County businesses struggle to fill job openings

Nearly every business in the county has it posted on their door, a local bulletin board, or even on their companies Facebook page: We’re hiring!

Restaurants to grocery stores, the lumber mills and corner gas stations everywhere are looking for workers, and they’re all facing a similar struggle.

Muffy Bullock is one of the owners of the consistently busy and ever popular summer tourist stop the St. Regis Travel Center and Gift Shop. Home to the well-known free trout aquarium, massive collection of Montana made gifts and goodies, as well as the fast-food venue called Huck’s Grill.

“The Travel Center, like other businesses in the area, has not been able to fill open positions, even during the slower winter months. It's very worrisome as we approach our busy season,” shared Bullock.

With the economy rebounding several new businesses are springing up around St. Regis. Continued expansion of services for visitors along with the growth at Idaho Forest Group, has slowly created a labor shortage that has become more apparent each year.

Bullock said, “We have been seeing a labor shortage trend for the last few years, but as western Montana tourism grows, along with other area businesses, the shortage becomes pronounced each year. We aren't attracting new workers at the same pace as we are attracting business. We are also contending with a real shortage in rentals and lower-priced homes that would suit our service-industry workers.”

With Mineral County being along the Interstate 90 corridor these rural communities that see busy summer tourism months still have to contend with a limited labor pool.

Bullock noted, “Last summer was much busier than expected and we ended the summer with the smallest staff we've had in the last five years or so. We worry about finding enough staff to fill shifts and we also worry about burning out our very good team.”

The same scenario is plaguing businesses in other parts of the county too.

Down the road in DeBorgia at Lincoln's 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar, Restaurant, and Motel. They too are a legendary stop for travelers passing through the area to drop in for a bite to eat, refuel, and find a souvenir.

For months the business has been posting help wanted notices online and Manager Brogan Keenen is running out of ideas.

“We have advertised daily on the internet and posted fliers everywhere from the unemployment office to the high school. The years prior we have always had steady applications coming in. This year if someone walks in the door with an application, they are pretty much guaranteed a job or at least a chance at one,” exclaimed Keenen.

Certain business leaders and politicians have suggested that expanded unemployment insurance is a primary reason for the worker shortage. And while it may be a contributing factor, there are several other elements resulting in the serious absence of workers seeking jobs according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).

Montana’s unemployment rate for March was around 3.8 percent. This is comparable to pre-pandemic numbers.

DLI believes that there aren’t enough workers actively looking to fill those open positions because the labor force shrunk significantly.

Mainly due to people opting to retire early in light of the pandemic, or being forced to leave the jobs to provide child care for children who were learning remotely the past year.

At the St. Regis Gift Shop Bullock has seen this first hand.

She said, “We are short on year-round adult workers, part-time/seasonal workers, like teachers and retirees, teen and young adult workers, we are short on all demographics. Like most area businesses, we are increasing starting pay, adding benefits like PTO, health insurance and tuition assistance, hours flexibility, etc. in order to attract and retain workers.”

As schools and universities commence for summer travel and vacationers hit the roads all local businesses can do is continue posting job openings and keep their fingers crossed that applicants will come soon.