FALLS CHURCH, VA — The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors — National Association (PHCC) recently participated in the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Summit on the 21st Century Workforce in Washington.

President George W. Bush was the featured speaker for the event. Other speakers included Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, and representatives from government, organized labor, business, and the nonprofit sector.

According to PHCC, the speakers conveyed a message that America needs to “wake up” to trends that are shaping the workforce. Secretary Chao said there will be “huge economic consequences if we don’t address demographic changes in the workplace.”

President Bush advised that businesses should find ways to remove conflicts between home and work, including the offering of compensatory time. He also urged Congress to pass the New Freedom Initiative that will allow more disabled Americans to gain access to the workplace.

For more information on the summit, go to www.dol.gov (website).