From The International Herald Tribune (link):
It is no mystery to George Sicklinger why it is so hard these days to keep mechanics at the Toyota dealership he runs in Emerald, a town in Queensland, Australia. Emerald lies to close to Queensland’s coal mines, and the coal mines are snapping up every worker they can get.
“We can’t get labor, and we can’t keep labor,” said Sicklinger, who has resorted to importing mechanics from India and South Africa to replace those lured away by the mines. “It’s getting worse all the time.”
The surge in demand for minerals and other commodities brought on by China’s rapid growth, Japan’s recovery and a quickening economy in the United States has caught the global mining industry by surprise. Now, after a decade of cutting investment to cope with weak demand and prices, this once-sunset industry is scrambling to increase production.
