@jtjjbannie this just proves that our government is slowly creeping closer and closer to communism. what happened to the people making the decisions that effect out lives? not some pompous politician?
well Mike Rowe basically Did all the homework a of a typical economic and research analyst would come up with... !!!well done!!! The age of tech and computer contrast to skilled labor has such a big gap from a financial stand point. The pay check for each is so varied but both of those jobs are equally necessarily,and important for civilized life as we know it
One of the big problems is getting people who aren't afraid to get dirty and actually want to work i constantly hear about people getting jobs and then not showing up to work.
I am 65; in high school we were encouraged to pursue "college prep" classes, and we could avoid Vietnam by getting a deferment. This was the beginning of the class separation we now experience between white/blue collar; it was insinuated that the labor force was easily replaced. Shortly after, auto makers began to design parts to be replaced by dummies, rather than repaired by experts. Wonder why repair bills are high? Not due to labor--all because of part cost. GM led the way with CAT 2nd..
Mike Rowe, you are a "Wanted" man by the students at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. Watch their fun video message to you on our YouTube channel.
He poses with the CEO of Cat, Mike talks about the skilled trades and how much needed we are.We have a set of skills that keep America along with Canada going. Olberhelman mentions how hard it is to find people with a skill set able to work in his factories. The one thing Mike and the CEO forget is a decent wage. Cat is turning Muncie Ind into a welfare state by paying $12 to 14 and hr for skilled welders. He is telling EMC London Ontario to take a 55% reduction in wage and benefits.
this is great i wish we could get our elected congress peeps to think this way . one thing really bothers me he talks about trying to build a power plant in alabama and not being able to get enough quality welders . where do they post these jobs . really i keep hearing about all these jobs on monster /hotjobs .it seems to me that alot of job listings are more advertising than any thing else
The school systems we have today view life after high school like this: You either go to college, or weren't good enough to go to college. This is complete crap. I just wish careers that don't require 4 year degrees were shown to us.
Mike Rowe, who already held a high place in my opinion of TV personalities, has just reached new heights in my mind. People like him, who use their name to endorse, and support outstanding projects are Heros. If he should ever venture into more in depth politics, I think he would have a fantastic approach and mentality. Right on Mike Rowe, you certainly honored your Grandfather!
I would vote for this guy to be our next president! This man has worked in the trades and knows what it is to get dirty and make life acceptable for us.
Hear what God of Israel YAHUSHUA-YAHUWAH (Son and Father are ONE) saying to our generation by His chosen prophets: Trumpetcallofgodonline. com ; Letter called "Purify Your Faith, and Come to the Father as It is Written": EXCERPT: "Only in the Bible and through these very Letters, of which I have given to My prophet of the end of this age, shall you find Him and know Him."
Thank God for overpaid office clerks aka MBA 'talent' who've outsourced America's future to foriegn countries for disgustingly exsorbanant and undeserved bonuses!!! (sarcasm)
Mike is featured in three brief segments in the documentary, The Tradesmen: Making an Art of Work. The film is being distributed to 5,000 schools nationally as part of Engineers week. Chapter One on the educational DVD is titled, We Have Waged a War on Work: a title taken from Mike's thought provoking commentary.
What cultural, social, and/or economic forces does the forum participants feel are the reasons for this sentiment against work?
He's completely right. All of the college graduates are starting off in IT or sales, and the people who dropped out of high school have no other option than to work retail.
Trade schools all over the country are closing, and the people who currently keep our infrastructure running are starting to retire. These jobs are important.
I remember when I was a kid, our local butcher used to cut our steaks especially for us.
Now it's some kid that wheels out frozen steaks from the back of a Kroger
@jhiller21 Oh god. Oh god, what a depressing comment, and I completely agree with you. Canada and the US have turned into one big mall. I, too, remember going to a local butcher shop with my parents as a kid, and spending half an hour perusing through the selection and talking with the owner. We've run out of heart. It's not just about the jobs. We as a people are not as warm as we once were.
Of course the REASON for the lack of skilled labor is because union and government meddling in economic affairs. Remove the thousands of regulations and payroll and income taxes and watch American industry take off like a rocket.
Recently on O'Reilly factor guest George Ratzenberger said the same thing. He was quoting stats showing how we are discouraging young people from going to the skilled trades. High schools are no longer teaching shop classes. My kids and stepkids have been discouraged when in high school from skilled trades. This has been going on for over 20 years. I thank God I learned how to fix and build things when I was young.
Mr. Rowe is absolutely right. Skilled trades are critically low on qualified people. There is a whole generation of people who can't do anything unless it comes up on a computer screen. Plenty of people know how to use things but less and less know how anything works or how to fix it. The worst part for America is we lost our ability to innovate and produce new technologies that actually work.
It is true that the majority of new graduates I see in my work as a research scientist - most of them do not have enough common sense and applied knowledge to fill a thimble. They are "above" sample prep and only want to do project work - clean and tidy. When a road is built or repaired, when your utilities go out, or your septic tank explodes, it will not be a PHd that comes to your rescue. Happily married to a master carpenter and living the good "blue collar" life
Well said Mike. But I feel the ultimate problem is along with the lack of respect for the blue collar worker is the lack of pay, and benefits these folks get. We've turned the idea of a honest day of hard work into something for suckers.
@Mirokuofnite This is too true. Jobs that actually contribute to the general function of society are often looked down upon. In fact, they should be the best payed, best benefited jobs out there, simply due to their connections to society at large.
But no, we let people who play baseball make ABSURD amounts of money doing something that doesn't benefit the day-to-day progress of society in any meaningful way.
@Mirokuofnite You are correct! I'd love to see a bunch of bank CEOs with clogged up toilets bidding for the services of the only plumber in town! Then we'd see them acknowledging the value of hard work.
@Mirokuofnite Really depends, Autoworkers can make 100k including benefits and lots of overtime.....UPS drivers make 70k...Plumbers make within the same range. The problem is that if a company can't take large jobs, they can't pay workers more. With a shortage on skilled laborers, companies want to expand and take more work and contracts but can't. It would make no sense to pay your current staff more in that situation.
As a (young) Technology Education teacher (24 years old)...thank you Mike Rowe. I am a 3rd generation bricklayer during the summer and teacher during the other three seasons and kids don't understand there is good money to be made in the trades. Society today is struggling with the fact that they think they can go to college, get a degree and get a job. It is rough after college finding a job, but if you can weld or operate a machine you will be making more than most kids right out of school.
God bless you Mike Rowe ! There is so little respect for blue collar tradesmen . On CNBC they were discussing that Boeing could not open their NC plant. David Faber's comment was "Yeah but they are hiring at Facebook" We are a joke an after-thought. Tech jobs are worthy of praise those stupid blue collar jobs .. Nobody wants those .. Thanks for sticking up for us .. !
this is the exact same thing Ive been saying. American public schools have brainwashed kids to think that "college is superior learning"....but they can't even change a tire on their own cars.
I'm a college student. One day, I went on a road trip with 7 of my friends. One of the car had a flat and nobody except me knew how to change a tire. They always joked about me because I never was the guy with the best grades (mostly because I didn't give a shitt). That day, they all silently stood still around me has I was jacking up the car and changing the tire (which took lest that 10 minutes). 7 Master's degree students all astonished by how they knew nothing about life.
@CerealKiIIer the meek shall inherit the earth.those who are humble enough to know how it is to work with their hands will succeed when the currency crashes. Businessmen will have no jobs, pencil pushers will have no jobs....and they will be at the very back of the line for jobs because the real intelligence is with honest good hard work. My dad is a genius imo...he can do anything from carpentry to mechanics,welding,working with cement and various construction materials..tools etc..
