor jobs, and that's really where the shortage we're seeing is," said Hoffman. "If we're seeing higher costs for materials, higher costs for labor, that gets translated to the final price of the product. It's simple economics." Meaning those costs get pushed to the home buyer or client. Hoffman said many contractors are also concerned about their rights if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes knocking on the door, which prompted the National Association of Home Builders to release guidance on how to handle these interactions. The 8-page pamphlet titled "When ICE Comes Calling" explains how an employer should prepare for a potential visit from ICE, what the law is, and how to respond to an administrative audit. "It's a very disruptive reality," Hoffman said. Martin Valko, an immigration attorney, said it's not just a concerning time for construction employers, but business owners across the board, everything from agriculture, hospitality and beyond. "They're seeking advice, and you know legal advice, on what steps to take, what are the rights, what are their responsibilities, what are the rights and responsibilities of their employees, of their contractors," Valko said. Valko said that currently, he receives two or three of these calls per day as immigration raids and arrests continue. He said while employment authorization and verification at a job site has always happened, he said it's never been this aggressive, but added that business owners should be prepared for anything. "Be ready. Reach out to an immigration attorney that specializes, that focuses on worksite enforcement, and I-9s, enforcement and compliance, so that they can have it ready, they can have a plan. They know who to call," said Valko.
NHK
3 days ago
- Business
- NHK
Demonstration of remote-controlled mowers held in Miyagi Pref.
Farmers toiling in terraced fields in northeastern Japan have been introduced to new technology that can help reduce their workload. The farmers in Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture, were given a chance to closely watch remote-controlled grass trimmers in operation at a terraced rice field. A regional agricultural administration office held the demonstration on Monday as part of its efforts to help farmers in mountainous communities in the region. The aging of farmers coupled with labor shortages have become acute problems in these communities. About 80 farmers gathered at a terraced rice field to see how nine mowers, manufactured by five different makers, work. One of the mowers consists of a base unit and a mobile unit linked together with wires. The base unit was placed at the top of the slope, and the mobile unit cut grass steadily while traveling down the slope. It was then pulled up the slope again with the wires. A farmer in his 50s said such a machine will be helpful, as mowing has been done manually until now. Another farmer said mowing has been the biggest headache for aging farmers. He said introducing such machines may become essential in a bid to shift toward smart farming.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Many Immigrants In Germany, Facing Discrimination, Consider Leaving
Friedrichstrasse Shopping Street in central Berlin getty Many immigrants living in Germany are considering leaving the country for another, driven by economic concerns as well as discrimination, according to a new report from the country's federal research agency. With results showing that only just over half of immigrants intend to stay in Germany permanently, the report signals trouble for Europe's largest economy which is already struggling with historic labor shortages. The report, published by Germany's Institute for Employment Research, shows around 57% of people surveyed saying they intend to stay on in Germany, with around 26% stating they have considered leaving in the past year. The reasons people want to leave vary. Those who want to return to their countries of origin cited a desire to rejoin family, while people who are rather looking to settle elsewhere often cited economic opportunities, bureaucracy and tax burdens as reasons for wanting to leave Germany. Alongside these issues, the politics of immigration in Germany, as well as a high level of discrimination foreigners are subjected to, play a significant role. 'perceptions of discrimination – especially in interactions with authorities, police, and at the workplace – greatly increases emigration tendencies,' write the authors of the report. The report also notes that people who are more educated and economically successful, as well as those who show better success at integration, tend to be the ones more likely to be considering moving on. This means, according to the report's authors, that 'those most urgently needed to secure Germany's future labor supply are also those most inclined to leave.' Germany has long struggled with serious labor shortages, as older citizens age out of the workforce, with estimates of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of labor migrants needed to stabilize the market. Subsequent governments in Germany have attempted to ameliorate this by cutting red tape and giving out more work visas, but the tense politics over immigration - and in particular irregular migration - in Germany is complicating matters. The rise and electoral gains of the stridently anti-immigration AfD party have pushed migration to the top of the political agenda, with recently-elected center-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz coming in promising to clamp down on people seeking shelter in the country. While irregular migration (think asylum seekers and other people seeking protection) and labor migration are two different matters, they have become progressively more linked in the German discourse, particularly by the AfD. In the run-up to state elections last year, various prominent business leaders spoke out against the AfD, warning that their harsh rhetoric over immigration overall, including taking aim at workplace diversity initiatives, threatened to dissuade prospective labor migrants from moving to the regions in Germany where they are needed most. This latest report adds further weight to those concerns, with discrimination apparently playing a significant role in foreign residents' calculations. The report recommends the government implement measures to, among other things, ease bureaucracy, support family integration and address workplace discrimination. 'Only when immigrants feel like fully included members of society," write the authors, "with real opportunities for participation and professional advancement – are they likely to choose Germany as their long-term home.'
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
North Texas restaurants facing labor shortages amid immigration crackdown; industry praises Trump's pause on raids
President Trump's immigration crackdown has impacted restaurants in North Texas; however, the administration has announced a pause on raids targeting farms, hotels, and eateries—and the Texas Restaurant Association is applauding the news. At Café y Tequila Mexican restaurant in Irving, the kitchen is a little quieter than usual. The owner, Jesus Sagrero, said the current immigration policies are taking a toll on his business. Sagrero said they used to have several Central American and Mexican workers looking for jobs, but that's slowed down since the beginning of this year, and even more so, over the last few weeks. He said not only is it hard to find employees, but clientele is down, too, by about 45%. "There would be a lot of calls, people coming in, leaving their phone numbers, but ultimately, it's gone down a lot... those people aren't coming anymore asking for jobs," said Sagrero. "I imagine a lot of these employees and clients are not coming in because of the immigration raids that are happening across the country." Café y Tequila Mexican is just one of several restaurants in the metroplex facing a labor shortage. The Texas Restaurant Association said 47% of Texas restaurant operators currently have job openings that are difficult to fill, and 21% of those restaurants don't have enough employees to support the demand. "As we talk with restaurant owners in every corner, the word is fear. So, no matter your status, you may be afraid to come to work. That means you're not earning a paycheck. You're not contributing to the economy, we've seen along some of our border communities where we have restaurants that can't open because they don't have staffing," said Emily Williams Knight, the Texas Restaurant Association CEO and President. "You have to remember, if people stop going to work in restaurants, that means restaurants can't serve their community. That means the dollar that restaurants put into each community, for a dollar spent, goes away, and then those workers are also not spending." Because of recent protests and backlash, the Trump administration recently announced it would halt immigration enforcement in key industries, including at restaurants, which Williams Knight said they support. She said about 22% of employees within the industry are immigrants, which means if they aren't showing up for work, it's going to have an economic impact, adding that immigrants are a critical component in the industry. "We don't use them or view them as a source of labor. They are critical to making sure that we can do what we do best, which is produce a great plate of food and offer a great experience," said Williams Knight. "And so, I think for us, we view these employees as a member of the team, and anytime a member of a team is at risk, our association steps up to stand up." As for Sagrero, he said he'll keep showing up to help keep his restaurant afloat and hopes the immigration issue subsides. "We'll be here as long as we can, and either way, thanks to everyone who still supports us," he said.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Struggles to Press Deportations Without Damaging the Economy
When federal agents raided Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, Neb., last Tuesday, they arrested about 75 of the meat processor's workers, roughly half of the production line. The following day, the plant was operating at about 15% of capacity, and a skeleton crew strained to fill orders. Chief Executive Gary Rohwer can't see a future that doesn't include immigrant workers. 'Without them, there wouldn't be an industry,' he said.
