What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

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Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.

-Primus

(If a Metallica song made it to ancient Egypt, I'll be interested to see where this one goes.) :p
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

I am on the end of this discussion so I am going to enter my opinion. I wish wages were higher, only thing that keeps me at my current job is my boss is great and knowing it will get better. I am not slow (in the head, sometimes I feel I am slow on job but try, did pass my first year school with a 92% and you can see from the other thread about water heater I can troubleshoot with a couple question asked to my journeyman, mainly on how thermostat on WH works)

On the other aspect of this, it's hard when the shortage comes up for a job and he "has to find people" and has to pay them more. Being on the end of my 2nd year (3500-4000 hours)it's really hard to get up in the morning when you find out the guy that was just hired (no electrical exp. but was a painter) is making $9 and your making $9.50. Yes I get to stay around after the job, but...... I did get a raise shortly after that to $10 but actually had to ask them to take it back until they could give me a larger one, since I actually brought home less(put me in next tax bracket and brought home $9 less a week).

So with that said again coming into the field I wish the wages were a little higher ( I started at $7). Just have to keep telling the wife it will get better as she juggles the bills :p

We just had a apprentice, who now is past the totally green stage, who quit. He received a job offer at another company with one of his friends for more money. He didn't seem to hesitate at all. Guess I am to loyal, I will hope it will pay off.......someday.

I guess it's long post but you always tend to babble when you think about something way to much. Found out the other day (working on a school, not prevailing) the green block layer makes 13.50 (union though). As much time I spend babysitting them I could lay some block now. Hmm..
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

all this wages are for a helper that drives to the shop or drives to the job site? In other words, does he uses his own transportation? his own tools?
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

Originally posted by e57:

As for the guy who lied...
You go to them and say, "You said you were (This, this, and this), you are not that, or demonstrated the abiltiy for that, you have six weeks to demonstrate the ability, or you will have to go, or take a cut in pay to $XX.XX. If it becomes wholely obvious that you're not what you said you were at all in that time, you will have to go." Document the conversation, check back with them at one month, have the same conversation, and document. At the end of that time, have the same conversation with a check for their wages in full to date in your hand, and a written notice not to return to work. If they want to take the cut, or if its worth it to keep them around at all, they keep the intiial conseling in the record.
Click to expand...
BINGO!


There are a lot of EC's here that will hire the illegals for way less than I would hire Mr. Green. I guess the word y'all use for them here would be "hacks". And they make it hard to be competitive on track housing.

To me, Mr. Green should be worth about 1/2 what you pay a new licensed (if applicable) journeyman. By the end of his apprenticeship, he should be a buck or so away from a journeyman. If he isn't worth a raise, is he worth having?
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

Now I have to say, "Dont try to be competitive on tract housing, we all must make a concerted effort to keep the profit level of such development at an acceptable level without under-cutting eachother..." Oh wait, that's called price fixing, never-mind... :) But it is not a bad idea, is it? It does only make the Developer, the bank, and Real Estate Agent rich, not us.... They don't consider a single digit percentage a profit, and neither should we.

It would make it easier to take on green labor and make quality Electricians out of them.

I just had an epiphany! If wages were higher in general... Maybe that guy would not have been compeled to lie in order to get a job for less than $10 an hour! Not that is an excuse for the lie.... Tell me you know jack didly, but are willing to learn, exibit you are able to, and I'll move you up the ladder. Lie to me, and I'll find someone honest to take your place.

Phew, I'm ranting now...
(Original poster started the guy at $16, but still lied to get the job.)

[ December 28, 2005, 04:01 AM: Message edited by: e57 ]
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

I work each situation individually since each individual is unique. Typically near Chicago we have to pay $10/hr just to get them away from McD's even if they are no talent labor who never show up for work. I generally tell them if they work hard and pay attention I can train them for the exam in 2 years, and most of the guys that stay that long pass.
In your case take the guy out for lunch or something and explain that he said he was experienced and wasn't... you should have fired him but you've kept him because he works hard and you appreciate that. Remind him that working as an apprentice is required to get his license, and if he studies hard in a couple years he'll be able to make a lot more money. Ask him if he thinks it was fair and what you should do.
Typically they'll suggest reducing the pay and sometimes even an amount. If not ask if he could take a temporary pay cut until his skills are up to the level you hired him at. If he won't take a pay cut and you decide to keep him anyway you should warn him that you won't be able to give him raises until long after he would normally have gotten them because you had to bear the extra expense up front.
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

IMHO You cannot cut a workers pay without making a disgruntaled employee. You may be able to freeze his wage until cost of living catches up but with others getting raises, it is risky.
 
Re: What is your rate for a 1st year HELPER

Originally posted by peter d:
This thread illustrates why the electrical trade is in the gutter and will remain there if electricians gon't get start getting paid a respectable wage.

You can earn $9 an hour doing jobs that require no brain power whatsoever. Why is the starting wage of a skilled trade on par with landscaping? :mad:
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Because it is a start and requires no more skill to start than the ability to mow a lawn. It is much easier to move up from there with a skill though.
 
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