Due to the Economy

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If I lost my job and I couldnt find work as an EC I would do something else in the mean time. Doing a few side jobs here and there in the grand schem of things is not going to really change one's situation. There are jobs out there, maybe they dont pay all that much but its honest work. I personally have other skills other than electrical work and im sure many other people do as well. But many people seem almost programed into thinking thats all they can do. In tough times you need to think outside the box.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
..times are tough and heading towards tougher. ..we have witnessed in construction since before I was involved
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Out of work apprentices & JW's on State unemployment certainly are expensive for the taxpayer. Yet, State regulated apprentice-program recruitment continues full speed across the board.

www.helmetstohardhats.org is one such pipeline recruiting Soldiers to dues-paying, apprentices, regardless of economic down turn. None are licensed, nor experienced, but are continually recruited by trade associations, with city-elected members who help award local building contracts.

Commercial-contractor association's recruit labor pools, perhaps subsidized by State unemployment, but its perfectly legal. People get recruited because they want an honorable career and trust the recruiter. Most apprenticeship contracts formally prohibit side work, illegal contracting, and State-unemployment policy prohibits multiple wage streams while anyone receives unemployment benefits.

Dumping a commercially-trained, state-subsidized workforce on residential-wiring markets is not policy; and trunk slamming, side job, weekend warrior members can be reported to the proper authority: 1) The sponsor-contractor's Association, 2) State unemployment agency, 3) or Unemployment between States traveled.

If the DIY advice is for a legal handyman business, owner/builders, or their family/employees its probably unregulated. If so, advice is not regulated, but any remote chance of liability for errors & omissions could be a civil matter limited by the North American legal doctrine of publisher vs bookseller. In summary, sophisticated litigators citing legal precedent can find publishers and moderators liable where their negligently-published error or omission causes injury.
 
2,400,000 people were layed off this year, countless others are in limbo, with some working 3 -4 days per week if lucky.

Finding work outside of ones chosen field is not so easy this winter.

A parent or person is going to do what they have to, to survive.

I am not condoning illegal work, but I am not going to commit someone for doing what they are learning to do to try and scrounge a living.

I myself had young children when one of the downturns came strolling along. That downturn was not as severe as this one is, and I do not believe we have seen the worst of it yet.
 
I was in the trade about 7 or 8 years, running jobs etc, the economy tanked and I took a job mowing lawns instead of collecting. There is often work if people are willing work hard at jobs that they might not enjoy.
 
I understand that there may be jobs, but I think we all realize this is not our standard downturn. Many more people are out of work than I have seen before. I am also hearing of the different companies that are teetering on bankruptsy, that is going to have a further ripple effect when those people are out of work for a month or so.



I am curious what the OP must be thinking, if he is still lurking this thread???
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
I understand that there may be jobs, but I think we all realize this is not our standard downturn. Many more people are out of work than I have seen before. I am also hearing of the different companies that are teetering on bankruptsy, that is going to have a further ripple effect when those people are out of work for a month or so.



I am curious what the OP must be thinking, if he is still lurking this thread???
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Pierre you are the op. Do you wonder what you are thinking??
 
iwire said:
I was in the trade about 7 or 8 years, running jobs etc, the economy tanked and I took a job mowing lawns instead of collecting. There is often work if people are willing work hard at jobs that they might not enjoy.
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That is very admirable especially since Mass has one of the highest unemployment payout scales 600 per week and 25$ additional per kid. NY is a flat 405 per week no diaper money. 18,000 over 26 weeks as compared to about 10,000.
 
FWIW I would rather do many non-electrical jobs than take a check from the gov't, even though it's my money in the first place that they stole from me.
 
