Immigration

CORE Molding Technologies has taken an uncommon approach to fixing its workforce shortage: educating and working with U.S. legislators to change national immigration policy, while using all available immigration tools to bring in skilled workers.

Got labor challenges? The Columbus, Ohio–based large-format compression-molding maker has increased its entry-level production wages by up to 30% and offered additional incentives, such as sign-on, attendance and referral bonuses. Yet, even with these efforts, CORE saw only a marginal improvement, according to Executive Vice President of Operations Eric Palomaki.

A willing population: Thanks to its presence across North America, CORE has a unique perspective on immigration and workforce availability. The company employs nearly 1,800 people in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and says it is far easier to find people in Canada and Mexico who are not only willing but excited to work in manufacturing.

• “Our country’s population is shrinking,” Palomaki said. “Immigration is one way to fix [the labor shortage]. We follow the NAM’s policy … there’s no reason for it to be this difficult for good people—who are not looking to come and be a drain on government resources, but rather are looking for good, stable employment and to become citizens.”

But there’s a problem: The U.S. immigration system lacks a comprehensive, easily navigable process for getting hourly wage earners to the states for approved employment.

• “There are no options available for the hourly manufacturing workforce from an immigration perspective,” said Human Resources Executive Vice President Renee Anderson.

Success stories: For several years, CORE has sponsored non-U.S.-born salaried employees in applying for and obtaining working visas (and ultimately permanent residency)—and the company has been hugely successful in these efforts.

• “It creates an incredibly loyal workforce. When you go down this path, it changes the lives of individuals and families,” Anderson said.
• The tales of triumph are many: One employee, currently an engineering and materials manager in Ohio, began on the shop floor in Mexico, and after several promotions through the years, came to the U.S. on an L visa. Another individual, a senior engineer in Ohio, was trained and mentored in Mexico and also came to the U.S. on an L visa.
• Both now have green cards and have established their homes in the U.S. with their families, thanks to sponsorship by CORE Molding Technologies.

Pushing for policy: The company’s leadership is actively educating and engaging congressional members in Ohio and Minnesota, two states where it has facilities, to advocate for immigration-policy changes.

• Ideally, the company says, the system that is in place for salaried employees would be expanded to hourly production workers to provide them with a better path to citizenship.

The last word: “We want to invest in people,” said Palomaki. “We have a great place to work.”

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sukup Manufacturing knew it couldn’t stand by. The Iowa-based company—which manufactures grain storage, drying and handling equipment—has a European counterpart located in Denmark, Sukup Europe, that partners with the Grain House Company in Ukraine. As Russian troops threatened Ukraine, President and CEO Steve Sukup immediately greenlit the effort to help Grain House’s personnel and families get to safety.

“When Russia invaded Ukraine, we immediately said, how can we help?” said Emily Schmitt, Sukup’s chief administrative officer and general counsel. “We called the CEO of Sukup Europe, and his response was, I’m really glad I work for a company where I’m able to say I can help and do what’s needed.”

The mission: Managing Director of Sukup Europe Jens Erik Iversen and Co-Founder of Grain House Company Andriy Semenovych worked together on the effort, gathering the resources needed to make the 1,200-mile journey from a pickup point in Ukraine to a community in Denmark. Sukup’s Iowa headquarters coordinated with its counterparts, offering financial support and even leveraging business connections on the route between Ukraine and Denmark to help move refugees safely out of the country. Determined to overcome any last-minute obstacles, Iversen himself rode in the bus to meet the Ukrainian families at the border—bringing food and clothes and helping to provide asylum assistance.

Since that first caravan, Sukup has organized multiple trips to the border. Through their efforts, they have been able to bring 64 people in more than 20 families to Denmark.

• “Being a family business is not where family ties stop here,” said Schmitt. “It’s really ingrained in Sukup to give back. Every employee isn’t just an employee—they’re family. And their families are our families as well.”

The way forward: Today, Sukup is focused on making sure there’s a continuous and reliable community effort to support the refugees in Denmark. It is working with Danish officials to ensure that the Ukrainian refugees can remain in the country and with the U.S. government to secure temporary work visas that could allow the Ukrainians to go to Iowa. It is also working through the Sukup Family Foundation to continue providing food, clothing and other resettlement resources to the Ukrainian families they’ve evacuated.

The last word: “We’re hearing that there’s upwards of four million refugees coming out of Ukraine now—so this is one grain of sand on the beach,” said Sukup Chairman and NAM Board Member Charles Sukup. “But we’re so proud our people stepped up and did it so rapidly and efficiently. This was the epitome of our history of taking care of each other.”

