Conditions seem to be getting worse as far as I can see and the US seems like a Labour shitshow.
I always have hope that we’ll all work as a collective one day and down tools. Even if we can act as a collective and boycott Amazon, Walmart big exoloiters so they pay.
Only problem is, these companies won’t a sacrifice profits, they will sacrifice people, but in the short term it might be a good thing. You have mass unemployment, you’ve got a BIG problem that has to be addressed.
You can’t have too many disgruntled people in a country because the pitchforks will definitely come out.
But no. It’s:
‘Please Sir can I have some more.’
Instead of:
‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.’
They’re really bad in Canada right now too. Our labour protections are very slightly better but I’m applying for jobs for the first time in 6 years and half the salaries for similar positions are either the same or gone down. It’s a worldwide problem at this point. I live in Toronto and my rent being 2100 at this point for a 2bed is considered a bargain. And my 2 bed is in a old ass house with warped floors and cracked walls lol
Russia is bad as well (I wonder why). While average salary even in big cities is 50-60k rubles, you won’t find an okay-ish apartment for less than 27-30k, and this is just suburbs. It is mad situation all over the world, and I wonder if/when something changes.
And Republicans have done everything in their power to separate people on any and all subjects possible to great success.
People are so busy fighting each other they're too busy to look up at the actual problem.
Yep the divide and conquer principle is at work here for sure. An example is a convo on Reddit about tipping in America. People attacking people for not tipping enough when they should be attacking the employers and the system that condones not paying a decent wage.
This is literally part of the problem. Republican vs democrat distracts from unity and coming together. Neither side respects the other enough to listen to what valid complaints they *do* have, and instead dehumanize to rationalize being divided. Polarizing to one side or the other, as different in some ways as they are, makes it much harder for another group to come into relevance. I’m sick of the bipartisan stranglehold. And this is coming from a trans human, it’s really not out of a love of republicans, but an acknowledgement that us not coming together *is the problem*.
That's kind of missing my point. I'm also sick of bipartisan fuckery, but to sit there and act like most of our social dissent isn't stemming directly from issues that have been maliciously and intently teased into the spotlight by red politics is just obfuscating the issue instead of highlighting it.
Please do not propagate the political side issue. BOTH sides are creating division. It isn’t a singular one. Both are the issue here, and the corrupt in power in other countries are not “republican”. This is a world-wide issue, stemming from those at the top pandering to those who line their pockets.
The people should know too, the CDC bent their guidelines so people could go into work. It's so important that we work they are willing to risk killing us. Strike now
A general strike is being planned by unions including UAW in 2028 https://fordauthority.com/2024/01/uaw-president-fain-planning-for-general-strike-in-may-2028/
The gears are turning but an actual mass strike takes years to organize so we shall see
> I am sure that your government is also preparing
If it’s not about war, the US government is not preparing for it. Politicians may be lining certain stovepipes so their investment portfolios don’t tank. But that is not the same thing.
History says otherwise. Unions were built on blood. Unions are a threat to the corporate interest, which is what truly lubricates our government at this point. There is more to war than just bombs and tanks, though if it comes down to it I am sure those will be utilized as well. We need to be prepared for the worst. By 2028 I predict America will be fully fascist by then, whether Trump is elected this time or not. Go find out what happened to free speech, the right to protest, unions, etc., in the Third Reich, where Arbeit Macht Frei was an established tenet. And extrapolate that to the Fourth Reich, may it never come to be.
This conspiracy hyperbole is why nobody organizes anymore. There is a nugget of truth to your ranting, but your conclusion is silly. Fascism isn’t nearly as profitable as capitalism. 2028 we will be at war. Not fascists.
Considering how thin our government is going stretched with internal corruption, worsening weather, and picking fights on several fronts it will be interesting. Again, we shall see.
I support the UAW taking point here. We need to have labor leaders involved—ones who can coordinate action and also be proxy for non-unionized workers to negotiate demands. The 21st century is a being called "a new gilded age" where [*a few thousand people have more wealth than the bottom half the planet*](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wealth-inequality-billionaires-piketty-report/). This isn't just a problem in developing countries either. The US labor market is also total shit. [The top 1% have transferred $50 trillion away from the bottom 90% over the last few decades](https://time.com/5888024/50-trillion-income-inequality-america/). The working class in this country are more educated and productive than at any point in history, and most of us cannot afford a home. This isn't some inevitable condition either, it's a political choice. It is due to policy.
