Workers Experience Fulfillment at Dennis Steel

Construction Citizen recently interviewed an iron worker who is happy to be employed by Dennis Steel, Inc., a steel fabrication and erection subcontractor in Texas which has been run responsibly and with integrity by founder David Dennis for over 30 years.  An example of a responsible business owner who is advancing the principles of Construction Citizen, David Dennis ensures that employees of Dennis Steel are paid good benefits and a solid wage and are provided with a safe working environment. 

We asked Myles Parnell, a field foreman for the company, what it was like working for Dennis Steel.  He talked about the things he appreciated about working for the company including how the owner looks out for his employees by providing them with all their safety equipment, providing insurance for the employees and their families, paying a competitive pay wage and making them each feel cared for.  However, Parnell explained that the price of treating his employees so well sometimes causes the company to be under-bid by less responsible companies.  In our video, you can hear Parnell explain:

“It’s been getting real hard for us because we go that extra length which means our overhead is a little bit higher than most other companies which means that we have to bid a little bit higher. ...  It just has been harder for us to get a lot more work and stay busy because everybody wants to go with the lowest bidder and they don’t have the overhead and they don’t provide for their guys like [Dennis Steel] has provided for us.”

In addition to feeling taken care of both financially and physically, Dennis Steel employees take pride in the work they do.  Parnell said that the company is certified by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), which means that a certain high standard of work is met by each employee of the company, as well as those who play a role in the finished product including government employees, engineers and architects.  This ensures that everything that comes out of the shop at Dennis Steel is of very high quality.

We applaud David Dennis and Dennis Steel, Inc. for choosing to uphold quality work and responsible employment practices in an industry where far too often the easier road is taken.  David Dennis is an example of a true “Construction Citizen”.