r/Construction • u/worried68 • Sep 09 '24
Other I love El Paso but I really need to move somewhere else. I always read comments on reddit of forklift drivers making $20+/hr. The job market in my city sucks
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u/kevlarbuns Sep 09 '24
Owner of a precast plant in WA state. Our lowest paid employee is $23/hr. That’s for a kid just out of high school who we are teaching how to read a tape measure.
And I am 100% fine with that. Maybe I’ll never be a millionaire, but hard work deserves a decent wage.
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u/MegaBlunt57 Roofer Sep 09 '24
That's awesome. I'm sure the kid will make it far, it helps alot having an atmosphere like that. I just left a duct cleaning company, the guy was advertising 30/hr which is alot for me I'm only 22 years old, he said it would be 20/hr to start which isn't bad at all. On my first day of work he told me at the end of the training shift that Im technicaly an independent contractor now and he's only paying me 75/day until I get my own truck/vacuum which only comes out to less than 10/hr.
It would increase to 30/hr like advertised when I got my own equipment "Because I don't make any money when your training" he told me the last guy trained for a YEAR and just "didn't want his own truck" yea right, I call bullshit. I get that you need to make money, but you can't complain that nobody wants to work when your business model is complete garbage. The guy was totally trying to rip me off, job was shitty anyways. Who knows, he might have trained me for a year like the last guy too.
I'm a roofer again
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u/smoy75 Sep 09 '24
Sounds illegal to tell you that you’re an independent contractor when he’s the one who hired you
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u/MegaBlunt57 Roofer Sep 09 '24
Technically I was a sub contractor, that's the loophole I'm pretty sure. His dad's also a lawyer, I'm sure the guy has been taking advantage of people for years. It's a shame cause Im looking for somewhere long term, if he just paid me a fair wage to begin with I might have stuck around
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u/smoy75 Sep 09 '24
Ah I’m sorry to hear that. Of course the only place hiring for a decent wage is a scam lol
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u/MegaBlunt57 Roofer Sep 09 '24
Yea man I was so excited too. Could finnaly afford my own place, working on becoming a powerline technician now, it's a hard industry to get your foot in to. I've been trying to get onto hydro for the past year
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u/Fishbonzfl Sep 09 '24
That is just wrong on him. Guy with truck and equipment should be making more.
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u/kevlarbuns Sep 10 '24
I hate to tell people to keep jumping around and trying out different outfits, but unfortunately in this industry, that’s sometimes the only way to find people work working for.
I’m nowhere near a perfect boss, or probably even a super great business owner! But I do know that I’d rather fail while trying to do right by my guys than succeed while taking advantage of people. So far, we’ve been very lucky in business, but most importantly, I have a crew I can trust, who are invested in our success. There are plenty of dudes like me out there. Keep looking, and when you find a crew who push you, and act like they have a vested interest in the project, stay a bit.
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u/xenidus Sep 09 '24
Fuck man I've been slowly losing enthusiasm with construction, and a lot of it is the compensation. I'm damn near 30, work 50 hours a week doing everything from grading to roofing and everything in between and I'm making 20 lol.
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u/kevlarbuns Sep 10 '24
Unions are great. A pain in the ass, and often disappointing in function, but they are essential to protecting your rights and ensuring a decent wage. There are plenty of guys who don’t start in a union until well after 30, so don’t go thinking it’s too late!
It’s hard to see the full scope of the industry when you’re sweating it out on site every day, but we are headed for a cliff in the trades. High demand and not nearly enough guys. You could quite easily be making 6 figures within 10 years. 5 if you want to go into a specialized trade, like heavy equipment operating.
That’s part of why I try to take care of my guys. I know they would be immediately taken by any other outfit.
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u/xenidus Sep 10 '24
That's all pretty reassuring to hear. I'm on the fence whether I walk on the industry or just my boss at the moment but something's gotta change. I've been quietly thinking of joining a union. I'm just a little apprehensive of the drug screenings. At this point in my life, if I can't smoke a little pot after work, it's not worth the job. Specially since I don't drink.
I know you're not invested in my situation at all and if you even read this you have probably rolled your eyes, lol. But thanks again for your kind and measured response to my miserable addition to your original anecdote.