It was easy when I was single 750 month mortgage and 25 bucks in dogfood and I was good to go. Once I got married 2 houses 2 mortgages 2 new car payments 2 dogs and 1 wife I have to swing 6,000. a month just to break even.
Thank god I am an electrician who everyone thinks is rich. Now I spend more in toilet paper than I used to in utilities a month. I dont know what they do with the stuff. I learned a lot of carpentry skills for the slow times.
If a job is 10% electrical it is 50% carpentry tile and painting. I learned to do basic installs and have worked as all 3 on occasion.
Trunkslaming carpentry skills have filled in a lot of the down/slow time. I never turn work away I just figure who I have to network with to get the job done by the customers needs.
And I dont charge for referalls and it has paid me back many times by all of the jobs I have gotten from the people I have hooked up. Network man network!!
It helps you do electrical work too because when an electrician is afraid to cut a tile I can just push him out of the way and make any cut I need to make I have the skills and the tools without wrecking the persons house.
The carpentry skills help you not screw the sheetrocker and it also has a built in bs detector when the carpenters are trying to screw you . Framing skills help you understand how to run your wires safely.
It is a new world order out there. If we could only figure that mayan calander thing out now.
 
iwire said:
There is often work if people are willing work hard at jobs that they might not enjoy.
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It makes sense people will cross train or abandon livelihoods when necessity becomes the mother of invention. But, necessity is subjective, especially for industry leaders that re-make the rules, or any observer allowed to watch how the rules get twisted.
 
ramsy said:
It makes sense people will cross train or abandon livelihoods when necessity becomes the mother of invention. But, necessity is subjective, especially for industry leaders that re-make the rules, or any observer allowed to watch how the rules get twisted.
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I try not to blame others for how my life is turning out.
 
wawireguy said:
The key is to not say your doing sidework when you make a post about it : )

People doing these rinky dink jobs are not stealing a contractors bread and butter. For the most part these people are unwilling or unable to pay the price tag associated with that so they'll find someone who will do it for less. Bottom line is they aren't going to look in the yellow pages and call a contractor. I think that posts about sidework should be closed. The posters need to be sharp enough to understand that this site is supposed to be for those doing legitament work in the trade and post accordingly.
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I think we also need to be careful about the definition of sidework. All "side work" is not unethical, improper, uninsured, or illegal.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
..I think we all realize this is not our standard downturn. Many more people are out of work ..companies teetering on bankruptsy
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In recent history over-indebted societies that printed money eventually suffered a devalued or unusable currency. This usually resulted in more foreign-currency contracts between corporations, foreign currency preference between citizens, and perhaps un-taxable bartering. When Governments lose enough tax revenue they eventually consider adopting a new currency.

IMO, No US industry is more adept at paying cash under the table, and hiring on a handshake than the construction trades. IMO, Even with employees payrolled in foreign cash, no such scenario in the US would prevent the trades from conducting business as usual.
 
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I feel bad for everyone who is in trouble due to the worsening economy.

I won't judge them poorly for doing what they have to so they and their families are able to survive.

I will judge them poorly for taking on work they do not have the skills to perform adequately. Sadly, there are bound to be a few people who do not know enough to know they are outside their area of adequateness. But that applies to just about anyone at one time or another.
 
petersonra said:
I will judge them poorly for taking on work they do not have the skills to perform adequately. Sadly, there are bound to be a few people who do not know enough to know they are outside their area of adequateness. But that applies to just about anyone at one time or another.
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Agreed, you don't know your over your head until it's too late. The older I get, the less I think I know. In another 15-20 years, I may never leave the house. :smile:
 
cycotcskir said:
I think we also need to be careful about the definition of sidework. All "side work" is not unethical, improper, uninsured, or illegal.
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Im doing sidework. I guess you could call it that. A contractor we do work for bought some land in another county and built a house he plans on moving into. The homeowner can pull all permits in this county so he asked me to work my weekends when needed to wire his house for him. He has also used me to help do other things outside of the electrical. I will be starting my trim-out soon.

That's the only sidework I have done if you can call it sidework.
 
aftershock said:
im doing sidework. I guess you could call it that. A contractor we do work for bought some land in another county and built a house he plans on moving into. The homeowner can pull all permits in this county so he asked me to work my weekends when needed to wire his house for him. He has also used me to help do other things outside of the electrical. I will be starting my trim-out soon.

That's the only sidework i have done if you can call it sidework.
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stone him!! Stone him!!
 
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