NationStates Jolt Archive

There is some road construction going on in town, and let me just say, men, I do so appreciate seeing you in jeans, white Ts, big boots and a great tan, out sweating in the hot sun. That's right...that's me going 20 kmh past you!

But beyond the objectification of construction workers, I have to say, I've always had a thing for the blue collar men. My dad is a welder, and always said, "Don't marry a construction worker. Find a 'smart' guy." Sheesh. Like what he does is monkey business. Like it takes no skill or brains. I think not. I don't care about being 'taken care of' financially by a lawyer or a doctor...but I do care that my man knows how to do basic things like FIX SHIT, that he doesn't turn his nose up in disgust when we go hunting, that he enjoys beer over martinis, that he doesn't spend an hour doing his hair in the morning, that he's strong, occasionally crude but exceedingly kind and down to earth individual, that he doesn't speak university-jargon (hey, I can do it to0, but I CHOOSE to be plain spoken and know what the hell I'm talking about) or behave as though he were intellectually superior to me (or intellectually inferior for that matter).

I love the working man because he walks the fine edge of poverty and consequently works damn hard, and makes sacrifices for his family. He doesn't get a lot of respect, is often seen as somewhat uneducated, as though his life skills aren't education enough, as though anyone who works that hard must be a little stupid when easier money can be made kissing ass and greasing palms. And ladies, I'm not leaving you out either. I have a lot of respect for you too...but I don't necessarily stop to oggle your backsides:)

You may think I'm talking about the 'manly man' here as the object of my affection/lust, but I'm talking more about those who have real life experience, and know how to take care of themselves in almost any situation. I admire that in anyone, and I know it's not just the working class people who have these qualities...but it's been my experience that those who have been raised, or who still are working class are more likely to hold these traits I consider attractive than those who are not.

What do the rest of you think?

Tried it, but it didn't work. We bored each other to death soon enough... outside bed, that is. Well, and his big goal in life was a family, and mine wasn't.

I come from both backgrounds, in a way. My mother is from a working class family but made her way through university and married rich. And my father's family was part Austrian upper class, part German farmer (well, that's what you get after the war). So, believe me, if I want to fix things, I fix 'em myself. Simple as that.

I think maybe I should get back in the pool construction business.

As Peter Gibbons (played by Ron Livingston) did in Office Space -- highly recommended movie, if you've not seen it -- perhaps it's time to join a road construction crew.

...enter a lunch pail and the peace of working outside (though i wouldn't do it now when the heat index is soaring over 100), as well as the knowledge that beautiful babies (thank you, Swingers) like Sinuhue are lusting after me as I toil.

http://www.self-employed-health-insurance-quotes.com/gifs/image3.jpg

I don't know, there's something special about white collar men too...

I think maybe I should get back in the pool construction business.
Mmmm....I'd definitely hire you!

For a while I wanted nothing more than to escape men from the working class...I guess you long for these 'educated' men when you don't have them around...and I found I liked them to a certain point, but when they invariably lectured me on the evils of hunting, or did something annoyingly prissy (is that COWSHIT on my boots? I'm going home!) it bothered me. And I can't stand it when someone is incapable of tailoring his or her speech to their audience...don't use your jargon to people who neither understand, nor care about how much you spent on your education. It isn't impressive...it's pointless. Since I don't ever plan leaving my community, my family, or my friends behind, the men I'm attracted to are the ones that can fit into that niche of mine. And they are working class.

I like a guy in a suit...but just to fantasize about mostly.

And Cabra...I was always very independent, but I admit that there were some things I just expected the men in my life (father, brothers, husband) to do for me. My husband is gone for long periods of time now, working in a mine, my dad is at the same mine, and my brothers live in the city. So I've turned to my mom...she's taught me how to fix pretty much everything, because like me, she had to learn how to do it herself too. I'm a lot more confident when things go wrong, I'm a lot more independent, and it's been great.