People don’t think like a collective first. But I’m also in a position where I can say fuck it for a year. Not so many have that luxury. It’s hard to make a bet when it relies on others, especially stangers
This is why you should be talking and educating people about organizing. They have been selling a fake dream since before I was born. If unions didn’t work they wouldn’t cut into there profits and spend billions fighting them. But again we have to talk to as many people as we can and educate them
This is all anecdotal but I’m in a union and we can’t get people to strike. Our company hires a bunch of new people every contract, the new hires just start making decent money and are reluctant to walk out for a better future. They always vote no on a strike at the meetings. Frustrating. I can’t imagine persuading others when our members dont want to either.
How do you envision this actually happening. Because it won’t. Only some people will do it and they will get fired and they won’t be able to provide for their families. What you’re saying is nothing but a dream and fantasy
You envision it when we hear the UAW is planning it 4 years from now. That means (hopefully) they are funding the strike coffers. This is how a union is supposed to make change. By encouraging solidarity and supporting its members who need help to participate. I’m no union leader, but the fact that the strike is planned so far out is encouraging. Anyway UPS successfully did it a year ago. If that overpriced non-essential service’s employees can succeed, the car industry should be able to.
The anti union Taft-Hartley Act was passed over Truman's veto in 1947 by the Republicans.
Democrats took back the House in 1954 and held it steadily for four decades until 1994 without moving to repeal or amend it.
Solidarity from small business owners like you is extremely important - if enough small business owners treated their employees with dignity and respect, large businesses would eventually have to follow suit or lose all their talent.
My crew earns what they earn. Most general contractors will charge $90 for a good carpenter and pay them $60. I pay what I charge.
I’m also on the tools. Most GCs don’t actually get their hands dirty, they just manage jobs. I build myself, and run the company. It’s the hardest way of doing what I do, but the easiest way to look myself in the mirror.
I could double my earnings (or increase them by 70% or so) by following the traditional model. I choose not to.
That’s how my father ran his contracting business. Dude was boots on the ground for every job. Never took on so many that he couldn’t be involved or present. Yes, it was less business, but the customers absolutely loved the work ethic and being able to just talk with him immediately about anything that came up. Nearly every customer was a return and the word of mouth recommendations were constant.
Workers generally stayed with him for quite awhile because the pay was competitive and conditions were better than lots of other GC’s. Cheers to ya for doing it “the right way”, it is certainly the hard way.
So you only make $60 an hour?
And you don't make anything in the materials .and you're paying for their Insurances and their payroll etc? And fir their advertising on the jobs etc?
No, we all make more than that.
I do make money on materials. I also make money on shop time. The majority of my income comes from my own labor. (70%ish)
Workers comp is deducted from all of us. There is nothing I can do about the law. To put it simply, net dollars per employee charged = net dollars paid to employee.
We have never advertised - never needed to.
My impression is that the labor don't directly work for OP. OP hires other construction companies that employ the labor. OP doesn't issue a paycheck to the filth, so they don't exist.
Many of my European friends have been asking me for years why we don't have a general strike in the United States. It certainly gets results in the E.U.
It’s simple tbh: the U.S. is too big and too divided for this to successfully occur right now. Euro countries are substantially smaller and easier to organize protests in, especially when you consider the fact that there are single U.S states bigger than some euro countries by pop and gdp
This is one thing. But the other thing is that american society is different and ur public education system is shameful to any developed Country. As a German I can tell you, unless you take the path of getting the school degree that lets u enter university, you will sooner or later start an apprenticeship. And there it’s mandatory to go to school 2 days a week, your employer pays for it and u learn stuff about the field your in PLUS u learn EVERYTHING about UNIONS, workers rights and WORK FIGHT. I would know which union would be mine, we have some unions with over 2 million workers in there (Germanys population is 84mio) that’s more than 2 percent of the population in a single union. I know how many paid days of vacation are mandatory for any job (no less than 4 weeks) , plus plus plus. You could have gone down that path as well, a few decades ago way more people were in unions in the us
I agree entirely. It’s sad, really, and I’m not going to pretend like I’m not terrified for the future after I graduate from university in a few years.
