Robert Jenkins’ first job as a certified plumber was a dream. After a four-year apprenticeship during which he rotated among four companies, he was hired by a local plumber with a reputation for good pay and a great culture.
“It was great,” he recalls, “pay was good, and they supplied trucks and tools, at first.” Jenkins made about $40 hourly servicing small businesses and homes around Eugene, Ore., with trucks and tools provided. A few months after he started, Jenkins, 36, saw the company raise everyone’s pay across the board, to $45 an hour.