@Mathew1985AZ I grew up not knowing a thing until the age of 23...i decided something was wrong. I needed to learn a trade,or several.I began teaching myself welding, teaching myself mechanics on automobiles.Ive done shit just by trial and error,reading,observing....experience has made me sharper when diagnosing problems in all my work. Out of all my friends that I have..not one of them can change a tire let alone fix a car.At age 26...I am ahead of most of my generation.Ive repair friends cars
@CerealKiIIer my dad can also do advanced electrical diagnostics, troublshoot any situation with creative thinking. Ive seen my dad do so much stuff that is fucking incredible compared to any pencil pushing office desk employee out there. My dad can actually take knowledge and apply it to real life. He created tools many times..fixed this that seemed impossible to fix. He cannot legally go and work though because the states require "certifications" and bullshit that the fucking lawyers created.
@Mathew1985AZ and to make it worse most of the kids who graduate from college these days are no more intelligent or any sharper than they were in high school
Wow, he is SO right! I went to college because it was what was expected of me, got my 4 year degree and then..nothing. I hadn't learned any skills, I was useless. Then I went to vocational school and learned a great skill that has the potential to earn me lots of money. I just wish that I hadn't wasted 4 years of my life on college. What he's saying is very important and more people need to realize what he's saying is true.
I am amazed at how blind we are to this problem. The infrastructure of this country is in the process of deteriorating if not crumbling all together. Yet in 10 or 20 years who will be around with the skill and knowledge to rebuild? I just put 3 kids through college with loans I'll be paying off til the day I die. None of them can find jobs in their field. Unemployment is high yet skilled labor jobs go unfilled. It's time for our young people to rethink their opportunities. Read Atlas Shrugged.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
For some uncanny reason this dude is akin to Swartznegger. I wouldn't trust him crossing the street. In fact I now find him repulsive & offensive on the Ford commercials. It's called Over saturation or Over Doing, like in O.D.
I have thought about Mike Rowe running for office for some time now. The more I think of it the more sence it makes. Here is a man who speaks well and has a grasp on what America should be. I have not heard all his politics but I would consider him on any ticket.
MIke, that was a wonderful presentation. We are so lucky to have worked and been around family members that liked to do everything themslves and teach us the same things. I am an Instructor now at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee where we train and teach the student to build and maintain high voltage electrical power to customers. We have students in Alabama helping with the rebuilding of their system now. You are so Correct. Thanks, Gene
I have taught metal shop on the Oregon coast for over 30 years. For the past 8 as a part time retired instructor to keep the program from being cut. What Mike said is absolutely correct. This country needs to recognize the full worth of and honor hard working people.
Mike has a unique way of getting his point across in a witty yet poignant way. Everyone is not meant to sit at a computer. This country was built by skilled tradespeople. My husband's best friend is a plumber and he makes a great living. He never has to worry about being unemployed. Why don't more parents encourage their children to go into the trades? There are thousands of unemployed college graduates.
Mike has a unique way of getting his point across in a witty yet poignant way. Everyone is not meant to sit at a computer. This country was built by skilled tradespeople. My husband's best friend is a plumber and he makes a great living. He never has to worry about being unemployed. Why don't more parents encourage their children to go into the trades? There are thousands of unemployed college graduates.
@pwrofturbo True....but which is more damaging to our economy placing all the leverage in the hands of a few mega-businesses or providing a legitimate negotiating entity in the form of unions...which is more harmful the $25 front line autoworker (the only way their making $75 is when their working Christmas day) or the $200 wall street crook?
But hey, I give you an A+ for your use of hyperbole.
@Montlaker BTW Turbo, I'd suggest Michael Hudson's book "The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America--and Spawned a Global Crisis" for a primer on how we've let our attention drift from the real culprits in the crisis...and it's not unions. Instead of spending so much time berating unions, let invest just a little in reinstating the financial rules that made this country great.
And who incentivized predatory lending through Countrywide, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac? Who added in regulations that discouraged banks from not lending to questionable people without proper funding?
Bankers and Wall Street do indeed deserve significant blame for the housing collapse, but the government was implicit in it just as much. Look at US housing data that led up to the collapse - there is correlation between acts involving lending to poorer people and the collapse.
Thank you Mike for being the voice of American workers.
i think every president should do what you do for 6 months.. before they work at the oval office. That way they can be in contact with the real life of real americans. They seen to forget once they take office what it takes to keep this country running. Its not just politics folks.. its real life
It has always amazed me that our leaders insist that everybody should go to college so they can get and hold a job. I have friends with masters degrees walking the pavement, some for over a year, looking for work. Mike Rowe hit the nail on the head with his testimony.
Too many very bright people have no ides how things work, they are lost when a switch breaks or a faucet has to be replaced. We have to restore vocational education so everybody understands basic mechanical concepts.
Thanks for posting this. The American Dream is happening now in countries like India, China, and any other suitor/country that will pay low enough wages for ever greater profits for the companies. Without jobs discussed here, no one can buy these made items here. How to bring these disparities to reason. Homeless shelters, unemployment checks are filled up and out... and running out as craftsmen and tradesmen are no longer trained to work here. Not just in the U.S. either. Thanks.
@HolyBeThyName We already know that he'll lie for money. Proof is him swearing that Ford is the best car on the road. He's an actor and he delivers his lines well. He's not a leader.
what Mike Row is actually trying to say, is that our society (never mind the country) is shaping up mens into faggets, who can´t distinguish between an adjustable wrench from an allen wrench..., every man should know that kind of stuff....like basic plumbing, woodwork, damn...all of those things are part of being a MAN!, the mens these days are a bunch of faggets, they´d rather pay someone to do basic job...like replacing a door because they don´t know how to use a drill for christ´s sake!
@WOLFSCHRAMM1 It's kinda funny because you make some good points but manage to sound like an idiot in the process, lol! Well, I suppose I should take solace in the fact that at least, by your definition, I am not a "faggot."
@mordred612 It's ok for a CEO to make more in his bonus check than some employees make their entire lives for the simple fact that if what one worked for was not their entitlement no one would work. It's not your right to anothers wealth no matter how unfair the circumstances might seem. What you make probably seems pretty unfair to a lot of kids growing up in less privileged parts of the world. That doesn't make it their right to make what's yours theirs.
He has more common sense and is more in touch with the true goings in society than those self-interested politicians who claim to know what's best for us.
I wonder why Mr. Rowe had to speak to members of the house when all of the GOP ran on America needs jobs platforms. But it seems the GOP forgot their promises. Maybe they were just lying through their teeth.
I vote Mike Rowe as President! When I heard him speak it reminded me that life is not about how much money I can make quick but, about the experience's that happen in between the money making process that make up who we are. What happened to pride in our work? What happened to being happy with what you have and who you are? We need to move away from American paid back to American made. Well....that's my 2 sense.
TIME IS OVER.IT’S ONLY THE START…Osama Bin Laden Dead May 1,2011 / Hitler Dead April 30,1945 66 Years Apart!Another 6 is coming this year.Microchip-666 in hands and foreheads.Hell is real!Earthquakes,famines,floods.. Just watch Israel on May15,the same Arab nations in Psalm83 will march in Jerusalem.Bible Prophecy!TO NON BELIEVERS REPENT SAVE YOUR SOULS AND PRAY FOR OTHERS.JESUS IS COMING,RAPTURE IS COMING!Get raptured not suffer the great tribulation.LISTEN TO PAUL BEGLEY IN YOUTUBE.
Mike seems like a really nice guy and I appreciate what he has to say here. Unions? I believe unions not only protect workers, but also customers. With unions you have business standards and are more likely to get skilled workers who are well trained. Without unions you often have people with little training doing the work. The fact is, we all can't be CEOs and the belief that a person who went to college works harder and has risked more in life is fallacy...
@mordred612 ...The truth is that the guy climbing up a ladder and risking falling, risking cutting his hand off in a saw, or risking future health problems associated with his job risks just as much or more than someone sitting at a desk giving directions. You also have the risk of fewer chances for upward mobility. These days you have contractors using sub-contractors who often 1099 employees as sub-contractors. Everyone wants to limit liability and cost...
