Labor Shortages Plague Local, National Businesses Businesses Deal With Labor Shortages

CHILEKASI ADELE: Ale ‘n’ Angus Pub lies a stone’s throw away from Syracuse’s tallest skyscrapers. It’s right across the street from U-M-U Arena.

Inside the 16-year-old establishment lies lots of festive holiday decor. Christmas music plays in the dining area and bar. Ale ‘n’ Angus’ owner Randy Beach can be seen doing paperwork, leaving to run deliveries for to-go orders, among other things.

His restaurant has become known for its Burgers. Burgers that have been voted best in the state in 5 of the last 9 years by the New York Beef Council. Even ESPN’s Jay Bilas said Ale ‘n’ Angus has one of the best burgers in any college town.

RANDY BEACH: “ It’s just nice to know that we have, kind of a nice following of student-athletes that eat here and that, think that much of our food.”

ADELE: While Ale ‘n’ Angus has racked up awards, financially, the business has had a rough time during the pandemic.

BEACH: “We were all but a couple of weeks from actually having to pull the plug and just say, ‘ we can’t do this anymore.”

ADELE: A business with prime location was all of a sudden in shackles. Pandemic restrictions brought capacity limits, among other things. Beach cut hours, and even downsized on staff because of the lack of revenue.

The restrictions have eased, however. Capacity is now at 100 percent again. But, there’s one BIG problem. Getting workers to come back.

Beach says he’s tried pulling out all the stops. He’s raised wages. He’s coordinated with the city’s Downtown Committee to offer a benefits package. But he says he’s competing with deep-pocketed giants.

BEACH: “Big business can afford — the McDonalds of the world — I mean, they can afford to go out and pay these people, big money.”

ADELE: Carl Schramm is a labor economist and University Professor at Syracuse University. He’s from Syracuse, and that sound you heard from him was China. Syracuse China. A Teacup made in Syracuse.

Schramm has seen the Salt City through its great economic times. High-paying jobs at places like Carrier and General Electric. And he sees it now. Struggling. Impoverished. Attempting to claw back. And now, a labor shortage on top of all of that.

Schramm says the lack of workers filling job positions is the result of bad government policy. Economic stimulants, like stimulus checks. He wants Washington out of it.

CARL SCHRAMM: I’d say markets are the thing that tells us what value people bring to the labor market. An artificial boost from the federal government has to hang there until the federal government runs out of money to keep the boost in place. And then, it will basically come back down to, ‘what is the value of the talents, and the skills, and the experience that people bring to the labor market? So, when the government boosts it, it becomes artificial.

ADELE: Wages are just one topic of discussion for why businesses are having trouble hiring workers. The U.S. Department of Labor said as of November of this year, 8.7 million people are out of work. Even if all those workers got jobs, there would still be 1.3 million openings nationwide.

The Labor Department says about 4 million Americans are saying goodbye to their current jobs monthly. Some of the reasons behind the mass exodus include the pandemic, wages, flexibility, and more.

Randy Beach believes that tides are changing. He’s been able to fill some positions, including a full-time server.

However, he says his staffing Rome won’t be built in a day.

BEACH: “It’s not gonna happen overnight, and it hasn’t happened overnight.”

ADELE: But until then, Beach plans to keep going. And he continues with gratitude. For all who helped the Pub on Harrison and Montgomery stay alive.

Chilekasi Adele, N-C-C News