But I still love a guy with a smudge of grease on his face from working hard...and tight buns in faded blue jeans...*sigh*

I suppose that, as a youngster, I wanted to escape my class.

But now I'm proud of it. I'm glad of the way I was brought up, to work hard, and I like those qualities in others.

No wonder the classes don't mix much! We kind of like our own...

snip

You really are stereotyping white collar men there.

You really are stereotyping white collar men there.
I know. I admit it. And it isn't completely accurate by any means.

But generally, people who were raised by white collar parents, and are white collar themselves, haven't learned the kind of things that I consider to be essential (and attractive) skills.

I've seen construction workers as being underappriciated, yes. They bust their balls everyday to build and maintain our infrastructure, and most of the time they're just ignored.

But really, these guy's aren't particularly suffering. Don't get me wrong, it's not my kinda work, but the construction worker has a VERY secure and VERY well paying job. Skilled labor isn't cheap, and these guys make good money. Also, just because they chose this particular field doesn't make them any more or less inteligent. Some people are just better with their hands.

Trust me, I've seen my share of intellectual blue-collar boys, and a similar amount of crude college graduates.

I know. I admit it. And it isn't completely accurate by any means.

But generally, people who were raised by white collar parents, and are white collar themselves, haven't learned the kind of things that I consider to be essential (and attractive) skills.

I'm not so sure. Maybe it's different here, but I don't tend to see any differences between the two types. Maybe it's because there is a clearer delineation between the different social strata where you live. Here, blue collar and white collar guys tend to "mix" a lot and have friends and experiences from the "opposing" camp, and breaking away from the parental mould isn't unusual at all, so the stereotypes aren't really typical at all.

Unless we're talking about the ultra rich people who hang out at the same places as the royal family does - they tend to be just like you described, unfortunately.

There is some road construction going on in town, and let me just say, men, I do so appreciate seeing you in jeans, white Ts, big boots and a great tan, out sweating in the hot sun. That's right...that's me going 20 kmh past you!

But beyond the objectification of construction workers, I have to say, I've always had a thing for the blue collar men. My dad is a welder, and always said, "Don't marry a construction worker. Find a 'smart' guy." Sheesh. Like what he does is monkey business. Like it takes no skill or brains. I think not. I don't care about being 'taken care of' financially by a lawyer or a doctor...but I do care that my man knows how to do basic things like FIX SHIT, that he doesn't turn his nose up in disgust when we go hunting, that he enjoys beer over martinis, that he doesn't spend an hour doing his hair in the morning, that he's strong, occasionally crude but exceedingly kind and down to earth individual, that he doesn't speak university-jargon (hey, I can do it to0, but I CHOOSE to be plain spoken and know what the hell I'm talking about) or behave as though he were intellectually superior to me (or intellectually inferior for that matter).

I love the working man because he walks the fine edge of poverty and consequently works damn hard, and makes sacrifices for his family. He doesn't get a lot of respect, is often seen as somewhat uneducated, as though his life skills aren't education enough, as though anyone who works that hard must be a little stupid when easier money can be made kissing ass and greasing palms. And ladies, I'm not leaving you out either. I have a lot of respect for you too...but I don't necessarily stop to oggle your backsides:)

You may think I'm talking about the 'manly man' here as the object of my affection/lust, but I'm talking more about those who have real life experience, and know how to take care of themselves in almost any situation. I admire that in anyone, and I know it's not just the working class people who have these qualities...but it's been my experience that those who have been raised, or who still are working class are more likely to hold these traits I consider attractive than those who are not.

What do the rest of you think?I agree with every word.
My appetite for collar men is only whetted by the fact that I work with them, in construction. I'm still in school, too, and tech. is my favourite class. I think some of the guys in my class think I'm a lesbian, but really, I'm fantasizing about them constantly... :D
I'm usually the only girl in any given shop class, and as far as I know, I'm the only chick at my workplace (doesn't that sound like the premise for a porn video?).

I've seen construction workers as being underappriciated, yes. They bust their balls everyday to build and maintain our infrastructure, and most of the time they're just ignored.

