whats the average pay for aluminum tig welders 4-6 years

By jon20013 (*****)

Date 01-08-2007 12:38 Edited 01-08-2007 13:20

Sounds kind of low to me, but I have no idea what the cost of living is in Maine.

By Blaster (***)

Date 01-08-2007 14:04

That is about $14 an hour. That is not really untypical, but then it isn't untypical for a company paying those wages to turn over a lot people for that very reason. Turning over people is a horribly ineffecient way to run a business. There are tons of companys that are too short-sighted to see past the cost of the next payroll. Though for a company of that size, that does sound like pretty measely wages to me unless there are some other circumstances in play.

Wages will vary so much for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the acceptance criteria, how tough it is and whether or not this criteria is actually being enforced or ignored.

By fheckler Date 01-09-2007 08:01

well we lost three welders already. so now the two of us left take on all responsabillities including managing the department. but we were both trained in welding here 6 years ago. we do get alot OT. as far as criteria we inforce the one left to us by our super that left. were pretty much on our own. so we wanted to come up with a pay scale. we weld build the structures and machine. but our classifcation in the company is welders.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 01-10-2007 02:23

Hey fheckler,
I can only offer some food for thought. I also believe your wages are too low for your work and the attached responsibilities with the departure of others. I have seen, many times, management will just simply add-on additional duties and expectations and not enhance your pay-rate for these add-ons. That's really crappy IF YOU ALLOW IT!!!! There's so much truth in the "give an inch....they'll take a mile". You were hired under specific parameters to what your job duties were for the pay they provided. If your pay is based on just welding, any additional work such as fabrication, production improvements, or cost-saving implementation, benefits the company's profit margin. You work to make your job more efficient and productive, you deserve an increase in wages. Your company certainly isn't going to pass off the cost reduction/savings you implemented to the customer, it gives them a higher profit.

I can see why they are losing good personnel.....those are the ones who have seen the light of what management is doing and getting away with it because you are allowing it.....being used beyond your working pay rate. For what you describe as your work description, I'd be inclined to say 17.00/hr would be a base, and any other responsibilities would be additional. Your only recourse is to get together with your co-worker and discuss approaching management with a proposal to provide a compensatory pay for all your duties. It is true wages here in the East are 10-20% lower than other geographical locations, but the cost of living is a bit lower too. Remember, since there are only 2 of you left, you do have some bargaining power. Without you 2, how would this company be able to continue to get work done in a timely and profitable fashion? Hope I provided some insight for thought. Let us know how you make out.....Good Luck....Denny

By fheckler Date 01-10-2007 09:17

Hey yorkiepap,
This is Wharvey I am the co-worker with Fheckler. Its sounds to me that the 17 an hour should be the starting pay? I am making 1.45 an hour over that. Only 50 cents of that is for extra responsabilities. I think thats crap I asked for less than my old super told me to and still dident get that. It really blows my mind that even are big boss has said that he dont mind professionaly giveing us move money. Or even saying to my face that im worth more, but my boss dont give me more. I have gone as far as putting in a review of mine exactly what i wanted to make. That was a year and a half to two years ago, and i still aint making that yet. They have even said that they think of me on a supervisory level for my managing decisions and knowlegde. I at this point I dont know what i can do. I am thinking about going to my big boss and telling him i want more money. I have a felling that ill be denied though.

Wharvey.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 01-10-2007 19:47

Hey Wharvey,
I do believe that 17.00/hr is a bottom line wage regarding anyone who is proficient in TIG welding. TIG is the premium welding operation and thus should command a premium starting wage. Your boss sounds like he wants to really exercise his control regarding your earning power. I would suggest that after requesting a raise to a standard level and he refuses you, simply step to the next stage and go over his head to the "Big Boss" or owner. Present you case to him and show him your duties and pay scale you have, and enlighten him that this is unacceptable and is the reason he cannot maintain valuable employees. Since there are only 2 of you, I will say again, you have a bargaining advantage...especially if your company is busy. A smart employer cannot afford to lose profitable and productive employees. Just ask him how long would it take him to replace the both of you with new employees and have to train them extensively to do what you do. Maybe drift by him the notion that the both of you seek new career avenues that would appreciate your abilities and work ethics. Give him something to think about..... Stay in touch & let us know how you do....Good Luck....Denny

