Are all workers gone

delaval

We are looking for a fulltime worker to milk, tractor work and general work.
I have tried all the usual spots to advertise but to no avail. We even have acomodation vailable.
I hear a lot about the unemployment situation but I am wondering have all the people interested in job left the country?
Is our social welfare too generous?

toastedpickles

Where are ye based?

Mulumpy

Tis next to impossible get a good lad now that'll work the long hours that farming brings. Our AI man got his son trained up to give him a hand this year but refuses to get out of bed for the morning run!!!

bbam

delaval wrote: »

We are looking for a fulltime worker to milk, tractor work and general work.
I have tried all the usual spots to advertise but to no avail. We even have acomodation vailable.
I hear a lot about the unemployment situation but I am wondering have all the people interested in job left the country?
Is our social welfare too generous?

I have an opinion on this...

Really your 90% looking for farmers sons (or daughters)..
I find in general they're not "the unemployed"

they're busy, getting stuck into something, they'll have a job at something.. Just because the unemployment rate is high doesn't mean your going to have a better selection of workers available for farm work..

I interviewed for maintenance staff in Intel for years... I always looked out for farmers children... much better at being busy, they expected to be busy, also at 3am when the brown sticky stuff hit the fan I'd rather be surrounded by a crew who were used to getting things going and done no matter what it took... 99% of people from a farming background have this idea built in..

Mulumpy

bbam wrote: »

I have an opinion on this...

Really your 90% looking for farmers sons (or daughters)..
I find in general they're not "the unemployed"

they're busy, getting stuck into something, they'll have a job at something.. Just because the unemployment rate is high doesn't mean your going to have a better selection of workers available for farm work..

I interviewed for maintenance staff in Intel for years... I always looked out for farmers children... much better at being busy, they expected to be busy, also at 3am when the brown sticky stuff hit the fan I'd rather be surrounded by a crew who were used to getting things going and done no matter what it took... 99% of people from a farming background have this idea built in..

Very true have to agree. Could you employ someone through the farm relief Delaval and when you find a good one put them through your own books. Thats what I did

darragh_haven

From what I see, its the pay is usually not good enough. I see my best friend from school who is milking a herd of 300 cows, thinks paying a lad 80 euro a day is bordering as too expensive. Hes gone through 4 farm hands in less than 3 years. They guy wouldn't take home more than 350 a week for between 50 to 55 hours. Weather you think the welfare is too good or the pay too small...... I think he's being tight. This is the opinion of a few others I worked for when I had no other work during late 2008 and all 2009.
A neighbour I helped for 3 weeks payed me 85 aday, but it ddidn't matter if the day was 11 hours or 16 hours

whelan1

i have given up looking for a worker as you describe.... near impossible to get, did you ring the ag colleges and see if they know anyone looking for a job? hopefully with the bigger numbers going through ag college there might be more people available

rancher

whelan1 wrote: »

i have given up looking for a worker as you describe.... near impossible to get, did you ring the ag colleges and see if they know anyone looking for a job? hopefully with the bigger numbers going through ag college there might be more people available

John kelly, sheep diary writer for the journal, calved down 60 heifers this year to start milking.
He keeps us up to date on his dairying on twitter, The way he works his labour is using relief on sat/sun and now he tells us he's considering going OAD, what do you think, he keeps a lot of ewes as well

belcampprisoner

put ad in farmers journal

delaval

rancher wrote: »

John kelly, sheep diary writer for the journal, calved down 60 heifers this year to start milking.
He keeps us up to date on his dairying on twitter, The way he works his labour is using relief on sat/sun and now he tells us he's considering going OAD, what do you think, he keeps a lot of ewes as well

My situation is that workers are not leaving all seem quiet happy in fact our milker is here 7 years. We are growing and I find it difficult to find guys that are good all rounders. I have no intention of going OAD too much loss of output and same inputs required.
We would be very hands on our selves, we are not looking for some one to run the place but to assist.

Figerty

Have ye tried the third level colleges notice boards. There are a lot of broke students out there that can't get summer work.

linebacker52

have you tired the farm relief they should be able to find you someone.

whelan1

linebacker52 wrote: »

have you tired the farm relief they should be able to find you someone.

farm relief around here are brutal tbh. ,maybe they have changed in the last few years but they would be my last port of call, asked for someone to run the farm while i had a baby, they sent me someone who had only milked in an abreast parlour- i have a herring bone, was quite happy to watch me do everything even though he was to be running the place.....ended up a neighbour stood in for me

linebacker52

whelan1 wrote: »

farm relief around here are brutal tbh. ,maybe they have changed in the last few years but they would be my last port of call, asked for someone to run the farm while i had a baby, they sent me someone who had only milked in an abreast parlour- i have a herring bone, was quite happy to watch me do everything even though he was to be running the place.....ended up a neighbour stood in for me

I find the farm relief excellent. I dislocated my shoulder in June 2011 pretty badly I'm currently awaiting the results of an mri to see if I need another operation. Anyway the point of this is the farm relief have been here almost full time since then five or six different lads I couldn't find fault with any of them and would have no problem leaving any of them here to run the place while I'm away.

