Hello Mike. I would like to respond to this question with what "I" think with my experience. First of all, I sarted my career working as a helper for several different construction company's. I did this for eight years eventually working up to a journeyman qualified to weld S.M.A.W., G.M.A.W. and G.T.A.W. per AWS and A.S.M.E. codes. I mostly worked shut downs doing 12 and 14 hour's 7 days a week. I was what most people refer to as a road whore. The money and experience that I gained were incredible. But the benifits sucked. Yes, I could make enough money in nine months to do nothing for three, but medical expenses was a cross that I had to carry alone. Not to mention the countless days away from my family missing everything. For the past seven years I have worked for one company. The medical, retirement and vacation benifits are good, but they would be better if I would have started my career in one place and stayed there.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if you are truly worried about your families growth, health and future. I would recomend finding a place to call home and only taking well deserved breaks thru scheduled vacations.
I know it can be hard, but if you look hard enough it will be there.

P.S. If I had it to do all over again I would be an electrician.

Mike,
I recall joining AWS and reading about all the benefits of membership... after the first time I tried to use the rent-a-car deal and found I got a better rate off a credit card I pretty much gave up on all of it, but I thought there was some kind of group insurance availabel through the Society.

I havent paid much attention as my business provides top notch insurance through Horizon Health Care; it's a PPO plan that you might consider if it becomes an option. On the other hand the medical plan is provided in lieu of what some would consider a living wage. Its a very expensive proposition for my small group, like buying a big new SUV for cash every year.

Consider also the cost of prescriptions; specifics vary in details but mailed-in prescriptions (long-term medicines like blood pressure etc, not the antibiotic type need-them-right-away get 'em from the drugstore) may be free, and of course there are some physicians who dont settle for the reimbursement the plan provides; sometimes these physicians, although "out of network" are the ones you want to have when the chips are down... different plans cover this eventuality differently. Hospital visits are expensive but its limited somewhat by the deductable; most treatments/xrays are being done at the doctors office or otherwise out of the hospital and covered at or near 100% and office visits have a $20, $10, or $0 "co-pay" according to your plan and the premium you're willing to pay. Few cover dental to any real depth and for braces and eye care it's a joke, but for 5 kids and the degree of care we all get, we're way ahead.

Consider also the limit they set on wht they'll pay per year.

Sorry to hear about the boy- I wish him well, and I know precisely what you're looking at from my own similar personal experience. It's the same reason I have this gilt-edge plan sucking the life-blood out of me like a vampire cojoined to my jugular.

Lord knows if there's a reader who knows of a similar plan for less money It's probably in a country with nationalized medicine... if not, I'm interested. If only there was a plan to cover college expenses as well.
d

man, this is scarry... so far it sounds like i am in big trouble when it comes to insurance. I live in Jacksonville, Fl, and I plan to stay here for a long time. I own a home here, and it is the place that i love. My first job will be working at a ship yard redoing the war ships when they come in. in about a year or so when that dries up i figure i will do a few short shutdowns, until the ship yard needs me again. so, at least for now i don't think I will be at a particular company for an extended period of time.. I can't just save up for medical times. My baby just had heart surgery, and the bill that the insurace paid (thank god) was $87,500.00. hopefully there won't be another surgery that big again any time soon, but i certainly can not bank on it. Man, I am really starting to worry about this insurance dilema....

Mike, as the owner of a business with 10 employees I know all about insurance for the self-employed. Depending on your situation, and yours is not good due to the "pre-existing condition" of your sons heart, you will want to consider keeping the insurance you have now when you are laid off. There are some new laws pertaining to this so you may be able to switch insurance companies if you need to. Generally a family man can get decent coverage for $650.00 per month. This is not top of the line coverage at this price, but it should keep you out of the poor house. Insurance policies vary alot from company to company so do your homework. Good luck.

Respectfully,
Mike Sherman
Shermans Welding

Over the last 20 years

Having apprenticed (non union) as an Ironworker (slagboy), next off for a hitch as a Navy welder (aviation), after that jumping back and forth between mechanical contractors and finally taking the leap and joining a big company at a lower wage in order to have consistency in pay and benefits I can speak to your issue.