But really, these guy's aren't particularly suffering. Don't get me wrong, it's not my kinda work, but the construction worker has a VERY secure and VERY well paying job. Skilled labor isn't cheap, and these guys make good money. Also, just because they chose this particular field doesn't make them any more or less inteligent. Some people are just better with their hands.

Trust me, I've seen my share of intellectual blue-collar boys, and a similar amount of crude college graduates.
Don't be so quick to say they have a secure job...the trades are booming right now, but my family lived through the recession in the 80s where anything longer than a three month contract was almost an impossibility. Oh, and that's the thing...we know this is skilled labour, but a lot of times, the trades are counted in as unkilled professions. Ridiculous.

But my hub is making mad money right now...much more than I am...MUCH MUCH more than I am after 5 years at university and about the same number of years in the field. Still, I didn't exactly choose a well-paid profession!

I was a little afraid when I first met my husband that we wouldn't last because he was working as a janitor then, and I was in University. I thought we wouldn't have much to talk about. I made stupid assumptions based on stereotypes, even though I should have known better. I'd realised that by the time a (now ex) friend commented one day that she couldn't understand why we were still together, when I was so obviously smarter than him. The next time we were all together, I asked him to explain some electrical theories (that go completely over my head) to her and watched her jaw drop.

I'm not so sure. Maybe it's different here, but I don't tend to see any differences between the two types. Maybe it's because there is a clearer delineation between the different social strata where you live. Here, blue collar and white collar guys tend to "mix" a lot and have friends and experiences from the "opposing" camp, and breaking away from the parental mould isn't unusual at all, so the stereotypes aren't really typical at all.

Unless we're talking about the ultra rich people who hang out at the same places as the royal family does - they tend to be just like you described, unfortunately.
I think there is a definate urban/rural dichotomy in Canada that factors in here as well. The blue collar folks are most often country people and the white collar people stay in the urban centres. A lot of what I've said about white collar people tends to apply to the urbanites as well, simply because many of them don't have to deal with the day to day things that need fixing NOW, with no one to do it but you.

But no, I don't see a lot of guys who work the rigs hanging out with business students. There isn't a lot of opportunity for these groups to meet in order to mix.

I'm usually the only girl in any given shop class, and as far as I know, I'm the only chick at my workplace (doesn't that sound like the premise for a porn video?).
That and the as-yet-undisclosed bust size, and I think we have a winner!

There are a few women who work up at the mine my husband works at...mostly janitorial or cooking staff, and they have a separate wing...but I can just imagine that if any of them wanted, they could have some serious fun up there with the guys being so isolated for so long...

...but then again, there are so many rules about that, I suppose few people would risk losing their jobs over it. The company doesn't want any sexual harassment suites, from men or women, so maybe it doesn't happen.

Doesn't mean one couldn't IMAGINE it though...

I've seen construction workers as being underappriciated, yes. They bust their balls everyday to build and maintain our infrastructure, and most of the time they're just ignored.

But really, these guy's aren't particularly suffering. Don't get me wrong, it's not my kinda work, but the construction worker has a VERY secure and VERY well paying job. Skilled labor isn't cheap, and these guys make good money. Also, just because they chose this particular field doesn't make them any more or less inteligent. Some people are just better with their hands.

Trust me, I've seen my share of intellectual blue-collar boys, and a similar amount of crude college graduates.True story. I could easily get into university. Am I going to apply? No.
Am I more seriously considering going into construction or becomming an auto mechanic because I love working with my hands? Partly, but mostly because I know that those are two of the most secure industries around, and the demand for our labour and the amount that we are payed for it will only increase in the coming years.

I think there is a definate urban/rural dichotomy in Canada that factors in here as well. The blue collar folks are most often country people and the white collar people stay in the urban centres. A lot of what I've said about white collar people tends to apply to the urbanites as well, simply because many of them don't have to deal with the day to day things that need fixing NOW, with no one to do it but you.

