Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

I imagine there's an opportunity for a startup that let's someone who wants to do a simple job themselves Facetime with a plumber to talk them through the work. No idea if there's any profit in it though.

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#5

Post by margorczynski » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 3:58 PM UTC

Does every paragraph needs to rephrase that it isn't thanks to Trump? Maybe I'm wrong but lately it seems every US media outlet needs to mention him this way or another in every topic possible (positive or negative light)

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#6

Post by baxtr » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 3:59 PM UTC

onion2k wrote: post #4

ocschwar wrote: post #2

Plumbers can't telecommute.

I imagine there's an opportunity for a startup that let's someone who wants to do a simple job themselves Facetime with a plumber to talk them through the work. No idea if there's any profit in it though.

Love it! But, in many countries regulation/ warranty might kill such an idea.

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#7

Post by strictnein » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 4:00 PM UTC

onion2k wrote: post #4

ocschwar wrote: post #2

Plumbers can't telecommute.

I imagine there's an opportunity for a startup that let's someone who wants to do a simple job themselves Facetime with a plumber to talk them through the work. No idea if there's any profit in it though.

I imagine lots of this:

   "Lefty loosey, righty tighty... no no your other left"

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#8

Post by warriormonk5 » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 4:00 PM UTC

margorczynski wrote: post #5

Does every paragraph needs to rephrase that it isn't thanks to Trump? Maybe I'm wrong but lately it seems every US media outlet needs to mention him this way or another in every topic possible (positive or negative light)

The Economist is a British publication

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#9

Post by danielvf » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 4:01 PM UTC

I worked with small / medium manufacturers in the prosperous part of the Southeast. Hiring is brutal currently.

Last week one company setup interviews with 20 possible new workers. One showed up for his interview, and one wandered in the next day. 18 nonshows.

Another local company is seeing 50% of new hires failing their first drug test.

Anecdotaly, about 20% of new hires under 30 don’t understand the concept of showing up on time (or at all) even after that’s explained as a part of orientation.

Sub $160,000 houses (3-4 bedrooms, land, average schools, 15-30 minute commute) are now selling in 1-3 days, compared with 3-6 months five years ago. There’s definitely a boom getting started here.

Re: Blue-collar wages are surging. Can it last?

#10

Post by PatientTrades » Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 4:02 PM UTC

Illegal border crossings on the southern border are down 78% and blue collar wages are rising. Of course correlation does not equal causation, but when there are fewer available workers to hire/train and demand remains constant, wages tend to rise.