Masonry Magazine July 1967 Page. 13
Thomas F. Murphy
MCAA
All-Weather Program
An interview with
Thomas F. Murphy
on
All-Weather
Construction
It's time for our giant construction industry to stop talking about the annual seasonal slowdown and do something about it. Winter weather isn't going to get any milder, and the industry isn't ever going to reach its productivity potential so long as skilled workmen and expensive equipment are forced to be idle for an average 15 weeks each year.
The inevitable personal hardships that are by-products of the cold-weather building slump can never be documented fully. But the extent of the drain on the nation's economy is a matter of public record.
Annual losses during bad weather have been authoritatively pegged by the U.S. Department of Commerce at a minimum of $3 billion and a maximum of $10 billion, with first-quarter unemployment benefits for unemployed contract construction workers traditionally accounting for a staggering one-fourth of all benefits paid.
A recent survey of BM&PIU locals showed that our members work an average of 35 weeks in a year-and thus are "unemployed" about 30 per cent of the time. If our 160,000 journeymen bricklayers could work even 45 weeks annually, the American economy and mason contractors-would gain the services of the equivalent of an additional 35,000 trained bricklayers.
I view the extension of the bricklayers work year by 10 weeks as a real possibility because I am absolutely convinced that the seasonality loss can be eliminated without gambling on untried technology.
The guidelines for successful all-weather construction have been drawn and proven. In Canada, in Sweden, and in some areas of the United States, winterizing is standard procedure. When properly installed, temporary enclosures and heating equipment can assure uninterrupted work.