@mordred612 ...the only way to move up is to start your own business. They are often driving their own vehicles, using their own tools, aren't paid very well, have little training or mobility, aren't given vacation or holiday pay, and aren't given insurance. What is the incentive to work these jobs as an employee? Part of the problem is the use of illegal immigrants to cut costs. This practice is much like outsourcing jobs to circumvent labor laws and violations should be prosecuted...
@mordred612 ...to the fullest extent of the law. As a customer you will be more likely to recover any loss from a union employee than some guy you found on craig's list since his business may not be around in a month. We need to change the way we think about work and compensation in the US. Remember, unions built the middle class and costs have risen in these industries even though unions aren't as prevalent as they once were.
@mordred612 No, you are wrong, the unions did not build the middle class! Hard working Americans did. The farmers' the ranchers, mechanics, plumbers, machinists...that is what built the middle class! The unions sent it overseas!
@stetsonwalker Actually, the unions helped workers get higher wages and better benefits which built the middle class. Greedy bastards who wanted huge paychecks for themselves sent the jobs overseas to cut costs and rape workers in other parts of the world since they could no longer do it here. We need to make outsourcing less cost effective so the jobs will come back and focus on leveling the pay range from the lowest paid to the highest so everybody wins. More money in more pockets.
How the hell some people can twist Rowes' comments into an anti-union rants is un-fricken believable. Unions are perhaps the only sector of this society trying preserve these jobs as the Wallmarts and their Republican stooges work to undermine the working class.
@Montlaker Unions preserve artificially high wages for their members who are lucky enough to keep their jobs. Greedy unions killed the American auto industry. Not Walmart, not "republican stooges". You can't hold your employer hostage and demand guaranteed benefits regardless of your performance, and expect to compete on quality and price with other companies. That's not how the world works! You might live large for a while, but you'll be out of a job in the long run.
@mamaway That is a common argument, but you fail to consider the possibility that the American auto industry failed to produce a product that the consumer thought was superior to foreign cars. You also should consider that these "artificially high wages" weren't the only drain on the industry. People at upper levels of management which are non-union positions made great salaries even when the industry was failing................
@mordred612 Why is it ok for a CEO to make more in a bonus check than an employee makes in his entire life? That is injustice no matter how you look at it and a form of entitlement I never hear brought up. My mother worked in a leather factory when I was a kid and had her hand crushed in a press. She lost use of three of her fingers as a result. She received a small settlement and was let go from her position. I'm certain that people above her never had to worry about such an accident...
@mordred612 Judging by the chinese crap that people typically buy a Walmart, price is a big factor. People will give up on quality & features for the right price. And perhaps the industry cut corners on quality & features because they were getting beat on price, because the competition didn't have to pay for huge health care and pension costs.
@mamaway We were talking about the auto industry and most of the cars were made in Japan. I read a statistic that foreign parts make up more than half the parts used in the assembly of vehicles from the big 3 in the US so it isn't about inferior quality, but it is about cutting cost. Quality? I would much rather buy elec. made in Japan than in the US because the quality is superior and so are the features in many cases. Japanese worder have pensions and health care also... maybe superior.
@mordred612 I have driven many different cars in my day, only American for about 20 years now. Do not believe the crap about superior Japanese products! Aside from a few troubled models, the American car needs less maintenance, is cheaper to repair and the parts are more reasonably priced. You also need fewer of those parts. I am not speaking of things I know little about as I have been a mechanic for 35 years.
@stetsonwalker 35 years? Impressive. I have owned a few American made cars that were great. My 84 Jeep CJ7 with the in line 6 comes to mind, but I've also owned a few toyotas and you can't beat them. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Honda or Toyota, but I would be very reluctant to purchase an American brand without doing some research on the make, model, and year. I'd love to get my hands on another CJ7...I could climb in the engine compartment almost and get to everything. New cars-no way.
@stetsonwalker Both Toyota and Honda consistently have higher resale value as well as better ratings for gas consumption, operational costs, and reliability. I'm certain you may have problems here and there, just like you have really good American made cars of some makes and models.
@mordred612 The only reason for the higher resale values is those 2 corporations will provide financing for their "pre owned" vehicles. This provides a falsely inflated value that is not really there. You can still find roughly the same years of American or imports for the same value of pennies on the dollar...except Porsche but that is not a car it is a work of art...
@stetsonwalker "The only reason?" Supply and demand has nothing to do with it? Better gas consumption ratings? Lower costs of repair and reliability has nothing to do with it? Wow, you learn something new every day.
@mordred612 There is no lower repair cost on imports, hate to let you in in this fallacy. As I said I have been a wrench for 35 years and any savings you may have in actual labor cost (very little) is very quickly paid out in exorbitant parts costs (some Honda seats at about $3,500 each) very expensive routine maintenance (timing belts costing over $400.00 to change) no repair cost are not lower. You may go a little farther between maintenance but when you get it done it is a mother!
@stetsonwalker It seems to me that if a Toyota or Honda needs maintenance less because their parts fail less then you do have lower repair costs. I had an 88 toyota truck which never needed work done to it other than normal maint. and a timing chain, thenI had a 90 Ply Sundance that had the CV joints replaced a few times, a drivers side window which fell into the door, a power sterring hose that leaked, and a voltage regulator of some sort in the computer which made me get rid of the car.
@mordred612 Now the really interesting fact was that the Toyota had almost 300,000 miles on was still going when it was stolen while the 90 Plymouth Sundance had less than 100,000 before repairs made it too costly to keep. So my Toyota had lower maintenance costs than my Sundance did even though the Toyota had almost 3 times the miles on it. That seems like a savings to me, but go ahead and argue the costs of ownership are the same.
@mordred612 But you see now you are dealing with a whole new era of vehicles. The Japanese trucks are no longer the $10,000 throw always of yesteryear. They are having to pay a living wage to the worker whether in Japan of here. That combined with the fact that the EPA stopped giving waivers to import companies like candy changes the game. I drive a 1988 Ford Ranger 850,000 miles i rebuilt engine, clutch at that time, brakes oil and gas! Cost $17,000 new still daily driver.
@stetsonwalker Hate to break it to you buddy, but you're a mechanic and know how to fix the damn things. That makes a huge difference. Rebuilding an engine yourself or having a new one put in? Most Americans don't want to rebuild their engines and are looking for something reliable with a good resale value and low maintenance. That's why foreign cars are still on top and are so popular. Hell, Honda and Toyota are the most stolen cars in the US.
@mordred612@010 numbers here of the most stolen....10. Chevrolet Tahoe - 5.8 9. GMC Yukon XL - 6.0 8. Hummer H2 - 6.2 7. Nissan Maxima - 6.5 6. GMC Sierra Crew Cab - 6.7 5. Infiniti G47 Coupe - 7.1
4. Chevrolet Avalanche - 7.4 3. Dodge Charger - 7.4 2. Chevy Silverado - 8.0 1. Cadillac Escalade - 10.8 i guess you are living a bit in the past when Japan could afford heavy subsidies and the our government gave the imports breaks our companies could not get.
@stetsonwalker Nice try. That statistic is partly correct. It is actually a ratio of the number of vehicles stolen based on the number on the road. If you have only 200 cars on the road and two get stolen you get a higher theft rate than 200,000 with only two stolen. The most stolen cars, in actual numbers, have consistently been Hondas and Toyotas because there are so many one the roads and because they are chopped and sold for parts..
@mordred612 But the problem with your theory especially with the Honda is the price of the seats in many of them. You see someone steals the seats out of them and they call the insurance company and the car is totaled due to the cost of the replacement seats, the insurance company writes it up as a theft total so that Honda becomes stolen. So you cannot really consider those numbers either as most of them are repurchased at auction, have wrecking yard seats installed and resold as good cars...
