Labor crunch for Billings since spring hailstorm

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) A serious hailstorm last spring continues to put a pinch on the labor market in Billings, as roofing companies move in and hire up construction workers of all kinds.

The storm May 18 caused millions of dollars in damage to thousands of homes. Now, local contractors say they're having difficulty finding employees for all kinds of work, not just roofing.

All Star Custom Seamless Rain Gutters has cycled through 10 employees this year. Three quit within three months to go work for roofing companies, owner James Oak said.

Meanwhile, projects are backing up.

"I cannot keep up with the homeowners' requests," Oak said.

Booming oil drilling in eastern Montana and strong growth in health care also have tightened up the labor market, the Billings Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/10HV5Yx ).

Unemployment in Yellowstone County was 3 percent in September.

Oak said he has doubled wages for experienced workers, paying some more than $20 an hour, and offered bonuses for doing extra work. Still, he said his four employees are two fewer than he'd like.

"The sense of loyalty has seemed to have disappeared," he said.

One advantage for painting contractors as they offer work with winter ahead: inside jobs.

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Labor crunch for Billings since spring hailstorm