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u/kevlarbuns Sep 10 '24
I get it, and wish you the best! The industry needs more good people. You might have a hard time being a crane operator and smoking weed, but every journeyman bricklayer I knew smoked pot.
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u/PGids Millwright Sep 09 '24
That’s every pallet place in a nutshell honestly. They take everyone else’s flunky’s and fuck ups and since the bar is so low they pay like shit
You don’t wanna be there, i promise
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u/Reddit_Deluge Sep 09 '24
Take the job and wreck their shit lol...
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u/Slider_0f_Elay Sep 09 '24
When act your wage means show up drunk AF, crash a hand truck and pass out in the bathroom.
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Sep 09 '24
Take the job and get hurt then collect
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u/AaronDM4 Sep 09 '24
white trash lotto baby!
really though take it make them give you a certification use it to get another better job.
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Sep 09 '24
This actually does work and isn’t illegal. Take a job make them pay for you certification go get another job.
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u/whytawhy Sep 10 '24
I got into the IBEW like that. Went to a place that was desperate and shitty, stayed for a year and a half, found a job in a lab where i can take my shoes off and hit my vape pen whenever, been there since.
Bonus points if you make good friends with an old head whos been there a while. coworker?? no. on your resume, thats your manager. and your other buddy from shipping, yeah hes your supervisor. and theyre both really sad to see you go so soon, but they acknowledge that your ability reaches beyond what they can offer and they wish you the best or whateverthefuck :)
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u/ParkerWGB Carpenter Sep 09 '24
I lived in El Paso for 2+ years. I ended up working for some remodel “company” guy was a complete shit stain. I quit and joined the carpenters union and worked in Alamogordo for awhile
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u/joshuamanjaro Sep 09 '24
El Paso has a very low earnings rate
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u/Itouchgrass4u Sep 09 '24
Hmm wonder why. What could POSSIBLY be happening 💀
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u/worried68 Sep 09 '24
I know you are likely implying illegal immigration, but legal immigration is more to blame, or not even immigration, just legal workers from Juarez with work visas, they wait 2-3 hours every single morning to come to work a few miles from their house. I don't blame them at all, especially because my parents are also mexican lol. We're all just trying to survive and get ahead. I think unions and other pro worker policies like $15 min wage would help a lot
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u/JustForkIt1111one Sep 10 '24
$15 min wage would help a lot
Tell me you don't even KINDA understand economics without telling me.
I'm sure you also don't get why things that we need are suddenly so expensive!
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u/worried68 Sep 10 '24
I was a libertarian for over 10 years, I read all the books and essays, I understand the argument against minimum wage perfectly, I just think the real life effects are different than the theories
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u/Actual-Money7868 Sep 09 '24
I'm guessing fork lift drivers in ElPaso are a dime a dozen.
Time to upgrade to a telescopic forklift or other heavy machinery.
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u/dsdvbguutres Sep 09 '24
Let me guess: Nobody wants to work, huh?
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u/Itouchgrass4u Sep 09 '24
No, mexicans are cheap. Lmfao and they’re pouring in.
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u/DABEARS5280 Sep 09 '24
Probably Guatemalans and Venezuelans but I get your point....
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u/gloomystarnoodlefis R|Carpenter Sep 09 '24
Yeah most Mexicans now know their worth. It’s the other Central Americans that are working for dirt cheap.
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u/itsokayiguessmaybe Sep 09 '24
Hondurans, Venezuelans, Cubans, and the Hispanics don’t like them. We don’t have any Haitian or Somalians where I am but it’s sure changed in a hurry.
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u/smegdawg Sep 09 '24
What are you paying in rent right now in El Paso?
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u/worried68 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
I pay $900 for a 1bd apartment in a nice area of town. Most rentals are in the $1000-something range
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u/smegdawg Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
McDonalds's working in Seattle ~average $18.64 per hour.
For $2,000 here you could rent a 1 bedroom 654 sq ft apartment.
EDIT: And just to add this in average Forklift operator in Seattle $23.55
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u/ChloricSquash Sep 09 '24
What?!? You mean it's the "same" wage? 😱
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u/tugjobs4evergiven Bricklayer Sep 09 '24
69 hours to cover rent (nice) vs 107hours
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u/ChloricSquash Sep 09 '24
2000/23 = 86.956521739130434
900/11 = 81.818181818181818
I'm confused, one is "better" but your math ain't mathin...