Washington, D.C. – In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors unanimously voted to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to stand with the people of Ukraine in their fight to preserve freedom and independence. The resolution expressed support for the economic and financial sanctions implemented against Russia and called for the removal of the Russian Federation from the World Trade Organization and termination of permanent normalized trading relationship status with the United States.

“Manufacturers have a proud history of standing firm in support of democracy, and we stand with the Ukrainian people. The free world must come together to denounce the unprovoked Russian aggression, save lives and end the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Ending the conflict is also critical to protecting livelihoods in America and around the world. Manufacturers are already feeling the serious economic disruption, which jeopardizes the jobs of America’s manufacturing workers.

“The NAM supports the efforts of the Biden administration and bipartisan congressional leaders to sanction Russia, and we support further economic sanctions.

“The NAM Board is speaking clearly today to support the bipartisan effort to hold Russia accountable and bring peace to Ukraine, while reaffirming our commitment to safeguarding democracy and democratic institutions not only here at home, but also abroad.”

Resolution: Whereas Ukraine is a sovereign democracy and constitutional republic that was invaded in an unprovoked act of aggression ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin;

Whereas the unrelenting attacks on humanity have caused needless loss of life, unacceptable human suffering, a devastating refugee crisis, widespread destruction and significant economic disruption;

Whereas manufacturers in America have a proud history of supporting and defending democracy, including serving as the “Arsenal of Democracy” and mobilizing to free the world from tyranny and fascism in two world wars;

Whereas the Ukrainian people are standing strong against a violent aggressor, and their future is directly dependent upon the united actions of the free world and those who revere democracy;

Whereas the failure to end this aggression could have profound global ramifications, including further attacks on other democracies and destabilizing effects in Europe and around the world, as Russia continues its ambitious expansionism;

Whereas the continued disruption of global commerce harms manufacturers in America and the industry’s stability, threatens our ability to deliver essential products for the American people and the world and thereby jeopardizes the jobs of American manufacturing workers; and

Whereas the National Association of Manufacturers advances the values of free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity, as enshrined by this board in our policy documents, and those values cannot flourish in the absence of democracy;

Be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers, at its March 8, 2022, meeting, joins world leaders in denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; stands with the people of Ukraine in their fight to preserve freedom and independence; supports the economic and financial sanctions implemented against Russia; supports additional economic sanctions, including a ban on the importation of energy products, removal of the Russian Federation from the World Trade Organization and termination of permanent normalized trading relationship status; supports the efforts of U.S. leaders and the international community to reestablish peace; and reaffirms the commitment of this association and our industry to sustaining and safeguarding democracy and democratic institutions not only here at home, but also abroad.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.5 million men and women, contributes $2.57 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Watch Jay Timmons on CNBC

Timmons on Labor Shortages, Creators Wanted Campaign

“Let’s be upfront about it. We have a very severe worker shortage in our country right now. It’s why the NAM has been so focused on our Creators Wanted campaign, to attract that next generation of manufacturing workers, and we are in competition now all across every sector for workers.

…

“So, if you think about supply chain shortages, why is that happening? Part of it certainly is the pandemic and the ability for trade to move freely, but you also have issues of not enough people at factories producing the component parts that go into finished products. What does that lead to? That leads to higher prices. So, it’s a supply and demand issue. Jim Cramer earlier today talked about a focus on getting this worker shortage under control. He mentioned, for instance, one possibility of helping to deal with this is immigration reform and that he thinks that there is a potential bipartisan solution to that. I believe there is as well. We have been pushing that through our program called A Way Forward at the NAM for a number of years. We think that’s one thing that will help get the economy back and deal with some of these issues.”

Timmons on Separating Infrastructure Investment from the Budget Resolution

“I think it was an extraordinary achievement by the Senate, a bipartisan achievement by Republicans and Democrats to get that bill across the line. We said at the NAM from the start that we would see probably about $1.2 trillion without punishing and archaic tax increases that would take us back to a time when we weren’t able to invest and hire and grow wages like we have for the last three years…We think that this bipartisan solution needs to get across the finish line. This is a very big priority not only for the president, but also for the American people. We know that can get done.

“…the reconciliation package that may be being developed…we have some serious concerns. We will certainly oppose any of the archaic tax increases that have been discussed. We are hearing somewhere between $1.8 and $3.5 trillion on job creators in America. That would take us to where we were before the 2017 tax reforms, where, afterwards, as I said, we were able to have record investment, record job creation, record wage growth. Why would we ever want to undo that? We are watching that very closely. We will oppose the bill with any of those factors in there. We will oppose the pharmaceutical issues that are in those bills that will stop us from being able to deal with the next pandemic. And we are going to oppose the labor provisions that would drive a wedge between management and our workers. There are a lot of things in that bill we don’t like. But infrastructure, BIF as it’s called in Washington speak, needs to get across the line right away. It’s an accomplishment we can all be proud of.”