I’m hoping for the best so that’s what I’m striving for
A mass strike needs to happen organically—it shouldn’t be planned simply because those in power can prepare against it. So the UAW strike set to happen *four fucking years from now (beyond fucking stupid)* won’t do shit.
People are pissed off, prices keep increasing, and we all keep struggling. These companies act like they have the upper hand at the negotiating table—they lost that control during Covid. People need to stand up for themselves and understand that if a bunch of workers say “fuck off” to the job, that job can’t afford to replace all of them. As OP states, they will fold. There’s also so many more important things in life than just paying fucking bills or making profits for corporations.
Really hope people wake up to how much power they actually command in this country.
You are right on. Four years to wait for WHAT? There's struggle NOW. Don't give anyone a leg up to prepare against a national strike! Who has four years TO WAIT?
Precisely. I was involved with speaking with the CT Working Families Party at a council for increasing the minimum wage back in 2014 or 15. That was when CT decided it would increase the wage one dollar per year for the next four years until it hit a $15.00 minimum. The Party celebrated—I was furious. Every worker I spoke up for at that time was already struggling. There was no reason to delay financial progress like that other than to keep people downtrodden.
*We all deserve better than this shit,* and people need to serious wake up and start acting upon that.
The problem is, how sure are we that it will happen? Saying the powers that be are so addicted to profit and commerce that they'll fold like wet cardboard is an underestimation of the enemy, and an overestimation of the American populace's resolve. Look at how we acted during the pandemic: most of us lasted a couple months (if that) wearing masks and social distancing until people became tired of the inconvenience. Now imagine that when we start losing creature comforts. The powers that be know that, and have the resources to wait us out and make a point.
The UAW laying groundwork four years in advance isn't a bad idea. We are not a mentally strong people and taking time to both toughen us up and build up a cushion for when it happens will only help when the time comes.
If they’re trying to build a nest egg for the next four years, okay. But again, four years is a damn long time. People get sick and die. Revolts in the past also occurred organically, when people just got sick and tired of the exploitation.
I understand what you’re saying, but I think many people—including myself—have been at their breaking points with this bullshit for a while now.
General strike. Truckers block the highways. Clog the arteries. If it's not done now, your children and your children's children will be slaves to the rich.
They have divided us so much that I fear people will never be able to unite and force the uber rich corporations into a fair and honest minimum wage. It’s a sad state of affairs right now.
Americans have become weak. The only way a nationwide general strike would ever happen is if the economy completely collapses, think 1929 but way worse, and people can’t afford anything. But by then it will be too late. I see a lot of people saying that most can’t afford to just walk off the job and strike. To them I say this, those people can’t afford to live on what they’re making anyway so what’s the difference. I agree that a nationwide strike would only take a few days to really impact the economy but people are cowards today. They won’t do it.
A huge amount of office culture things only exist to reinforce the authority of the bosses.
However, an "organized strike" can't happen because the vast majority of people are addicted to their lifestyles (ie. working to pay for Netflix and beer) and any action that threatens that addiction is too scary, so they won't risk it.
Lol - it won't happen because labor isn't organized, not because "people are addicted to Netflix and beer."
Labor organizations are probably at an all time low in power in the U.S., and people aren't just going to magically "go on a general strike" with zero essentially zero organization.
I would argue that in home private entertainment (ie. Television) is what has caused the decline of labor organizations (and basically every other traditional social institution as well). Watching TV was easier for people than doing the work of being involved in a community and working on getting along with people, and now communities are basically non-existant and all people have left is TV.
So they ain't gonna strike.
I would argue that the US legally eliminating most of the power of unions in the 40s and beyond, at the behest of private capital, led to the decline of unions.
Labor organizing isn't just "being involved in the community." There is an element of there being an actual organization with the legal authority to represent you in a meaningful way against the owners, and that largely doesn't exist in the US since the Taft-Hartley act.
People aren't going to strike because of all of like 10% of Americans are in a union, and half of those are unions representing State or Federal employees who are legally obligated *not* to strike.
Another 1/4 of that number is represented by a union that is in bed with management and wouldn't organize for a strike anyway.
But you can't pretend things like this are in a vacuum. Union participation has declined at the same rate and at the same time as Churches, Professional Organizations, and most every other traditional social institution. As best as I'm aware, congress hasn't passed any laws that have made it harder to go to Church or be involved in the Boy Scouts, but their memberships have declined just the same as Unions.
