What do you pay your pressman?

[ScotJ]

Hi All, i'm a digital printer looking to move into the offset market with a DI press. We're looking at training one of our own guys, but also bringing in an experienced guy to do an evening shift from 5-midnight to get us rolling.

I'm curious to know what the hourly pay range is for pressman, both rookie and experienced, and please state what region you of the continnent you are in (we're in Canada) as this plays heavily.

Thanks!

 

[ondemandbindery]

Hi All, i'm a digital printer looking to move into the offset market with a DI press. We're looking at training one of our own guys, but also bringing in an experienced guy to do an evening shift from 5-midnight to get us rolling.

I'm curious to know what the hourly pay range is for pressman, both rookie and experienced, and please state what region you of the continnent you are in (we're in Canada) as this plays heavily.

Thanks!

Not sure about the per hour but this is the shift that is the hardest on a family. In fact, working second shift can put you in divorce court real quick like. I guess my point is do the press operator a favor and think about a diferential for night shift outside of the hourly rate.

 

[ScotJ]

Not sure about the per hour but this is the shift that is the hardest on a family. In fact, working second shift can put you in divorce court real quick like. I guess my point is do the press operator a favor and think about a diferential for night shift outside of the hourly rate.

Perhaps, but I'm flexible on the shift - and I'm not looking to pay a premium because of the shift. I'd be happy to run it from 7 or 8pm if it makes it easier on their home life.

Its up to the employee to know their own situation before taking the job in my opinion. It would be different if I was requesting a current employee to take that shift, but for a new employee knowning what they are getting into from the get go - well its up to them.

Especially in this economy with people getting shortened hours and plenty of lay-offs, I'm sure there will be plenty of people chomping at the bit for 15-20 hours extra a week worth of pay.

 

[rbailleu]

we have paid between $10 and $15 per hour. prevailing wage for state work in the state of illinois is $30

 

[ondemandbindery]

Perhaps, but I'm flexible on the shift - and I'm not looking to pay a premium because of the shift. I'd be happy to run it from 7 or 8pm if it makes it easier on their home life.

Its up to the employee to know their own situation before taking the job in my opinion. It would be different if I was requesting a current employee to take that shift, but for a new employee knowning what they are getting into from the get go - well its up to them.

Especially in this economy with people getting shortened hours and plenty of lay-offs, I'm sure there will be plenty of people chomping at the bit for 15-20 hours extra a week worth of pay.

Just bringing that up because even on the finishing side when I puched the clock for someone else I made a premium on night shift. The market may make someone grin and bear it right now but if there is a swing in Printing when the economy turns things like this will be the difference in holding onto a good employee and them going to work at the shop on the other side of town. Something else about someone working this shift is they have to be self motivated and multitasked. Some of the best employees work night shift because they can't typically be just another face in the crowd. Either way you will probably get your pick of the litter which is a good thing.....

 

[snydawg]

Perhaps there are plenty of people looking for work, but you might want to take into account that you get what you pay for. A shift premium will get you more experience. Unless you are just wanting to fill positions and don't really care about the quality of work.

 

[Rocknronny]

Perhaps, but I'm flexible on the shift - and I'm not looking to pay a premium because of the shift. I'd be happy to run it from 7 or 8pm if it makes it easier on their home life.

Its up to the employee to know their own situation before taking the job in my opinion. It would be different if I was requesting a current employee to take that shift, but for a new employee knowning what they are getting into from the get go - well its up to them.

Especially in this economy with people getting shortened hours and plenty of lay-offs, I'm sure there will be plenty of people chomping at the bit for 15-20 hours extra a week worth of pay.

I have been in the trade as a pressman for over 30 years and won't press a button for less then $25 ph cash. If you are just getting into offset I would advise you to buget this amount for a good experinance pressman. As the saying goes you get what you pay for! And yes I am Canadian too!

RR

 

[RGPW17100]

Minnesota here and we pay oncalls 25/hr to run an sm52 and they need to know how to run it. QM 2 color maybe 20 an hour on call but probalby closer to 18 full time. Cant help with the DI though. Going to be harder to find someone that has run that and is good at it.

 

[RNRPRINTINGNMAILING]

Hi All, i'm a digital printer looking to move into the offset market with a DI press. We're looking at training one of our own guys, but also bringing in an experienced guy to do an evening shift from 5-midnight to get us rolling.

I'm curious to know what the hourly pay range is for pressman, both rookie and experienced, and please state what region you of the continnent you are in (we're in Canada) as this plays heavily.