Timmaay

Delaval, you looking for someone with afew yrs experience, or would someone straight out of a dairy green cert do, I'd know one or two down your way, can pass on the word.

whelan1 wrote: »

farm relief around here are brutal tbh. ,maybe they have changed in the last few years but they would be my last port of call, asked for someone to run the farm while i had a baby, they sent me someone who had only milked in an abreast parlour- i have a herring bone, was quite happy to watch me do everything even though he was to be running the place.....ended up a neighbour stood in for me

Have have plenty of problems over the yrs here, one who honestly didn't have a clue, i was about 13 at the time and spend the wk in the parlour with her as it was basically as if she was starting afresh each milking, couldn't remember anything about the parlour or our cows. Another who forgot to close the catch on the tank, 1/2 the mornings milking gone! What really took the biscuit was the polish chap who had **** all English, and there were 1 or 2 cows with antibiotics, trying to explain to make sure they didn't got into the tank no matter what was hard work, and scary to say the least.

jomoloney

we took on a lad (city) part time, he has a full clean driving license and does the factory, mart and firewood delivery runs, also spreads fertilizer and does fencing repairs , helps with dosing , testing etc,


he doesn't milk but is extremely reliable and punctual ,

his presence even for a few hours a week has greatly eased the workload

whelan1

jomoloney wrote: »

we took on a lad (city) part time, he has a full clean driving license and does the factory, mart and firewood delivery runs, also spreads fertilizer and does fencing repairs , helps with dosing , testing etc,


he doesn't milk but is extremely reliable and punctual ,

his presence even for a few hours a week has greatly eased the workload

see thats the word reliable.... very hard to get someone reliable

Farmer Pudsey

There are two issue's.

The first is that the unemployment benefit is generous and some lads are happy to live in 100 yoyo a week.

The second is pay you will find it hard to get a decent worker for the minimum agri wage or near it. Even paying some one 100/day before tax will cost an employer about 140/day work when all is said and done. Most farming set up cannot sustain that. Paying 500/week will leave a worker with 420 take home approx. but will cost the employer about 700/weeks actual work between holiday pay and employer PRSI.

Now some people rightly point out 80/day is poor wages but you have to look at the other side as well. Very few consider the cost to the employer. If you employee someone you have to generate a margin of about 50% of there wages before you even start to make a profit.

We had a thread about H&S earlier if the said industrial regulations were enforced in farming as in industry it would close farming down. Imagine having to send an employee to a couple days training a year minimum. Imagine doing Safe Pass ever 3 years. Maybe compulsory tractor/machinery training etc etc. Few understand the cost involved and this is why big companies that are involved in industrial/construction activities are subcontracting all these activities out.

freedominacup

I'm assuming you need someone for the more basic work. Is there not a case to be made for getting someone with no experience and training them to do the work you need done as you would want it done rather than as they were half shown to do it elsewhere.

On a large piggery close to me with all employed labour the guy with the best % for pigs reared to weaning was born and reared in London and was originally qualified as a printer/typesetter.

Damo810

Would like to do something like that! Shame I have no experience with the Dairy

Dampintheattic

In a day job with thirty years and small farm as well. Mortgage and all that crap, paid and sorted. College bullsh1t also sorted. Time for a change! Would love to give up the day job, and work part time for a farmer or maybe between a couple of farms.
If I had €70 a day for three days, or say equivalent split over four days, I'd jump at it.
Would be quite flexible. Work 7 days at times for time off in lieu, etc. etc.
Sundays or bank hols wouldn't bother me, for flat time off at another time.


Must be plenty of fellas like me out there available!!!! Yes / No???

bob charles

Dampintheattic wrote: »

In a day job with thirty years and small farm as well. Mortgage and all that crap, paid and sorted. College bullsh1t also sorted. Time for a change! Would love to give up the day job, and work part time for a farmer or maybe between a couple of farms.
If I had €70 a day for three days, or say equivalent split over four days, I'd jump at it.
Would be quite flexible. Work 7 days at times for time off in lieu, etc. etc.
Sundays or bank hols wouldn't bother me, for flat time off at another time.