@stetsonwalker It isn't a theory...it's a statistic and this statistic has been consistent for years. Your reasoning in trying to refute the statistic is a theory and a pretty sad one at that.
@mordred612 It is not theory, call ANY Honda dealer and ask them if what I am saying is true or not. This is fact.Or go to eBay and look up Honda S2000 seats. These seats are $3500.00 EACH at the dealer, they are $3000.00 fr used ones on eBay. What I am saying is true whether you like the facts or not.
@stetsonwalker So the sale of Honda s2000 seats specifically is the reason Honda and Toyota are the most stolen cars in the US? Learn something new every day. By the way, Honda s2000 isn't one of the ones that are most stolen. Honda Accord or Civic and Toyota Camry or Corolla. For shits and giggles I checked the price of the s2000 seats and found them at prices much less than you claim and I believe Honda stopped making the vehicle because so few sold. Want to argue that the sky is blue?
@mordred612 No I will save the argument, call Honda tomorrow and they will attest to it. You see if a single part gets stolen from a car that exceeds the value, the car is reported as a theft total. At that point the car that was never reality stolen is auctioned as a theft recovery. Then a guy like me buys it for pennies on the dollar and finds the part from a private party, installs it and makes a tidy profit on the car. In reality it was never really stolen! I am not sure of Toyotas though.
@mordred612 And by the way, the ranger engine was changed at about 650,000 and still ran OK but I was having doubts so decided it would be the best thing to do.
@mordred612 The truth to your statement is the US auto industry failed because they had to cut corners in R&D as well as manufacturing to keep the cost competitive despite labor costs! That is why Japan pulled out front!
@stetsonwalker ...Or you could say they had to cut corners so they could afford to pay CEOs huge salaries. If your business isn't working you need new leadership and a change of business plan. In the US if your business isn't working and it is big enough you can rest assured that the public will bail you out if you make poor decisions. The rest of us have to make sure our books balance.
@mamaway Unions preserve artificially high wages and the lack of them preserve Walmart. The principle is called checks and balances....get to know it, get to love it.
Mike Rowe for President!! He is the wisest anti-elite in this country. Look at our current and last president... their elitism and lack of problem solving makes me want to puke! This country needs more problem solvers (carpenters, electricians, engineers, doctors), and fewer problem finders (politicians, lawyers)! more makers, fewer takers!
Geez I wonder who is to blame here? Private business, unions, government? All are to blame for the shortage.
Unions, yes ask for a lot but they can and they will because they have workers to protect from injury and lawsuits from stupid employers who think of nothing but their botom line.
Gov't for sending good jobs across seas because private business want cheaper labour.
And you wonder why we are in the mess we are.......??
Just to clarify what I was saying; I am NOT talking about hiring less expensive illegal laborers. I just meant in many places you are not "allowed" to hire fine men like Mike's grand dad to do certain jobs. Just more proof that the government and unions have all but killed the basic labor industry. We didn't seem to have a problem back then when his grand dad was doing it, so what changed? Government restrictions and unions.
Many "Jack of all trades" workers such as Mike's grandfather and many of our dad's and grand dads got bullied-out by unions. Don't get me wrong, I like what unions stand for, but they got out of control and in many areas, you are FORCED to use union labor, which many people simply can't afford. Yes, union labor is higher because it's more skilled (in some cases), BUT, we should also have the CHOICE to hire someone like Mike's grand dad to do jobs here and there for us, but that's not the case.
The only people who could possibly dislike this video are ignorant, arrogant, elitist college turds who don't know jack shit about real work! (THEY are the ones ruining this country)
Is Mr Rockefeller is a pompous, non-caring, lifelong politician? He sure comes across that way to me!
Another out of touch POS! No Mr.Rowe, you may not vote on things that matter to everyone. That is reserved for us elite's!
We will decide your fate
jtjjbannie 1 week ago
@jtjjbannie this just proves that our government is slowly creeping closer and closer to communism. what happened to the people making the decisions that effect out lives? not some pompous politician?
danfarmman 6 days ago
well Mike Rowe basically Did all the homework a of a typical economic and research analyst would come up with... !!!well done!!! The age of tech and computer contrast to skilled labor has such a big gap from a financial stand point. The pay check for each is so varied but both of those jobs are equally necessarily,and important for civilized life as we know it
FEETLE 1 month ago
One of the big problems is getting people who aren't afraid to get dirty and actually want to work i constantly hear about people getting jobs and then not showing up to work.
ghldhfljshd 1 month ago
I am 65; in high school we were encouraged to pursue "college prep" classes, and we could avoid Vietnam by getting a deferment. This was the beginning of the class separation we now experience between white/blue collar; it was insinuated that the labor force was easily replaced. Shortly after, auto makers began to design parts to be replaced by dummies, rather than repaired by experts. Wonder why repair bills are high? Not due to labor--all because of part cost. GM led the way with CAT 2nd..
JimBites 1 month ago
Mike Rowe, you are a "Wanted" man by the students at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. Watch their fun video message to you on our YouTube channel.
CapeCodTechHS 1 month ago
He poses with the CEO of Cat, Mike talks about the skilled trades and how much needed we are.We have a set of skills that keep America along with Canada going. Olberhelman mentions how hard it is to find people with a skill set able to work in his factories. The one thing Mike and the CEO forget is a decent wage. Cat is turning Muncie Ind into a welfare state by paying $12 to 14 and hr for skilled welders. He is telling EMC London Ontario to take a 55% reduction in wage and benefits.
MyCantuna 1 month ago
It is too bad he agrees with the CEO of Cat and that skilled trades deserves low wage.
MyCantuna 1 month ago
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Nice to see Mike
MyCantuna 1 month ago
Nice to see Mike
MyCantuna 1 month ago
Mike Rowe for president? Now *that* is a dirty job!
kibcubed 1 month ago
Well done Mr. Rowe!
chevytony122540 1 month ago
this is great he done an exllent
this is great i wish we could get our elected congress peeps to think this way . one thing really bothers me he talks about trying to build a power plant in alabama and not being able to get enough quality welders . where do they post these jobs . really i keep hearing about all these jobs on monster /hotjobs .it seems to me that alot of job listings are more advertising than any thing else
Mega5160 1 month ago
The school systems we have today view life after high school like this: You either go to college, or weren't good enough to go to college. This is complete crap. I just wish careers that don't require 4 year degrees were shown to us.
prankshopzify 1 month ago
MIKE ROWE FOR 2012
xXONESHOTSCOTTXx 1 month ago
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xXONESHOTSCOTTXx 1 month ago
intelligent man, well spoken and truly cares about what he does...
MissDaisy1967 1 month ago
This reminds me of when he spoke on TED.
KennyisLB 1 month ago
The man who spoke for me in the senate and stood up for who i am , who i want to be..... thank you Mr Mike Rowe....
74Jdale 1 month ago
Mike Rowe, who already held a high place in my opinion of TV personalities, has just reached new heights in my mind. People like him, who use their name to endorse, and support outstanding projects are Heros. If he should ever venture into more in depth politics, I think he would have a fantastic approach and mentality. Right on Mike Rowe, you certainly honored your Grandfather!
ianinsley86 1 month ago 4
I would vote for this guy to be our next president! This man has worked in the trades and knows what it is to get dirty and make life acceptable for us.
b4tyme1 1 month ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
Hear what God of Israel YAHUSHUA-YAHUWAH (Son and Father are ONE) saying to our generation by His chosen prophets: Trumpetcallofgodonline. com ; Letter called "Purify Your Faith, and Come to the Father as It is Written": EXCERPT: "Only in the Bible and through these very Letters, of which I have given to My prophet of the end of this age, shall you find Him and know Him."