Oh, we have the urban-rural clash here, but it's not so much blue-white collar as it is, well, urban-rural. People who live in larger cities tend to have a provincial outlook on the rural folks, and the rural folks are equally "prejudiced," if one could call it that.

But no, I don't see a lot of guys who work the rigs hanging out with business students. There isn't a lot of opportunity for these groups to meet in order to mix.

I guess that's where we're different. Even if it's not so easy for two "finished" blue collar and white collar men to become friends, people tend to keep childhood friends and gain a diversified pool of friends that way, as they grow up to work in different fields.

Maybe it's all due to classism being taboo here, and there being social pressure that counteracts white collar people's heads from swelling and thinking that they are better than anyone else (works for blue collar folks, too). The Jante Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janteloven) is very much still alive.

Don't be so quick to say they have a secure job...the trades are booming right now, but my family lived through the recession in the 80s where anything longer than a three month contract was almost an impossibility. Oh, and that's the thing...we know this is skilled labour, but a lot of times, the trades are counted in as unkilled professions. Ridiculous.

But my hub is making mad money right now...much more than I am...MUCH MUCH more than I am after 5 years at university and about the same number of years in the field. Still, I didn't exactly choose a well-paid profession!The industry is booming now, but many of the workers are soon to retire. For those of us just now entering the workforce, our futures are secure. In the 80s, there were many men willing to work, and not enough work for them all. That will not be a problem any time soon, considering the ageing N. American and European populations and the social stigma against skilled tradesmen that is encouraging us all to go into university. Whether we are well suited to it or not, many young people think that if they can get into a university, they should. The workforce will be small, compared to what it has been in the past. Whether there is a recession or not, the vast majority of us will be able to find work.

I dont know wether I'm white collar or blue collar. 1/2 or more office work-the rest in the field.
I've worked in contstruction framing houses and also been a finance and the general manager at two different cos.

Either way-I think I fit in in a suit or Carhart jeans and workboots.

Oh, we have the urban-rural clash here, but it's not so much blue-white collar as it is, well, urban-rural. People who live in larger cities tend to have a provincial outlook on the rural folks, and the rural folks are equally "prejudiced," if one could call it that.



I guess that's where we're different. Even if it's not so easy for two "finished" blue collar and white collar men to become friends, people tend to keep childhood friends and gain a diversified pool of friends that way, as they grow up to work in different fields.

Maybe it's all due to classism being taboo here, and there being social pressure that counteracts white collar people's heads from swelling and thinking that they are better than anyone else (works for blue collar folks, too). The Jante Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janteloven) is very much still alive.
Interesting. It is changing here, slowly, and people don't always follow in the footsteps of their parents anymore, but it's still very much a factor. Most of the girls I graduated from highschool with are married to blue collar men, as I am. Those few that aren't weren't from blue collar families in the first place...and they have all deigned to associate with us anymore.

In Canada, classism doesn't overty exist, but it is still very powerful. It's based on socioeconomics rather than other factors, and there is absolutely mobility...but only when people want to be mobile, and many don't.

I think there is a definate urban/rural dichotomy in Canada that factors in here as well. The blue collar folks are most often country people and the white collar people stay in the urban centres. A lot of what I've said about white collar people tends to apply to the urbanites as well, simply because many of them don't have to deal with the day to day things that need fixing NOW, with no one to do it but you.

But no, I don't see a lot of guys who work the rigs hanging out with business students. There isn't a lot of opportunity for these groups to meet in order to mix.

I see that in dichotomy in my rural environment. In fact, 'white collar workers' are sneered at, or at the least viewed as being impractical know-nothings since their skills aren't applicable here.

I work in both worlds, as a forester and ex-logger, but I'm really a working man at heart and choose to live where my skills and values are necessary for survival.

If I understand you right, you like the rural mindset and the practical application of them?