Must be plenty of fellas like me out there available!!!! Yes / No???

I give you a start, 6.30am bank holiday monday morning and see how things go. how does 50 a day sound for your induction year

bob charles

freedominacup wrote: »

I'm assuming you need someone for the more basic work. Is there not a case to be made for getting someone with no experience and training them to do the work you need done as you would want it done rather than as they were half shown to do it elsewhere.

On a large piggery close to me with all employed labour the guy with the best % for pigs reared to weaning was born and reared in London and was originally qualified as a printer/typesetter.

I would agree with that. I would have no problem hiring a worker with 0% experience on a farm aslong as they have the willingness to work and learn, and train them up the way I like the work done.

Jordan5372

I have been working on farms since i was 10 years old, my uncle to owns a farm i work on. I am starting college in September ( 19 years old now ) with full clean driving licence. I have all summer free. I have some experience in John Deere tractors, experience with quads and farm machinery.
Never done milking before as its been arable work mainly, however i have moved cattle, put out silage, moved silage etc etc.

I am a "jack of all trades, master of none" a little knowledge on everything.

I would be more than happy to help you around the farm.

redzerologhlen

I agree lads that it is very hard to get a good reliable worker for a farm that actually knows what he is doing. I have a very good friend that I went to school and ag college going off to Canada the middle of next week. He was working for a 150 cow suckler farmer for the last 5 years for 70 quid a day. He is a very sharp lad around cattle and cows calving, he watched and ai'd 40 cows for them last year himself and was often left in charge of the whole show for a week by himself when they went on holidays but when they were there they blagarded him, constantly nit picking and belittling him to the point he couldnt stick them any more. For 70 euro a day you couldnt get a better lad and what I am saying is if you do get a good lad dont make a c*nt out of him like they did. My auld lad was in the farm apprenticeship scheme in his young days for a few years and he often told me the worst people he ever worked for were farmers and id believe it, always want everything cheaper and always cribbing about something.

joehig

where in the country are you ?

bob charles

I have a guy that comes to look at the stock every second day, he is a real stockman and every animals is gone through one by one, whereas with me when busy they are counted in over the hedge with my fat lazy ass on the seat of the tractor. he is getting very good wedge per hour, but then again if he saves 2 animals a year that the bones of 3k saved. When im away I dont have one bother on my mind about will the cattle be away. I could do with a careful tractor jockey couple of days a week but finding one of those isnt the easiest.

popa smurf

delaval wrote: »

We are looking for a fulltime worker to milk, tractor work and general work.
I have tried all the usual spots to advertise but to no avail. We even have acomodation vailable.
I hear a lot about the unemployment situation but I am wondering have all the people interested in job left the country?
Is our social welfare too generous?

Did you go into social welfare and tell them you had work for a man, plenty good lads around doing nothing. They will ring up lads that are suitable for the Job and you can interview them and give them a trial and see how they get on If they are offered a job they have to take it or else they could lose there Benefit and rightly so, Wants you wouldn't abuse them and i say you are not that kind of chap not like some of your fellow boardies.

whelan1

went trough fas , a few years ago. got lads answering with no experience , total joke, so i just have to plod along with what i have and hopefully in the future things will change

C0N0R

Out of curiosity delavel what sort of pay would you be looking to give a lad? And what sort of hours time off etc?? Just looking to compare what a lad is worth out here compared to home.

delaval

C0N0R wrote: »

Out of curiosity delavel what sort of pay would you be looking to give a lad? And what sort of hours time off etc?? Just looking to compare what a lad is worth out here compared to home.

We would pay depending on experience and ability
Time off would be very flexible here would expect full time in spring but lots of time would be given in lieu. We would only pay through the book.
If a guy would be willing to take on the responsibility of looking after milking or taking charge of scc I would pay accordingly.
Are you looking for omething when you come home?

C0N0R

delaval wrote: »

We would pay depending on experience and ability
Time off would be very flexible here would expect full time in spring but lots of time would be given in lieu. We would only pay through the book.
If a guy would be willing to take on the responsibility of looking after milking or taking charge of scc I would pay accordingly.
Are you looking for omething when you come home?

