How Does the Industry Treat Its Workers?

I subscribe to the adage that you either pay it now, or you pay it later. A court ruling in California says Building Materials Holding Corp. of Boise, Idaho, allegedly opted to pay it later. Workers for that company claim the distributor and construction services provider neglected to pay them federally-mandated overtime wages. Though asserting it did no wrong, BMHC agreed to settle, even as it progresses through a bankruptcy filing.

This case, along with all the notoriety achieved by Republic Windows, made me wonder, how does the window and door industry do on the labor front?  With this week's poll, I'm not asking about YOUR company, but how do you think our industry stacks up on the whole against other industries when it comes to wage and fair labor issues. Residential construction is often seen as a problem area, but are there legitimate concerns about our segment of the business? Even if you have no direct observation, do you hear rumors about underpaid plant workers and installers? Please send me an email, confidentially, of course, and share your thoughts.

My impression is that in the window and door industry: Treats workers as well as most industries. Compares favorably with residential construction, but may fall short of other industries. Probably has more problems than we'd like to admit. I'm not sure. If poll form doesn't work in your email, Click Here.

Contact Christina Lewellen, senior editor, at clewellen@glass.org.