The lure of prevailing wage jobs is tremendous. For a while I danced between a group of 3 mechanical contractors who knew one another and kind of shared welders around to make sure the good ones stayed busy but even, here field rate and shop rate were way different. So this situation, as cherry as it appeared was not consistent enough for me to obtain a mortgage and raise my family with any piece of mind.

In Jacksonville you may find working for the Dept. of Defense an option that is less risky than most. The Naval rework facility (NARF) employs civilian TIG welders represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers (IAM), some of them having worked there over 30 years without layoff. A job like this while not at the top of the pay range for welders will allow you to provide for your family (medical, dental, union protection) The Shipyards also have pretty steady work.

This is a life Issue each of us will struggle with. You must discover what in the end is more important to you and your family? Sometimes being away from the family for extended periods in order to make bigger money is not a valid trade off for the compensation. Remember your first obligation is to your family and not your career. Your wife and your children want you with them every day and depend on you to meet their material needs. The kids can get along without a TV in every room and would gladly trade any material thing you can imagine for you at home with them even if it means eating macaroni and cheese or ham hocks and cornbread.

Sometimes we must travel in order to survive; other times it's just a choice. I believe the real sacrifices we make in life are simply an exercise in doing the things that are best for us, putting aside the distraction of materialism. In my worldview married men ought not live like bachelors. This sounds Judgmental and it is! The question is a philosophical one and requires wisdom and judgment in response.

This is a good topic and sure to be lively, one each of us has dealt with in diverse ways.

A skilled welder can get a job in any city in America, most folks can't make that boast. On the other hand our lives may not be an easy or luxuriant one.

Mike; I can say that from my experience being selfemployed and a 1 man operation in a rural coal mining area where work in this field is not hard to get but not exactly an area where one can charge as much as say Philadelphia or Baltimore, getting good top of the line health ins can be a nightmare. I paid $586 monthly( stated out at $459)and every year it went up about50 or 60 bucks, I had no problem paying it as long as I could dig up work. It was a decent plan, they paid 80%, 20% was deductible, up to a certain ammount don't remember what it was, after that ammount they paid it all, and there was a prescription plan there too. Surgery and hospital were fully covered. As long as I could pick up 3 days of work a week, we were fine. Now I'm not one to throw any blame on anybody, but one week after 11 Sept every thing seemed to dry up in mining and timber, which is wear 80% of my work is. Things got pretty shaky working 4 days in 3 months, had some cash to live on that we put away for the rainy day that always comes, and this was the rainy day. Found some work on construction but they wanted me as a fulltimer, so I swallowed my pride and took the job til things pick up, will probably go back on my own soon because they are talking about going out to Pittsburgh, and I've always felt that my place was here with my wife and kids, I spent enough time away in the Army and missed a lot of growing up with the kids. But one thing you need to remember and I believe this with all my heart, God doesn't give anybody anymore stressful times than what they can handle, and for them that believe, things always seem to work out in the end. I've seen it with my wife, with myself, my parents, and countless other people. I know you have a son with a heart problem, do the best you can for him, stay near home to be there for him, and for your wife cause mothers worry as much as dads do, maybe even more. I know I didn't give you any answers, but I hope you got some encouragement out of this. Sorry I took up so much space. God Bless J Krout

Mike, I think you are going to do fine, no matter which way you go. There is no doubt, you are way ahead with a decent paying regular job and good benefits. If you are forced to, or choose to, be a little more independent, there are ways to deal with everything, including insurance. I just wanted you to know (and the rest of you, too) not all construction welders are worthless riff raff that don't take care of their families. In fact, most of the top welders that I've ever known were pretty good guys (except for 798er's, when they come around, hide all the women). A warning to you, though, without a steady job, you have to work harder, be smarter, weld better, and learn how to handle your money. Come on fellas, I'm pretty used to our overeducated, unintelligent society treating the working man like a second class citizen, but from other welders?