How do day laborers work?

[Munificence]

21. I'll probably get flamed for this also

but here goes!

Most would hire out of a Union Hall, but in a sense the Union's are not really pre-qualifying their workers. For instance, it is pretty common in some states to be able to go cough up your $200-$400 and get your Union card. I've seen helpers do this as they didn't want to work for $10.00 an hour to learn the ropes so they went and got their card via using cash to pay for it. Well then a contractor goes to a Union Hall and hires a couple of supposedly skilled trades guys and ends up with a guy that has never even done that type of work but calls himself a "Union Carpenter" and you get him for $20-$30/ hr and you have just wasted your money. I personally know of a Pipe Fitter that paid for his card and had never done anything in his life that would remotely qualify him as a Pipe Fitter (he worked baking in a bakery) and he ended up with plenty of work. Most of the time he was simply asked by everyone including the hiring outfit to simply stand around and not touch anything as he is pretty worthless and never turned a wrench in his life....he got "fire guard" duty, but he was making $28.00/ hr for being a pipe fitter.

Most skilled undocumented workers I know that are really skilled will make more than the union guys of the same trade. Most general contractors will pay pretty decent wages for a skilled person as it eliminates so many headaches on a job vs getting someone that is skilled only by title.

I have worked all over the U.S. We will actually call certain workers (undocumented workers) pay for them and their helper bus tickets (that is how they prefer to travel), bring them onto a job for 10 days or so and pay for every expense that they have (Lunch, Dinner (Usually a $25.00 steak house meal), Motel Room, Alcohol & Snacks for the motel room etc (and only 2 to a room) and pay them $300-$400 a day for them and their helper. For the 10 days or so they are not out a dime. We've tried hiring local guys and letting them travel, but it typically ends up that in 3-5 days they are afraid of their wife or girlfriend cheating on them and they "need to go back home"..seen all kinds of stupid excuses. Typically on the road even a helper is paid $15/hr and all expenses paid and he is earning that wage/hr on the truck ride or plane ride there.

I will admit that most are not like the friend I work for, so he probably pays more than most as when he bids jobs he refuses to do them for cig and beer money like a lot of guys will. But when it comes to paying for good workers he does not mind one bit.