The guys in the building trades are doing okay after the Rita and Katrina debacles. Lots of stuff needs rebuilding and guys who are willing to work in primitive conditions are getting premium pay.
My son worked for a local A/C contractor and last Friday he mentioned during a break that a lot of money was being made on the Gulf coast. They fired him during lunch, because "they didn't want him contaminating the rest of the crew." He made a few calls on Saturday. On Sunday he came to me, borrowed some camping gear, and headed to Lake Charles. On Monday, he worked a day, then the job fell apart. I talked to him last night, and he found another job Tuesday, by 10:00 a.m. He finished the day with $150.00 in his pocket and plans to work the rest of the week at $200.00 per day. Pretty good money for a kid who was making $10.00 an hour at home. He is sleeping in a tent, showering at a truck stop, and cooking on his tail gate, but he says there is more work than they can handle. He plans to work six days a week, coming home on Sundays to wash clothes, play with his kids, and spend a day with his wife.
My brother is a painter and he called Monday night. His telephone didn't sound quite right, so I asked where he was calling from. Metarie, he told me. I asked what the hell he was doing in Metarie, and he said that he was working a crew floating drywall. He told me if I knew anyone looking for work, "tell them get a hammer, a nail apron, and to head for New Orleans."
This is something we see only once every thirty or forty years. More work than the local market can handle. There is recovery work everywhere and the labor force is just starting to catch up.
If you want a job, grab a hammer and a nail apron and head for New Orleans.
2 comments:
Told ya!
Man, it's a the point down here that they're screaming for HELPERS, much less anyone with enough guts to claim an actual trade like roofing, electrician, carpenter or painter...
But it does require actual work....
Greetings! I am a fellow Cajun (from Kaplan) that has moved to northern Arkansas. I keep hearing that people are looking for help. I have a 4 man carpentry crew that is wanting to go to work down there. We all are well experienced in trim carpentry, cabinet work, some roofing, and a whole lot of remodeling (which covers a wide range of skills). I have been searching the net and making tons of calls to different contractors in the area but have been running into dead ends. I have yet to find one that wants to pay more than $16.00/hr for a 40 hour workweek. and most of them don't even want to pay per diem. in order to get this area rebuilt, 40 hours a week just won't cut it. I think at least 70 hrs/wk is about the minimum that ought to be worked by any trade down there. So if anyone who reads this needs skilled craftsmen and is willing to pay accordingly, email me. lemaire1@hotmail.com
Post a Comment