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After talking about it for months, Sen. John Carona filed a bill that he believes will help stop the problem of worker misclassification, also known as payroll fraud.The bill...
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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Just before the December holidays, I had the privilege of touring a job site at which Marek Brothers Systems, working closely with designers from Slovack-Bass, is providing a variety of work on a high-end commercial office remodel. Interestingly, I got to view both finished product and work in progress on the same day, because the job involves work on two separate floors for a banking firm’s corporate offices in Houston’s Williams Tower. The remodel of one floor had been completed, and was already being occupied by executives and staff of the company who ordered the work. Another floor showed how the remodel had looked at a much earlier stage. We were guided by Ron Assad from Marek and Lauren Lucas representing the owner.The interior design of the finished space features light colors and see-through glass walls to allow as much natural light to surround all the workspaces, and to keep the look of the offices open. This is partly to encourage collaborative work, but also makes the environment feel more like a comfortable and beautiful living space
February 20, 2013
We recently interviewed Katrina Kersch, the Acting Executive Director of the Construction Career Collaborative (C3), to better understand the origins and the current status of the overall program.In this video, Katrina tells us that the C3 movement developed out of The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) studies in 2008 and from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projections that predicted a major shortage of mid-level construction workers in the middle of this decade.
February 19, 2013
The University of Texas study on the construction industry that we've been telling you about is getting attention across the state, from TV reports in Austin and Dallas to a...
February 18, 2013
Google is bringing its “driverless cars” to I-35 this week in a bold move to convince Texas Legislators to look to the future and to consider how we might accommodate “driverless” cars on the roads of Texas.The possibility of “driverless” cars and trucks (they are guided by their GPS and equipment) on the roads of Texas is both scary and exciting. Scary in that we cherish our cars and the way we can drive them. Exciting in that we can reduce deaths on our highways and, faced with a longstanding shortage of funding not only to build new roads, but also maintain the ones we have, this technological change might
February 18, 2013
According to an article in the Washington Post, the uptick in the economy has many highly skilled workers looking for better jobs. These workers may have been frozen in place during the last 4 years when jobs were limited and just having a job was primary, but now with the improvement in the job market, many employers are finding themselves with more voluntary turnover. That means either their key employees are being wooed away or their workers are feeling more confident in their future and are venturing out into the marketplace.The article states: “Experts say the increased interest in jumping ship is driven by a variety of factors, most of which seem to reflect a workforce that has grown weary of the corporate belt-tightening that was commonplace during the recession.
February 15, 2013
One of the trends we've been watching closely at Construction Citizen is the shift in attitudes when it comes to the "college for all" mentality that has dominated public policy in recent decades. Now, a plan in support of that shift is picking up steam at the Texas Legislature. Workforce Commissioner Tom Pauken, who has been sounding the alarm about the need for more skilled workers, says the plan "is clearly going to pass the House. There's a recognition in the importance of multiple pathways to a high school diploma and the value of career and technical education." While Pauken believes the plan will pass the House of Representatives, there may be more of a fight in the Texas Senate. If it passes both houses and Governor Perry signs it, "We're going to be saving a lot of kids who would otherwise drop out of school," Pauken said.
February 14, 2013
We've been telling you about the push in Austin to bring balance to the Texas education system. Many feel there's too much emphasis on sending every single student to college and...
February 13, 2013
Recovery is all around us. The construction industry is revving up again, driven by a hefty backlog of work and a fresh dose of infrastructure revitalization. And just as many had predicted, we are now facing an extraordinary lack of skilled craft professionals who are ready to build, repair and maintain. The cycle of recruitment for any industry hinges on informing young students about the possibilities for a particular career and the steps they need to take in order to accomplish their goals. Yet the construction industry is hindered by preconceived ideas and misconceptions about the education, training, and advancement opportunities associated with a successful career.Some of these misconceptions start early on, perpetuated by well-meaning parents, teachers and guidance counselors: “Oh, you can take a carpentry class in high school, but you can't make a living as a carpenter.”
February 12, 2013
Following the release of a University of Texas study on payroll fraud and working conditions in the construction industry, a prominent Republican businessman from Houston urged the legislature to take decisive action. Stan Marek, the Chairman and CEO of the Marek Family of Companies, called on Republicans and Democrats alike to join together to clarify the relationship between employers and their employees.Marek pointed to the study's findings that over 40 percent of workers in construction are misclassified. "That's over 300,000 men and women," Marek said. "You're responsible for your own payroll taxes. You're paid by the piece, you're not paid by the hour. You don't get overtime if you work over 40 (hours a week) and you don't get safety training," he said."The industry cannot attract young Texans into the skilled trades if it continues to treat its workers this way," he said.
February 11, 2013
