“I get paid $38 dollars an hour, and I can’t find work, I will have to go to Alberta to find a job that will pay a similar salary. I’m a brick layer, carpenter and a welder, and nobody in Prince George is hiring.”

Read: 'I'm some over-paid guy that used to do a bit of everything at my old job at the mill. I expect someone else to find me a suitably cushy position somewhere close to home, and I expect it now.'

Give me a f*cking break.

Moses, who pissed in your corn flakes this morning. Do I detect a little jealousy? That guy made $38 an hour and probably lived the lifestyle of someone making $38 per hour. Nothing wrong with that. He has many trades which he worked hard for & earned and paid a lot of money for his education to get those trades. If he can get $38 why wouldn't he take it. I too have multiple trades that I worked hard for and paid thousands in education to earn those trades. I also make a very good wage for my hard work and live to enjoy it and no I don't work in a mill and I don't belong to a union. It would be hard to go from living a good life for 20 or 30 years and then have the rug pulled out from under you just like that. At least these guys are looking for work and many are even willing to move around the country to work. It sure is better than having them sit at home for a year collecting EI and then welfare when that runs out. Every unemployeed worker deserves our support thru these very stressful times in their lives.

Hey mytots,

I'll eat those pissy cornflakes if Mr. $38 an Hour can show me that he has training in, and appropriate journeyman credentials as a brick-layer, a carpenter AND a welder.

That's complete crap.

If he had training in and credentials for any one of those trades he won't have to wait for work long.

If he's just a hard-working Jack'o that expects to make $80 grand a year because he knows how to stack a couple of blocks, or tap a couple of nails, forget it.

It's an insult to the properly trained, and genuinely displaced people affected by the downturn in the forest sector.

"Organizers say the biggest gaps that need filling are in engineering and trades."

DUH......

That happens to be the area that CNC decimated ...... oh well ... c'est la vie.

We have to remember that making $38/hr is only during those time that you actually work.

Many, if not most trades people in the construction industry do not have year round work. So, they might work for 1,000 hours.

Another person might make only $3,000/month, but has a relatively secure, year round job and ends up earning pretty well the same.

where are all the mining and exploration companies at the show. I wasnt there i was wondering if there were any? You think they are still hiring alot. Gold is still high and bc exploration work is in high demand. Apply to the junior companies if your looking for work.

I hate to say it but the cherry picking of only the highest paying jobs is going to end. I don't begrudge anyone the highest pay that they can get, but the lean times are going to change this.
The challenges for companies to stay a float are going to start to reduce overall employment--substantially.
I also hate to say that we have been spoiled by high wages while only needed to meet poor productivity levels.
Having a ticket doesn't mean that you automatically earn 38 bucks an hour or should for that matter.

Look at the oilpatch which is about the only sector left that can pay the big wages, have poor productivity and still make tons of profits. NO other industry can do this anymore and its going to get worse.
Say goodbye to 40 hours/wk of work giving you the spending power you had. Say goodbye to cherry picking huge wages for a part years work and sitting on EI instead of working at a lesser rate.
Companies everywhere need talent and productive workers at a price they can afford. So if someone is out there that can provide this, they will certainly pay you as much as possible.
And here is the catch, the more you contribute, the more likely you will recieve bigger wages.
Maybe we aren't desperate enough yet to believe this--but it is coming very quickly to any worker.

If Mr. 38 per hour is so good he should start his own business, and keep all the profits for himself. Be your own boss, kick back and relax.

Wake up, we are going through a dip in our local economy. There is no question about it, it has slowed down. Don't think for a minute that your job is secured if you are in the service industry. People are not spending the money like they did last year.

I have been in construction for close to 30 years, well, $38.00 / hr is a supervisor position on a union site, with skills of a TQ Carpentar and TQ Mason. You would be running multi million dollar projects, and if your not worth your salt, your down the road.

Of course you could have been making $38.00 an hour working in a mill, then you would be working year round, and better be putting something away for when the train stops.

I bet it must suck making that kind of money, and then have to go work for $25/hr working as a working trades man... if he actually has the TQ that he claims he has. With no guarantee that the job or position will continue.

Wood chip; you are correct, in my opinion. I agree with what you say, and would add that our government cannot see the trend that has already started; things are slowing down, and not only because of the hits we have been taking in the forest industry. The ever increasing cost of fuel, steel etc are playing a part in a general cooling off of our economy.
Listen for the big bang as the olympic
economy crashes in late 2010, then we will have plenty of trades people, and not enough jobs.
Sorry, that's what I see happening.
metalman.

this is all part of the plan cooked up by the limpwristed greenies on the island to run all the working folk out of the province by systematically shutting down every mill, mine and plant in the province. you cant fart because of all this carbon hysteria. that wood energy plant would have created jobs and you ignorant bastards shot it down - you @#$% the bed, now sleep in it.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Please watch the language. We don't have many rules, but they will be enforced.

Elaine Macdonald

Gamblor, are you sure it isn't actually the firmwristed fascist idiots who think spouting puerile bigoted rhetoric passes for insightful political commentary?

Posted by: Moses on June 25 2008 8:24 PM
Hey mytots,

I'll eat those pissy cornflakes if Mr. $38 an Hour can show me that he has training in, and appropriate journeyman credentials as a brick-layer, a carpenter AND a welder.

That's complete crap.

If he had training in and credentials for any one of those trades he won't have to wait for work long.

If he's just a hard-working Jack'o that expects to make $80 grand a year because he knows how to stack a couple of blocks, or tap a couple of nails, forget it.

It's an insult to the properly trained, and genuinely displaced people affected by the downturn in the forest sector.


You are good at jumping Moses, jumping to conclusions.

Gamblor
I beleive the plant you are reffering to was disputed due to the proposed location and that was all.

Wouldn't you protest something like that being built in your residential neighborhood?

Funny that so many have trouble with a hardworking tradesman making that much money and have no trouble with someone that quits their job and receives $500,000.00

Ok Lostit.

If you know Mr. $38 (or if you are Mr. $38), let's see the paperwork to prove this guy has BC Trade Qualifications (TQ's) in masonry, carpentry and welding.

Until then, the only thing I'm jumping on is a whiner that approaches a reporter at a legitimate trade fair to complain about his personal 'hard luck' story.

Show me the creds, and I'll eat my words (and cornflakes).

Do you know how many highly qualified non certified tradespeople there are working in this country and abroad?
The lack of a piece of paper doesn't mean someone isn't completely able and qualified to do the same job as someone with paper documents.
Your lack of paper arguement holds no water.