Watch:
" youtube.com/watch?v=YZPmTH6sloo"
"youtube.com/watch?v=lutJYDxP6ys"
"youtube.com/watch?v=R9ike7PKd8U"
Regards.
TrumpetCallofGodLT 2 months ago
Thank you Mike for standing up for one of the only skilled trade
leonnoel1982 2 months ago
13 people that disliked this video are germaphobes
arawtgabi 2 months ago
"Your wife has excellent taste...give her my regards." lol
elr456 2 months ago
Thank God for overpaid office clerks aka MBA 'talent' who've outsourced America's future to foriegn countries for disgustingly exsorbanant and undeserved bonuses!!! (sarcasm)
woodycoat 2 months ago
The man's right on so many levels.
electronikita 3 months ago
Very sympatic and warm guy, Mike Rowe. I Like peoples like him !
Trusten1984 3 months ago
Mike is featured in three brief segments in the documentary, The Tradesmen: Making an Art of Work. The film is being distributed to 5,000 schools nationally as part of Engineers week. Chapter One on the educational DVD is titled, We Have Waged a War on Work: a title taken from Mike's thought provoking commentary.
What cultural, social, and/or economic forces does the forum participants feel are the reasons for this sentiment against work?
ryeagley33 3 months ago
its amazing how he has the power to make me just stop and listen whenever he talk. Mike Rowe is awesome ^^
MajinZoot 3 months ago
He's completely right. All of the college graduates are starting off in IT or sales, and the people who dropped out of high school have no other option than to work retail.
Trade schools all over the country are closing, and the people who currently keep our infrastructure running are starting to retire. These jobs are important.
I remember when I was a kid, our local butcher used to cut our steaks especially for us.
Now it's some kid that wheels out frozen steaks from the back of a Kroger
jhiller21 3 months ago
@jhiller21 Oh god. Oh god, what a depressing comment, and I completely agree with you. Canada and the US have turned into one big mall. I, too, remember going to a local butcher shop with my parents as a kid, and spending half an hour perusing through the selection and talking with the owner. We've run out of heart. It's not just about the jobs. We as a people are not as warm as we once were.
TheNilesEdge 3 months ago
Of course the REASON for the lack of skilled labor is because union and government meddling in economic affairs. Remove the thousands of regulations and payroll and income taxes and watch American industry take off like a rocket.
SDS4BO 3 months ago
@SDS4BO Yes, and while the industry takes off watch how the people suffer being made to work without a minimum wage.
ksimmonsASU1 3 months ago 3
The best Speech I have ever heard
mikebranham80 4 months ago
Rowe missed the perfect line at the end!
After the "I'll vote", when the congressman said "You can't", the perfect response would be:
"You're right- your job is just too dirty."
bradtid 4 months ago
Future President?
hydrogloss 4 months ago
Recently on O'Reilly factor guest George Ratzenberger said the same thing. He was quoting stats showing how we are discouraging young people from going to the skilled trades. High schools are no longer teaching shop classes. My kids and stepkids have been discouraged when in high school from skilled trades. This has been going on for over 20 years. I thank God I learned how to fix and build things when I was young.
Senseial 4 months ago 3
Thats why going to Lincon Technical Institute solved my situation.
mre224 5 months ago
Kick-Ass Suit
Mike For President!!!!!!!!
pataponmaster00 5 months ago 2
FUTURE WELDER FABRICATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!
shamuslauer1 5 months ago
Mr. Rowe is absolutely right. Skilled trades are critically low on qualified people. There is a whole generation of people who can't do anything unless it comes up on a computer screen. Plenty of people know how to use things but less and less know how anything works or how to fix it. The worst part for America is we lost our ability to innovate and produce new technologies that actually work.
satanicmechanic86 6 months ago 3
It is true that the majority of new graduates I see in my work as a research scientist - most of them do not have enough common sense and applied knowledge to fill a thimble. They are "above" sample prep and only want to do project work - clean and tidy. When a road is built or repaired, when your utilities go out, or your septic tank explodes, it will not be a PHd that comes to your rescue. Happily married to a master carpenter and living the good "blue collar" life
Catmndu 6 months ago 4
Well said Mike. But I feel the ultimate problem is along with the lack of respect for the blue collar worker is the lack of pay, and benefits these folks get. We've turned the idea of a honest day of hard work into something for suckers.
Mirokuofnite 6 months ago 31
@Mirokuofnite This is too true. Jobs that actually contribute to the general function of society are often looked down upon. In fact, they should be the best payed, best benefited jobs out there, simply due to their connections to society at large.
But no, we let people who play baseball make ABSURD amounts of money doing something that doesn't benefit the day-to-day progress of society in any meaningful way.
ShakinJamacian 4 months ago 2
@Mirokuofnite You are correct! I'd love to see a bunch of bank CEOs with clogged up toilets bidding for the services of the only plumber in town! Then we'd see them acknowledging the value of hard work.
bastarddoggy 2 months ago
@Mirokuofnite Really depends, Autoworkers can make 100k including benefits and lots of overtime.....UPS drivers make 70k...Plumbers make within the same range. The problem is that if a company can't take large jobs, they can't pay workers more. With a shortage on skilled laborers, companies want to expand and take more work and contracts but can't. It would make no sense to pay your current staff more in that situation.
Blackouttsi2 1 month ago
As a courtesy to you, I wanted to let you know I’ve included this video on our YouTube Channel: Mining Oil and Gas Jobs.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We’re always looking for good content and thought this video was a good addition.
Miningoilandgasjobs 6 months ago
As a (young) Technology Education teacher (24 years old)...thank you Mike Rowe. I am a 3rd generation bricklayer during the summer and teacher during the other three seasons and kids don't understand there is good money to be made in the trades. Society today is struggling with the fact that they think they can go to college, get a degree and get a job. It is rough after college finding a job, but if you can weld or operate a machine you will be making more than most kids right out of school.
broetzmannm 7 months ago 2
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aquariyums 8 months ago
God bless you Mike Rowe ! There is so little respect for blue collar tradesmen . On CNBC they were discussing that Boeing could not open their NC plant. David Faber's comment was "Yeah but they are hiring at Facebook" We are a joke an after-thought. Tech jobs are worthy of praise those stupid blue collar jobs .. Nobody wants those .. Thanks for sticking up for us .. !
kdiver58 8 months ago 3
NOT DIRTY :((
SuperCristi21 8 months ago
this is the exact same thing Ive been saying. American public schools have brainwashed kids to think that "college is superior learning"....but they can't even change a tire on their own cars.
Mathew1985AZ 8 months ago 3
@Mathew1985AZ
I'm a college student. One day, I went on a road trip with 7 of my friends. One of the car had a flat and nobody except me knew how to change a tire. They always joked about me because I never was the guy with the best grades (mostly because I didn't give a shitt). That day, they all silently stood still around me has I was jacking up the car and changing the tire (which took lest that 10 minutes). 7 Master's degree students all astonished by how they knew nothing about life.
CerealKiIIer 8 months ago 3
@CerealKiIIer the meek shall inherit the earth.those who are humble enough to know how it is to work with their hands will succeed when the currency crashes. Businessmen will have no jobs, pencil pushers will have no jobs....and they will be at the very back of the line for jobs because the real intelligence is with honest good hard work. My dad is a genius imo...he can do anything from carpentry to mechanics,welding,working with cement and various construction materials..tools etc..
Mathew1985AZ 8 months ago
@Mathew1985AZ I grew up not knowing a thing until the age of 23...i decided something was wrong. I needed to learn a trade,or several.I began teaching myself welding, teaching myself mechanics on automobiles.Ive done shit just by trial and error,reading,observing....experience has made me sharper when diagnosing problems in all my work. Out of all my friends that I have..not one of them can change a tire let alone fix a car.At age 26...I am ahead of most of my generation.Ive repair friends cars
Mathew1985AZ 8 months ago 7
@CerealKiIIer my dad can also do advanced electrical diagnostics, troublshoot any situation with creative thinking. Ive seen my dad do so much stuff that is fucking incredible compared to any pencil pushing office desk employee out there. My dad can actually take knowledge and apply it to real life. He created tools many times..fixed this that seemed impossible to fix. He cannot legally go and work though because the states require "certifications" and bullshit that the fucking lawyers created.