By fheckler Date 01-11-2007 09:00

Hey yorkiepap,
Wharvey agian. I already went to the big boss first for the raise. As you could imagine he said only if i was way off from the pay scale then i could get a raise. He had me tell my boss i wanted a raise. Same response basicly except he says he would love to give everyone what they "THINK" there worth.They know all of my duties, but they have no clue on how much work me and fheckler acualy put out. Im going to check into a few places for furthering my welding knowledge. I just dont know where to look. Im going to try thule in winslow, and Lane in brewer. I wish there was something in bucksport since i just moved into prospect, thats next to it. I love to fab its alot of fun, and rewarding when you get done and say ahhh i did that.I just dont want any soap opera crap were i work,and i want to get paid for what you do not on some scale that only includes a welders base and not extra duties and jobs.I appreciate your ideas and thoughts if you got more i would love to hear them. Thanks Wharvey.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 01-11-2007 20:34

Hey Wharvey,
Some more food for thought. For a couple of weeks, you and your buddy take a daily work sheet and list each operation and function you have to do each day. Keep these sheets to yourselves and keep a continuous log and after two weeks, show them to your boss and give him an idea of the duties and responsibilities you both maintain. Your only recourse if he doesn't find your claims valid, is to just tell him you will work at your job classification as described and nothing extra will be done. If he doesn't like it, simply mention that he should hire additional personnel to do the additional add-ons you were given without compensation. My only other suggestion is, in the near future, for you and fheckler to consider hooking up together and maybe go to being independent welding contractors yourselves. You could share costs & expenses together to get started, and have an agreement between yourselves if one or the other want to go it alone. There is a lot of work available if you hustle a bit, and if you go back to some of my previous posts to another fellow welder, you can see some of the side work I do and recommendations I submitted. Anyway, always keep a positive train of thought, look towards bettering your futures, and always think. Be sure of any moves, but don't hesitate new endeavors, even if it's on a part-time basis. Keep us informed......Denny

By fheckler Date 01-12-2007 08:25

hey yorkiepap,
fheckler this time lol. we are going to do the sheets. were on 80hr weeks for the last two weeks so that will give us plenty of amo. this is our busy time so were doing 2am to 230-5:00pm we should have enough data for the papers. were so busy we had to sub out. as far as moving on were trying. i have a shop on my property that can be set up for alot differnet welding apps. need money first though. thats our major goals. what we need now is to know where to go for tig certs. were looking at the schools for that but you have to take a class at most then test. so that will have to be done. no big deal. i saw in your other emails the list of reasons for welding wages. good info to have thanks. ps my family and i lived in easton and saliersburg. i still have family in spatinsburg. sounds like pa is more plentiful in welding than maine. go phillies. thanks Frank

By Sourdough (****)

Date 01-12-2007 22:26

Brother, let me be the first to say: If you are a qualified aluminum welder you should make at least 60k a year!

By fheckler Date 01-13-2007 07:13

i do with ot thats part of there base reasoning pay low make me work to death. i have a meeting monday on this issue i will leet you know the results.

By makeithot (***)

Date 01-15-2007 02:11

You hear about this kind of thing all the time . Just from the aspect of health hazards alone aluminium welding should be more . It seems to me that most employers thing that because the material is lighter the pay should be lower. I can't hold a grudge against any company from turning a profit but if they are doing it by breaking the backs of those that work for them then they themselves should most likely step -up to the plate ,pick-up a helmet and then tell us how easy it is and how much it's worth. Most don't even have a clue where to start. Besides that with the amount of work out there right now if they don't want to pony up it is time to move on. Thats what I did and as yet don't regret it for a minute.

By fheckler Date 01-16-2007 11:11

well all they finaly steped up and the big boss came thrugh after i went to salary.com and gave them the report for this area. and they relized how it would be with to angry welders. but i had to go higher than my boss, because off his bugeting. the big boss gave me my pay scale for this area. but wharvey is already up there so he isn't getting one. but they want to come up with a duties list. since we do more than weld. then wharvey will have more grounds for pay. so thankyou to all for your insite. it help more than you know.