Will Greater Cincinnati be able to hire thousands of workers? (Mason: employment, buying)

[motorman]

Everyone probably already knows the sensational job news Greater Milwaukee just received regarding Foxconn: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus...bly-plant.html

On a smaller scale, but needed much sooner, Greater Cincinnati has been asked to meet two huge employment demands of its own, both of them in NKY:

* https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinna...incinnati.html

* https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinna...n-greater.html

This is truly great news; however, it does present a major challenge as these companies compete for workers near CVG. A columnist in today's business news has examined this very issue (scroll to the bottom of page for the relevant article): https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinna...ay-and-is.html

[jmecklenborg]

There is currently a TANK bus that links DT Cincinnati with the DHL facility at the airport. That is where Amazon Prime will be located for the next 4~ years. The problem with that bus is that it wastes a lot of time after leaving DT Cincinnati puttering around Covington before getting on the interstate. It perfectly illustrates the problem with TANK being forced to use the out-of-the-way Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, which adds two miles and about 10 stoplights to every single TANK trip.

A direct Cincinnati Metro bus from DT Cincinnati to the Airport & DHL would cut at least 15 minutes off of this trip. But there needs to be even better public transportation access to the airport area since there are many Cincinnati workers who do not have cars and have no way of reaching those thousands of jobs.

Of course, get ready for the hissing form the libertarian know-it-alls if anyone suggests building the rail line OKI studied back in 1998 that would have enabled a one-seat ride from Mason to the Airport. Back then, the primary ridership for the airport station would have been airport and airport-related workers, not air passengers. That's even more the case now. An airport rail station could serve as a hub where workers could be shuttled to nearby employers. But that would make sense, which is why everyone from Mitch McConnell on down to your company's water cooler know-it-all would block it.

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

There is currently a TANK bus that links DT Cincinnati with the DHL facility at the airport. That is where Amazon Prime will be located for the next 4~ years. The problem with that bus is that it wastes a lot of time after leaving DT Cincinnati puttering around Covington before getting on the interstate. It perfectly illustrates the problem with TANK being forced to use the out-of-the-way Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, which adds two miles and about 10 stoplights to every single TANK trip.

A direct Cincinnati Metro bus from DT Cincinnati to the Airport & DHL would cut at least 15 minutes off of this trip. But there needs to be even better public transportation access to the airport area since there are many Cincinnati workers who do not have cars and have no way of reaching those thousands of jobs.

Of course, get ready for the hissing form the libertarian know-it-alls if anyone suggests building the rail line OKI studied back in 1998 that would have enabled a one-seat ride from Mason to the Airport. Back then, the primary ridership for the airport station would have been airport and airport-related workers, not air passengers. That's even more the case now. An airport rail station could serve as a hub where workers could be shuttled to nearby employers. But that would make sense, which is why everyone from Mitch McConnell on down to your company's water cooler know-it-all would block it.

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Are you aware that TANK actually polls the public and requests feedback concerning routes from local residents and business people? Ultimately they use that information to create a new route or tinker with an existing route to reflect changes in riding patterns of people that use the bus.

Back on topic. Heard that Amazon is hiring 50,000 people all over the country. This article confirms it. And they are obviously looking for full and part time help in Hebron. That is likely to be an ongoing campaign since it is not likely that they will fill all available positions in the next month or two. Will likely carry on for an indefinite period of time.

[Misfit Toy]

I'm glad to hear corporations like Amazon regard Greater Cincinnati as a good place to invest.

The reporter's comment about Amazon being a "cool" place to work and therefore making it harder for mom & pop places to find workers is utterly stupid. I know people who work at Amazon. They don't work there because it's "cool." They work there because it's the best deal they can find for their situation.

Amazon has its work cut out for them, though. They need to find employees who can pass a drug test and who can do a few basic things like show up to work on time. This would likely be an issue no matter where Amazon expands, but it's a real problem here in any case.

[WILWRadio]

I think this will lead to worker shortages for the entire Light Industrial and Warehouse sector in the area. Definitely a worker's market. Amazon with its benefits will likely be able to attract more workers than some of the smaller companies that pay a lower wage and offer less benefits.

[jmecklenborg]

I worked for Amazon when it was just books in 2001 and again for 3 months in 2005 (actually it was a company that Amazon contracted, so about half of the work as Amazon and the other half was split between Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Christian book stores). It was a soul-crushing place. You were treated with suspicion at every turn. They had a long chain-link chute you had to walk through when entering the premises designed to slow down anyone seeking to shoot up the place.


The worst part of the job was seeing all of the dumb books people were buying. I was there when Bill O'Reilly published that inane Culture Warrior book. Thousands and thousands of those leaving the building every day.

[unusualfire]

Greater Cincinnati should market in Se Ky and southern Ohio where unemployment is high. You could get a good influx of people from those area's to the new jobs.

[motorman]

Judging by the comments made thus far, I think it's easy to conclude that although CVG has gained an enormous strategic advantage over other cargo airports, it's also inherited an overwhelming two-fold challenge that will absolutely cripple everything if not acted upon immediately by business communities on both sides of the river.

First, how is it possible for a metro the size of Cincinnati to attract so many thousands of workers in the coming decade for the number of jobs that will become available at the NKY airport? Second, with various shift requirements, stressful working conditions and drug screenings that these jobs will entail, how will any of the companies be able to acquire and retain their needed workforce?

[Briolat21]

Originally Posted by motorman

Judging by the comments made thus far, I think it's easy to conclude that although CVG has gained an enormous strategic advantage over other cargo airports, it's also inherited an overwhelming two-fold challenge that will absolutely cripple everything if not acted upon immediately by business communities on both sides of the river.

First, how is it possible for a metro the size of Cincinnati to attract so many thousands of workers in the coming decade for the number of jobs that will become available at the NKY airport? Second, with various shift requirements, stressful working conditions and drug screenings that these jobs will entail, how will any of the companies be able to acquire and retain their needed workforce?

If you're paying high enough wages, you'll attract the talent.

The oil boom in the Dakotas shows that, as otherwise such a (weather wise) inhospitable place would never have had the mini-population boom that occurred.

But, of course, it is unlikely that the jobs you're talking about at the airport will average 6 figures, and as such, it is unlikely people will be willing to move a considerable distance to take them.

So, more likely, the jobs will be filled by locals, and there will be a very minor wage are between employers in the Cincinnati region, fighting for qualified workers.

I'm sure the qualified workers won't mind if they can get an extra $0.50 per hour.

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

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I'm sure the qualified workers won't mind if they can get an extra $0.50 per hour.

Don't spend it all in one place.


DHL plays $18/hr+ for their overnight shift but it is a horrible job. 11pm-8am and often out in the weather. 900 workers, of whom maybe 200-300 last a year. They could pay $30/hr and job retention wouldn't be much better.


DHL has to do those hours because of its daytime delivery and pickup around the U.S. and the scheduled flights to and from Frankfurt and Hong Kong. Right now Amazon Prime is using the DHL facility during the day -- the whole thing shifts over to a parallel computer network.


Amazon Prime expects to keep the current arrangement for at least four years before moving to a purpose-built facility. The big question is if Amazon Prime will operate primarily 1st/2nd shift or realities will also require it to do 3rd shift. If that is the case, then they will be in direct competition with DHL for that rare individual who can tolerate years of working those horrible hours.