You may want to stop and read Roofing Contractor editor Chris King’s blog dated November 7, 2008. Chris brings your attention to some pending legislation that may, on the face of it, not seem to hit so close to home.

You may want to stop and read Roofing Contractor editor Chris King’s blog dated November 7, 2008 (www.roofingcontractor.com/CDA/Articles/Blog_Chris/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000463727). Chris brings your attention to some pending legislation that may, on the face of it, not seem to hit so close to home.

The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800, S. 1041) of which King writes has been a topic of discussion among many conservative pundits and the talk radio circuit during the recent presidential election. (President-elect Obama co-sponsored and voted for the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007). For most of the highly fragmented world of roof contracting this would seem to be one of those things that “…will not affect my roofing business.” Well, maybe you better think twice.

If the American workforce takes the leap back into the ranks of organized labor as predicted, many of the rules of engagement in the construction trades will follow. For commercial roofing contractors, that may not mean you will be faced with union organizers (most roofing companies would not show up on their radar screen).  What it may mean, however, could be choosing between keeping one of your key clients and taking your shop union, or walking away from some good business. Problem or opportunity? Depends on how you look at it; but by all means… look at it.

As Chris’ blog points out, this will be one of the key topics discussed at the upcoming International Roofing Expo (www.theroofingexpo.com). This may not seem the kind of economy where you leave town for three days to attend an expo in Las Vegas, but I firmly believe the opposite is true. This is THE TIME to stop what you are doing and connect with the industry to learn what is going on in the roofing industry and bring in some fresh ideas for your enterprise.