Mathew1985AZ 8 months ago
@Mathew1985AZ and to make it worse most of the kids who graduate from college these days are no more intelligent or any sharper than they were in high school
1Gaumer 6 months ago 2
Wow, he is SO right! I went to college because it was what was expected of me, got my 4 year degree and then..nothing. I hadn't learned any skills, I was useless. Then I went to vocational school and learned a great skill that has the potential to earn me lots of money. I just wish that I hadn't wasted 4 years of my life on college. What he's saying is very important and more people need to realize what he's saying is true.
Mitsyrules 8 months ago 2
vocational training is so underrated
jubeikiba6 9 months ago 3
I am amazed at how blind we are to this problem. The infrastructure of this country is in the process of deteriorating if not crumbling all together. Yet in 10 or 20 years who will be around with the skill and knowledge to rebuild? I just put 3 kids through college with loans I'll be paying off til the day I die. None of them can find jobs in their field. Unemployment is high yet skilled labor jobs go unfilled. It's time for our young people to rethink their opportunities. Read Atlas Shrugged.
brotherdan57 9 months ago 3
@brotherdan57 well said!
huntingisforgirls 9 months ago
watch his TED talk. Similar style but much more indepth about the society portion
Pentium965 9 months ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
For some uncanny reason this dude is akin to Swartznegger. I wouldn't trust him crossing the street. In fact I now find him repulsive & offensive on the Ford commercials. It's called Over saturation or Over Doing, like in O.D.
For President, of what...............???
chicagoSUGANO 9 months ago
i got hooked on 'Dirty Jobs" from the first show! Mike Rowe is one of the best documentarian/journalist in broadcasting. He keeps it REAL!
narayantx 9 months ago
Here,Here to all of you saying Mike should run for office. I concur
wbeth1965 9 months ago
Sounds like a viable Presidential candidate. /salute
davesdawgs 9 months ago 3
In case y'all weren't aware, Mike has his own website, mikeroweWORKS to promote the skilled trades, etc. Drop by and visit!
mikeroweWORKS 9 months ago
The skills follow the jobs; i.e.; a knowledge/technology. The jobs've gone offshore.
TralfazConstruction 9 months ago
Mike Rowe is the man!
dannyo210 9 months ago
Ford does make the best cars on the road. He is not a liar!
jzwierzynski 9 months ago
Allow more immigration of skilled-trade labor!
nathanwilefrazier 9 months ago
I have thought about Mike Rowe running for office for some time now. The more I think of it the more sence it makes. Here is a man who speaks well and has a grasp on what America should be. I have not heard all his politics but I would consider him on any ticket.
MrPapaMichael 9 months ago 39
@MrPapaMichael I would vote for him
74Jdale 1 month ago
the politicians should do the same thing that mike did. Go out and try different jobs and see what you can do to help those who really need it..
MsBlackdeath13 9 months ago
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Excellent work Mike!!!! Thanks for speaking on behalf of those whose voice is hard to hear.
taku240se 9 months ago
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taku240se 9 months ago
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GeneNunn 9 months ago
MIke, that was a wonderful presentation. We are so lucky to have worked and been around family members that liked to do everything themslves and teach us the same things. I am an Instructor now at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee where we train and teach the student to build and maintain high voltage electrical power to customers. We have students in Alabama helping with the rebuilding of their system now. You are so Correct. Thanks, Gene
GeneNunn 9 months ago 2
I have taught metal shop on the Oregon coast for over 30 years. For the past 8 as a part time retired instructor to keep the program from being cut. What Mike said is absolutely correct. This country needs to recognize the full worth of and honor hard working people.
oregonbarn 9 months ago 3
Mike has a unique way of getting his point across in a witty yet poignant way. Everyone is not meant to sit at a computer. This country was built by skilled tradespeople. My husband's best friend is a plumber and he makes a great living. He never has to worry about being unemployed. Why don't more parents encourage their children to go into the trades? There are thousands of unemployed college graduates.
smcguire2001 9 months ago
Mike has a unique way of getting his point across in a witty yet poignant way. Everyone is not meant to sit at a computer. This country was built by skilled tradespeople. My husband's best friend is a plumber and he makes a great living. He never has to worry about being unemployed. Why don't more parents encourage their children to go into the trades? There are thousands of unemployed college graduates.
smcguire2001 9 months ago
@pwrofturbo True....but which is more damaging to our economy placing all the leverage in the hands of a few mega-businesses or providing a legitimate negotiating entity in the form of unions...which is more harmful the $25 front line autoworker (the only way their making $75 is when their working Christmas day) or the $200 wall street crook?
But hey, I give you an A+ for your use of hyperbole.
Montlaker 9 months ago
@Montlaker BTW Turbo, I'd suggest Michael Hudson's book "The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America--and Spawned a Global Crisis" for a primer on how we've let our attention drift from the real culprits in the crisis...and it's not unions. Instead of spending so much time berating unions, let invest just a little in reinstating the financial rules that made this country great.
Montlaker 9 months ago
@Montlaker
And who incentivized predatory lending through Countrywide, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac? Who added in regulations that discouraged banks from not lending to questionable people without proper funding?
Bankers and Wall Street do indeed deserve significant blame for the housing collapse, but the government was implicit in it just as much. Look at US housing data that led up to the collapse - there is correlation between acts involving lending to poorer people and the collapse.
MrTurdFurgeson 9 months ago
What do they say at the end? I can't quite understand them.
EmperorAst 9 months ago
Thank you Mike for being the voice of American workers.
i think every president should do what you do for 6 months.. before they work at the oval office. That way they can be in contact with the real life of real americans. They seen to forget once they take office what it takes to keep this country running. Its not just politics folks.. its real life
flex0808 9 months ago
Watch the happiness dissapear: 7:50 -> 8:03
katovatzschyn 9 months ago
Mike, you need to be in politics. People like you could change things rather than these BS people we have in there now.
ericdano 9 months ago
Enjoyed hearing and seeing this Mike. Great work.
desert4wd 9 months ago
Well said, Mike.
mkashlak 9 months ago
It has always amazed me that our leaders insist that everybody should go to college so they can get and hold a job. I have friends with masters degrees walking the pavement, some for over a year, looking for work. Mike Rowe hit the nail on the head with his testimony.
Too many very bright people have no ides how things work, they are lost when a switch breaks or a faucet has to be replaced. We have to restore vocational education so everybody understands basic mechanical concepts.
dell177 9 months ago
Thanks for posting this. The American Dream is happening now in countries like India, China, and any other suitor/country that will pay low enough wages for ever greater profits for the companies. Without jobs discussed here, no one can buy these made items here. How to bring these disparities to reason. Homeless shelters, unemployment checks are filled up and out... and running out as craftsmen and tradesmen are no longer trained to work here. Not just in the U.S. either. Thanks.
kil2gore 9 months ago
well....speaking just in general :D.....
WOLFSCHRAMM1 9 months ago
Mike Rowe for President in 2012 !!!!!
HolyBeThyName 9 months ago 115
@HolyBeThyName We already know that he'll lie for money. Proof is him swearing that Ford is the best car on the road. He's an actor and he delivers his lines well. He's not a leader.
Stylensky 9 months ago
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ROgdenGOOS 9 months ago
@HolyBeThyName
So says the Christian.
