National
Clothesline
Commenting on the comments
We reviewed many, but by no means all, of
the hundreds of comments submitted to EPA regarding the
proposed changes in the clean-air rules for perc drycleaners.
One reason we didn’t view them all is because there was
much repetition. Dozens of comments were identified by EPA as
coming from a “mass comment campaign.” And if you
cared to read on, which we did in several instances, those
comments would stop you cold. For example: “in
communities across our nation, many drycleaners are a toxic
menace.” This comment went on to tell EPA it should
“eliminate one of the worst sources of cancer risk this
country faces” by forcing cleaners to stop using perc. In
all likelihood, EPA will not take that advice to heart in its
final ruling. But it should serve as a warning to the industry
that there are people and, in EPA’s description,
“sponsoring organizations unknown,” that want perc
eliminated as a drycleaning solvent, and they are ready to
launch a campaign at any opportunity.
While it may be possible to disregard a
mass-letter writing campaign, we should be more concerned over
comments published both in the press and directed to EPA
concerning the proposed rule changes. A Washington Post article
gave two critics of EPA’s plan a platform to lobby for
tougher rules on perc, suggesting that the proposed co-location
requirements for drycleaners should be expanded to include
other businesses, not just residences. That opinion was echoed
by a formal comment submitted to EPA on behalf of the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation. We expect that
EPA will take that rather more seriously than the mass comment
campaigns and, if EPA followed that path, the number of
cleaners affected by would grow from mere hundreds to many
thousands.
EPA won’t — we hope —
change direction in mid-stream on this issue. It would be a
shock if the agency so radically changed the scope of its
original proposal at this point. But it won’t be a shock
if this is not the last we hear of this issue.
Solving tomorrow’s problem today
Drycleaners have never had a shortage of
problems, so it is impossible to say which headache will be the
greatest cause of concern down the road. However, there is a
potentially serious problem developing on the horizon that
cleaners should start thinking about right now: what will
happen when the Baby Boom busts?
The industry already knows a thing or two
about labor problems. It has always been difficult for plant
owners to find and hire good help to handle the clothes and
greet customers properly, even when there is an abundant labor
pool. However, when that pool dwindles, it’s nearly
impossible to find excellent employees at an affordable price.
In just a few years — starting in 2010 when the Baby Boom
generation begins to retire — that pool will drain much
more rapidly.
According to numbers compiled by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, a predicted 10 million worker
shortage will hit in 2010. By 2035, the shortage may reach 35
million. Of course, the problem will be compounded more if
current economic trends continue, but that may not necessarily
be the case. Other factors such as technological advancements
and rises in immigration could offset some of the damage, as
well. Still, it is unavoidable. There will be a huge workforce
deficit when Baby Boomers reach the age of retirement. After
all, people 65 and older represented 12.4 percent of the
population in the year 2000; that same group of people will
comprise 20 percent of the population by 2030.
That’s a sobering thought.
Here’s another that may make your hair turn white: what
will happen to drycleaning sales when a large number of
suit-and-tie Baby Boomers stop working nine-to-five and have no
need to go to the cleaners anymore? The business climate of the
future may be even more hostile than it is now.
The good news is that the bad news of the
future is not a surprise since you know about it today. This
month, National Clothesline columnist Dennis McCrory examines
the topic at length on page 10. He believes the situation is
“not all that bleak.” Cleaners will surely have to
cut back on labor costs. However, they may want to consider
prolonging the retirement of some key personnel who may be more
skilled than the young workers who might serve as their
replacements. Cleaners will need to hold on tightly to their
best workers as they become an even rarer commodity. Will you
be ready when the shortage strikes? What are you doing to
ensure your employees’ happiness, and, in turn, your
business’s future prosperity?