MSN homepage "19 fastest growing temp. jobs"

[dotymed]

This caption was over a man wearing a carpenters belt...What a sick joke.
I spent 35 years as a carpenter. We didn't hire temps, this is a vocation that requires training and practice, or people get hurt.
The first image that popped into my mind was the airport tragedy in which a newly attached airport sign fell and killed a young boy and injured his family. I wonder how much training ( you have to learn what anchors and what gauge of wire will support the weight of that sign) the sign hanger had. In most airport, hospital or school remodels or additions, commercial carpenters hang those signs.
Thankfully the last 18 years of my career, I was a highly trained and skilled, Union Carpenter. Even after all of the years I had spent being a hammer banger, the Union insisted that I took tests (4 hrs. long) to determine what area's I needed more training in. They sent me to classes to learn the proper way to use my skills that minimized any chance of people (including myself) getting hurt.
I began my career as a 15 y.o. (who knew nothing about carpentry) joining a residential framing crew during summer break. I was hooked. By the end of my first summer, I was earning $12 an hour. Probably more money than those temps. will ever earn because a good portion of "their" pay goes to the temp. agency that hired them. It is an incestuous relationship between temp. agencies and (usually) sub-contractors. They're not used for residential work. Residential "carpenters" are paid very low wages (these days) and usually are illegal immigrants who are afraid to demand over-time, etc..
We have become a nation of temps. That way, more middleman can profit off of our work. How else are you gonna support a capitalist nation whose "productive" citizens are "businessmen/women? More leeches on the backs of working people and no or very little training required, most of it is OTJ (on the job training). Hey, the temp agencies are making a killing (literally and figuratively) while ensuring low wages for actual workers.
As a Union carpenter, I was required to regularly attend skill training and OSHA classes, even though I tested out and joined the Union as a journeyman (highest skill-set). I was required to get special licenses which required training, working and "testing out" on that skill-set. If there was an accident after I had signed off on a task, my journeyman license was at stake. That is a great way to make sure the job is done right.
Yes, I earned a living wage and good (especially at first) benefits. If I couldn't perform my duties correctly or in a timely manner, there were usually 200 Union carpenters on the "out of work list" who could replace me with very short notice. All of them trained and certified.
Now, there are record journeyman carpenters on that list. The money goes to the temp agencies to provide un-skilled workers with little compensation and even less training.
Get ready for more "accidents" like the one in the airport where people die. Unions and the skilled workers they produce ( 7-8 years ago journeymen which includes women) carpenters earned an Associates Degree when they completed the required 4 year training (and paid working) apprenticeships to acquire their journeyman cards. They are being replaced with un-skilled, underpaid, "temps."
Electricians were high on that "19 fastest growing temp. jobs" list also. Anything to pad the pockets of the elite and deny skilled jobs to the populace.
Maybe the temp. electricians can help install showers in "war" zones so the contractors can make more big bucks...

[Cooley Hurd]

1. I think the use of temps in any job is immoral...

Just another way to screw people out of benefits.

[Revanchist]

2. I'm thinking of dropping off my resume and a couple of local temp agencies.

Making a major career change now that I've retired from the Navy and finished my Bachelor's program and started my Masters. I see it as an opportunity to gain experience in my new field and hopefully network and make contacts that might lead to full time employment at a later date.

[Orrex]

3. Good luck with that

I'm honestly not optimistic about your chances with that strategy, but good luck all the same.

[Revanchist]

4. It's not my only plan...

But I got the names from the volunteer coordinator for my city's public health dept. One of them is the service that they use and I'm allowed to name drop them. I'm going into healthcare administration so at least I picked a growing field, with the changes caused by the Affordable Care Act they need more managers then ever to keep up with all the new regulations.

[dotymed]

8. Yep, that damned

Obamacare is going to bankrupt the insurance companies with all of those "new regs."



I wish the hell it would...not sarcasm.

[Revanchist]

16. Not exactly what I meant

The big thing is the fact the healthcare organizations can't rely on business as usual. They need new revenue streams and to stay competitive. That means opening different types of facilities such as ambulatory care facilities, or long-term care/adult day care. This means more job openings and hopefully I can fill one of them.

[TheDebbieDee]

15. Assessing your skills and signing up with a temp agency is an excellent way to gain knowlege

and experience in a multitude of work environments. Working a short-term assignment can give you valuable insight into what certain type of job entails - it will allow you to find out what types of jobs that you like and which skills you use best.

You just have to do what you can to make sure that you are being paid as much as you can get. (It's not easy to do this because if you don't take the bare bones salary that's offered to you, the agency almost always has a ready list of people, with the same qualifications as you who may be willing to do the job for a lot less than you.) There's nothing worse than working an assignment all the while knowing/feeling you should have asked for money.

Anyway, good luck!

[Revanchist]

17. I'm lucky

I have my pension from the military so I can afford to work for a little less and consider the experience the main compensation.

[Cal Carpenter]

6. You only represent a small number of workers

- a tiny fraction of them. Sure, temp agencies may be a way in for you in a new career. Even so, they are exploiting your labor.

The bigger picture of this, however, is that it is part of an ongoing pattern of shrinking wages, benefits, and overall job security. It adds layers of profit within employment itself, meaning that more money that is actually earned by the work being done is instead being skimmed off by middlemen.

More wage theft, less job security, a desperate workforce.

And now we have MSM bragging about all these great, growing, temp jobs.

