Like usual SignosaurusRex nailed it on the head. When I first read this original post a few things just didnt make sense to me. In a union situation I have only on one account seen a system in place where the payrate was not set and as clear as could be no questions..it is what it is. No room for misinterpretation.
I know people who make very good money in the sign industry. They are either incredible installers, very efficient, amazing troubleshooters and are able to get the job done without returning to the shop, very rarely receiving call backs from clients ,etc.
I know fabricators that make great money..they are handed a list of tasks, they work unsupervised, they produce a great product, they are efficient, professional, reliable ,etc.
I know sales people that make great money they are self motivated, they build new markets, they manage those markets and generate profits for their employers.
and then there are the rest...the majority of superstar employees, that see the big picture usually become business owners themselves.
one of the sayings I think every company that I have consulted for has heard me say is 'that there are two types of employees...money makers and money takers...if you are a money taker...you'd better watch out" companies will keep employees that make them a profit, if an employee costs a company money you'd better be on the hunt for a new job.
There are areas in the U.S. where a very experienced fabricator can make $60-70K per year.
In my area there are sign shop employees with 10-15yrs experience, with electrical licenses, that would be superstars at any sign shop in the nation and they would be lucky to make $16 an hour in this area, when I had my shop in Portland I couldnt hire employees to sweep my warehouse for less than $15 an hour in the late 90's early 2000's. The part of the country plays a big part in this. The focus of the company plays a big part in this as well...shops that focus on different areas of the sign industry pay more than others for example the shops that manufacture trade show exhibits or monuments tend to pay significantly more than the shops that produce vehicle magnets and corro signs.
Wages are all over the place based on your skill level, the needs of the company hiring, the financial stability of that company, the value they place on your skill set...you might be the hottest designer in the nation but if they need someone simply run their printer your design skills aren't of much value to them.
I often tell job hunters that if it is a company that you believe has potential, that you believe in their philosophy, their vision, etc it may be worth a gamble...get in the door, do your best...do more than your best. But if you see signs that it might not be a company that is a good fit for you keep hunting, there are good companies out there. There are companies you can grow with.
But if you go into the shop and everyone is playing scrabble, throwing darts while they are waiting for the phone to ring...well it might be a real fun place to work but it also may be a pretty good sign that they are not real focused on growth, sales, etc. myself I would rather work for a company that is focused on growing, focused on being the best that they can be so that they grow and we all make more money.
By the way I've seen a company where everyone sat aroudn and played scrabble and threw darts while waiting for customers and I've seen some that where even less motivated than that lol.