Timmons on the NAM’s Vaccine Mandates

“I am so proud of the NAM team…We had a…94% vaccine acceptance rate before we imposed the mandate, and since then…we have achieved 100%. And I am thrilled because our team cares about not only themselves and their families, but also the people that we interact with every day—our 14,000 member manufacturers across the country. It’s the responsible thing to do, and I am happy that team NAM came through.

…

“What I hear from every single CEO that we represent is that their number-one concern is their employees, the health of their employees, the health of their employees’ families and their communities…It’s become political at times, but it doesn’t need to be. The last administration through Operation Warp Speed helped develop a vaccine in just record time with all the safety protocols in place. This administration is executing the vaccinations across the country. It’s a bipartisan effort, a nonpartisan effort, I would say, to make sure that our communities are safe, that our country is safe and the world can return to normal. It’s the only way it’s going to happen—we know that.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.4 million men and women, contributes $2.44 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement on the failure of the cloture vote on the bipartisan Senate infrastructure legislation.

“Bold, historic infrastructure investment will improve all of our lives, but it is especially critical to the future of manufacturing in America and to the livelihoods of America’s manufacturing workers. Making these investments in a bipartisan way will also help restore faith in our institutions. Of course, such historic achievements are never easy, so lawmakers should keep talking and continue their work. The more than 12 million men and women of the manufacturing workforce have confidence that our elected officials can show Americans and the world that they can lead and that the United States is going to keep moving forward so we can build to win.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – Following President Joe Biden’s first presidential address to Congress, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement:

“Thanks to the leadership of vaccine manufacturers and the Biden administration’s successful vaccine distribution efforts, Americans are getting back to the activities and the people they love. Though the capacity limits in the House chamber tonight remind us that we still have a long way to go, our future is looking brighter.

“We look forward to working with President Biden to achieve historic infrastructure investment, including the many priorities offered in our ‘Building to Win’ plan, which, in addition to identifying areas of investment, also provides multiple funding solutions.

“Manufacturers have also provided roadmaps on critical issues ranging from immigration to climate change. We’re ready to work with President Biden and members of any party to deliver bipartisan progress on these issues and more, all while ensuring we’re strengthening the manufacturing workforce, not jeopardizing manufacturing growth in the United States.

“To that point, raising taxes on manufacturers—including many small businesses that pay at the individual rate—would stop our recovery in its tracks; we would lose 1 million jobs in just the first two years alone. Small manufacturers would be especially hard hit at this critical juncture, restricting their ability to raise wages and benefits, hire more workers and invest in their communities. Similarly, changes to the longstanding tax rules on the transfer of family businesses to the next generation of manufacturers would cost American jobs.

“Returning to archaic tax policies and one of the highest business tax rates in the developed world is not the way to build our future, nor are federal policies to force workers to join a union. Anti-worker policies like the PRO Act would inject uncertainty by driving a wedge in established employee–employer relationships and curtail future manufacturing investments that support our communities and families.

“As we continue to get armed against COVID-19, manufacturers are focused on building the next, post-pandemic world—one that affords even greater opportunity for all Americans.”

Background:

The NAM continues to put forward commonsense proposals to educate and inform policymakers on ways to strengthen manufacturing in America while achieving our shared objectives.

• Tax Policy Protecting Manufacturing Jobs
• “Building to Win” Infrastructure Plan
• “The Promise Ahead,” Taking Action on Climate
• “A Way Forward” on Immigration
• “Strengthening the Manufacturing Supply Chain”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

As President Joe Biden took office yesterday, the NAM took a pragmatic stance, calling this new political era “a time for healing.” As NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons put it, “Today, manufacturers recommit ourselves to be part of the solution—to be part of the healing process. We invite all Americans to join us in doing the same.”

And since the new president started his first day with a flurry of executive orders, the NAM responded to those, too. Here’s a rundown of the new policies, plus the NAM’s statements.

Immigration: While also moving to reverse a ban on immigration from certain Muslim-majority countries, President Biden strengthened the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, offering support to the so-called Dreamers. He called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides Dreamers with permanent status and a path to citizenship.

• Responding to the DACA action, Timmons said, “Manufacturers are very encouraged by today’s critical first step. . . .  The broad goals of the Biden plan align with many of the core recommendations in ‘A Way Forward,’ manufacturers’ post-partisan roadmap for immigration reform. The path we have laid out is one that we believe can bring the country together, and we look forward to working with the Biden administration to move a comprehensive immigration reform plan through Congress.”

Keystone XL: President Biden also rescinded the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, at least temporarily erecting a barrier to its progress.

