Hiring Casual Labor

There are a lot of guys around here that are always wanting to do some odd jobs. Anything, anytime, they say... But when you need them, there is always some excuse.. You set up a time that is convenient for them, drive 10 miles to get them, since none of these guys drive... Always end up waiting 10 or more minutes.. Once in the truck, they always want to stop for a Mt.Dew and a pack of smokes, but since they have no money, they need an advance...
Finally we get to the building, all there is to do is to load a few heavy and bulky things. 15 minutes work, and we are headed to the place I need to unload them. By now the helper is hungry, and we have to stop and get a burger, at my expense.. Finally we get the stuff unloaded, and I take the helper back to his home.. By the clock, my helper has worked almost half a day, but in reality, I feel like I have worked for him.. And these helpers always ask for some extra $$$$ for some work they will do in the future..
They get mad wgen you call their hand on the BS, too...

Exactly what you said is the reason that mexican labor has flourished in this country. Those guys will work and then want more. Most guys would love to hire americans to do the sorta jobs that you are talking about but the labor just ain't there... Take it easy!!

The more I see the more I'm convinced that those who want to work can find a job. Yeah, I know;"I can't live on that little." Maybe YOU don't need everything you think you need. Tried to get ex-girlfriends son a job, course he had to pass a drug screen. He never did show for 3 appointments. "Car broke, I forgot, It's to far to drive." I WONDER!!

I've given up a lot of faith in our society today, for most of the reasons outlined in this topic. I am happy just to have a job, even though it may not pay the best. I know guys my age or younger that make double what I do, and they talk about how much they don't do their work and how angry they are when their boss gets on their case about it. It's like "hey, I'd gladly trade you jobs, buddy.". I'm always up for doing odd jobs (I used to be more up to it when I was in the 16 to 20 year age range, I tend to stick with more stable employment now that I am older). Usually whomever I am working for does feed me, but I usually spend the whole day working for them (6+ hours, sometimes) and I never ask for it. And I always bring a cooler of my own drinks, though again usually whomever I am working for is kind enough to make tea for me well before I am on the verge of heat stroke.

My experience here in northern California is completely different than yours. Perhaps you should hire -non casual labor labor, let me know how that works out. I have and inforce a non smoking rule. My casual labor takes care of our kids, cleans the house, works on the remodeling, fixes the cars, cooks our meals ect. The only down side is I can never run for public office. Perhaps you should select better or pay more

I had pretty good luck hiring a friend of mine"s son. Paid him $10 per hour, he worked his butt off. Less luck with a older guy who was "down on his luck" There is a reason for some bad "luck". But I found that the younger kid ( 20 years old ) was going to college, reliable and even recruited a buddy to help. The guy with no driver"s license from the trailer park was a pain in the asss.

Most of the work that I have is hot and hard Bucking hay or building fence or other farm work. I pay $7.50 if they are poor worker and never call again and $10.00 if good workers. My best workers I have trouble keeping them out of jail. Seems funny but these jail birds will work real hard for less money.
Walt

I hear you, it seems its either kids who would rather be inside playing video games or football or some bum. I did get lucky and got a guy who is reliable, smart, and will work for what I can pay. But, its taken me 15 years to find him.

(quoted from post at 22:51:16 12/14/08) Seems funny but these jail birds will work real hard for less money.
Walt

Click to expand...

Friend a few years ago built a turnkey house, remodeled another, and done a whole bunch of landscaping for lunch, drinks, and a couple packs of smokes a day, materials, and equipment rental. His wife worked at the local prison and could sign out/use volunteers. They outworked some crews that were being paid top bucks.

Dave

My dad hired their Godson once- He worked 1/2 asss and got paid the same. Once the end of Summer came and he was supposed to go to he tech school, he really took a dive and lost the little bit of motivation he had and he didn't go to school either.

After he didn't come out and work for a few days (maybe it was weeks) he worked, and then when my dad brought him home, he asked for a raise. My dad told him to get out and he was fired, simple as that. Told him he wasn't earning what he wa getting paid, and in no way did he deserve a raise.

Mom & myself were both telling him 2 months prior to just get rid of him because he just wasn't worth the hassle. Seemed like he slowed down the whole works more than he helped most days... Finally listened and things got back to normal.

Last I heard he's still a dumb bass and never did go to school even though his grandma was paying for the classes and books. Likes his pot too.

Donovan from Wisconsin

I will never be able to run for public office either. Stan so cal

I was laughing when I read your post, the Mountain Dew thing must be uniform drink for out or work-don't want to work bumbs. I now only hire people who already have a full time job and can work afternoons and weekends. I pay $10 per hour and I also hire another guy who does some of his own hay and another guy who is a mechanic and I pay them $20 per hour, and I have a retired GM worker who hauls wagons for me. All these people pretty much only work in the summer for me. With the economy being so bad here in Michigan it is real easy to get help now, I am able to pick and choose and don't have to pick the loosers to work on my hay crew, I always end up with more help then I can use.

You said it all. My best help has been a couple retired fellas for operating equipment and a neighboring farmer who has been down on his luck. I have had tried a couple hard working guys from the south who would do anything but had no equipment skills. Very costly. Could have paid $30/hr for good help for the year and it would have been cheaper. Then there is the problem of putting some of those retired guys together. They can be as bad as a couple of jealous teenagers. I do much better alone but just can't do it all anymore. When you get a god crew hang on to them. I have a great crew now but really need a younger person who is more flexible than us old guys.