[DhhD]

19. Business stealing from the work force, will not improve the economy.

And lets say the cartoon saga continues and the next question is how can your worker make a living on such low wages. And the answer is that the worker goes to another business friend's bank and borrows money by getting and using a credit card to make ends meet by charging the high price of gasoline, added food cost, added cost in every walk of life. I believe all of these business owners are a part of a Chamber of Commerce some where and are all big donors to the Republican Party. The GOP desperately has to keep this cycle of borrowing going so they can spin off all of the generated money while keeping workers oppressed and the economy sending business all of the gains of work and extra work.

The spinning wheel got so fast that it broke down in 2007-08. The scheme depicted in the carton, has started again. I was hoping that the Obama Administration/Democratically held Senate, would stop these practices that all forms of business and corporations are engaged in again. I believe that parts of new regulations are being lessened as the days go buy.

Lawmakers driving this divisiveness need to be exposed very publicly. We the Working People elected lawmakers to work for us.

[Cal Carpenter]

21. If I may be frank

The scheme in the cartoon I posted is a straightforward portrayal of capitalism. It never stopped - it hasn't "started again". It is effecting more people than it has for awhile, but it was never gone. Many middle-class white people had it pretty good for awhile, but the lower classes and minorities never had a break. And it would behoove us to realize that this scheme is nonpartisan - both major US parties support capitalism.

Until we confront the inherent injustices in our economic system we can never even imagine an alternative. Wishing that one of 2 pro-capitalist parties will suddenly change course is not a way forward.

I agree with most of your sentiment, but imo we need to be very clear on what is happening and why before we can even imagine a way off this spinning wheel of exploitation and inequality.

“Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.”

---John Maynard Keynes

[elehhhhna]

24. do that and get in touch with this guy

www.linkedin.com/pub/rob-hemker/0/138/5a9

he's good, honest, and can help you now or later

in Houston, works nationally

[Ilsa]

5. "temp electricians". That won't last long.

It's too damn dangerous to fool around with that without proper training.
And the electrician down the road makes close to six figures.

[99Forever]

9. Incorrect.

Capitalists don't give a shit about "too damn dangerous." We're talking bottom line here, that is their god, none other shall come before it.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Danger=threat to bottom line. Saftey Department is called 'Loss Prevention' for a reason

Injury and stoppage causes a lower profit. It is basic Math, the attitude you suggest is very costly to maintain in many ways. Insurers are also capitalists and they will not continue to cheaply insure a project upon which they are paying many claims.

[99Forever]

13. "What I suggest" is what I have...

... seen as a multi-decade craftsman in the trades. Crap workmanship is becoming more prevalent as "austerity" increases the workload on not just those doing the building, but those charged with the inspecting. Faster, faster, faster, do more for less, is the mantra, and if you can't, then screw you, we'll get somebody that can or hire two scabs that will be willing to work for 1/4 of your wage each. Lawsuits? Get real, there aren't that many and almost all get "settled" with stipulations to STFU and are simply one of "the costs of doing business."

[Bluenorthwest]

18. hmmmm

Your use of the word 'scabs' suggests you are Union. Where is your Union in all of this?

[99Forever]

20. Many of us...

... have been rendered "redundant" because of right to work for shit wages and no benefits laws. Where have you been for the last 30 years? In a cave?

[SomeGuyInEagan]

22. Ford Pinto.

Last edited Sun Mar 24, 2013, 12:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Ford execs were presented with a number of fixes for the Pinto models which had the safety issue (four exposed bolts on the differential which, upon impact, could easily rupture the gas tank on the models with a saddle-type tank which was around the axle).

Engineers presented caps for the bolts, a rubber inner-tank bladder and other safety precautions which would have cost only a few dollars per vehicle to include while keeping the original design (which would have cost a lot more to re-engineer and implement, albeit a one-time cost). But, Ford execs wanted a car to sell which cost less that $2000 and weighed less than 2000 lbs. And the car was already at that point.

Enter Ford's wonks, who determined that after litigation, trial, deals with client families and payments on those which actually went to jury, etc. through their own "cost-benefit" analysis that a human life is "worth" about $275k and therefore it was actually more profitable to NOT FIX the problem upfront and simply pay out on the deaths.

Because, you know, that is capitalism. Money and profit drive everything.

There are many more reasons why the Pinto was a deathtrap - rushed to market to compete with VW, using lobbyists to relax safety rules, etc. But ultimately it was all about the money. And in our country, money ALWAYS WINS. Always.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1977/09/pinto-madness

[99Forever]

23. Bingo.

Thank you for illustrating my point so well.

[Ilsa]

7. With temp carpenters

and no real long term training, our houses will turn to trash and we'll have cities of cardboard boxes.

[dotymed]

11. Ilsa, if you only knew...

Residential (home) construction is so shoddy these days it is a wonder that they can withstand wind. Really,combine the high cost of lumber with the inexperience of most residential "carpenters" (in my area they are paid from $6- $10 hrly and considered "independent contractors" for tax purposes) along with the profit the actual contractor makes from each home and there is no incentive to build a structure that will last.
If you live in a typical vinyl siding home ( and if they used o.s.b. corners as required) you can use a knife or a utility knife, after 48 inches from either corner, easily cut through the thin siding and either kick or cut through the styrofoam insulation (if used) and drywall and be inside a home within minutes. Hell, it is easier than breaking in through a door or window..... you will have either a 16 or 24 inch space between 2x4's to enter......
Nothing like the "balloon framing" of the past.

[valerief]

10. That was the first thing I thought when I saw the falling sign story.

Last edited Sun Mar 24, 2013, 12:53 PM - Edit history (1)

Did someone as unskilled as me work on it so union wages wouldn't have to be paid? What do the 1% care? They all have their own private jets. They don't have to mingle with the hoi polloi.