Construction Labor

[huntinslabs]

Do any of you in other states have a labor shortage in new construction? Florida is hurting bad for experienced construction workers in all trades. Framers, concrete guys, plumbers, electricians, roofers, you name it we need it down here.

[Phantom309]

Call the Union Hall .......................

[huntinslabs]

Union hall wont touch a residential home. Not enough $$ in em. Least that is what they think anyway. Union does not understand piece work that everyone has been forced to turn to and remain competitive.

[Cane Pole]

We have a similar situation here. Rural West Tn is the home of the meth generation. Besides, why work when free rides are available?

[skeetbum]

I have some of the smarts but not the body to get it done anymore.

[Special K]

Cane Pole says a mouthful: But much of this stuff is caused (too) by the influx of (undocumented) cheap labor in some areas that undercuts the guts out of most legitimate contractors; who (unlike) the undocumented workers (who our government allows to fly under the radar) are forced to comply with much more state and federal requirements and codes and carry far more insurances and much greater overhead costs that (quite simply) won't allow them to compete with the lower costs of labor and/or the low ball estimates that tend to win a huge percentage of the bids and bidding wars in today's economy.
NO CONTRACTORS = NO CONSTRUCTION LABORERS.

IMHO: This is the very type of reverse engineering "cause and effect" that our government is world famous for. It's the same logic that caused the Mom & Pop businesses (that made our country great) to become extinct by way of the mega stores who undercut the local economy by finding products created by cheaper labor (usually in other countries); eventually local businesses become casualties of the almighty power of the dollar in the modern era... along with the total sacrifice of customer service and sense of duty to drive a solid and healthy economy. What's next in their hit parade??? You gotta wonder!!!

[Tony the Tiger]

Cane pole is right. Also for the last 60 years all younguns are told to get advanced education so you will not have to do manual labor. Craftsmanship is a thing of the past and no one wants an entry level job to learn a trade because the government pay for sorryness is so much better.

[huntinslabs]

I agree on alot of that SK. What Canepole says applies here as well. The other problem is the 8 year recession we endured had no opportunities for young guys coming out of high school to start an apprenticeship or even start as green helpers. The ones that could went wherever they could find work and others found new lines of work out of necessity. Now we are faced with a huge shortage of skilled labor.

[Tony the Tiger]

I have to add that it's a shame that today people will not learn what pride one feels when they build or create something themselves.

[huntinslabs]

Cane pole is right. Also for the last 60 years all younguns are told to get advanced education so you will not have to do manual labor. Craftsmanship is a thing of the past and no one wants an entry level job to learn a trade because the government pay for sorryness is so much better.

This is the other big part. Yes we need advanced education but not every one is cut out for that or have the desire to add another 4 years or more of school. We are doing a disservice to kids today cutting the shop programs out of our high schools.