"LAS VEGAS - The American Staffing Association (ASA) found itself opening its 2006 convention last week amid a highly charged national political environment, following the US mid-term elections.

The question looming for US recruiters is how the US economy and jobs market will react to a return to Congressional power for the Democrats after 12 years of Republican control. It was, noted ASA president and chief executive officer Richard Wahlquist, "a new day", and he joked, "a lot of people on Capitol Hill (in Washington, DC where Congress is based) will be looking for new jobs".

He quipped: "My question is, do these people have marketable skills?"But even without jobless Congressional representatives and staffers seeking new positions, US recruiters have plenty of work on their hands, said Wahlquist. "We're going to touch the lives of 12m Americans this year," he told the crowd of recruiters gathered for the ceremonies that kicked off of the three-day conference.

Wahlquist used his opening remarks to draw attention to the US recruitment industry's "common vision and purpose", and to praise recruiters for "turning their power of community" to take on state and federal governments over issues that threaten the industry's viability and ability to conduct business. He also praised recruiters for working to turn around negative public opinion towards the industry. And he warned that organised labour will "step up their challenges" to government against measures they consider disadvantageous to their cause.

However, ASA members must remember that "we're changing lives" and changing the US public's image of temporary work, Wahlquist said.

A record number of recruiters - estimated at 2,600 - attended the conference, which marked the ASA's 40th anniversary. Fifteen countries were represented, and the delegates from outside the US were invited to stand up for recognition and a round of applause.

The ceremonies opened with a soloist singing the US national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".

(See the 29 November issue of Recruiter for more news from the ASA conference.)"