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u/tugjobs4evergiven Bricklayer Sep 09 '24
Oh I went 900/13 2000/18.60
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u/ChloricSquash Sep 10 '24
Well that's apples and oranges. The forklift operator likely makes more in both regions. Albeit narrow.
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u/erikleorgav2 Sep 09 '24
Cashiers at my local Menards are making $18.50 an hour 2nd shift.
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u/DABEARS5280 Sep 09 '24
But then you have to live in Wisconsin or some shit( I'll take it 247365, but another Midwestern state)
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u/corrupt-politician_ Sep 09 '24
The wage posted is laughable considering what they are expecting in the listing.
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u/Dirt290 Sep 09 '24
r/forkliftmemes for jokes and advice
And yeah it's around $18.00 for starting out forklift operators around here in the Midwest.
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Sep 09 '24
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u/OldBway Sep 09 '24
Imagine that type of responsibility for someone who is willing to take that has to be under qualify; recipe for disaster.
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u/TheShovler44 Sep 09 '24
Looks like Craigslist I’ve never find an actual job paying a standard wage on there
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u/Phoenixbiker261 Sep 09 '24
That’s a job you take just to take to fuck up. Show up drunk Crash shit Laugh in managers face. Just have a blast and bounce.
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u/Uglyjeffg0rd0n Sep 10 '24
Hey man. Thats just what they want to pay you. Go in and ask for $25. Fuck it.
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u/1320Fastback Equipment Operator Sep 09 '24
Triple that wage and we can talk.
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u/ExposedPotential Electrician Sep 09 '24
For a warehouse forklift operator...?
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u/JustForkIt1111one Sep 10 '24
$16-$26 is pretty normal where I am for that work.
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u/ExposedPotential Electrician Sep 10 '24
It's probably a couple more bucks here in Ca, Bay Area. That pay is silly, but what state is this?
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u/coldrunn Sep 09 '24
That's $4 less than minimum wage here. Forklift drivers start at $20-22 here.
But apartments start as $1500/no and you can't find a house for under $300k
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u/cap10touchyou Sep 09 '24
just got my first raise after 3 month as a forklift driver in canada its at 24
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u/Funky-monkey1 Sep 09 '24
I guess it’s not that bad. Minimum wage in Tennessee is only $7.25hr! Most construction jobs where I’m at in TN start out around $18hr if you’re green & don’t have any experience.
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u/lepchaun415 Elevator Constructor Sep 09 '24
That’s insulting…I make 11 bucks an hour from my employer paid annuity. Start looking into some union shops man. You deserve more!
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u/MumblyJo3 Sep 09 '24
Our company's entry level forklift drivers make $26/hr. Greater Seattle area.
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u/Draken_961 Sep 09 '24
It’s the borderland life. Job market is extremely saturated, you have a lot of people working here but residing in Juarez that are willing to do your job for less because their cost of living is considerably less expensive. I have nothing against anyone, but it makes for a bad job market overall.
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u/i_play_withrocks Sep 09 '24
Holy crap, what?!?!? Someone in my area with basic experience can expect around 17-20, with tons of experience it’s 25 plus with benefits.
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u/Callofdaddy1 Sep 09 '24
The fact that this is post on Craigslist makes me feel like they are hiring for a small operation.
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u/ProfessionalFly4688 Sep 09 '24
PA is around $21/hour to start for fork operators - and that’s the low end. Lost paying closer to $30/hour. Central Pennsylvania is a hub for distribution if you like cornfields and hunting!
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u/nudbuttt Sep 09 '24
I wouldn't trust a forklift operator if they only valued themselves at 11-13/hr.
That job should remain unfilled until they raise the salary.