• “Manufacturers are disappointed with the administration’s decision to block this sustainable project, which can serve as a model for infrastructure of the future, and if not reconsidered, represents a missed opportunity for manufacturing workers in America,” said Timmons. “Manufacturers have a strong commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, and protecting our environment does not require us to walk away from his job-creating opportunity.”

COVID-19: Ten executive orders focused on combating the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CNBC. The NAM had called for aggressive actions to support manufacturers’ COVID-19 response months ago, including in its April “American Renewal Action Plan” and, mostly recently, in conversations with the transition team.

• The orders included a new COVID-19 response office as well as a pandemic supply chain resilience strategy to help strengthen domestic production of important supplies.
• President Biden also restored U.S. membership in the World Health Organization and directed agencies to use the Defense Production Act to spur production of critical materials like N95 masks, swabs and other vaccine- and virus-related equipment.

“It’s very encouraging to see [President Biden] is starting off with strong, decisive action to fight COVID-19, save lives and get our economy on the road to recovery,” said Timmons on Twitter. “Manufacturers are committed to ending this deadly pandemic.”

Masks on: One of President Biden’s orders will now require masks to be worn on federal property, and he plans to require masks on public transportation as well. The NAM has prioritized face coverings since the beginning of the pandemic, including by launching a “Wear a Face Covering” ad campaign and providing a crucial estimate of how many masks American businesses need.

• “President Joe Biden is showing real leadership with his executive orders on masks,” said Timmons. “Masks save lives, help us keep our economy open and are vital until we can all get vaccinated.”

The new president’s actions on his first day included some policies that the NAM endorsed and some it didn’t. But thanks to a longstanding and warm relationship with President Biden, the NAM is looking forward to productive conversations with the new administration.

Those conversations now center on a list of executive orders that NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons sent to the transition team—some of which manufacturers support, some of which they want overturned.

Two main ideas: First, the NAM advocated policies that support manufacturing growth in the United States, including some that the previous administration had already put into place.

Second, the NAM advised President Biden to get rid of some policies that violated manufacturers’ most important values, such as individual liberty and equal opportunity.

What’s on the agenda? Here are some of the changes the NAM proposed:

• Already done: President Biden took action on three EOs yesterday in accordance with the NAM’s recommendations. He reversed the ban on immigrants from certain Muslim-majority countries and took steps to provide certainty under the DACA program to people brought to the U.S. as children. In addition, he moved to reverse the ban on diversity trainings.

Here are a few more NAM recommendations that President Biden has not yet acted on:

• Increasing the number of refugees offered admission to the U.S.—a key component of the compassionate immigration policy that the NAM has long promoted.
• Reversing the Trump administration’s restriction of nonimmigrant visas, which is hurting manufacturers’ ability to recover from the pandemic.

And here are some policies and programs the NAM is asking President Biden to maintain:

• The Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure, a crucial instrument for enacting the reforms that manufacturers need.
• The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, whose members include Timmons. The Board has brought public- and private-sector leaders together to address manufacturers’ greatest long-term problem: the shortage of skilled workers.
• The Trump administration’s focus on eliminating counterfeits.

The last word: As Timmons put it in his letter to the transition team, “For decades, we have worked with policymakers from across the ideological spectrum to craft policies that encourage the growth of manufacturing in the United States. Now more than ever, America needs leaders in Washington who are focused on increasing American jobs, wages and investment.”

You can read the full list of policy recommendations here.

Washington, D.C. – Following President Joe Biden’s executive orders and proposed actions on immigration, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released the following statement:

“President Biden has made immigration a day one priority. Many of the actions he has announced have been top priorities for manufacturers, and we know that more action is on the way. Manufacturers are very encouraged by today’s critical first step. The urgency of fixing our broken immigration system has been made painfully clear in recent years.

“The broad goals of the Biden plan align with many of the core recommendations in ‘A Way Forward,’ manufacturers’ post-partisan roadmap for immigration reform. The path we have laid out is one that we believe can bring the country together, and we look forward to working with the Biden administration to move a comprehensive immigration reform plan through Congress. If we get this right, we will not only have shown compassion but also boosted our security and strengthened our economy for the future.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.32 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Linda Kelly released the following statement on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California’s order to strike down the Trump administration’s recent changes to the H-1B visa program:

“This ruling is a win for the hundreds of thousands of American-based workers who are essential to the recovery and renewal of our industry and our economy. We need high-skilled innovators now more than ever, and the administration’s attempt to rush these rules forward without properly considering their impact on thousands of people on the front lines of developing vaccines and treatments and making critical supplies, as well as saving lives in our hospitals, could have devastating consequences at a critical moment in our history. We’re pleased that the court’s decision recognizes the critical role the H-1B program plays in our manufacturing economy.”

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.2 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 62% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.