Does anyone work anymore?

[spencerhenry]

I am a framing contractor, and I just started a new house yesterday. I don't keep a full time crew, I do one or two houses per year and hire guys to help when I have a house to do. Around here everyone says its pretty busy, but I don't think its nearly as busy as back in 2007.
I have an ad on Craigslist but have only had a handful of replies. But when they reply, its hard to get them to show up. I had one guy that was supposed to start yesterday with me on a brand new foundation, he didn't show up. A week ago he was all in, yesterday he wasn't interested. I then called the guy that was supposed to come by and talk to me about the job, he said he'd be there in 2 hours, he didn't show up either. These guys are asking for quite a bit of money, more than I have ever paid, but I agree to their price, but they still don't show up. These guys are not making more on unemployment than I pay, not even close. These are not young guys either, one was 54, the other 46.
I cannot remember the last time someone under the age of 30 replied to the ad, or wanted to work. Now it seems no one does.

I did a few houses by myself back about 15 years ago, but I don't move quite as fast as back then. And, this house is 6000 square feet, never did one that big by myself. I make more money when I do it myself, but at 50 years old I was hoping to have some help!

 

[std7mag]

When peole are offered pay for nothing, alas they'll often take that over having to actually work for it.
Hence why the job numbers were off by 800,000, from what they expected.
And why some republican states are stopping the extra unemployment payments.

 

[chop house]

I have an ad on Craigslist

I cannot remember the last time someone under the age of 30 replied to the ad

millenials don't use craiglist i'm told.

but that aside, i hear the same complaints from the old time loggers in my area. lucky my neighbors on the ridge still have minimal equipment and a portable mill. 'plenty' of cedar (and some ash). just finished a shooting house out of rough cedar, but had to play lowe's game for siding to keep the weight down. (this one is portable, mounted on an old utility trailer.)

 

[bluealtered]

To answer the question, no we as a nation have taught our children they don't have to. I can't say anymore than that because this forum doesn't allow the truth to be told unless it only is about firearms.

 

[jimmymac]

I'm not in to generalizations because this isn't one size fits all.

I'm an industrial piping designer without a job. I was laid off at the end of January and still am because there are no jobs to be had locally in my field of expertise. I've never been laid off in the thirty plus years I've been working so this has been a big shock to me.

Unemployment doesn't pay worth a crap even with the extra $300 kicker. I am glad for the extra dough though because it helps us. I've paid in to this system my whole life. I'm not going to be ashamed to collect unemployment since I've actually been a producer who's paid in far more then I'll ever get back.

I'd start a piping job tomorrow if I could get one.

 

[redrockranger]

Thru the democratic process they created a people who have found it easier to vote for a living opposed to working. They are catered to by the left. If things don't turn around soon it is only going get worse.

 

[69mach]

with the price of lumber i’m surprised someone is building a 6000 sq ft house

 

[muleman69]

My Dad always told us you work you eat (simple as that)

 

[1K6BRA]

I heard on a radio program that I listen to on the way home from work yesterday that the average wage on unemployment that is with the state benefit and the extra $300 a week government benefit equals out to 17.50 an hour! If you have a lesser paying job and you have not much work ethic why would you turn down 17.50 an hour? At my place of employment we have a guy that was offered a full-time position but won’t come in until his benefits run out. That is exactly what a lot of people will do, why kick Santa clause in the ass?

 

[hogpatrol]

Big write up in today's Delaware paper, jobs going unfilled and they actually opined the reason, extended and extra unemployment benefits.

 

[DangerRanger]

I’ve never looked for work on Craigslist, but I’ve only heard from others that everything on there is a scam now. I was actually surprised to read that you used it, perhaps my idea is warped.

when I buy/sell on Craigslist it seems it’s usually a disproportionate amount of flakes and sketchy people, and it has gotten much worse in the past few years with flakes.

I think it’s possible that this recruiting method you are using filters out a lot of good workers and filters in a lot of bums/flakes. I also think it’s possible you are seeing *some* (not totally) confirmation bias by chance. I can remember growing up throwing hay in the summer and there was always at least one flake. I got paid what I did not only because I was the best skilled, but also because I was going to be there ready to rock and roll unless I was dead.

Do you have any workers you trust or connections you trust that can give you names? Word of mouth can be more reliable, there are zero consequences to never showing up to something you have no connections to.

Good luck!