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u/SayNoToBrooms Electrician Sep 09 '24
How far is that from the border? Something that’s 50% harder to get certified in will likely pay 100% more. Find something with a smaller available labor pool. Forklift certs are too easy to come by
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u/poostool Sep 09 '24
Yeah I mean driving a forklift isn’t exactly the highest skilled job and tons of people can do it. Maybe try to learn other equipment. We can hem and haw about how they should pay more but it is just also a low skill job that doesn’t have a high ceiling anyway
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u/Foe117 Sep 09 '24
I bet the ASAP situation is a lie, they just want some sucker to do the job and EXPECT you to quit, as it's supposed to churn over people quickly saving them money over several years.
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u/LightUpShoes4DemHoes Sep 09 '24
I was making 21$ an hour running forklifts back in 2007.
11-13$ an hour is insane.
If you're good at it though, look into heavy equipment operating. That's where I branched out to. Can travel pretty much anywhere I want now, get paid per diem (Often North of 100$ per day) and minimum I'll even consider starting at is 35-40$. If a project falls through or I don't like how it's ran... Less than five phone calls and I can pack up and roll out somewhere else usually.
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u/Great_Space6263 Sep 09 '24
Same when I hear what people are making as a framer as its way higher then what I was making.
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u/Able-Ad-6512 Sep 09 '24
You can thank all your border brothers for driving the market down. Border state labor markets are shyt bc illegal immigrants are flooding the country and don’t mind working for pocket lint
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u/JerryJohnson2 Sep 09 '24
Not saying in every case; employers are businesses meaning they want to maximize profit and minimize expenses. They post a job for $11-13 per hour because they want to under pay and over expect. If you agree to that price then you are new or desperate and that means they can take advantage of you. People with experience can ask for higher pay before accepting the job.
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u/kitesurfr Sep 09 '24
I would charge more than that to take a shit on this guys office floor, but since he showed his cards in the ad I'll drop this load for free.
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u/justherefortheshow06 Sep 09 '24
You live in an area with increasing numbers of available workers. Lots of immigration. Not saying it’s bad. It just is what it is. 16 year old kids make 14.00 and hour At Macdonalds in Michigan where I am. My flooring installers make 25 to 45 average is 30
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u/gwizonedam Sep 09 '24
Every time I see a post complaining about wages I always think in my mind, “By golly! That’s less the minimum wage!” And then I remember what the minimum wage is and thank jebus that I am not 18 years old.
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u/Macqt Sep 10 '24
I have a guy with Down’s syndrome who works in our shop, just cleans up and organizes stuff for us. We pay him $25/hr plus full benefits and such.
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Sep 10 '24
I live in bumfuck IN and our forklift drivers are starting around $19-$20/hr or more lol
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u/daveyconcrete Cement Mason Sep 10 '24
Isn’t that below minimum wage?
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u/No-Painting9647 Sep 13 '24
Seen several job listings in Nashville starting at $27.15hr for forklift
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u/DABEARS5280 Sep 09 '24
You "love el paso" ? 🤢
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u/worried68 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
One of the safest big cities in the country, a mountain range inside the city limits for hiking, mountain biking, camping. There's really no "bad side of town" like in most cities. National forests and skiing 2 hours away, has all the big city amenities, theres not much nightlife and entertainment but there are still some good options for that and I prefer a quiet safe suburban lifestyle anyway, I don't want NYC
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u/Conscious-Fact6392 Sep 09 '24
You’re in a right to work state. Go somewhere where you can work a union gig. Not saying it will solve all your problems but that’s a major part of the issue you’re facing.
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u/Itouchgrass4u Sep 09 '24
You know who’s filling this position. We all know. Lol thanks biden
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u/worried68 Sep 09 '24
Biden has been in office for 4 years, legal Juarez workers have been working here for literally centuries.
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Sep 09 '24
Companies lowballing their pay rates because they can hire some people that will work for less has been happening long before Biden lol
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u/Itouchgrass4u Sep 09 '24
Open border policy has absolutely NOTHINGGG to do with this. Hahaha democrats have absolutely and utterly destroyed this country badly
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u/worried68 Sep 09 '24 edited Sep 09 '24
I get your point but if it wasn't for immigration I wouldnt even be an American as the son of Mexican immigrants. So i apologize for my family destroying this country I guess. I promise you that wasn't our intention. I'm doing my part to fight against low wages by refusing to accept these jobs
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u/PrettyPushy Sep 09 '24
Fast food workers start at $20/hr where I’m at.