I've a job setup for next season out here but after that I'm not sure what I've planned. From my experience if you want to make any sort of a decent living from working on dairy farms it can be quite tough at home compared to here. I guess out here it's a lot more common and is setup accordingly not to say that it's impossible though.

irish_bhoy09

delaval wrote: »

We are looking for a fulltime worker to milk, tractor work and general work.
I have tried all the usual spots to advertise but to no avail. We even have acomodation vailable.
I hear a lot about the unemployment situation but I am wondering have all the people interested in job left the country?
Is our social welfare too generous?

what part of the country are you in delaval?

delaval

irish_bhoy09 wrote: »

what part of the country are you in delaval?

North KK

irish_bhoy09

delaval wrote: »

North KK

laois border?

delaval

irish_bhoy09 wrote: »

laois border?

yes that area

Bog Man 1

In a lot of countries women do the milking and split shifts suit them more so than the male of the species . Nobody on a farm should be asked to work more than 40 hours a week as it is not sustainable long term . Most farms are badly organised and have not a clue how to cut down on labour and would rather spend money on a shiny new trailer that would be seen at the mart than to spend money to reduce drudgery .
A local engineering company employs about 40 lads and if you are not there at the van at 6.45 on monday morning you do not work for the week. They are well paid and well treated but there are clear guidelines that are not crossed .

Suckler

whelan1 wrote: »

went trough fas , a few years ago. got lads answering with no experience , total joke, so i just have to plod along with what i have and hopefully in the future things will change

How are they supposed to get experience?

kfk

Suckler wrote: »

How are they supposed to get experience?

The trouble with employing people with no farming experience is that a lot of them will soon realize that it is not as similar to farmville as they thought it would be and the farmer ends up paying them for their little adventure.

Suckler

kfk wrote: »

The trouble with employing people with no farming experience is that a lot of them will soon realize that it is not as similar to farmville as they thought it would be and the farmer ends up paying them for their little adventure.

It's a generous leap of the imagination to link playing farmville and wanting to work on a farm.

whelan1

Suckler wrote: »

It's a generous leap of the imagination to link playing farmville and wanting to work on a farm.

and some of the cvs that you get from people looking for work are also a generous leap of the imagination, paper doesnt refuse ink

Suckler

whelan1 wrote: »

and some of the cvs that you get from people looking for work are also a generous leap of the imagination, paper doesnt refuse ink

How is this relevant?

kfk

Suckler wrote: »

It's a generous leap of the imagination to link playing farmville and wanting to work on a farm.

I dont think so. I remember a thread, probably a couple of years ago by someone who played farmville a lot. The poster was of the opinion that farmville would give people a greater appreciation of farming and that it would create employment in the farming sector! I have no doubt that some of our urban friends will play farmville and start dreaming that someday they will run their own farm!

Suckler

kfk wrote: »

I dont think so. I remember a thread, probably a couple of years ago by someone who played farmville a lot. The poster was of the opinion that farmville would give people a greater appreciation of farming and that it would create employment in the farming sector! I have no doubt that some of our urban friends will play farmville and start dreaming that someday they will run their own farm!

Right. :rolleyes:

So playing a game is now related to some sort of ad hoc career advice?

"Our urban friends" - so you think Agriculture should be some sort of closed door sector and those who dared to grow up off farms shouldn't be permitted near one?

dixiefly

bbam wrote: »

I have an opinion on this...

Really your 90% looking for farmers sons (or daughters)..
I find in general they're not "the unemployed"

they're busy, getting stuck into something, they'll have a job at something.. Just because the unemployment rate is high doesn't mean your going to have a better selection of workers available for farm work..

I interviewed for maintenance staff in Intel for years... I always looked out for farmers children... much better at being busy, they expected to be busy, also at 3am when the brown sticky stuff hit the fan I'd rather be surrounded by a crew who were used to getting things going and done no matter what it took... 99% of people from a farming background have this idea built in..

Good point, I grew up working in a shop and pub and had to always work my college studies around the work. While my college results could have been better I think it helped me get my first job in industry ahead of us with PhD's. in that job we sometimes had to work 24 hours when we had problems in the plant, it was never an issue or me.

dixiefly

redzerologhlen wrote: »

I agree lads that it is very hard to get a good reliable worker for a farm that actually knows what he is doing. I have a very good friend that I went to school and ag college going off to Canada the middle of next week. He was working for a 150 cow suckler farmer for the last 5 years for 70 quid a day. He is a very sharp lad around cattle and cows calving, he watched and ai'd 40 cows for them last year himself and was often left in charge of the whole show for a week by himself when they went on holidays but when they were there they blagarded him, constantly nit picking and belittling him to the point he couldnt stick them any more. For 70 euro a day you couldnt get a better lad and what I am saying is if you do get a good lad dont make a c*nt out of him like they did. My auld lad was in the farm apprenticeship scheme in his young days for a few years and he often told me the worst people he ever worked for were farmers and id believe it, always want everything cheaper and always cribbing about something.