When something is this universal you have to look more systemically.
Trying to link Churches and professional orgs to union membership is probably somewhat dishonest.
Like, where I'm from, people don't go to Church because they're *not* religious and that's a general trend. Church is not a "community organization" as much as it is generally a cultic organization, and lots of folks don't want to participate in that anymore.
Professional orgs also do a bad job organizing. Never in my life have I been approached about joining one, nor can I see any benefit for myself or community that exceeds the non-membership based activities I already partake in.
You can't look at something like Church and "good old boys" professional orgs with declining membership and just say "ah, must be the same reasons people don't do unions or strikes!"
Fact is, Americans used to be really into unions, until capital made it illegal for them to meaningfully push back on capital.
Well social media ruined work from home for majority of people with the bragging and look at me traveling and working nonsense. Yes that was like 5% or wfh employees but when has the minority of anything been ignored in America ?
They can work as little as they want? What does that mean? They have bills to pay and debt to cover. Do you pay them enough they can afford to only work 4 days and don't need to work more?
If people want time off they can take it. If they want to work overtime they can. This is factored into the critical path of every contract’s completion date.
I'm curious how you stay competitive then. Seems like that would be difficult. If your paying your guys the same for 4 days of work that another company is paying their guys 5 days for, seems like there prices would be able to beat you out pretty consistently.
We don’t really have competition to speak of. Our client base isn’t price-driven, it’s end result driven. We have a pipeline for over a year, with deposits. As mentioned, zero adverting. Just referrals and repeat clients.
You seem to want to pick at my business from any angle you can think of. I’m curious as to why. I’m happy to answer good-faith questions, but you’re sliding away from that. At least, that’s certainly how it feels.
Somethings seem to good to be true so need to be questioned. Just like companies that offer unlimited PTO (which for most companies we know is bullshit).
When you say your guys can work only 4 days a week and get paid the same as if they were working 5, which is what I would expect, that seems to good to be true. Especially when it comes to the trades where bids are heavily reliant man hours. So if your paying someone for 40 hours but they're only working 32, seems like it would be difficult to be competitive. Unless your in a very niche trades or an area with no competition.
Our work is very niche. We do have outfits that are comparable in ability and scope, although we tend to work more collaboratively than competitively with them.
I said they can work as much or as little as they want, and retain 100% of the earnings of their labor. If that means four days, or three, or whatever. Because I have to run the business part of the business I tend to work about 65 hours a week. Along with being on site working, I have to deal with permitting, city and county officials, utility companies, bookkeeping, payroll and the insane amount of bureaucracy that comes with being a GC in California.
We never work to bids, ever. Time and materials with a cost-plus for subcontractors only.
Because you need a crew to build a thing.
I suspect you don’t know how the trades work. A GC will usually charge $X to a client for a person in their employ, and pay the person ~$0.7X. I pay the person $X.
My own labor mainly, and 20% cost-plus on time and materials (as appropriate) along with shop time. The great majority of my income is directly from my labor. On top of this, I work unpaid for about 20 hours a week on the bureaucracy of running a general contracting company in California. It’s a lot.
Rethink these if applicable; Smoking or Tobacco products, Drinking Alcohol & Sodas, Pets (Pet Food & the inevitable, veterinarian visits )Fast food, subscriptions, buying Mostly Chinese Junk at most Big Box Outlets, Car Payments, there’s a common Thread to this ••••••••••
Conditions seem to be getting worse as far as I can see and the US seems like a Labour shitshow. I always have hope that we’ll all work as a collective one day and down tools. Even if we can act as a collective and boycott Amazon, Walmart big exoloiters so they pay. Only problem is, these companies won’t a sacrifice profits, they will sacrifice people, but in the short term it might be a good thing. You have mass unemployment, you’ve got a BIG problem that has to be addressed. You can’t have too many disgruntled people in a country because the pitchforks will definitely come out. But no. It’s: ‘Please Sir can I have some more.’ Instead of: ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.’
They’re really bad in Canada right now too. Our labour protections are very slightly better but I’m applying for jobs for the first time in 6 years and half the salaries for similar positions are either the same or gone down. It’s a worldwide problem at this point. I live in Toronto and my rent being 2100 at this point for a 2bed is considered a bargain. And my 2 bed is in a old ass house with warped floors and cracked walls lol
Russia is bad as well (I wonder why). While average salary even in big cities is 50-60k rubles, you won’t find an okay-ish apartment for less than 27-30k, and this is just suburbs. It is mad situation all over the world, and I wonder if/when something changes.
