NATE’s Members Predict 5G Deployment, Workforce Development and Industry Safety in Peril due to ‘Take It or Leave It’ Contractor Matrix Pricing
NATE’s Members Predict 5G Deployment, Workforce Development and Industry Safety in Peril due to ‘Take It or Leave It’ Contractor Matrix Pricing
Whiteboard Animation Video Illustrates the Impact on Safety and Quality Caused by Unsustainable Pricing
(Washington, D.C.) – NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association today launched a powerful whiteboard animation video to illustrate the negative impact to safety and quality that current pricing pressures are imposing upon contractor firms by top wireless carrier, turf vendor and tower owner customers. As a result, some of these small businesses have had to close their doors at a time when there is already a shortage of qualified contractors required to ensure that America wins the race to 5G.
The video highlights the many problems associated with the current below-market matrix pricing model employed by the industry’s Tier One customers that are not based upon the true material, equipment, and manpower costs, in addition to the ever-increasing administrative and technical needs that professional contractors require to be compensated for to remain sustainable.
Also, the whiteboard points out the additional costs contractors have to absorb such as free warehousing, long payment terms, burdens associated with the shifting of liability, and not being able to mark up any additional materials.
The video also emphasizes that in an already taxed workforce environment, tower technicians should be compensated for their skillsets and knowledge, and if they aren’t they’ll be seeking other professional opportunities.
To watch the video, visit HERE.
“The whiteboard video’s key points are not anecdotal, but are truly representative of the concerns of every one of our more than 500 contractor members in the United States,” said NATE President & CEO Todd Schlekeway.
“This video is designed to educate our member contractors’ top customers of the concerns that should be addressed if we want to remain a vibrant industry capable of keeping America connected. NATE anticipates also sharing the video with stakeholders from Government agencies and Congress to demonstrate the challenges contractor small businesses are dealing with in our industry that are compromising the nation’s ability to develop the workforce, deploy 5G and close the digital divide. The Association remains ready and willing to engage in the constructive dialogue necessary between the wireless carrier, turf vendor and vertical realtor executives and their teams to address the problems that affect the entire wireless industry ecosystem,” added Schlekeway.
Industry stakeholders are encouraged to share this video with their colleagues and contacts and post it on their respective social media platforms utilizing the hashtag #WirelessContractingSolutions. To learn more about NATE, visit www.natehome.com.
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About NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to providing a unified voice for companies in the diverse tower and communications infrastructure construction, service and maintenance industries. Today the Association boasts over 975 member companies located throughout the United States, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, Jamaica, Lithuania, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and the United Kingdom. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.
Contact: Todd Schlekeway
(605) 882-5865
