MOHAVE COUNTY – Local government keeps hearing more about employer difficulty in filling positions as the nation strives to pull the economy out of the pandemic. Catholic Charities in Bullhead City, for example, offers daytime assistance to persons in need, but is unable to offer overnight lodging at its homeless shelter.
Executive Director Cathy Peterson told Bullhead City council members at their June 15 meeting that the shelter needs to fill one full time and three part time positions before operating the facility overnight as intended.
“As soon as we have people on board, we’re ready but we can’t just pull people out of thin air,” Peterson said. She told council members she does not know why they can’t attract applicants when pay is decent and benefits are substantial.
Council member Steve D’Amico said a welfare mentality is causing problems in the labor market across America.
“We still have the government giving people $300 a week not to work. That is a big issue, and it’s not just Catholic Charities,” D’Amico said. “I would say after September, basically when the money is cut off, it’ll be a lot easier for people to get the employees they need.
The Water Rescue and Safety venture that provides summer season Colorado River patrol service under contract with Bullhead City is also having trouble drawing applicants as it wants to add 7-10 people when operations expand in July. Chief Operations Officer Duran Reid said interested parties can review its job openings on Craig’s List, indeed and the company website at www.waterrescueandsafety.com.
“We’re accepting applicants and there’s no foreseen closing date,” Reid said. “We would like to get the bulk of our applicants in the next week or two.”
City Manager Toby Cotter encouraged those eligible to seek employment.
“We need the community to step up. We need people who are not working to start working,” Cotter said. “This is a crisis that a lot of companies are having right now.”
Dave Hawkins
No labor shortage. Shortage of money. Raise the salaries and you’ll be swamped with applicants for your jobs.
Not true, I raised my wages from $13 an hour to $16 an hour to watch a damn register and still can’t get applicants. People need to get off their butts and get to work.
Funny coming from all the market based solution people. Yes, if you offer somebody 60,000 a year and real benefits, how many applicants would you have? Hundreds. D’Amico represents the, “why can’t I find workers for dirt wages like I did before?”