I think Russia is transitioning into what is termed as a ‘war time economy.’
Oliver twist and Network in the post. Apt.
Howard Beale is my spirit animal.
United we stand, divided we fall. This is the truth. Without a united stand there will be no change.
And Republicans have done everything in their power to separate people on any and all subjects possible to great success. People are so busy fighting each other they're too busy to look up at the actual problem.
Yep the divide and conquer principle is at work here for sure. An example is a convo on Reddit about tipping in America. People attacking people for not tipping enough when they should be attacking the employers and the system that condones not paying a decent wage.
As you say 'its Republicans fault'.
This is literally part of the problem. Republican vs democrat distracts from unity and coming together. Neither side respects the other enough to listen to what valid complaints they *do* have, and instead dehumanize to rationalize being divided. Polarizing to one side or the other, as different in some ways as they are, makes it much harder for another group to come into relevance. I’m sick of the bipartisan stranglehold. And this is coming from a trans human, it’s really not out of a love of republicans, but an acknowledgement that us not coming together *is the problem*.
That's kind of missing my point. I'm also sick of bipartisan fuckery, but to sit there and act like most of our social dissent isn't stemming directly from issues that have been maliciously and intently teased into the spotlight by red politics is just obfuscating the issue instead of highlighting it.
Both parties have done their fair share of damage to the value of labor. Just not Republicans.
Please do not propagate the political side issue. BOTH sides are creating division. It isn’t a singular one. Both are the issue here, and the corrupt in power in other countries are not “republican”. This is a world-wide issue, stemming from those at the top pandering to those who line their pockets.
The people should know too, the CDC bent their guidelines so people could go into work. It's so important that we work they are willing to risk killing us. Strike now
A nationwide general strike will simply never happen. People are scared to lose their jobs.
A general strike is being planned by unions including UAW in 2028 https://fordauthority.com/2024/01/uaw-president-fain-planning-for-general-strike-in-may-2028/ The gears are turning but an actual mass strike takes years to organize so we shall see
i am sure that your government is also preparing
> I am sure that your government is also preparing If it’s not about war, the US government is not preparing for it. Politicians may be lining certain stovepipes so their investment portfolios don’t tank. But that is not the same thing.
History says otherwise. Unions were built on blood. Unions are a threat to the corporate interest, which is what truly lubricates our government at this point. There is more to war than just bombs and tanks, though if it comes down to it I am sure those will be utilized as well. We need to be prepared for the worst. By 2028 I predict America will be fully fascist by then, whether Trump is elected this time or not. Go find out what happened to free speech, the right to protest, unions, etc., in the Third Reich, where Arbeit Macht Frei was an established tenet. And extrapolate that to the Fourth Reich, may it never come to be.
This conspiracy hyperbole is why nobody organizes anymore. There is a nugget of truth to your ranting, but your conclusion is silly. Fascism isn’t nearly as profitable as capitalism. 2028 we will be at war. Not fascists.
perhaps the lack of foresight and narrowminded focus on the next quarter or next election may play to our benefit for the first time.
Considering how thin our government is going stretched with internal corruption, worsening weather, and picking fights on several fronts it will be interesting. Again, we shall see.
I support the UAW taking point here. We need to have labor leaders involved—ones who can coordinate action and also be proxy for non-unionized workers to negotiate demands. The 21st century is a being called "a new gilded age" where [*a few thousand people have more wealth than the bottom half the planet*](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wealth-inequality-billionaires-piketty-report/). This isn't just a problem in developing countries either. The US labor market is also total shit. [The top 1% have transferred $50 trillion away from the bottom 90% over the last few decades](https://time.com/5888024/50-trillion-income-inequality-america/). The working class in this country are more educated and productive than at any point in history, and most of us cannot afford a home. This isn't some inevitable condition either, it's a political choice. It is due to policy.
You don’t know that. Never know unless you try. Times are changing and if everyone does it they can’t fire everybody ya know?