The industry is booming now, but many of the workers are soon to retire. For those of us just now entering the workforce, our futures are secure. In the 80s, there were many men willing to work, and not enough work for them all. That will not be a problem any time soon, considering the ageing N. American and European populations and the social stigma against skilled tradesmen that is encouraging us all to go into university. Whether we are well suited to it or not, many young people think that if they can get into a university, they should. The workforce will be small, compared to what it has been in the past. Whether there is a recession or not, the vast majority of us will be able to find work.
Switch the words around a bit, and this sounds exactly like what they've been telling people for the last two decades about teaching. And the market is flooded with unemployed teachers.

My husband and father are worried about this. The trade schools are expanding, there are massive recruitment programs to get more tradespeople...and there is plenty of work for them right now, but once this current boom subsides a bit, even with the retirements, the glut of workers is going to drive wages down, just like it always does. Construction is a boom and bust industry. It always has been, always will be. A lot of kids are choosing the trades now over university because of the cost of post-secondary education.

If I understand you right, you like the rural mindset and the practical application of them?
Yes. In the good sense of course. There can be plenty of problems with the 'rural' mindset too:)

I know. I admit it. And it isn't completely accurate by any means.

But generally, people who were raised by white collar parents, and are white collar themselves, haven't learned the kind of things that I consider to be essential (and attractive) skills.

like trying to break a flaming plywood board with your forehead? someone actually tried doing that at one of our "in the middle of a field in the middle of the woods" high school parties. lol

he was okay, but prolly had a sore head afterwards. the board didn't break.

Yes. In the good sense of course. There can be plenty of problems with the 'rural' mindset too:)

I've often thought that the best of both worlds is the solution - a good education, exposure to other ways of thinking, and then go back to your rural roots. Keep the good values and attitudes, shed the few bad ones.

True story. I could easily get into university. Am I going to apply? No.
Am I more seriously considering going into construction or becomming an auto mechanic because I love working with my hands? Partly, but mostly because I know that those are two of the most secure industries around, and the demand for our labour and the amount that we are payed for it will only increase in the coming years.

Good for you. I still don't envy you though. Long hours, harsh environments, potentially hazardous work...

Still, good pay and is rewarding to the right people...

Just not me...I'd rather destroy stuff than build or fix it. And I'd prefer the explosion to be spectacular. I'm thinking a career in pyrotechnics and balistics in film! :D

I've often thought that the best of both worlds is the solution - a good education, exposure to other ways of thinking, and then go back to your rural roots. Keep the good values and attitudes, shed the few bad ones.

...upon returning to the rural hometown after getting the BA/BS, opening up a feed store and employing some old (and older, perhaps) friends who need work.

Switch the words around a bit, and this sounds exactly like what they've been telling people for the last two decades about teaching. And the market is flooded with unemployed teachers.

My husband and father are worried about this. The trade schools are expanding, there are massive recruitment programs to get more tradespeople...and there is plenty of work for them right now, but once this current boom subsides a bit, even with the retirements, the glut of workers is going to drive wages down, just like it always does. Construction is a boom and bust industry. It always has been, always will be. A lot of kids are choosing the trades now over university because of the cost of post-secondary education.You're Canadian, right? You know all the schools that keep getting shut down because there aren't enough kids? And how the government pays teachers, but keeps cutting funding to schools? That's Why there are so many unemployed teachers. As the population ages, there is less need for teachers. I don't think that the two industries can be compared, in this case.

...upon returning to the rural hometown after getting the BA/BS, opening up a feed store and employing some old (and older, perhaps) friends who need work.

Is that what you did? If so, my hat's off to you.

I'm all for the working guy, I love my rural community and lifestyle, and respect the values and mindset of my friends. To combine those with broader life experience is a positive.

In fairness, it would be just as valuable for a city guy or potential white collar person, to work in my world for a few years and go back to their environment with a different perspective. It could be argued that people are just a few generations too far from the farm.

You're Canadian, right? You know all the schools that keep getting shut down because there aren't enough kids? And how the government pays teachers, but keeps cutting funding to schools? That's Why there are so many unemployed teachers. As the population ages, there is less need for teachers. I don't think that the two industries can be compared, in this case.