Stop getting them from the corner near that rehab center/methadone clinic.Once the guy is not standing out front waiting for the ride leave without him.He isnt hungry enough to work yet.

I try to get stall help for winter when the horses are in (they stay on pasture 24/7 from about March to Nov). Get some kids (German) that want to work for riding which is a good deal, but they would show up when they wanted with tagalongs, throw some sh!t in a wheelbarrow and get on a horse.They made more work than they did. Finally ran across a Russian girl broke down on the road one day that cleaned stalls at a stable a mile or so away. She's there whenever we need her and watches the place if we leave for a day or 2. She cleans the stalls, bags the sh!t and hauls it away (sells it). Costs next to nothing unless she does more than stalls (cleans up around the place). Nicest person you'd ever meet, quick, and cuter'n a speckled pup.

Dave

have some local guys here that hire out like that. they say and i stress say they are wanting work,will tell you they will be there certain day ect. but never show up.kind of a shame i know of 3 guys who are actually have good and useful talents just dont use them

Seems like only azzholes run for public office on a local level or state wide, or national. VERY FEW have the public trust in mind !!!

Great thoughts,all. This is what I had in mind the other day when asking about migrant help. Seems like the statement "Good help is hard to find" is universal and timeless. As this recession, panic,crisis, whatever you want to call it goes toward wherever it wants to go, I think many people in this country will have to define and redefine their own idea of work ethic. No, rusty wheel, I just don't wisecrack about auto workers--my father worked 42 years for GM(as well as farming 80 acres in central Indiana), as did most of my family. I worked GM salary for 32 years as well, so I do have a stake in the bailout issue(some of my retirement check). GM is such a big elephant, and my view was probably more from the tail end than the trunk, so it might be oversimplification to make any sweeping statements, other than this: GM, because of the many people who have worked there, is really a capsule look at America itself. It is the pocket-sized version of our American society. I've seen as many wonderful, decent, hard-working people; and I've seen crooks and scoundrels--equally distributed on the bell curve throughout the ranks from CEO to janitor. Any illness GM has, I'm willing to bet is an American illness. We should be very careful of the cure. I think a wise place to start is to take a look at our own sense of work and financial ethic.

You just need to be selective. I've hired an older retired, mechanic that i worked with for 15+ years. Having worked 35 years as a test machine/prove design mechanic he knows tools and how to improvise. I provide transportion and we usually work 5-6 hours, unless someone wants to quit earlier. In addition to his retirement he collects social security so I pay him $15/hr and don't deduct the expense and report the earnings. I enjoy his company, experience, and am also confident he isn't going to tear anything up. Too bad the better half isn't always as dependable.

I talked to a fellow that was in my oldest sons class all thru school a coupla years after he was out of collage. He had a job with a large bank doing the hiring. The fellow told me he could interview and get the good one every time. That was 20 or so years back, sure would like to hear how well he thinks he did getting a good one every time now.
I have been hiring people for over 40 years and all I have learned is that very few will tell you the truth and some are so good at BS that it is hard to tell the difference.
I have a new test when I interview now that seems to work the best.
If they can talk without swaring, dont stink, don"t have tatoos, and don"t have extra holes punched where I can see them, I might give them a chance. Might is the key word.
I have never in the 40 years had someone beg for a job that stayed for more than two weeks. Most beggers quit before the week is out. Now if they beg I just tell them I am sorry.

Find 15/16 year old Mexican girl that speaks good english and can read a manual for machinery- then ask her to find help that is willing to work rough labor jobs. At job site with extra 4/6 men she can translate your directions and get some coffee. Crew is maybe 1/2 her relatives and job gets finished, cleaned up site, and then pay what was agreed to each in cash. If real good work, give a bit extra to girl and tell her check back next week or next job time. Watch out around some machinery but don't worry too much about crew working around animals. Don't get too obnoxiously 'friendly' with the girl and try to avoid ICE picking up crew. Might have to do some driving- if girl is old enough she may have a license. Others may have one from Sonora but best NOT to let them drive your truck on the road until you can verify they know what stop sign is. Your local sherrif may have a job refferal list of people behind in fines and support that are willing to work. Iowa Sherriffs have Spanish translators available in many places. If you don't like the thought of Mexicans doing work illegally-and there is a criminal element among them- maybe try to find some Amish. Haitian and Jamaicans, Polish another possible resource. Check with Asian church for possible workers-may find a few of their students and some older workers available for work, might learn some new cusswords if engines don't start. If you get suspicious american- stop by sherrif or police and see if they can identify him, druggies are usually known by officers. Tattoos are usually not that bad- but MS13 on knuckles is not a good recommendation.

I can not get too deep in detail, I am write'n a book bout this years tobacco help. Lets just say I started out with two brothers and they are always wanting to bring others with them. I have worked the whole dang family and the only one worth knock'n in the head is their lezzbian cousin. Thing is, she don't have a car. I have to call her and tell her when to show up and have to work which ever dead beat she can get to bring her here. I can feel your pain.

Dave