Recession wiped out thousands of construction jobs in Santa Cruz

"Alan Alexander, Jesse Garcia, Medardo Gonzalez and Martin Ribera (et al) are among the lucky ones. They work in construction and they have jobs, building a hotel on 41st Avenue..."

We trust your employer Slatter Constuction has responsibly checked your immigration status to assure that you are rightfully and legally entitled to the position you fill and job you accomplish.

If so, congratulations on your extreme good fortune, gentlemen. You are indeed the lucky ones on this Labor Day.

whining racists.

What do you expect? The democrates said they didn't want to let a "good crisis go to waste". Now we see the fruits of their labor. Whats even more surprising is Unions throw almost all of their support behind these same Democrates, kind of ironic isn't it? Reagan once said "government is not the answer to the problem, government is the problem". Wake up folks, we can change our future this November. I'll see you at the voting booth.

"This Labor Day, a holiday created in 1882 by the labor movement"

Gosh, is it May 1st already?

http://www.iww.org/projects/mayday/origins.sh...

I wonder how many construction projects are on hold because of the planning/building departments and their stupid tactics. Add zero lending, consumer de-leveraging, hidden taxes on everyone and the ever increasing fear for the future and it's no wonder things are bad. Enjoy what little is left. This is NOT the bottom. Serious world thinkers have concluded we are in a depression, forget recession and the bad part is they feel the downward spiral is now unavoidable. Watch Europe over the next few weeks for a preview.

Fix housing thats all you have to do folks, you had your chance to vote for clinton but no you had to vote for the professor
so we all get to suffer because you hated bush great job
lets tax and spend our way out of this mess till none of can pay our mortgage,
probuild has laid off more than a 100 people, granite concrete watsonville closed, and tens of thousand of the self employed are not even counted no unemployment, but the banks got bailed out with our money.
It takes property taxes to run schools people FIX HOUSING

I would like to honor the hard working laborer this mornin, in specific, the one that has been around, paid the dues, risen long before the rooster, and given his sweat year after year to make enough to carve out a life for his or her family. I honor you, for your honest, hard work.

I for one am married to an unemployed Union Local 505 carpenter of 56 years old. At times I worry so much about the effect of this on his outlook on life. I remember not long ago he said to me that "a good carpenter has to be tougher than the wood he's working". To survive this, my husband has had to be that and more. Thank you, my sweet carpenter, for your hard work and sacrifices.

As i head off to my job this Labor Day morning, I remember those of you who want to work and will not give up! Blessings.

Construction should not be a career...a good first job, but certainly not a career, unless you are the Contractor.

Lots of jobs in agriculture that unemployed construction workers can do...but, they probably won't...it's hard work.

Gdude wrote:

Construction should not be a career...a good first job, but certainly not a career, unless you are the Contractor.
Lots of jobs in agriculture that unemployed construction workers can do...but, they probably won't...it's hard work.

Pull your head out of your gluteus maximus.."unless your a contractor" that what pays high lumber bills, has a business license, liablitly, workers compensations, bond..oh they are rolling in the dough..Not with all these illegals doing it without a license but remember it is a better deal..ha Contractors are not the money makers that you think...they generally have a huge overhead and pay and pay and pay...the profit is quite minimal especially with non union companies out there undercutting you:~(

And the people in power really think reconstruction will continue to bring in money by ordering more tear-downs and rebuilds? Funny to bring this up on a labor day, but amusing that the city cut off a tax-paying structure which is now falling apart in ability to continue paying. Enjoy your holidaze!

From article: "Four years ago, before the economy crashed..." In other words, before Pelosi, Reid, Franks and other lefty incompetents took control of Congress, its purse strings AND our economy. Remember that in November, and return control to moderate candidates from all parties. Bounce Boxer, furlough Farr, etc.

Yeah, I'm dreaming.

Gdude wrote:

Construction should not be a career...a good first job, but certainly not a career, unless you are the Contractor.
Lots of jobs in agriculture that unemployed construction workers can do...but, they probably won't...it's hard work.

You don't think that working for $25.00 plus full benefits and a pension sounds like a career??? That's what is wrong with America. Not every student can/should go to college just to sit behind a desk or computer. America was built by working people..I'm sure glad that my husband didn't think a labor job was beneath him..We have had a beautiful life here in SC, and we are now very thankful for our benefits and pension. Are all construction jobs now jobs that "Americans won't do"?

If government projects paid prevailing wages rather than artificially inflated union rates, there would be more jobs, more work completed, and greater benefit to the public.

If permitting processes were simplified and priced reasonably, money currently absorbed by government would be free to flow to construction workers.

I enjoy reading about people who are surviving the hard times; those who are grateful for what they have and their encouraging attitudes. Having a positive attitude can make all of the difference in your life. For example, if 20% of homes are 'underwater' that means 80 PERCENT are holding their own. That is an encouraging figure.

It blows me away how many angry, bitter people can take an article like this and spew negativity.
Happy Labor Day to all! If you are fortunate enough to not be working today I hold you get to kick back and enjoy a cold one.

I have one project that would get construction workers jobs. Its called La Bahia.

trisha0790 wrote:

I enjoy reading about people who are surviving the hard times; those who are grateful for what they have and their encouraging attitudes. Having a positive attitude can make all of the difference in your life. For example, if 20% of homes are 'underwater' that means 80 PERCENT are holding their own. That is an encouraging figure.
It blows me away how many angry, bitter people can take an article like this and spew negativity.
Happy Labor Day to all! If you are fortunate enough to not be working today I hold you get to kick back and enjoy a cold one.

Just a few months ago it was only 10% of people underwater, now it is suddenly 20%. That is not at all encouraging news. If local home values dropped another 5-10%, how many more people will be underwater?

To everybody: Stop hiring illegal-immigrants. They depress wages and increase unemployment- the two greatest threats to economic recovery.

answer wrote:

How abou we deport these useless vagrants taking up space downtown. If you've ever been to a job site you would see with your own eyes that these Mexican boys will work ten times as hard as any one of these freaks begging for your change. Say what you want about them but at least they are ready and willing to work. Crime is present among all races. I don't necessarily agree with anyone being here illegally, but if you made it here, you might as well be productive take the necessary steps towards citizenship, pay your taxes, etc. There will always be illegal immigration no matter w hat. And with that being said, there will always be ignorance. There are also plenty of Mexican union workers.

Besides generalizing that all Mexicans work harder than other nationalities, you have also noticed the "diversity" of construction crews around this county. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. Yes, there will always be ignorant people like you.

its the economy stupid wrote:

Fix housing thats all you have to do folks, you had your chance to vote for clinton but no you had to vote for the professor...

Obama was not a professor. That was a campaign myth. He was just a lecturer.

Who shows very little knowledge of constitutional law.

As much as I hate it when the recession is bad and people lose their jobs. I feel the contractors deserve this. When the economy was good and we were having renovation done on our house I called many contractors and they would not return my calls. I would call them back and finally I got a hold of someone, they would ask me what I needed to have done I told them and they would say it was not worth their time. I told one guy be careful you never know when the economy might turn and you will be begging me for a job. So I don't feel bad for these people at all!!!

trisha0790 wrote:

It blows me away how many angry, bitter people can take an article like this and spew negativity.

This from the angriest man on the planet.