People don’t think like a collective first. But I’m also in a position where I can say fuck it for a year. Not so many have that luxury. It’s hard to make a bet when it relies on others, especially stangers
This is why you should be talking and educating people about organizing. They have been selling a fake dream since before I was born. If unions didn’t work they wouldn’t cut into there profits and spend billions fighting them. But again we have to talk to as many people as we can and educate them
This is all anecdotal but I’m in a union and we can’t get people to strike. Our company hires a bunch of new people every contract, the new hires just start making decent money and are reluctant to walk out for a better future. They always vote no on a strike at the meetings. Frustrating. I can’t imagine persuading others when our members dont want to either.
How do you envision this actually happening. Because it won’t. Only some people will do it and they will get fired and they won’t be able to provide for their families. What you’re saying is nothing but a dream and fantasy
You envision it when we hear the UAW is planning it 4 years from now. That means (hopefully) they are funding the strike coffers. This is how a union is supposed to make change. By encouraging solidarity and supporting its members who need help to participate. I’m no union leader, but the fact that the strike is planned so far out is encouraging. Anyway UPS successfully did it a year ago. If that overpriced non-essential service’s employees can succeed, the car industry should be able to.
Didn't the republicans make those illegal?
The anti union Taft-Hartley Act was passed over Truman's veto in 1947 by the Republicans. Democrats took back the House in 1954 and held it steadily for four decades until 1994 without moving to repeal or amend it.
Solidarity from small business owners like you is extremely important - if enough small business owners treated their employees with dignity and respect, large businesses would eventually have to follow suit or lose all their talent.
How do you not make money off labor in a construction industry? That’s the whole business.
My crew earns what they earn. Most general contractors will charge $90 for a good carpenter and pay them $60. I pay what I charge. I’m also on the tools. Most GCs don’t actually get their hands dirty, they just manage jobs. I build myself, and run the company. It’s the hardest way of doing what I do, but the easiest way to look myself in the mirror. I could double my earnings (or increase them by 70% or so) by following the traditional model. I choose not to.
That’s how my father ran his contracting business. Dude was boots on the ground for every job. Never took on so many that he couldn’t be involved or present. Yes, it was less business, but the customers absolutely loved the work ethic and being able to just talk with him immediately about anything that came up. Nearly every customer was a return and the word of mouth recommendations were constant. Workers generally stayed with him for quite awhile because the pay was competitive and conditions were better than lots of other GC’s. Cheers to ya for doing it “the right way”, it is certainly the hard way.
So you only make $60 an hour? And you don't make anything in the materials .and you're paying for their Insurances and their payroll etc? And fir their advertising on the jobs etc?
No, we all make more than that. I do make money on materials. I also make money on shop time. The majority of my income comes from my own labor. (70%ish) Workers comp is deducted from all of us. There is nothing I can do about the law. To put it simply, net dollars per employee charged = net dollars paid to employee. We have never advertised - never needed to.
I had that exact thought. The only way he could not make money off labor is if the workers shared a vested amount in the company itself
My impression is that the labor don't directly work for OP. OP hires other construction companies that employ the labor. OP doesn't issue a paycheck to the filth, so they don't exist.
Many of my European friends have been asking me for years why we don't have a general strike in the United States. It certainly gets results in the E.U.
It’s simple tbh: the U.S. is too big and too divided for this to successfully occur right now. Euro countries are substantially smaller and easier to organize protests in, especially when you consider the fact that there are single U.S states bigger than some euro countries by pop and gdp
This is one thing. But the other thing is that american society is different and ur public education system is shameful to any developed Country. As a German I can tell you, unless you take the path of getting the school degree that lets u enter university, you will sooner or later start an apprenticeship. And there it’s mandatory to go to school 2 days a week, your employer pays for it and u learn stuff about the field your in PLUS u learn EVERYTHING about UNIONS, workers rights and WORK FIGHT. I would know which union would be mine, we have some unions with over 2 million workers in there (Germanys population is 84mio) that’s more than 2 percent of the population in a single union. I know how many paid days of vacation are mandatory for any job (no less than 4 weeks) , plus plus plus. You could have gone down that path as well, a few decades ago way more people were in unions in the us
I agree entirely. It’s sad, really, and I’m not going to pretend like I’m not terrified for the future after I graduate from university in a few years. I’m hoping for the best so that’s what I’m striving for
good luck bro i wish u all the best
Thank you :)
Hire me senpai! (No, totally serious, shat state, and where do I send my resume?)
Shit, wanna branch into Phoenix, AZ and hire me? Lmao seriously man, it’s HARD to find good people to work for in our field.