Thanks!

Hello
Your best bet is to contact a agency that is in the field and see what the going rate is with a pressman with experience.
And then factor in all the then factor all the things while he is on press, and if your doing press ok's. A good pressman can help you sell a job.
And also how well he gets along with others in the shop.
Rule of thumb if you work nite's there is a 10% pay diff.
As for a new pressman starting pay is about $12.00 per hour.
that should go up every 6 months by $1.00 if he or she is good and pick up things very fast. If you think about it they are getting a great chance to learn a great trade at no cost to them.
Well good luck

 

[ondemandbindery]

Minnesota here and we pay oncalls 25/hr to run an sm52 and they need to know how to run it. QM 2 color maybe 20 an hour on call but probalby closer to 18 full time. Cant help with the DI though. Going to be harder to find someone that has run that and is good at it.

I think those are realistic numbers. I have seen work from 10.00 per hour pressmen and it ain't pretty. When I bring my Part time operators into my Bindery I pay them over 20.00. But they all know me, I know them and I have trust in what they do and I they know what I expect. My advice is if you have the volume to justify the right person expect to pay more but find someone who wants to help your business grow while they are working for you. They are out there you are just gonna have to go looking in other shops.

 

[ScotJ]

I have been in the trade as a pressman for over 30 years and won't press a button for less then $25 ph cash. If you are just getting into offset I would advise you to buget this amount for a good experinance pressman. As the saying goes you get what you pay for! And yes I am Canadian too!

RR

I find it humorous that you demand cash from your employer.

 

[Albert Noel]

I find it humorous that you demand cash from your employer.

tell me you are smarter than that... it's just an expression.

if you want to pay your operator crap wages, dont expect great results. you wont get experianced guys.

just out of curiosity, what kind of press is it? you wont get a 5 or 6 or 8 colour 28" or up pressman to even turn on a small format press let alone for less than small fortune.

 

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Isn't a DI like copier? They sell it to compete with copiers. Why pay high wages for a pressman when a newbie can run it? With a little training on paper feed and ink curve settings I have been told a DI can be run like a copier.
Heidelberg got out of DI's for a reason they are in between a copier and a REAL offset press subject to proprietary supplies and service from Presswreck.
I for one think the DI life cycle is closing soon but Ryobi and their puppet StessTek keeps making them so maybe I am wrong. Look at what a DI will cost you not what you will pay an operator.
Pre-Press to DI Hot Folder....Slap some ink in the DI, load the paper and print. Push a few keys or some mouse clicks and BOOM you are making money.
OG

 

[mrheidelberg]

Isn't a DI like a copier? They sell it to compete with copiers. Why pay high wages for a pressman when a newbie can run it? With a little training on paper feed and ink curve settings I have been told a DI can be run like a copier.
Heidelberg got out of DI's for a reason they are in between a copier and a REAL offset press subject to proprietary supplies and service from Presswreck.
I for one think the DI life cycle is closing soon but Ryobi and their puppet StessTek keeps making them so maybe I am wrong. Look at what a DI will cost you not what you will pay an operator.
Pre-Press to DI Hot Folder....Slap some ink in the DI, load the paper and print. Push a few keys or some mouse clicks and BOOM you are making money.
OG

You obviously think a DI (of any manufacturer) is a photocopier ....... why do you think a "newbie" with no experience can run a machine successfully and all he or she nneed feed paper and knows ink curve settings......it sounds so easy.

 

[RGPW17100]

Correct me if I am wrong but a DI still has ink keys but no water? If that is the case it is more like a press then a copier.

 

[spigot]

I find it humorous that you demand cash from your employer.

thats a fair comment at the moment, but if the situation improves and its a "workers" market again, this attitude will come back and rightly so. Some people forget that to get what you want, you must pay fairly for it

 

[cosmo]

we pay between $30-$50 an hour depending on which shift it is.

 

[Albert Noel]

Correct me if I am wrong but a DI still has ink keys but no water? If that is the case it is more like a press then a copier.

DI stands for Direct Imaging. which means it images the plates right on press, *perfect* register. everything else is the same as a regular press

 

[rbailleu]

there is no perfect in perfect register. my sm52 4 color with prosetter ctp is much more perfect than our di ever was and I get plates on faster with the sm52.

 

[RGPW17100]

What I had heard of the DI was it required a silicon plate to be hung on each unit. The plate would be imaged on press. The ink is a waterless ink but still has ink keys and that they broke down a lot. The breaking down a lot sounds like a copier but the rest sounds like a press.