well there are more mechanics than splicers etc. I just paid 65-70 a hr to get my injectors put in. He is good, but no better at his job than I am at mine. He gets book hours. So if it takes him 3 hrs to do a 8 hr job he gets paid for 8. We get actual time. His tools cost no more than mine did, for what was used to do the job. He will sleep in his bed everynight, I will not. His chance of getting electrocuted, falling off a pole, etc or otherwise killed is alot less likely than mine. I have almost been killed twice on these storms since 2004 by electrocution , and burned a pole in Texas(not fun by the way). He knows he's getting paid, (and although I've been pretty lucky and loss less than 10 k in almost 20 years) I do not. And he's not going to wait on his money or have retainage pulled out. And although he probabaly doesn't get paid overtime, faster and weekend service etc, will cost more. Ours are the same. If he doesn't want the job he is isn't going to do it, and we don't have that luxury. If he drives to do anything he will get paid to do it. He makes money on parts and we never have, and we still have to fix it if they don't work(not a issue on hrs usually). He isn't going to play games and politics and have someone treat him like a D.A.. His shop is warm and dry too. Everything being said we still like our jobs for the most part, and would like to go help and work hard without a bunch of B.S. and politics for a fair price with reassurance on the 3-ps, and not treated like D.A's from people that can't do our job. BUT ITS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER! Hopefully it will get atleast reasonable and fair to the guys that will be risking everything to go help. No one I know is even considering it yet on the prices that are around. And some of the contractors say they aren't making anything or much off of us. And that isn't fair to them, they should make 30% anyway. I guess it isn't fair to anyone involved. WE NEED REASONABLE/TIMELY PAY FROM HONEST CONTRACTORS AND MSO's. RESPECT AS WELL APPRECIATION(and that should work both ways), WITHOUT ALL THE GAMES OF ALL THE PREVIOUS STORMS.ETC And a IDEA OF LENGTH OFTIME (min at least) THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE. Then we know if we want to drive far that to work in that enviorment with 4.00+/gallon fuel. Storms are far more dangerous than regular work. These people need to get their lives back to normal( as much as possible anyway )Good luck to all and be safe and do what is best for you and your family regardless of what others think (me included) about the prices.
This is CABL.com posting #349786. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mbC9S