Sinuhue, there is a high demand for rural teachers here in the Adirondacks. I expect you have good reason to stay where you are, but get ahold of me if want to look into it.

Good for you. I still don't envy you though. Long hours, harsh environments, potentially hazardous work...

Still, good pay and is rewarding to the right people...

Just not me...I'd rather destroy stuff than build or fix it. And I'd prefer the explosion to be spectacular. I'm thinking a career in pyrotechnics and balistics in film! :DEight-hour days are long? News to me. :p
My dad is a suit, and he spends hours doing work on his laptop every night. We can't take our jobs home with us.
All jobs are potentially hazardous. Those that are especially so (yes, like construction) pay their workers accordingly.

edit: And the work is rewarding, to me and many others. I'd rather work in construction for minimum wage then in retail for the same (but don't tell my boss that; I make way better and would like to continue to do so :D).

I really think this thread needs more pics of guys at work. Preferably in some situation where they find themselves robbed of large parts of their clothing.

I have unfortunately been unable to find anything that's safe for work, and within the rules of the forum, but still worthwhile to post. Anyone else have better luck?

Sinuhue, there is a high demand for rural teachers here in the Adirondacks. I expect you have good reason to stay where you are, but get ahold of me if want to look into it.She could make a mint teaching in Nunavit here in Canada, too :p .

True story. I could easily get into university. Am I going to apply? No.
Am I more seriously considering going into construction or becomming an auto mechanic because I love working with my hands? Partly, but mostly because I know that those are two of the most secure industries around, and the demand for our labour and the amount that we are payed for it will only increase in the coming years.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with the trades, and as long as there are things to fix or build, you'll have work. But don't forget that you also need other skills to be successful, like knowing about finances, marketing, sales, and that trends are just that, trends.

The trades themselves are changing, as technology and methods evolve, new materials are developed, and needs and populations change. So, you also have to be aware of that.

Oh, no opinion on blue collar / white collar men. Nothing wrong with a woman who can weld and look sexy doing it at the same time, though.

Wow, I'm a lawyer and I feel very small now.

Come on you have to admit, my Jaguar does turn you on.

Big city construction pays damn good.

Wow, I'm a lawyer and I feel very small now.

Come on you have to admit, my Jaguar does turn you on.Depends. How roomy is the backseat? :p
In all honesty, I'm an environmentalist, and so cars kinda turn me off. Take pubic transit (when you don't have to) and I'm yours. Either that or carpool in your Jag. :eek:

Electricians, plumbers and auto mechanics should always be able to make an honest and comfortable living. And they wont have to worry about their jobs being sent to another country.

My dad's a firefighter and yet a totall safety freak :confused:

like trying to break a flaming plywood board with your forehead? someone actually tried doing that at one of our "in the middle of a field in the middle of the woods" high school parties. lol
No, this is not a 'skill' I consider useful or sexy:)

I've often thought that the best of both worlds is the solution - a good education, exposure to other ways of thinking, and then go back to your rural roots. Keep the good values and attitudes, shed the few bad ones.
I agree. About half of us girls who graduated together did this. Moved to the city, went to University, traveled around the world a bit, and then came back home. I think everyone feels some connection to where they were raised, so I'm not going to say, "oh the country is so much better...". My mother-in-law for example was raised in a very busy city, and her new house is now on a main thoroughfare so she can hear and see all the bustle. That's what she grew up with and loves. It makes me a bit crazy...but her eyes get all round and scared when I take her out to our home. The silence and the solitude make her very uncomfortable.

However, the other half of those of us who graduated never left. Some of them are fine with that, but most are not. They hate it and can't understand why we came back. And we can't understand why they don't leave if they hate it so much...

