Plundering the pool?

To pilfer workers, or not to pilfer them.

That's one of the questions facing business people on Marco Island as the labor shortage continues to account for the proliferation of Help Wanted signs.

As for poaching, some do, some don't.

And, it's not only a blue-collar issue.

Professional people can be lured away, too.

Business owners in general agree that the underlying problem for finding regular workers is very simple: It's too expensive for the average person to live in proverbial paradise.

"There just aren't that many workers on Marco," said Condee Cooling & Electric's Ed Walsh. "Trying to get people on the island is a pain, and it's a chore to keep workers."

Walsh, who is Field Service Manager for the company, said poaching is actually less of a problem than keeping workers content.

"In this industry, everybody knows everybody," Walsh said, "so it's taboo to steal a guy unless he's looking to move."

Walsh said despite increases in insurance, tires, copper, assorted other equipment and gas prices, his company recently raised wages across the board.

He said the only recent staff acquisition linked to a switching of companies was a Marco man who previously worked in Naples, only to tire of the commute.

White-collar poaching is a little more complicated.

Long-time island real estate agent Bill Filbin said he gets at least one solicitation a week to go work for another company.

He also says there is a fair amount of ship-jumping going on in the real estate industry on the island at the moment, but believes it stems from knee-jerk reactions.

"We have a down cycle at the moment, and agents move to other companies for incentives like discounted expenses," Filbin said. "That's penny wise and dollar foolish."

"They should actually be evaluating their own performances," he added. "People should remember that the real estate business is cyclical, and that the market will come back. I think it's already starting to happen, because if you look at six days from June 8 to 13, for example, there were 14 transactions pending on the island."

Filbin, who is a broker/Realtor with RE/MAX Results Realty, said proof of the cyclical nature of the business is that agents don't move around when there's money to be made from an active market.

"But consistency is better than bouncing around from one company to another," he said.

With a relatively small pool of financial advisors on Marco Island, the various investment companies indeed keep their collective eyes open for talent.

Howard Jordan of Raymond James & Associates Inc., didn't go as far as saying companies poach off each other, but did say it's "not uncommon for companies to be on the lookout for good people."

He added that his particular company, like many others, is faced with challenges when looking for staff.

"Even on an internship level, it's tough," Jordan said. "We were searching for an intern for a year, and the only person to come forward was a Chinese intern from Florida Gulf Coast University.

"We quip that we had to go to China to find an intern," he said.

Restaurateur Sandy Franchino thinks poaching workers in her particular industry is "just rotten."

In business with Café de Marco for more than 20 years, Franchino conceded it's tougher and tougher to find good workers on Marco, but said her approach is to look after her staff.

"I think it's important to have a good long-term relationship with staff," Franchino said, "and for that reason it's against my moral fiber to steal people."

Charles Pipitone agrees.

The owner of Marco Cabinets, which specializes in carpentry, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, Pipitone said his workers simply get a good deal. Hence, turnover is limited.

"I average about 10 to 15 people at a time, and two-thirds of those have been with me for 15 years," he said.

"I'm picky with my workers. I skill them out," Pipitone went on. "My logic is to take someone willing to work. It's rare that you find someone off the street whose qualified for my work, and I give them something to look forward to, such as good pay and a clean environment to work in."