LABORER

One of the construction trades, traditionally considered unskilled labor (as opposed to skilled labor). In the division of labor, laborers have all blasting, hand tools, air tools, small heavy equipment and act as assistants to other trades, i.e. operators or cement masons. With the advent of modern technology and its introduction into the construction field, the laborers have been quick to include much of this technology as being laborers work. Laborers are typically required to provide their own basic hand tools. The following tools are considered a minimum, hammer, pliers (side-cutters), utility knife, tape measure, vise-grips, cresent wrench, screwdriver, margin trowel (masonry trowel), tool belt and pouches. In addition a five gallon bucket with additional tools, toolbelt suspenders, water jug and lunchbox is recommended.
'Some types of work done by laborers:'

★ concrete, shotcrete, gunite and grouting, steel concrete formwork

★ paving, white paving formwork, traffic control, striping (road surface marking), signs

★ piping-- waterpipe, sewer and storm drain

★ dry utilities--electrical conduit and communications conduit

★ demolition--concrete cutting (concrete saw), pavement breaking, cutting torch

★ tunnels, drilling and blasting

★ hod carrier for block masonry and plasterers (fireproofing)

★ environmental remediation and hazardous waste

★ fences and landscaping
Much of the work traditionally claimed by laborers is merely work that did not fit into any other labor classification. These other classifications (in order of prestige) typically include the operators (heavy equipment operator), ironworkers, carpenters, masons (masonry)(concrete finisher), teamsters (truck drivers) and hodcarriers. In addition work that typically was shunned by journeymen of other trade union (craftsman) (tradesman) or was given to their apprentices is generally done by laborers in the absence of apprentices.
An example is the operators who have all the equipment. Most operators will not operate lowly equipment such as bobcats (skid steer), kick-brooms (Street sweeper) or telescopic handlers, laborers usually are used to operate these unless an operator apprentice is available and demands his right to operate. The same is true for most other trades except the ironworkers who are notorious for protecting their work and not wanting anyone else to touch their steel, tie-wire or Kliens. The advantage to this system is that many laborers gain sufficient experience working with another trade to journeyman-in while earning a higher wage than an apprentice. Many foremen will gradually give a laborer extra responsibility until they are performing at a journeyman level and can enter a more skilled union as a journeyman.
The pay for a union laborer is equal or greater than most work available to anyone with a bachelor’s degree, making this one of the few fields where someone without a high school degree can still earn a living wage. It is not uncommon for young civil engineers to be earning less than their laborers. Union laborers earn more than unfree labour and can be an avenue for those who are uneducated and with no resources to become educated and with resources. The shear hardship, drudgery and physical demands of the job ensure that there is always a shortage of good laborers.

Contents

See also

External Links

See also

★ LIUNA

★ workforce

★ manual labor

★ public works

★ list of construction trades

★ construction management

★ construction engineering

★ construction site safety

★ List of computer vision topics

External Links

Laborers Local 185 http://www.laborerslocal185.com/
Ironworkers favorite tool http://www.kleintools.com/
LIUNA http://www.liuna.org/
Construction Research http://cife.stanford.edu/
Construction Management Education http://cm.csuchico.edu/
Wages, Earnings, and Benefits http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/
Laborer job description video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZnmj3QrYwQ
Jobsite Discrimination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJq0dUzVnGU
Job Description careervoyages.gov [1]

★ LaborFair Resources - Link to Fair Labor Practices