Anybody else here "Contract Labor"?

bigcitybill

I was just looking at the calendar and realized I'm going to have to eat my jello without any whipped cream for a long time. With Thanksgiving (of course) plus Christmas and New Year's falling on Thursday, and nobody else wanting to work the Fridays, I'm going to lose a lot of income. Thursday is the end of our pay period so checks for last week and next week will be a day short. Then two full weeks, followed by a 4-day, a 3-day then another 4-day check. Wah [:(]

trapguy2007

I have been self employed for 31 years.
Time off at the holidays is just a part of it .
Have to plan for them and squirell away some funds.
I had to take most of the week off from a remodel job that I only lacked 2 days finishing.
I guess getting the table ready for the turkey was more important to them .

Tailgunner1954

When I was contracting, we got paid holidays.

Gotteskrieger

I've done day labor. Lousy pay working with ex convicts and druggies. They weren't all that bad though. Unpretenious lot they were and a whole lot easier to deal with than suit and tie types.

1911a1-fan

no holiday pay here ether, no vacation in 7 years ether, this year i'm taking 4 days for Christmas

Maalox

In our company, the contract folks are paid an hourly rate which is substantially higher than the direct employees. This added amount is there to cover their benefits... including vacation. We also try and work with our contract folks so they can charge a full week around the Holidays. We appreciate the contractors as they help us even out the peaks and valleys of our business.

11echo

I just started contracting afew months ago, and this is my first "no pay" holiday. I'm semi surprised actually, I'm contracted thru a shop in Georgia I get medical, dental, & vision (after I make my contribution) ...but no holiday pay of any kind! OH WELL at least the pay check is very good! ...For now at least, and I'm holding my breath on it!

bigcitybill

Maalox that pretty well describes the situation I'm in. They cover the actual holiday but this year the Fridays are extra, unpaid off days. I'll get through it OK, but it kinda cuts into my cake.

Anonymouse

Not sure what you mean by "contract labor", but I am an electrical engineer who works via the contractor method. I get all holidays paid and 5 weeks paid time off a year.

MMOMEQ-55

Worked as a subcontractor for many years. Useally business was so good that I took about a month off in December and went hunting and did the holiday thing. This year work has been so slow I have been off for 3 months not due to my choice but due to no work and due to the mexican invasion. Hard to compete when the mexicans come in and under bid you by 2/3 of what you normally charge. I can't pay my guys on what the mexicans are charging. I would have to pay skilled carpenters $8.00 an hour and none will work that cheap. The guys on the mexican crews are making $5, $8 per hour. Heck my guys can make more than that flipping hamburgers at McDonalds. Funny how the mexican crews are underbidding the American crews by over 2/3 and the cost of the houses keep going up. 20 years ago I was framing houses for $3.25 a square foot. The mexicans are framing houses today for $1.25 a square foot and don't have to pay taxes. They put over 30 guys on one house and frame it in 4 days. I had 12 men and it took us 10 days to frame the same house. BUT, our walls were straight, my doorways were plumb, proper nail patterns, basically the quality of my work was far superior to their work. But they are faster and cheaper. So while my American crew sits at home making no money the mexicans are coming in here and cutting our throats by charging 1/3 what we charge. And to add insult to injury they are acting like they own the job sites when we do get work.