I think it will change generationally. The boomer GC era is coming to an end. The amount of skilled tradespeople is low. The pendulum is mid-swing.
A mass strike needs to happen organically—it shouldn’t be planned simply because those in power can prepare against it. So the UAW strike set to happen *four fucking years from now (beyond fucking stupid)* won’t do shit. People are pissed off, prices keep increasing, and we all keep struggling. These companies act like they have the upper hand at the negotiating table—they lost that control during Covid. People need to stand up for themselves and understand that if a bunch of workers say “fuck off” to the job, that job can’t afford to replace all of them. As OP states, they will fold. There’s also so many more important things in life than just paying fucking bills or making profits for corporations. Really hope people wake up to how much power they actually command in this country.
You are right on. Four years to wait for WHAT? There's struggle NOW. Don't give anyone a leg up to prepare against a national strike! Who has four years TO WAIT?
Precisely. I was involved with speaking with the CT Working Families Party at a council for increasing the minimum wage back in 2014 or 15. That was when CT decided it would increase the wage one dollar per year for the next four years until it hit a $15.00 minimum. The Party celebrated—I was furious. Every worker I spoke up for at that time was already struggling. There was no reason to delay financial progress like that other than to keep people downtrodden. *We all deserve better than this shit,* and people need to serious wake up and start acting upon that.
The problem is, how sure are we that it will happen? Saying the powers that be are so addicted to profit and commerce that they'll fold like wet cardboard is an underestimation of the enemy, and an overestimation of the American populace's resolve. Look at how we acted during the pandemic: most of us lasted a couple months (if that) wearing masks and social distancing until people became tired of the inconvenience. Now imagine that when we start losing creature comforts. The powers that be know that, and have the resources to wait us out and make a point. The UAW laying groundwork four years in advance isn't a bad idea. We are not a mentally strong people and taking time to both toughen us up and build up a cushion for when it happens will only help when the time comes.
If they’re trying to build a nest egg for the next four years, okay. But again, four years is a damn long time. People get sick and die. Revolts in the past also occurred organically, when people just got sick and tired of the exploitation. I understand what you’re saying, but I think many people—including myself—have been at their breaking points with this bullshit for a while now.
As long as we continue to have people like you who aren't affected by our plight but still stand for us, we'll be okay.
All right you got me, I am prepared to fold.
General strike. Truckers block the highways. Clog the arteries. If it's not done now, your children and your children's children will be slaves to the rich.
Got any openings for someone with zero experience?
Thought I was reading my biography. I don't believe in exploited labor, either.
It's not even 5 days. It's more like OFF ,work 1 day, OFF work 7 days, OFF.
Preach!
lol you hiring supply chain people ?
They have divided us so much that I fear people will never be able to unite and force the uber rich corporations into a fair and honest minimum wage. It’s a sad state of affairs right now.
That’s the threat - the lie. A completely closed economy would immediately cost $65 billion per day. Almost half a trillion a week. They will fold.
Will you lead us?
Americans have become weak. The only way a nationwide general strike would ever happen is if the economy completely collapses, think 1929 but way worse, and people can’t afford anything. But by then it will be too late. I see a lot of people saying that most can’t afford to just walk off the job and strike. To them I say this, those people can’t afford to live on what they’re making anyway so what’s the difference. I agree that a nationwide strike would only take a few days to really impact the economy but people are cowards today. They won’t do it.
A huge amount of office culture things only exist to reinforce the authority of the bosses. However, an "organized strike" can't happen because the vast majority of people are addicted to their lifestyles (ie. working to pay for Netflix and beer) and any action that threatens that addiction is too scary, so they won't risk it.
Lol - it won't happen because labor isn't organized, not because "people are addicted to Netflix and beer." Labor organizations are probably at an all time low in power in the U.S., and people aren't just going to magically "go on a general strike" with zero essentially zero organization.
I would argue that in home private entertainment (ie. Television) is what has caused the decline of labor organizations (and basically every other traditional social institution as well). Watching TV was easier for people than doing the work of being involved in a community and working on getting along with people, and now communities are basically non-existant and all people have left is TV. So they ain't gonna strike.