ROgdenGOOS 9 months ago
what Mike Row is actually trying to say, is that our society (never mind the country) is shaping up mens into faggets, who can´t distinguish between an adjustable wrench from an allen wrench..., every man should know that kind of stuff....like basic plumbing, woodwork, damn...all of those things are part of being a MAN!, the mens these days are a bunch of faggets, they´d rather pay someone to do basic job...like replacing a door because they don´t know how to use a drill for christ´s sake!
WOLFSCHRAMM1 9 months ago
@WOLFSCHRAMM1 It's kinda funny because you make some good points but manage to sound like an idiot in the process, lol! Well, I suppose I should take solace in the fact that at least, by your definition, I am not a "faggot."
Thatguy301 9 months ago
@WOLFSCHRAMM1
Good job in ruining an awesome video by reinforcing the stereotype that skilled labor is filled with homophobic mouth breathing idiots.
gohepcat 9 months ago
We have too many overweight people who can't do hard labor and women could probably fill 'some' of the gap but men can be very foul....lol
disinclinedacquiesce 9 months ago
Thanks for stickin up for the trades people Mike, as a electrician I appreciate it very much.
hockeybuf123 9 months ago
Mike Rowe = Boss
SpartanTimTv 9 months ago
two words. hire mexican.
failblorg 9 months ago
@failblorg Phuck You! Hey, what do you know, two words!
dlucas90 9 months ago
@dlucas90 ok how bout 3.
export
to
china :P
failblorg 9 months ago
This guy voice makes him the next Paul Harvey
joshros 9 months ago
@joshros i doubt many people still know who that is... i remember hearing him on the radio when i was younger
you're quite correct though.
soccerguy2433 9 months ago
"The unions sent it overseas"? Why would unions, with dues-paying constituents here ship their member's jobs overseas? That makes no sense.
deweywsu 9 months ago
Mike Row takes on his dirtiest job yet: US Congress!
frostyx512 9 months ago 103
@mordred612 It's ok for a CEO to make more in his bonus check than some employees make their entire lives for the simple fact that if what one worked for was not their entitlement no one would work. It's not your right to anothers wealth no matter how unfair the circumstances might seem. What you make probably seems pretty unfair to a lot of kids growing up in less privileged parts of the world. That doesn't make it their right to make what's yours theirs.
ZeekeKontroller 9 months ago
He has more common sense and is more in touch with the true goings in society than those self-interested politicians who claim to know what's best for us.
ducpetiaux 9 months ago 3
@ducpetiaux Exactly! Have you seen his TED Talk on "work"? It's excellent :)
CrazyShortcutQuilts 9 months ago
I forgot to mention that they also are gutting billions of dollars from education.
SmakitNicely 9 months ago
I wonder why Mr. Rowe had to speak to members of the house when all of the GOP ran on America needs jobs platforms. But it seems the GOP forgot their promises. Maybe they were just lying through their teeth.
SmakitNicely 9 months ago
Mike Rowe 2016
SchnauzerVictim 9 months ago 3
I vote Mike Rowe as President! When I heard him speak it reminded me that life is not about how much money I can make quick but, about the experience's that happen in between the money making process that make up who we are. What happened to pride in our work? What happened to being happy with what you have and who you are? We need to move away from American paid back to American made. Well....that's my 2 sense.
619declan 9 months ago 3
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TheENTERRAPTURE17 9 months ago
I keep waiting for a porn industry Dirty Jobs episode.
dvdragon 9 months ago 2
cardboard underwear
WORLDWIDECHEESECAKE 9 months ago
so true
TWINSTARXTREME 9 months ago
Mike seems like a really nice guy and I appreciate what he has to say here. Unions? I believe unions not only protect workers, but also customers. With unions you have business standards and are more likely to get skilled workers who are well trained. Without unions you often have people with little training doing the work. The fact is, we all can't be CEOs and the belief that a person who went to college works harder and has risked more in life is fallacy...
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 ...The truth is that the guy climbing up a ladder and risking falling, risking cutting his hand off in a saw, or risking future health problems associated with his job risks just as much or more than someone sitting at a desk giving directions. You also have the risk of fewer chances for upward mobility. These days you have contractors using sub-contractors who often 1099 employees as sub-contractors. Everyone wants to limit liability and cost...
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 ...the only way to move up is to start your own business. They are often driving their own vehicles, using their own tools, aren't paid very well, have little training or mobility, aren't given vacation or holiday pay, and aren't given insurance. What is the incentive to work these jobs as an employee? Part of the problem is the use of illegal immigrants to cut costs. This practice is much like outsourcing jobs to circumvent labor laws and violations should be prosecuted...
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 ...to the fullest extent of the law. As a customer you will be more likely to recover any loss from a union employee than some guy you found on craig's list since his business may not be around in a month. We need to change the way we think about work and compensation in the US. Remember, unions built the middle class and costs have risen in these industries even though unions aren't as prevalent as they once were.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 No, you are wrong, the unions did not build the middle class! Hard working Americans did. The farmers' the ranchers, mechanics, plumbers, machinists...that is what built the middle class! The unions sent it overseas!
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker Actually, the unions helped workers get higher wages and better benefits which built the middle class. Greedy bastards who wanted huge paychecks for themselves sent the jobs overseas to cut costs and rape workers in other parts of the world since they could no longer do it here. We need to make outsourcing less cost effective so the jobs will come back and focus on leveling the pay range from the lowest paid to the highest so everybody wins. More money in more pockets.
mordred612 9 months ago
How the hell some people can twist Rowes' comments into an anti-union rants is un-fricken believable. Unions are perhaps the only sector of this society trying preserve these jobs as the Wallmarts and their Republican stooges work to undermine the working class.
Montlaker 9 months ago
@Montlaker Unions preserve artificially high wages for their members who are lucky enough to keep their jobs. Greedy unions killed the American auto industry. Not Walmart, not "republican stooges". You can't hold your employer hostage and demand guaranteed benefits regardless of your performance, and expect to compete on quality and price with other companies. That's not how the world works! You might live large for a while, but you'll be out of a job in the long run.
mamaway 9 months ago
@mamaway That is a common argument, but you fail to consider the possibility that the American auto industry failed to produce a product that the consumer thought was superior to foreign cars. You also should consider that these "artificially high wages" weren't the only drain on the industry. People at upper levels of management which are non-union positions made great salaries even when the industry was failing................
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 Why is it ok for a CEO to make more in a bonus check than an employee makes in his entire life? That is injustice no matter how you look at it and a form of entitlement I never hear brought up. My mother worked in a leather factory when I was a kid and had her hand crushed in a press. She lost use of three of her fingers as a result. She received a small settlement and was let go from her position. I'm certain that people above her never had to worry about such an accident...
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 ...and having their lives changed forever as a result.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 Judging by the chinese crap that people typically buy a Walmart, price is a big factor. People will give up on quality & features for the right price. And perhaps the industry cut corners on quality & features because they were getting beat on price, because the competition didn't have to pay for huge health care and pension costs.
mamaway 9 months ago
@mamaway We were talking about the auto industry and most of the cars were made in Japan. I read a statistic that foreign parts make up more than half the parts used in the assembly of vehicles from the big 3 in the US so it isn't about inferior quality, but it is about cutting cost. Quality? I would much rather buy elec. made in Japan than in the US because the quality is superior and so are the features in many cases. Japanese worder have pensions and health care also... maybe superior.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 I have driven many different cars in my day, only American for about 20 years now. Do not believe the crap about superior Japanese products! Aside from a few troubled models, the American car needs less maintenance, is cheaper to repair and the parts are more reasonably priced. You also need fewer of those parts. I am not speaking of things I know little about as I have been a mechanic for 35 years.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker 35 years? Impressive. I have owned a few American made cars that were great. My 84 Jeep CJ7 with the in line 6 comes to mind, but I've also owned a few toyotas and you can't beat them. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Honda or Toyota, but I would be very reluctant to purchase an American brand without doing some research on the make, model, and year. I'd love to get my hands on another CJ7...I could climb in the engine compartment almost and get to everything. New cars-no way.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 Like the Toyota? Type in Yahoo Toyota transmission failure... go get you one!
