$12 a hour is a good starting wage for any line of work. Most people that start their working career start off at a minimum wage job. Then you gain experience and knowledge with that job. Then with that knowledge you look for a better paying job with that knowledge. That is the way it works. You have to crawl before you can walk. Being a business owner it is extremely difficult in this day in age to hire someone train them and keep them happy or content with their work. To many young workers and old feel like they are due some kind of monetary entitlement. Everyone seems like they should make top dollar for their skills or knowledge however great they are or not. In this instance starting out as a shovel operator at $12 hr is a good wage especially in Tx. I dont know of many jobs where you can advance 8 dollars an hour in a year. Maybe some of you should climb down of that high horse and WAKE UP. No body owes you anything and it is not the GUbments job or anyones elses to take care of you.