I can just imagine his. How did the farmer react to your friend leaving? Did he get a replacement easily?

kfk

Suckler wrote: »

Right. :rolleyes:

So playing a game is now related to some sort of ad hoc career advice?

"Our urban friends" - so you think Agriculture should be some sort of closed door sector and those who dared to grow up off farms shouldn't be permitted near one?

That is not what I meant. No need to be nit picking at words. Im sure you will find that of people that play flight sim games, a higher percentage of them will want to become pilots than people that dont play it.

dixiefly

delaval wrote: »

We are looking for a fulltime worker to milk, tractor work and general work.
I have tried all the usual spots to advertise but to no avail. We even have acomodation vailable.
I hear a lot about the unemployment situation but I am wondering have all the people interested in job left the country?
Is our social welfare too generous?

If it is anything like here in Meath there should be some lads available that grew up on farms and are not working or under employed. Farming is one of those occupations that would probably need to be "in you" in the majority of cases.

MAybe advertise more widely emphasising the accommodation. You might get a couple of guys from other parts of the country each doing about 3 days a week. You might also have to think about paying cash in hand, not sure about that though.

Suckler

kfk wrote: »

That is not what I meant. No need to be nit picking at words. Im sure you will find that of people that play flight sim games, a higher percentage of them will want to become pilots than people that dont play it.

It's not the words, more the condescending attitude. Those from urban areas could only want to work on a farm because they play farmville nonsense.

On that basis, judging by the amount of Fifa games sold, Ireland should be up there with Brazil on the international soccer stage but thankfully people can differentiate between reality and games.

I don't care where some one comes from, if they are willing to work diligently and learn then they'll be retained.

delaval

dixiefly wrote: »

If it is anything like here in Meath there should be some lads available that grew up on farms and are not working or under employed. Farming is one of those occupations that would probably need to be "in you" in the majority of cases.

MAybe advertise more widely emphasising the accommodation. You might get a couple of guys from other parts of the country each doing about 3 days a week. You might also have to think about paying some cash in hand at those wages.

I have advertised widely and done some interviews. There is a shortage of experienced guys whom I would be willing to pay well. I would have no problem taking on a newbe, but they think they are worth a lot more than they are. I would be very prepared to invest in an inexperienced person but they would have to accept that pay grade. I would also need a commitment from them to stay at least 2 years and be on full pay after say 6 mths when I would expect them to be fairly up to speed.
I need a person that could do a milking, spread slurry, spot a bulling cow, spread fert, move cattle to out farms very general. This guy does not need to be an expert.
Our student has decided to stay on 'till Sept. I will try again in Aug. He is from the middle of Dublin and had no experience at all, he has turned out to be a dinger. We usually finish here at 6.30 in the pm and I have often gone to the yard for milk or to check a calf at8.30 and he could be there bedding calves or painting a door. He came to my place on Tues pm without being asked and edged the lawn with me in preparation for communion today. My kids like him so much that he is invited to the celebrations today. I suppose he is like a big brother to them. I went to feed the calves this am and he had already started even though he has the day off............you can't train that into someone

Under no circumstances will I pay cash in hand

C0N0R

delaval wrote: »

I have advertised widely and done some interviews. There is a shortage of experienced guys whom I would be willing to pay well. I would have no problem taking on a newbe, but they think they are worth a lot more than they are. I would be very prepared to invest in an inexperienced person but they would have to accept that pay grade. I would also need a commitment from them to stay at least 2 years and be on full pay after say 6 mths when I would expect them to be fairly up to speed.
I need a person that could do a milking, spread slurry, spot a bulling cow, spread fert, move cattle to out farms very general. This guy does not need to be an expert.
Our student has decided to stay on 'till Sept. I will try again in Aug. He is from the middle of Dublin and had no experience at all, he has turned out to be a dinger. We usually finish here at 6.30 in the pm and I have often gone to the yard for milk or to check a calf at8.30 and he could be there bedding calves or painting a door. He came to my place on Tues pm without being asked and edged the lawn with me in preparation for communion today. My kids like him so much that he is invited to the celebrations today. I suppose he is like a big brother to them. I went to feed the calves this am and he had already started even though he has the day off............you can't train that into someone

Under no circumstances will I pay cash in hand

Sounds like a cracker, if you can ever get one like that again you will be so lucky. I know out here there are a lot of students floating about and the difference in some of them is day and night.