National outlook
Find where the work is moving — before everyone else piles in.
BlueCollarDudes is a labor-intelligence dashboard for shutdowns, turnarounds, state-by-state demand, pay movement, and per diem trends: where the work is heading, and what it pays.
Active signals
351
118 high-confidence
Strongest state
TX
Texas · 88.2
Strongest trade
Welder
81.7 demand score
Pay trend
+4.8%
national posted-pay move
Per diem
+2.1%
national posted per diem move
Map
United States labor heat map
TX
Texas
88.2 · +18.1%
LA
Louisiana
79.6 · +10.2%
PA
Pennsylvania
68.7 · +6.3%
KY
Kentucky
55.9 · +6.8%
NC
North Carolina
55.8 · +3.4%
WI
Wisconsin
55.8 · 0.0%
KS
Kansas
54.5 · +5.1%
NY
New York
54.5 · +1.7%
WV
West Virginia
54.4 · -1.7%
IA
Iowa
53.2 · +3.4%
NM
New Mexico
53.1 · 0.0%
WA
Washington
53.0 · -3.4%
IN
Indiana
51.8 · +1.7%
NJ
New Jersey
51.7 · -1.7%
VA
Virginia
51.7 · -5.1%
IL
Illinois
50.4 · 0.0%
NH
New Hampshire
50.4 · -3.4%
VT
Vermont
50.3 · +8.5%
ID
Idaho
49.1 · -1.7%
NV
Nevada
49.0 · -5.1%
UT
Utah
48.9 · +6.8%
HI
Hawaii
47.7 · -3.4%
NE
Nebraska
47.6 · +8.5%
GA
Georgia
46.3 · -5.1%
MT
Montana
46.2 · +6.8%
TN
Tennessee
46.2 · +3.4%
FL
Florida
45.0 · +8.5%
MO
Missouri
44.9 · +5.1%
SD
South Dakota
44.8 · +1.7%
DE
Delaware
43.6 · +6.8%
MS
Mississippi
43.5 · +3.4%
SC
South Carolina
43.4 · 0.0%
CT
Connecticut
42.2 · +5.1%
MN
Minnesota
42.1 · +1.7%
RI
Rhode Island
42.1 · -1.7%
CO
Colorado
40.9 · +3.4%
MI
Michigan
40.8 · 0.0%
CA
California
39.5 · +1.7%
MA
Massachusetts
39.4 · -1.7%
OR
Oregon
39.3 · -5.1%
AR
Arkansas
38.1 · 0.0%
MD
Maryland
38.0 · -3.4%
OK
Oklahoma
38.0 · +8.5%
AZ
Arizona
36.7 · -1.7%
ME
Maine
36.7 · -5.1%
OH
Ohio
36.6 · +6.8%
AK
Alaska
35.4 · -3.4%
ND
North Dakota
35.2 · +5.1%
WY
Wyoming
35.1 · +1.7%
AL
Alabama
34.0 · -5.1%
Top states
Hottest shutdown / turnaround markets
Mix
Sector Mix
Refining
34%Petrochemical
28%Power
19%Nuclear
8%Industrial
11%Trend
12-Month Signal Trend
Signals should be rebuilt nightly into snapshots, then rendered from cached API reads.
Watchlist
National shutdown watch
Refinery maintenance signal cluster
Multiple maintenance-related signals point to elevated turnaround probability in the corridor.
Region
Beaumont / Port Arthur refinery corridorState
TXWindow
May–Junehigh
Refinery turnaround watch
Signals line up around planned maintenance timing and contractor movement.
Region
Baton Rouge refining corridorState
LAWindow
May–Junehigh
Petrochemical outage-prep indicators
Permit and hiring movement suggest an elevated summer maintenance window.
Region
Houston Ship Channel clusterState
TXWindow
June–Julymedium
Petrochemical maintenance cluster
Corroborated activity suggests an elevated maintenance window.
Region
Lake Charles chemical corridorState
LAWindow
Junemedium
Power outage-prep watch
Planned activity and regional labor movement support a moderate watch signal.
Region
Western Pennsylvania power corridorState
PAWindow
Summermedium
Power maintenance watch
Early-stage maintenance cues with labor relevance for electrical trades.
Region
South Texas power corridorState
TXWindow
Late Maymedium
Movers
Pay movers
Electrician
35.9 → 38.5 hourly
Welder
35.6 → 37.8 hourly
Operator
32.8 → 33.9 hourly
Safety
39.6 → 40.2 hourly
Rigger
31.2 → 31.6 hourly
Trades
Highest-demand trades
Welder
Demand score 82 · 320 active posts
Pipefitter
Demand score 77.4 · 296 active posts
Electrician
Demand score 72.8 · 272 active posts
Operator
Demand score 68.2 · 248 active posts
Rigger
Demand score 63.6 · 224 active posts
Boilermaker
Demand score 59 · 200 active posts
Movers
Per diem movers
Pipefitter
121 → 132 daily
Welder
116 → 124 daily
Boilermaker
130 → 138 daily
Electrician
112 → 118 daily
Safety
106 → 110 daily
Lodging and local services
Stay Near the Work
Hotels, crew stays, RV parks, and worksite services near the job.