Where are all the laborers?

[RDrancher]

Finding any consistent help has been a problem for me ever since I moved here to Texas. I had a list of twenty or more guys that I could call to work at the drop of a hat, but I don't have those contacts here. I won't pick up illegals off the corner and even though I don't need someone every day of the week, most days I do. For the most part I operate my tractor and other equipment, and even though I don't "need" a hand all of the time, my wife would just as soon I had someone with me from a safety standpoint.

I've put up a few flyers and put the word out locally, but mostly get professional type guys that are temporarily out of a job. They're not guys that are going to spend a lot of time picking rocks and sticks out of compacted fill or running a water hose.

So in this time of high unemployment...where are the guys that want to work and learn from the bottom up? Very frustrating.

 

[ricklman]

Having just left Texas a couple of years ago, I remember what you're talking about.

If it's available to you and you're interested in using youngsters, you can contact the local FFA and 4H chapters and see if they're available or interested.

Most of my projects are just small day jobs or quick trips to pick up RR ties, but the local high schoolers are almost always looking for ways to pick up some spending money in our small town. Most of them also appreciate the opportunity to learn something new in the way of country life too.

If you do go that route, use this advice: Don't try to outwork them... We geezers ain't 17 anymore and they really are! :laughing:

 

[moored4]

Make friends with the high school coach! We use the team members for haying! It's a great conditioning for football, and in texas football is king!

 

[TripleR]

I know there aren't any around here. We have hired several different high school kids and all they wanted to do was play grab a**, sit in the shade taking breaks or run around on the UTV.

We have even had trouble getting someone in to install a 60' long culvert 4' in diameter; been trying for three months and the last company has been working on the estimate for over a month. MODOT specs have to be followed and approved so we can't do it ourselves.

 

[RDrancher]

I like the high school kids idea but I never slowed down after last summer, so I really need guys that are available year-round.

When school lets out in a week or so I'll have my 16 year old step son to help... maybe. I found out last summer that I can't use him and his friends together or they all turn into shade-huggers. I fired him and his buddy last summer. Trying to get his tail out of bed put a bit too much stress between me and the wife. Possibly my comment "worthless as t***s on a sow" rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe I'll try confiscating the cellphones and ipods and get an airhorn for wake-up call.

This is driving me nuts.

If you do go that route, use this advice: Don't try to outwork them... We geezers ain't 17 anymore and they really are!

The sad thing is, is that I'm 55 and I CAN outwork 'em!

 

[Arsavoie]

If you need to hire someone just to pick up rocks or move a garden hose why hire someone? Get off your tractor and do it your self.

 

[RDrancher]

If you need to hire someone just to pick up rocks or move a garden hose why hire someone? Get off your tractor and do it your self.

I'm booked until mid July and you want me to do what?

Garden hose?? Try a few hundred feet of 3/4" braided hose.

And of course, customers always appreciate it when the equipment charged at $55 to $100 per hour sits still while the operator does the work of a laborer.

 

[IndyIan]

I'm booked until mid July and you want me to do what?

Garden hose?? Try a few hundred feet of 3/4" braided hose.

And of course, customers always appreciate it when the equipment charged at $55 to $100 per hour sits still while the operator does the work of a laborer.

Maybe you need to get a full time guy? I always liked doing some grunt work but $10/hour part isn't going to cut it for someone that is reliable.

Also is there a legal farm laborer program in Texas? No one in Ontario wants to do farm work for $10-15/hour either so there's a program to bring guys from mexico or central america to do grunt work for months at a time at minimum wage. Maybe you'd qualify for something like that?

 

[brin]

We still have Mexicans hanging out at the Home Depot by us...but this is Georgia, a bit far you...I can't believe they are still allowed here or that HD allows it...

 

[newbury]

Possibly my comment "worthless as t***s on a sow" rubbed her the wrong way.

Well mammary glands on a female pig are useful.

Another source - local high school auto shop. I've worked a couple of guys in the past. Also if you need people that are just smarter than the rocks you might try talking to teachers of "special ed students". I had one working for me a bit this spring.

He needed the money, I needed trash picked up. Nothing complicated, no machinery involved, he was happy to get minimum wage for a minimum job. He did fairly well and was eager to do the work.