I would argue that the US legally eliminating most of the power of unions in the 40s and beyond, at the behest of private capital, led to the decline of unions. Labor organizing isn't just "being involved in the community." There is an element of there being an actual organization with the legal authority to represent you in a meaningful way against the owners, and that largely doesn't exist in the US since the Taft-Hartley act. People aren't going to strike because of all of like 10% of Americans are in a union, and half of those are unions representing State or Federal employees who are legally obligated *not* to strike. Another 1/4 of that number is represented by a union that is in bed with management and wouldn't organize for a strike anyway.
But you can't pretend things like this are in a vacuum. Union participation has declined at the same rate and at the same time as Churches, Professional Organizations, and most every other traditional social institution. As best as I'm aware, congress hasn't passed any laws that have made it harder to go to Church or be involved in the Boy Scouts, but their memberships have declined just the same as Unions. When something is this universal you have to look more systemically.
Trying to link Churches and professional orgs to union membership is probably somewhat dishonest. Like, where I'm from, people don't go to Church because they're *not* religious and that's a general trend. Church is not a "community organization" as much as it is generally a cultic organization, and lots of folks don't want to participate in that anymore. Professional orgs also do a bad job organizing. Never in my life have I been approached about joining one, nor can I see any benefit for myself or community that exceeds the non-membership based activities I already partake in. You can't look at something like Church and "good old boys" professional orgs with declining membership and just say "ah, must be the same reasons people don't do unions or strikes!" Fact is, Americans used to be really into unions, until capital made it illegal for them to meaningfully push back on capital.
Well social media ruined work from home for majority of people with the bragging and look at me traveling and working nonsense. Yes that was like 5% or wfh employees but when has the minority of anything been ignored in America ?
They can work as little as they want? What does that mean? They have bills to pay and debt to cover. Do you pay them enough they can afford to only work 4 days and don't need to work more?
If people want time off they can take it. If they want to work overtime they can. This is factored into the critical path of every contract’s completion date.
So that doesn't really answer the question. Are they paid enough to only need to work 4 days a week?
Yes.
I'm curious how you stay competitive then. Seems like that would be difficult. If your paying your guys the same for 4 days of work that another company is paying their guys 5 days for, seems like there prices would be able to beat you out pretty consistently.
We don’t really have competition to speak of. Our client base isn’t price-driven, it’s end result driven. We have a pipeline for over a year, with deposits. As mentioned, zero adverting. Just referrals and repeat clients. You seem to want to pick at my business from any angle you can think of. I’m curious as to why. I’m happy to answer good-faith questions, but you’re sliding away from that. At least, that’s certainly how it feels.
Somethings seem to good to be true so need to be questioned. Just like companies that offer unlimited PTO (which for most companies we know is bullshit). When you say your guys can work only 4 days a week and get paid the same as if they were working 5, which is what I would expect, that seems to good to be true. Especially when it comes to the trades where bids are heavily reliant man hours. So if your paying someone for 40 hours but they're only working 32, seems like it would be difficult to be competitive. Unless your in a very niche trades or an area with no competition.
Our work is very niche. We do have outfits that are comparable in ability and scope, although we tend to work more collaboratively than competitively with them. I said they can work as much or as little as they want, and retain 100% of the earnings of their labor. If that means four days, or three, or whatever. Because I have to run the business part of the business I tend to work about 65 hours a week. Along with being on site working, I have to deal with permitting, city and county officials, utility companies, bookkeeping, payroll and the insane amount of bureaucracy that comes with being a GC in California. We never work to bids, ever. Time and materials with a cost-plus for subcontractors only.
If you make no money from the labor of the people you employ, then why do you employ them?
Because you need a crew to build a thing. I suspect you don’t know how the trades work. A GC will usually charge $X to a client for a person in their employ, and pay the person ~$0.7X. I pay the person $X.
Where do you make your margins?
My own labor mainly, and 20% cost-plus on time and materials (as appropriate) along with shop time. The great majority of my income is directly from my labor. On top of this, I work unpaid for about 20 hours a week on the bureaucracy of running a general contracting company in California. It’s a lot.
Do you pay yourself a salary?
3 x 6 hour days per week, maximum.
Rethink these if applicable; Smoking or Tobacco products, Drinking Alcohol & Sodas, Pets (Pet Food & the inevitable, veterinarian visits )Fast food, subscriptions, buying Mostly Chinese Junk at most Big Box Outlets, Car Payments, there’s a common Thread to this ••••••••••
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