I am FIRST a DIVER, second, an employer. When I bid a job I do a cost annalisis (what's it gonna cost) I consider the potential compitition, Who the client is, the difficulty of the project, time, equipment, expendables, wear and tear on equipment, overhead, amount of man power. As near to perfect as possible. The entire job is cost out plus a 5 to 8% error factor, a profit for the company to grow and a wage for myself as a diver.
There is no way ANY CONTRACTOR SHOULD PUT THE MARGIN OF PROFIT ON THE BACKS OF HIS DIVERS OR CREW. Now days more so than ever. There are clients and contractors trying to do this and if you, me and the rest of us let it happen it will happen. The pay for what we do and if you really, really think about the risks, costs and sacrifices we as the bottom dwellers face and experience. What we get is what is well earned. I have only met a slight hand full of divers who I thought didn't earn his keep and sooner or later he is weeded out of the pool. So ....... Dont' let any one tell you times are hard, times are anything, the owners, cities, states , governmental purchasing agents all have to save money yes, indeed but not on the backs of divers and tenders. ANY DIVER WHO SCABS A JOB FROM ANOTHER DIVER DUE TO SLASHED WAGES isn't worth much in my book. I loose jobs rather than tell a guy go down there risk your life for 2/3rd pay. or not scale pay. Contractors too, who cut their bids in half to keep guys working are going to cripple the industry for decades. The Florida diving industry is just an example of that. How can a diving co. bid a job 75 % of the rest of the bids with out stepping on his divers and crew or not have insurances? These days are rough but keep in mind the bottom line in most bidding hasn't dropped that much because the costs to do the work hasn't dropped that much. So make your minds up... SCALE! , STAND UP OR GO HOME? you can post the scabs name all over the net. and the company. If you want to see offshore divers or inland divers pay drop to $15/hr and 0 depth pay. don't stand up. I am a DIVER first! Your wearing a hat? your in the pool and responsible for the present day industry and the next generation of divers. This is my oppinion and maybe no one elses. I've been the odd ball more than once. AND FOR GOD SAKES STOP DOING ENTRY FLIPS FOR THE U-TUBE.

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Replies to This Discussion

Barone what ya mean you dont like $15 a hr heck just cause you show up with a $6000 dive hat and have a $16,000 plus dive education and have been in the field what 10 years plus you mean you what want maybe $30 a hr plus ? Man I am confused I mean really do you know how much it costs to keep my BMW up these days ? Hey I gotta go my BMW needs a detailing. Why dont you discuss all of this with my ops guy after all we are all family here arent we. So is that what ya been hearing ?
I have and always live to provide for my family. Living to impress others with junk, will also ruin you as a diver. Buy what you need, while your working, save the rest and but to impress yourself after you retire.
200 per day + depth or my gear doesnt leave my truck. Always been that way. Emergencies, life threatening situations, I have packed out for free. But when its work or the welfare line. I get paid (know your rate & comp in writing) or I go home!
Theres a lot of "Tenderswhothinktheyaredivers whining bout 15 an hour... Ive worked around tenders in my early days who made 5-6 an hour. Divers, you are the blood of the people you work for, one man accepts less than scale, you open the door to collapse. The company makes millions per year, never mind the "Expence mumbo jumbo, reality as a Contractor, I know many expences that are inflated ( Idont believe in doing this to customers),are written off as tax credits for one charity or government program or another. Honest business, means the wealth travels UPSTREAM not Down Hill Good companies will pay their divers well and comp them well, because the good divers will walk the second their pay is cut. A Scab or suck A@@ will hang out and scrape up all the scraps. Stand together and Get PAid, or Just keep lookin out for numero' uno, and starve when your 7.00 ph tender gets broke out at 7.25 ph. Your call.
Jeez $15 ph was the bottom pay back in the mid '80's what is anyone thinking ? $200 a day with a truck and dive gear that sucks you need more unless your running a charity.
Lets see I bring my plug in welder and charge $400 a day plus airfare and a place to stay and meals-whats wrong with these pictures ? The money is there you just got to know how to axcess it.
In 1989 when I started with PDNO, a green tender without any gear was making 10.00 ph, Larry was payin fully geared divers just under 200 per day with plus comps. The "Inflation/Cost of Living" rule states that every 10 years costs & prices double (as should payroll , LOL) that means a diver (AIR not SAT) should by that rule be bringing home at least $800.00 Per Day + comp. If the companies have doubled their costs 2X's in the last 20 years why are the wages so low? Answer: Student "Divers" (Tenders) are being told to take it if its offered - (How do I know this? I just went thru a school to find out first hand what is being taught to these youngsters) Its ashame, that as "specialized as our craft is, that apprentice ship builders ( Green Hands ) are making more on the beach than Skilled Divers are being offered to risk their lives for.
It will not stop until Supervisors stop allowing Tenders in the water before they are ready, and newly broke out divers stop taking cheese wages just to get in the Dive rotation. You kids have families like the rest of us, Stand together, and listen to the men who are risking their lives next to you, its for your own good. Remember the guy in payroll signing your check will never dive next to you, the less you make, the nicer neighborhood he/she gets to live in.
I've just read all the replies and I, as a NEW tender am making over $15 an hr, so if my diver is in the water for less than I'm making there is something SERIOUSLY WRONG!

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