 

[Arsavoie]

I'm booked until mid July and you want me to do what?

Garden hose?? Try a few hundred feet of 3/4" braided hose.

And of course, customers always appreciate it when the equipment charged at $55 to $100 per hour sits still while the operator does the work of a laborer.

Then hire the unemployed man that needs to feed his family and pay his bills if you don't want to hire some illegals. Cause you get what you pay for. Or just quit b...ing and do the work yourself

 

[Sutol]

all the labour is over here claiming $300 a week and a free house and doing nothing at all.

 

[RDrancher]

Then hire the unemployed man that needs to feed his family and pay his bills if you don't want to hire some illegals. Cause you get what you pay for. Or just quit b...ing and do the work yourself

Tempting...but I refuse to feed the troll again.

 

[GregbkH]

The sad thing is, is that I'm 55 and I CAN outwork 'em!

Ahhh, so I'm NOT the only one!

I have a 26 year old son-in-law that is worse than Paris Hilton when it comes to manual labor. He's always saying, " Maybe we should take a break" or "Man, it's too hot to be doing this ain't it?". Whimp.

 

[bullbreaker]

Ahhh, so I'm NOT the only one!
I have a 26 year old son-in-law that is worse than Paris Hilton when it comes to manual labor. He's always saying, " Maybe we should take a break" or "Man, it's too hot to be doing this ain't it?". Whimp.

Do like I've done and leave them or people that side with them out of my will/testament/trust etc. People like that I don't even want as one of my pall-bearer(s), might drop me !

Boone

 

[RDrancher]

Maybe you need to get a full time guy? I always liked doing some grunt work but $10/hour part isn't going to cut it for someone that is reliable.

Also is there a legal farm laborer program in Texas? No one in Ontario wants to do farm work for $10-15/hour either so there's a program to bring guys from mexico or central america to do grunt work for months at a time at minimum wage. Maybe you'd qualify for something like that?

Where I'm at $10 for a labor work actually isn't out of line. Believe it or not, there are guys with CDL's still making as little as $12 an hour.

I'd really like to find someone who wanted to learn. In my former life as a concrete contractor I had a few guys that started out as $7 an hour laborers, stuck it out for a few years and learned the ropes, then went on to be licensed contractors. Of course, they're in California with no work to be had...but that's another subject.

 

[jinman]

Finding any consistent help has been a problem for me ever since I moved here to Texas.

I think in your line of work you'll always have trouble finding/keeping workers. The most consistent workers may be illegals or parolees. The fellow who did a remodel job for me last year had an ex-roofer, a couple of young carpenters, and a parolee. The ex-roofer was consistent and a hard worker, but didn't have great carpenter skills. I think he was just happy to be off the roof on hot days. The young carpenters talked about all the people they had worked for and one of them quit about halfway through the job. The parolee was here every day except for one afternoon when he had to check in with his parole officer. He did tile work, but his expertise was lacking; although, his desire and cooperative spirit was high. A Hispanic crew did my concrete work and were on-time, organized, and professional. Their English was not good, but their work was superb. Being the boss is hard in any line of work.

In my high school days, many of us found work mixing mud by hand for brick layers during the summer. I'd bet you won't find many of the kids these days who would even consider doing that even with a mud mixing machine.

 

[TripleR]

If you need to hire someone just to pick up rocks or move a garden hose why hire someone? Get off your tractor and do it your self.

I have to use crutches to get around and even with that can't make it very far.

I would be tickled to death to be able to get off the tractor and do it myself.

 

[rsewill]

I commend you for not wanting to hire illegals but if you want someone to work cheap, who will be there seven days a week, who will work from sunup to sundown and bust their butts doing it - with some training, go with an illegal. It's what many, many businesses do for the above reasons. No complaints, no raises, etc. Perfect employees except for the language barrier.

 

[phiferpharm]

I've use the neighbor kids - one at a time- when I can. They are somewhat reliable as long as I only use them one at a time. Problem is two do the work of less than one, at twice the cost, with too much BS time versus working time. I watched them carrying 10 foot 2x4's one at a time as a team. When I asked if the boards were too heavy for them to carry by themselves, they said it was faster to work as a team. Really? Grammie and I went out and helped them finish. We were able to carry our own individual boards- go figure...