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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Small firms hit hard by war duty

 •  Firms promote drug-free policies

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

The job of churning out more than 5,000 picture frames every week lies with just four Pictures Plus woodworkers — two of whom have suddenly been called into active service with the Hawai'i Army National Guard.

The work of cutting and building custom and stock frames at Pictures Plus' Kapolei factory and warehouse demands people who are both fast and meticulous. So it isn't easy for Pictures Plus to find temporary replacements while frame cutters Isaac Tandal and Clint Ka'aiakamanu respond to the statewide call for more than 2,000 Guard troops over the next several months.

"When you have four frame cutters and two leave, it hurts," said Mike Hulser, president of Pictures Plus. "There is plenty to learn, and you have to learn to do it blindingly fast. Our company exists to make frames, and these fellows are at the heart of what we do."

Pictures Plus' eight stores, three Diamond Head Galleries and its Island Waves poster shop in Waikiki are all supplied by the Kapolei frame-cutting operation. Now Hulser finds himself with the same problem as other Hawai'i businesses that are scrambling temporarily to replace key employees because of their Guard and Army Reserve service.

Unequal impact

Unlike large companies and organizations that can absorb the loss of workers through extra overtime or adjusting the shifts of the remaining workers, companies such as Pictures Plus feel the hit much deeper when critical employees are called into Guard or Army Reserve service.

"Smaller businesses will be less likely to absorb the loss of manpower than the larger businesses will," said Jim Tollefson, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i, which is holding an employment law seminar today that will discuss the effects of the Guard deployment on Hawai'i businesses.

"The largest impact will be on small businesses, where the impact of losing a meaningful percentage of your workforce can create real difficulties. ... I wish I had an answer, but I don't think there is one."

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At Picture Plus, Guard member Tandal produces nearly every one of the company's 2,200 ready-made frames per week by himself.

"He cuts one entire product line for us," Hulser said. "That's how critical he is. It will take us one-and-a-half to two people to replace him. Retired guys like my father-in-law would like doing that job, but he wouldn't like making 2,200 frames every week."

Spc. Tandal, 23, has been activated by the Hawai'i Army National Guard to serve with the 2nd of the 299th Infantry. Tandal joins fellow Pictures Plus frame cutter, Spc. Ka'aiakamanu, 24, who belongs to the 1st of the 487th Field Artillery Battalion.

Their military activation means Hulser will have to find enough people who are good enough, fast enough and safe enough to make up temporarily for their loss, Hulser said.

"We have many people who look right, sound right and smell right, but they see the type of speed we operate at and they say, 'I can't do this,' " Hulser said.

Frame cutters need to keep track of their supplies, maintain their machinery and stay focused on safety while grinding out 5,000 frames per week, Hulser said.

"These guys on average cut less than 20 bad frames out of 5,000 every week," Hulser said. "They can't waste material — all while they're operating saws at amazing speeds without losing a finger. My father was a woodworker who said, 'Measure twice and cut once.' These guys don't have time to measure twice. They measure once and cut right now."

Workers protected

The federal Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act ensures that Guard and Reserve troops get equivalent jobs when they return to work, as well as seniority and promotion opportunities.

Employers such as Hulser will be ecstatic to see Tandal and Ka'aiakamanu return to work. Hulser even welcomes having too many frame cutters when they come back.

"My challenge is to make Pictures Plus grow enough so that we can find work for all of the employees," Hulser said. "I have a business problem to solve. But I'll be darned glad to watch these two fine young men walk back into our business with all of their parts and pieces intact."

Until then, Hulser is in a similar situation to Sam Burchette Sr., the owner of Wahiawa Pawn.

Retirement delayed

Burchette bought the pawn shop five years ago with the plan to turn it over to his son, Sam Burchette Jr., who goes by the nickname Lee.

For just over a year, Burchette has peered over Lee's shoulder for what father and son expected to be a three- to six-year training and transition period.

Eventually, Lee was supposed to take over and let Burchette enjoy retirement.

Instead, Spc. Burchette's 1101st Army Reserve unit was activated in January to serve full-time duty at Schofield Barracks.

Now Burchette Sr. finds himself once again running the business by himself, waiting for his son's military service to end.

"I was going to retire," said Burchette, 56. "That's why I brought Lee in, to train him. By now I should be staying home and playing golf. ... Instead I'm here six days a week."

Burchette has had to hire part-time help to make up for the loss of Lee, and indefinitely postponed the business' succession plan until Lee's military service is resolved.

Although Spc. Burchette's military status disrupts both the pawn shop's operations and Burchette's retirement plans, his father insists he'll get by just fine.

His own Army career as a chief warrant officer taught Burchette the value of adapting to changing situations.

"After being in the military for 24 years," Burchette said, "you learn to be flexible."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.