[billyhaze]

Oh yea some where in daytona beach , fl.. would be great

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Florida is one of the most notorious Right to Work states of all. I know people who moved from cities like Toledo and Cleveland and had to move back because they could not make a living in FL and also totally understimated their ability to work outdoors for 40+ hours a week in the Florida summers. I am an RN with several years of experience. I currently make around $40/hour in Michigan. If I were to move to Florida, my wages would drop considerably, but the COL is not any lower to compensate for that.

You have to accept that unions are not strong in the Sunbelt states and that your wages will drop from your current rate considerably anywhere in that area. Arizona is the same way, because we lived there for a while for my dh's job. The Phoenix area is inundated with immigrants, both legal and illegal, who are willing to work for peanuts. I wonder if Florida doesn't have the same situation with the Cubans and Haitians.

That is absolutely the case in the construction industry in all of the trades, not just the lower rung positions though the ethnic pot is mixed by Mexicans and maybe a few Central American nationalities.
So factor in the large pool of qualified workers against an insufficient amount of work and then factor in that part of the worker pool is willing to work for $12 an hour versus $20 -$25 an hour minimum. Guess who is getting most of the work? Just remember sunshine and warm weather does not the pay bills and it's not much less expensive to live here. Yet so many think they're going to be different than the rest and be just fine....

[sware2cod]

billyhaze: You might call the local companies that deliver/pur the concrete. They might know which clients have lots of jobs and they might know some who are looking for employees.

There is a new building boom that is starting in FL so the timing might be good for you.

The bigger cities will have more work going on and will pay higher.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

There is a new building boom that is starting in FL so the timing might be good for you.

The bigger cities will have more work going on and will pay higher.

Which will put some of the currently out of work and locally known workers back to work. The bigger cities pay more but we're talking $25 an hour versus $20 and it's more expensive to live and work in those cities. Why in the world would someone sane trade in double the hourly wage for half, with a cost of living not reflective of that?? Especially when the work isn't even guaranteed. There are other states (like Louisiana and Texas) where that's not the case if one wants warm weather.

[Spring Hillian]

What does being a "right to work state" have anything to do with it? Please inform yourself as to what "Right to work state" means.

Originally Posted by canudigit

Florida is one of the most notorious Right to Work states of all. I know people who moved from cities like Toledo and Cleveland and had to move back because they could not make a living in FL and also totally understimated their ability to work outdoors for 40+ hours a week in the Florida summers. I am an RN with several years of experience. I currently make around $40/hour in Michigan. If I were to move to Florida, my wages would drop considerably, but the COL is not any lower to compensate for that.

You have to accept that unions are not strong in the Sunbelt states and that your wages will drop from your current rate considerably anywhere in that area. Arizona is the same way, because we lived there for a while for my dh's job. The Phoenix area is inundated with immigrants, both legal and illegal, who are willing to work for peanuts. I wonder if Florida doesn't have the same situation with the Cubans and Haitians.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Florida is one of the most notorious Right to Work states of all. I know people who moved from cities like Toledo and Cleveland and had to move back because they could not make a living in FL and also totally understimated their ability to work outdoors for 40+ hours a week in the Florida summers. I am an RN with several years of experience. I currently make around $40/hour in Michigan. If I were to move to Florida, my wages would drop considerably, but the COL is not any lower to compensate for that.

You have to accept that unions are not strong in the Sunbelt states and that your wages will drop from your current rate considerably anywhere in that area. Arizona is the same way, because we lived there for a while for my dh's job. The Phoenix area is inundated with immigrants, both legal and illegal, who are willing to work for peanuts. I wonder if Florida doesn't have the same situation with the Cubans and Haitians.

A lot of generalizations there....

A. Plenty of nurses making a lot less than $40 an hour in Michigan right now, so while you have a good job plenty of others don't. You may not even be able to replace that job at $40 if you needed to making your situation an anomaly. Plenty of towns in Michigan that you can't give away real estate in (former factory towns) so high COL isn't statewide in MI.
B. Michigan and Mass both have high heating expenses and state income tax, FL has neither
C. Immigrants are a problem in a lot of places (ever work with a Philippino nurse ). Florida may have a lot of Cubans/Haitians in South Florida but being the influx happened years ago I suspect there are plenty of US citizens of Cuban/Haitian descent by now!

[sware2cod]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

..Why in the world would someone sane trade in double the hourly wage for half, with a cost of living not reflective of that?? ....

We don't know that it's half pay in FL compared to MA.

Keep in mind, in MA, I would guess there is zero concrete work going on during the colder months. I would bet the concrete workers work 8 months out of the year.

Also there is no income tax in FL. And no tax on food. And housing is usually cheaper, but now sure how much cheaper(depends on location).

There is another issue that is important...quality of life. There is a big value in this. If someone wants to be in FL and loves it in FL and hates MA, then there is a value(let's call it happiness) in coming to FL and even working for a lower wage.

Each person has to weigh that happiness value. Some folks don't even like FL so that happiness value wouldn't be a factor. But OP wants to be in FL and wants out of MA.

[Spring Hillian]

Take a moment and go to your favorite web search and in the search box put "Concrete Wokers FL".
You will get listings of companies around the state doing the work as well as job listings. Seems to be over 100 open positions around the state right now.

I think the Teamsters represent concrete workers in FL.

Originally Posted by billyhaze

I live in Fall River, mass.. i want to move to florida for good, but i'm worried im not going to find a good place that i can afford and a job. Right now im a union lobar local 151 and i work constrution.. So right now my questiom is.. Were is the best place to live in florida for constrution union lobar jobs and good cheap house for rent?????

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

Also there is no income tax in FL. And no tax on food. And housing is usually cheaper, but now sure how much cheaper(depends on location).

Food is taxed.
As far as housing... it all depends on where you're comparing it to.
There are other expenses one might come in to in Florida where it's more expensive (my car insurance doubled), but again, it depends what city/state your comparing it to.

[sware2cod]

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

Food is taxed.

There is no tax for food at the supermarket.

There is tax on food at restaurants.