NY Times on the Trades

Unknown

Brings back memories of dropping things in my minibike crankcase when I was a kid. I hope with Obama in office the unions get stronger and more restrictions are put on these hacks in our trade. This will help with the perception of plumbers, fitters, hvac contractors in general. Bring up the pay scale and have real medical ins and pensions( not 401ks that the rich steal back every ten years). Maybe a real brotherhood of plumbers that work together to keep out low cost labor. Dont think it can happen? Go ask your landscaper.

Robert O'Brien

NY Times on the Trades

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html?_r=1&hp

D107

A Brilliant Article

Thanks so much for this Robert. This guy, like the NY Times' Thomas Friedman, has his finger right on the pulse. What an articulate insight into what's wrong with corporate America, and what might make it right again. No wonder the country's in a hole. His analysis of what goes on in the workplace is precisely what the country needs to understand to get its values back to spec. It's why the Wall is so successful, bringing tradespeople and homeowners together to think and solve real problems in a field that holds a vital key to our future if we get it right. Bravo.

Thanks,

David

jim s_2

What type of restrictions would you impose?

Are you talking side jobbers or people who just don`t care.

Paul Pollets

Good stuff

A great article on what it really means to work with your hands. Reminds me of the Zen Motorcycle Repair...

Sadly, the days seem numbered for those in the trades who have mastered their craft and look to find a younger generation interested in following.

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Unknown

In PA

They just started a PA contractor license, we have till july 1st to sign up. I am not crazy about government fees but it may turn out to be a good thing. Requires you have insurance and some other things, not completely sure yet, havent finished reading the law yet. I saw a truck last week that said LANDSCAPING, ROOFING, PLUMBING, HEATING. We need some type of unified training and union. Saw a Munchkin piped straight through, new install..wonder where that "contractor " will be come next september? I thought the shear complexity would stop these guys but once again I am proven wrong. Stupidity knows no bounds. I would like to see the manufacturers stop selling unless your factory trained and licensed. But thats not the way they see it, instead they are advertising....NO MORE L.E.D. CODES, PROGRAM IN PLAIN ENGLISH. THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE INVITE FOR THE LESS QUALIFIED TO BUY THEIR PRODUCT.
I was always told ... dont worry the incompetent will go out of business but it seems for every one that goes out..two more take his place! I would like to know how other parts of the world deal with this problem?

Steamhead (in transit)

One thing we need to do

is to elevate our thinking, to the point where we drop the word "Trade".

A bit of history- the concept of the tradesman dates back to at least the Middle Ages, and probably further back in time than that. In those days, a man had some tools and some level of knowledge, and often traveled from place to place doing his work (which is probably where "journeyman" comes from). At some point, he passed his knowledge to the next generation. This business model has had a VERY long run, since it addressed the needs of various crafts for so long.

But today, this concept is lacking. The work we do has a major impact on the well-being of our neighbors, our country and our world. Much of the badly-needed energy conservation and efficiency work will rest on us, and its success will help determine our nation's energy future. So we need much higher levels of knowledge and ability than ever before. But many still consider being a "tradesman" a lesser form of work than working in an office, so people entering the work force often don't even consider this work. As a result, we don't always get the best and the brightest.

So we need to think of our work as part of an Industry, a Business, or some other term that gives it the perceived importance it needs. Then it will be more attractive as a career.

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Darrell_4

Part of the problem, and the article touched on it, is that the high school education system has largely dumped the trades as a viable option for a kids future. My son had to fight with his teacher and finally bring me in because he my son was required to spend his entire junior year writing college essays for entrance while he had already made up his mind to serve an apprenticeship. The teacher kept telling him that he was being lazy and selling out his future and that he would be broke all his life. I had to explain, pointedly, that my other son was going to college, would get a degree and some 50-70K in debt so he could get a 40k teaching job. The son serving the apprenticeship would do so debt free, in the same time frame, and be worth 50-60K on the hoof when he was done.

But, we can't put a teenager on the job because of OSHA rules. So they can't get any experience or find out if the trades are something they are really fascinated by.

Another problem is that the unions won't pick up a kid until he is 20-21 years old...that gives him/her too much time to dwell in the post high school stupid stage with nothing constructive to do.

I am college degreed...and have never been sorry for the "career path" that I have chosen.

Robert O'Brien

Frank,

Very good points! Since you can't outsource this work,it will become more acceptable the longer this recession continues.Merely anecdotal,but the attire/attitude/demeanor of the Vo-Tech students at the NAOHSM show in Hershey was vastly improved over past years.Coincidence?

Steamhead (in transit)

Possibly

let's see what happens in Providence next year, if it's the same as this year's Hershey crowd it might indicate a trend.

I didn't get to watch the competition though, was in a very good seminar!

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[Deleted User]

At some point however, people won't have the money to pay for our services. They will have to do it themselves or pay someone on the side to do it. We still have the crash of commercial real estate and the credit card companies are goin to be in trouble soon, too. And don't forget about the adjustable mortgage crises along with the balloon payment type of mortgages. We have 19% 'real' unemployment (not the manipulated numbers the gov likes to give you). Every real economist is saying that the worst is yet to come (the ones that have predicted the current situation five or more years ago). I know it's hard to believe when you have the shills from the mainstream media telling you that the turn around is on it's way and there are 'green shoots' of hope. I wish it were true, but it's not. You really should read about hyperinflation that occurred during the Weimar Republic in Germany. Wish I had good news on the economic front, but I don't. The good thing is that you can prepare now.

Robert O'Brien

Mike,

I'm no economist and we may be nowhere near bottom but at some point it will get better and until and after then people will need heat.

[Deleted User]

People will need heat and they will either try to fix it themselves or pay someone on the side. Not everyone will do this of course. But enough business will be lost to put some companies under. How many companies make money on preventative maintenance and service contracts? If you have to choose between food and a service contract, which will you choose? With commercial real estate going belly up, alot of service companies are going to lose that business as well. There is no imperative that says things have to get better at some point. Hopefully they will, but at what cost? I hope I'm wrong about hyper- inflation because the cost of everything including materials will go through the roof. You can't print up 12 trillion dollars (not including interest) and think it won't affect the value of the currency.

Darrell_4

Oh, I don't know...I recall one Christmas when my kids were little and the last recession was rolling though town. A man called late one night...he had no heat and no money. He said he was going to slaughter one or two of his prize elk in the morning and could scrape enough money up for parts if I would take a side of elk for labor.

I was there in 20 minutes and we ate real well that Christmas and most of the rest of the winter. That man went on to be one of my biggest advertisers. He has since left the area, but his legacy, and the warmth of that cold December night still fills my checking account nearly 20 years later.

It ain't always about money. Good service, no debt, and a loyal customer base is about as recession proof as it gets.

Oh, and minimize the reading the newspaper and watching the "news".