hello there I am new to the group, and I wanted to see what yous think about my current situation. I have 2 years experice concrete pumping and I am now running a 47 mtr for the company I started with and I am making $20.00 an hour Canadian and right now we are not that busy. I'm taking home $1200 every 2 weeks.

I am not sure about Canada but if your slow this time of year then I would be looking for a differant job.  This spring has been crazy for us.  

Remember that all the owners come to this web site.

what u bring home in two weeks most of us bring that home in one week

every week is different enjoy the slow time and dont bitch in the busy season

Yes you are !  

doing better than me dude! and I can tell you I know I'm way underpaid

You are fine,my first two years I was at 5 dollars an hour

bisley, was that in 1964?

I don't know. Her in Norway we make much more but thats orway.. More expensive here also. But most pumpers get way underpayed.. Its only due to the hours we make nice money but if you look at the basic salary its often a joke..

gboom,not quite that long ago

for the amount of stress and responsability were given,its never enough,all you can do is give 110% and when you cant then move on.

$20 an hour doesn't seem too out of line. On the other side of the coin ask yourself how many jobs a week does your employer need to find to pay your wage? there are many things to consider when determining a fair wage.

Where in Canada are you? Around here the average pump wage is $27.

I am on the owners end of this .we run a 2 pump line pump operation . i run 1 pump and have a operator that i trained for the other pump . the money discussed above is right in line with what i pay my guy . regardless of how many jobs he does ,2 or 22, he NEVER misses a check. i think there is something to be appreciated about a steady salary even if you dont  put in any work.  my operator and i both have benifits with him being paid a flat salary for 5 days .( extra if and when we are lucky enough to get to pump on saturday )

I would say you are not underpaid (as a manager) , as long as its hourly, if thats a salary and thats what you make regardless of how many hours you put in, then maybe so, sounds like if you are bringing home 1200 every two weeks, after taxes you are making 40 hours,  now as a pump operator for 22 years, we have been underpaid since the beginning, we should make more than any other type of equipment operator , because there's much more responsibility day in and day out, early mornings , late nights, dealing with all types of concrete, hot,cold,rain,snow,sleet, the pours go as we say they go , we make them good or bad , if we dont show up on time , the pump breaks down and we can't fix it, the job doesn't move forward, if you run a boom you should make $30+ a hour, problem is you can't charge enough to pay these wages and survive , it sucks , but that's just the way it is !

better you are better you win

I make $26 running a 58 and get between 55-70 hrs a week. Like someone said, its never enough. Just be happy you have a job. If you're not getting the hours then consider moving where you can get them.