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker Both Toyota and Honda consistently have higher resale value as well as better ratings for gas consumption, operational costs, and reliability. I'm certain you may have problems here and there, just like you have really good American made cars of some makes and models.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 The only reason for the higher resale values is those 2 corporations will provide financing for their "pre owned" vehicles. This provides a falsely inflated value that is not really there. You can still find roughly the same years of American or imports for the same value of pennies on the dollar...except Porsche but that is not a car it is a work of art...
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker "The only reason?" Supply and demand has nothing to do with it? Better gas consumption ratings? Lower costs of repair and reliability has nothing to do with it? Wow, you learn something new every day.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 There is no lower repair cost on imports, hate to let you in in this fallacy. As I said I have been a wrench for 35 years and any savings you may have in actual labor cost (very little) is very quickly paid out in exorbitant parts costs (some Honda seats at about $3,500 each) very expensive routine maintenance (timing belts costing over $400.00 to change) no repair cost are not lower. You may go a little farther between maintenance but when you get it done it is a mother!
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker It seems to me that if a Toyota or Honda needs maintenance less because their parts fail less then you do have lower repair costs. I had an 88 toyota truck which never needed work done to it other than normal maint. and a timing chain, thenI had a 90 Ply Sundance that had the CV joints replaced a few times, a drivers side window which fell into the door, a power sterring hose that leaked, and a voltage regulator of some sort in the computer which made me get rid of the car.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 Now the really interesting fact was that the Toyota had almost 300,000 miles on was still going when it was stolen while the 90 Plymouth Sundance had less than 100,000 before repairs made it too costly to keep. So my Toyota had lower maintenance costs than my Sundance did even though the Toyota had almost 3 times the miles on it. That seems like a savings to me, but go ahead and argue the costs of ownership are the same.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 But you see now you are dealing with a whole new era of vehicles. The Japanese trucks are no longer the $10,000 throw always of yesteryear. They are having to pay a living wage to the worker whether in Japan of here. That combined with the fact that the EPA stopped giving waivers to import companies like candy changes the game. I drive a 1988 Ford Ranger 850,000 miles i rebuilt engine, clutch at that time, brakes oil and gas! Cost $17,000 new still daily driver.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker Hate to break it to you buddy, but you're a mechanic and know how to fix the damn things. That makes a huge difference. Rebuilding an engine yourself or having a new one put in? Most Americans don't want to rebuild their engines and are looking for something reliable with a good resale value and low maintenance. That's why foreign cars are still on top and are so popular. Hell, Honda and Toyota are the most stolen cars in the US.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 @010 numbers here of the most stolen....10. Chevrolet Tahoe - 5.8 9. GMC Yukon XL - 6.0 8. Hummer H2 - 6.2 7. Nissan Maxima - 6.5 6. GMC Sierra Crew Cab - 6.7 5. Infiniti G47 Coupe - 7.1
4. Chevrolet Avalanche - 7.4 3. Dodge Charger - 7.4 2. Chevy Silverado - 8.0 1. Cadillac Escalade - 10.8 i guess you are living a bit in the past when Japan could afford heavy subsidies and the our government gave the imports breaks our companies could not get.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker Nice try. That statistic is partly correct. It is actually a ratio of the number of vehicles stolen based on the number on the road. If you have only 200 cars on the road and two get stolen you get a higher theft rate than 200,000 with only two stolen. The most stolen cars, in actual numbers, have consistently been Hondas and Toyotas because there are so many one the roads and because they are chopped and sold for parts..
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 But the problem with your theory especially with the Honda is the price of the seats in many of them. You see someone steals the seats out of them and they call the insurance company and the car is totaled due to the cost of the replacement seats, the insurance company writes it up as a theft total so that Honda becomes stolen. So you cannot really consider those numbers either as most of them are repurchased at auction, have wrecking yard seats installed and resold as good cars...
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker It isn't a theory...it's a statistic and this statistic has been consistent for years. Your reasoning in trying to refute the statistic is a theory and a pretty sad one at that.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 It is not theory, call ANY Honda dealer and ask them if what I am saying is true or not. This is fact.Or go to eBay and look up Honda S2000 seats. These seats are $3500.00 EACH at the dealer, they are $3000.00 fr used ones on eBay. What I am saying is true whether you like the facts or not.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker So the sale of Honda s2000 seats specifically is the reason Honda and Toyota are the most stolen cars in the US? Learn something new every day. By the way, Honda s2000 isn't one of the ones that are most stolen. Honda Accord or Civic and Toyota Camry or Corolla. For shits and giggles I checked the price of the s2000 seats and found them at prices much less than you claim and I believe Honda stopped making the vehicle because so few sold. Want to argue that the sky is blue?
mordred612 9 months ago
@mordred612 No I will save the argument, call Honda tomorrow and they will attest to it. You see if a single part gets stolen from a car that exceeds the value, the car is reported as a theft total. At that point the car that was never reality stolen is auctioned as a theft recovery. Then a guy like me buys it for pennies on the dollar and finds the part from a private party, installs it and makes a tidy profit on the car. In reality it was never really stolen! I am not sure of Toyotas though.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@mordred612 And by the way, the ranger engine was changed at about 650,000 and still ran OK but I was having doubts so decided it would be the best thing to do.
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@mordred612 You might want to also type in Honda transmission failure just because...
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@mordred612 The truth to your statement is the US auto industry failed because they had to cut corners in R&D as well as manufacturing to keep the cost competitive despite labor costs! That is why Japan pulled out front!
stetsonwalker 9 months ago
@stetsonwalker ...Or you could say they had to cut corners so they could afford to pay CEOs huge salaries. If your business isn't working you need new leadership and a change of business plan. In the US if your business isn't working and it is big enough you can rest assured that the public will bail you out if you make poor decisions. The rest of us have to make sure our books balance.
mordred612 9 months ago
@mamaway Unions preserve artificially high wages and the lack of them preserve Walmart. The principle is called checks and balances....get to know it, get to love it.
Montlaker 9 months ago
Mike Rowe for President!! He is the wisest anti-elite in this country. Look at our current and last president... their elitism and lack of problem solving makes me want to puke! This country needs more problem solvers (carpenters, electricians, engineers, doctors), and fewer problem finders (politicians, lawyers)! more makers, fewer takers!
mamaway 9 months ago
Geez I wonder who is to blame here? Private business, unions, government? All are to blame for the shortage.
Unions, yes ask for a lot but they can and they will because they have workers to protect from injury and lawsuits from stupid employers who think of nothing but their botom line.
Gov't for sending good jobs across seas because private business want cheaper labour.
And you wonder why we are in the mess we are.......??
magdalena59 9 months ago
;(,, nice ...
TOWNSERS 9 months ago
Just to clarify what I was saying; I am NOT talking about hiring less expensive illegal laborers. I just meant in many places you are not "allowed" to hire fine men like Mike's grand dad to do certain jobs. Just more proof that the government and unions have all but killed the basic labor industry. We didn't seem to have a problem back then when his grand dad was doing it, so what changed? Government restrictions and unions.
AutoShopVideos 9 months ago
Many "Jack of all trades" workers such as Mike's grandfather and many of our dad's and grand dads got bullied-out by unions. Don't get me wrong, I like what unions stand for, but they got out of control and in many areas, you are FORCED to use union labor, which many people simply can't afford. Yes, union labor is higher because it's more skilled (in some cases), BUT, we should also have the CHOICE to hire someone like Mike's grand dad to do jobs here and there for us, but that's not the case.
AutoShopVideos 9 months ago
The only people who could possibly dislike this video are ignorant, arrogant, elitist college turds who don't know jack shit about real work! (THEY are the ones ruining this country)
6boomer9 9 months ago