These price changes are due do no other fact than "Greed." Major mso's like Adelphia and Charter believe they are the Gods and the smaller man should praise them because they throw them a few tidbits of work for a paltry price. They are skimming profits off the top to pay for mistresses, excessive abroad trips, and otherwise lavish lifestyles. This hurts the market and drives prices down [system owners are only willing to offer so much to have plant built or replaced. Mso's can only offer so much to have work completed and support the lifestyles they have become accustomed to]. Couple this with the fact that every twobit hacker with the means too buy buy an ice cream truck is subbing for a price that will, most times, only pay to piece his truck back together for another week and the prices go even lower. These hackers glutted the market.
I know somewhat of what I am speaking of. In 1975 when I started in cable (as a groundhand buying beer for all my f@!$ups) a good lineman, splicer, foreman, etc. could go anywhere he wanted and write his own paycheck. Because he could, and was proud to, produce. Today "pride" is only a word Webster defines and "old timers" remember "as when."
As long as our economy continues to inflate, mso's remain greedy, and hacks glut the market "good subs" will not be able to make a decent living. As long as you have pride in yourself and your work, stay true to this pride, have funds to weather this low price recession our business is in you will do alright. These times won't last forever; as evidenced by a government ordered restructuring and different management of Adelphia. Even the hacks won't outlast the decent subs.
Good luck and if you are really sincere "hang in there."
Re: Need info from (real) old timers
Member #: 12233
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
134
Name:
Randy Harris
Name:
Randy Harris
Company:
out of the business now
Occupation:
was splicer/lineman
Location:
Indiana
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