Executive Perspective By Jimmy E. Greene

JIMMY E. GREENE President ABC of Michigan

2021 BOARD of DIRECTORS

Robert Clancy, Chairman Robert Clancy Contracting, Inc. Southeastern Michigan Chapter Ken Misiewicz, Secretary/Treasurer Pleune Service Company Greater Michigan Chapter

Chris Beckering

Pioneer Construction Western Michigan Chapter

Joel Freeman

Rockford Construction Western Michigan Chapter

Arlen-Dean Gaddy

Erhardt Construction Western Michigan Chapter

Jeff Kipfmiller

Answer Heating & Cooling Greater Michigan Chapter Mike Houseman, Wolverine Building Group Western Michigan Chapter

Perry Merlo

Perry Merlo Contracting, LLC Southeastern Michigan Chapter

Cort Niemi

Lake Agency, Inc. Southeastern Michigan Chapter

Brian Stadler

Wolgast Corporation Greater Michigan Chapter

Tom Vitale

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge Western Michigan Chapter It’s 2021, and while I most certainly anticipate a great year, unfortunately, the new year brings with it some old problems that require new solutions.

Opioid use, and deaths from over¬doses, has jumped across North America during the Covid-19 pandemic. In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the U.S. will record 81,230 drug deaths in the 12 months through May, a record up from 68,829 during the same period ending in May 2019. In Canada, opioid overdose deaths hit 1,628 in the second quarter, from 1,029 in the first, as the pandemic took hold.

The construction industry, already facing a shortage of manual labor, has been hit particularly hard. Bricklayers, carpenters, and laborers carry heavy loads and perform the same tasks day in and day out, leading to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, strained shoulders, and bad backs. Seeking relief, workers can get hooked on strong prescription drugs such as fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, and street drugs like heroin. There are higher levels of pain in construction than in other industries.

Opioid use in the U.S. has made workers in the industry less productive and has increased costs. While the precise number of over¬dose deaths in the North American construction industry is hard to determine, the workers are roughly six times more likely than workers in other manufacturing, industrial, and service industries to become addicted to opioids.

What this means is we at ABC of Michigan have a job to do. We collaborate with elected officials, policy shapers, governmental agencies, and private companies to advocate for and protect the merit shop. Still, to make the most significant impact here, it starts first with the front line workers that make possible our successes.

The elections are over, and it’s time to get to work on workforce and workplace policies that keep our employees safe and productive. To do that, we’re going to have to meet them at the front lines. Over the past few months, we have worked tirelessly to forge partnerships that will advance the mission by providing tools and resources that support it. That’s why we’re proud to announce a partnership with Forensic Fluids Laboratories.

Built on a solid foundation of scientific expertise, state-of-the-art technology, and years of experience, they are committed to a process that gives ABC Members a head start on providing assistance. The oral fluid testing process they encourage you to use comes with a customer service department that is there when you face questions of application or need. As your needs evolve, so does their ability to recognize new drugs with a high standard of accuracy. They educate, test, report, and stand behind the results. They can test for Nicotine, Lead, and Covid-19 antibodies, to name a few. You will hear a lot from this partnership. To learn more about this partnership please reach out to ABC of Michigan.

I am also pleased to announce that I have been appointed to a council that will be providing resources and assistance for another problem in our industry; suicide. We can no longer ignore this issue, and many experts attribute this to the above contributing factors dealing with drug abuse coupled with depression. It’s not bad news; it’s not reactive news; it’s tackling these issues with policy-driven advocacy and solutions to combat these issues. There’s a new administration coming in with a new Labor Secretary, and instead of being told what we’re doing wrong and following suit, our objective is to demonstrate what we’re doing right and let everyone else follow us.