You're Canadian, right? You know all the schools that keep getting shut down because there aren't enough kids? And how the government pays teachers, but keeps cutting funding to schools? That's Why there are so many unemployed teachers. As the population ages, there is less need for teachers. I don't think that the two industries can be compared, in this case.
Not the industries, no, but the fact that people are being encouraged en masse to enter these industries, even though there is a threshold point for available employment. Right now, the threshold point in construction is very high, but that is because things are booming. That kind of growth can not last indefinately. Now is the time for current tradespeople to also be upgrading their skills so that they can provide for themselves when the bust comes. All those guys working in Fort MacMurray right now on temporary (but well paid) contracts are the ones who are going to be in trouble. Get yourself in with a good company, with a guaranteed lifespan to last you till retirement, and make yourself essential. Those that don't will be shed like fleas when the economy slows down.

Which is EXACTLY the case with teachers as well. I graduated in a class of 300, and there have been two graduations per year, for the past 5 years. You can't even be assured of a subbing position right now. So why are people still entering the field? Because they are believing the promise that retirements = jobs. Stupid, and short-sighted...but it's still happening. More and more people are entering trade schools because they've heard of the good money and the 'cheap' tuition (which of course has been increasing substantially as technical institutions like NAIT and SAIT do some major expansions). It is in the interests of these institutions that they continue to fill courses. Part of doing that will be projected employment opportunities that match the current trends, but not the trends even a few years down the road.

Sinuhue, there is a high demand for rural teachers here in the Adirondacks. I expect you have good reason to stay where you are, but get ahold of me if want to look into it.
I'm done with traveling for my job:). I didn't do it for all that many years, but I started my career very far from home. I know there are certain places with high demand, but after working in some of them, I had to ask myself...do I really want to burn out this way, just to be guaranteed employment? My answer is no. The places that need the most teachers, and have the hardest time attracting them often have serious community issues that really infringe upon the school culture.

In rural areas where chaos is not a factor, positions are as hotly competed for as in the cities. I know there is a shortage in the US and the UK, but I'm not willing to live in those countries. Not now that I have children (now Chile, Spain or Cuba would tempt me....)

Eight-hour days are long? News to me. :p
My dad is a suit, and he spends hours doing work on his laptop every night. We can't take our jobs home with us.
All jobs are potentially hazardous. Those that are especially so (yes, like construction) pay their workers accordingly.

edit: And the work is rewarding, to me and many others. I'd rather work in construction for minimum wage then in retail for the same (but don't tell my boss that; I make way better and would like to continue to do so :D).
The hours can vary. My husband does 12 hour shifts for two weeks straight, then is home for two weeks. Totally home. When he worked 9-6, he was so tired in the evenings, we hardly saw him. Now, he's gone for a while, but completely here and interacting with us when he's home. I prefer this (though this last 5 week stint has really sucked!). Considering when I met the guy, he was a janitor working 18 hours a day...I used to see him for an hour or two at 3 or 4 in the morning, and he didn't even make a quarter of what he is making now...yeah, I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

He's also in a mine with a projected life of at least another 25 years. Possible retirement position...but better yet, he's meeting people who do mine work all over the world. We very possibly could end up globehopping a bit with his job (we'd choose Spanish speaking countries over anything else so the girls could continue their Spanish education). He needs to train fast, and rise fast if he wants to stay in the mine though...right now they have hired hundreds of guys to do construction (including the crew he's on), and when that job is done...they're gone. Boom...bust.

I don't really "feel" anything about the working class, as neither do I about the middle class, or the tiny weeny upper class. But then again, sweaty men in jeans don't tend to turn me on.

She could make a mint teaching in Nunavit here in Canada, too :p .
Nunavut.

And no. The money isn't actually that great once you factor in the cost of living. For example, this is how it broke down when I worked in Inuvik, NWT:

Net pay: $2800/month
Rent: $1350
Daycare (for one child): $700
Groceries: $1000/month (yeah, when milk is $7 a litre a certain times of the year, that don't get you much)
Utilities: $350

Factor in what my husband was making, which was the same wage he makes down south, and we just barely had enough to put payments down on some of our debts. It LOOKS like a lot of money (hey, I was making $50,000 straight out of school), but it really isn't. And it's not worth being that far away from family.

