Greetings Harley,
I am not speaking of what I know today, don't mis-understand my prayerful predictions thinking I know , any better then the next guy, what is going to become of this situtation we face.
I went into the oil-field in 1979 after leaving Casper ,Wyoming where I was in contract fabrication (pipefitting), maintenance, in the Uranium mining industry since 1975. I spent nearly three years in the oil-field, working on off-shore oil rigs located in the Gulf Of Mexico, and the North Sea. I worked for Electrical, Instrumentation, Pneumatic, & Microwave, Unlimiteded. Prime contractor out of Lafayette, Louisianna. When things began to get tight in1982 I fell into the CATV industry. I came into CATV just as the contractos and MSO's were bailing out of a similar predicament <sp, as we are now. With in six months of being in CATV with the help of a friend, at the time, I located, mapped, designed, franchised, permitted: DOT, city, State, then sold the design to a Reputable Cable Systems Service Provider four small CATV systems located , with exclusive build franchises from the local govrnmrnts and you won't see exclusive franchises anymore. For a very good price and the Prime Contract to build the systems for the people who bought the designs, permits, franchises and design from me. I was looking at making two million dollars in my first twenty-months in the business. Some might say that was luck..........................F*ck!! I can't lie to you. It was luck. And that is all another story anyway. I don't know how I got sidetracked. Like I was saying CATV was just coming out of a slump just like this one it seems. Then it seemed like about ten years later when it was stinking retro's across America it happened again, maybe worse maybe not. I can't remember. I think it didn't make any difference if I took notes , or remember or not because I was in a position like you, maybe, wife two boys and bustin' my butt for making good money but not like I had. Not like I wanted. While I contracted splicing, and aerial construction in Northern Michigan for no less then five years (five WINTERS) while I had time off for weather or no work, I located, mapped, designed, franchised, financed through a lender partner and built two more catv systems where previously had only one off-air channel. I kept part of the ownership and got paid good to build them for myself. I sold our partnership a ton of hardware that I had been saving out of dumpsters during the re-build area and re-furbishing at night for a fat five digit number. Another story, but the industry was something like this again. I am here ten years later, again, "another 'ten years after' "(Hey, that is one of Ten Years After's album titles....'Another ten years after, I think. maybe it was just ten years after, what-ever!?) What I think is happening is this the Industry just before the gates are opened hit the bricks with big money big talk and big work. The customers have just been through the same thing we have and they are hiring like crazy, too. Just like in the contract side of it. I f you stop and look at it...have you ever seen so many green hands...ever? about ten years ago! and the customer is full of green hand too. We here it all the time about screwed up administration destroying a good job. Well, it happens withus too. Fly bye night contractors...the customer is dealing with it too. Now this that is happening might be called "The Purification" We are gonna' get so hot it willmelt all the im-purities from the gold. Then all you got left is the gold...Us, you and me and anyone else that sticks it out and is good at what they do. The money is getting ready to get real BIG again andI think we can expect to ride this wave for atleast ten to fifteen years. I think it is going to be better then anything I have witnessed yet. I am in ahurry Got to go but will try to rap it up. So I don't blame you for taking what ya need to take care of your family, not at all. I know a little about your un-certaintees, stick it out we are gonna' kick butt real soon. Most of the MSO's are regrouping and going under right now and that is what is happening in our field too. As soon as a few of these that really don't belong or were caught with their pants down go under ..we are back in business and it will be better then before and you want to try to do what the guy behind you last year did. Whoever came along in this jaob after you last year do his job this year,,in this business almost every time the guy behind you is making more money you are one step away from giving yoiurself abig raise.
What I am sayiong is don't give up here. we are about to crest that ridge. Never quit in the valley , you don't know what is over the hill. If you wa nt to quit do it from the top of the ridge were you can have better vision for future..
And lets wait til then to ever discuss unions,. noew is noit the smart time for it. I will almost guarantee what I say here but ddo not know future so no guarantee.
Got to go. Hope I made some sense. Good luck, Bro
I will help any I can in a couple months. I am making a killing sweep& cert, letc.,
Til' we speak again.. Petergunn Lookstwice
