I don't think any of those things are true in any meaningful sense. The market isn't as competitive, the pay is perhaps worse compared to FANG-tier programming but good or better than most other professions, and the conditions are hardly that bad. They also aren't going to get replaced by AI tools, which is the more salient point.
There’s a huge and worsening shortage of people in trades in major cities as people who would have gone into them a generation and a half ago have increasingly been choosing college and white collar work instead. As a result, they can charge as much as they like, and rates and salaries are pretty good for anything that requires real skill.
“Handyman” has mostly been replaced by Taskrabbit et al. But just try finding an electrician, a plumber, a roofer, someone who can lay tile or install windows properly, etc. for real home renovations or even just troubleshooting that goes beyond snaking a drain.