Roundtrip flight from Inuvik to Edmonton: $850 (seat sales)

Nunavut is comparable.

If you take a hard look at the working man's wage and calculate the risk of death and injury people may (correctly) choose other work.

The pay, in my view, does not accurately reflect risk. I worked as a logger for many years and made good money, but it's worse than being in combat. Dozens of friends killed, scores more injured - and the injuries are gruesome and traumatic.

Next time you see a worker, see him as a guy trying to stay alive.

New York (CNN/Money) - On December 3, 2002, a section of a felled tree struck and killed an 18-year-old logger. He was one of the last of 104 lumbermen to die in 2002, when timber cutters led the nation with the highest on-the-job mortality rate of any vocation.

The mortality rate among lumbermen, 118 timber cutters per 100,000 workers, heads the list of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America for 2002 put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and was more than 26 times that of the average U.S. worker.

The fishing industry ran second with 71 fatalities per 100,000 workers, with drowning the most common cause of death...

When the crabbing is good a crewman can earn upwards of $1,000 a day. Many timber fellers earn upwards of $60,000 working a nine- or 10-month year...

Other highly dangerous jobs, including construction trades, pay high wages. Fourth on the fatality list, structural metal workers, the steel workers who build our skyscrapers and bridges, died at the rate of 58 per 100,000 in 2002, and earned an average of about $20 per hour. Sixth were roofers (37 per 100,000 and $16 per hour), and seventh were electrical power installers (32 per 100,000 and $21 per hour).

Construction laborers suffered 28 fatal injuries per 100,000 last year (ninth), and were paid about $13.36 per hour. Driving death rates...

One top-10 surprise was the fifth place finisher -- driver-sales workers, which, according to a BLS spokesperson, includes pizza delivers, vending machine fillers, and the like. Again, these workers are often self employed. Traffic accidents contributed heavily to their high fatality rate of 38 per 100,000, but they also suffered from crime; nearly a quarter of their deaths came from robberies and assaults.

Farm workers come in eighth on the BLS list with 28 fatalities per 100,000. According to the Department of Agriculture farmhands earned roughly $8.50 an hour in 2002.

In terms of sheer numbers, more truck drivers --- 808 --died on the job than any other vocation in the top ten. But because there are so many truckers, their fatality rate is only 25 per 100,000, giving them tenth place on the list. Truckers die, mostly in traffic accidents, at six times the average rate but less than a quarter the rate of timber cutters...

The hours can vary. My husband does 12 hour shifts for two weeks straight, then is home for two weeks. Totally home. When he worked 9-6, he was so tired in the evenings, we hardly saw him. Now, he's gone for a while, but completely here and interacting with us when he's home. I prefer this (though this last 5 week stint has really sucked!). Considering when I met the guy, he was a janitor working 18 hours a day...I used to see him for an hour or two at 3 or 4 in the morning, and he didn't even make a quarter of what he is making now...yeah, I'd say it's a pretty good deal.The hour do vary, but my point was that working in construction is not necessarily part of the job. Long hours can be part of any job.When I worked in retail for $6.45 an hour (yes, Canadian dollars :eek:), I was working with some women who were working full time, and sometimes 12 or 13 hour days.

Working outside > everything

You get a tan. You see a lot of people. You are tired physically. Gimme!

Though aster Uni I expect to never do it again. The gardening job now is fun though. Way better than cutting cucumbers what I did before.

Depends. How roomy is the backseat? :p
In all honesty, I'm an environmentalist, and so cars kinda turn me off. Take pubic transit (when you don't have to) and I'm yours. Either that or carpool in your Jag. :eek:

Good news for you, environmentalist babe, I do car pool. Four of us in the complex work at the same firm, so we take turns with our cars.

TG for you.

Good news for you, environmentalist babe, I do car pool. Four of us in the complex work at the same firm, so we take turns with our cars.

TG for you.That's hot. :fluffle: