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Am I out of line?

BigWrench55

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Oct 11, 2018
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1,176
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Somewhere
I am needing some perspective on this current dilemma I am in.
I am a good employee. I show up everyday and on time. I have gone above and beyond the call of duty numerous times. I don't require a lot of direction and I don't need someone to keep me motivated to complete any job. I am extremely good at my job in fact. I am one of the best of 3 guys in the shop or field company wide. Okay enough stroking of the ego.
I have worked with this company for 3 years and about to start a 4th. Like I said before. I have gone above and beyond the call of duty numerous times for this company. With that being said. It hasn't always been puppies and rainbows. The company has on a few occasions has done things that pissed me off. Some of those things were misunderstandings and some were just flat out arrogance from the boss. And some were people trying to dump their responsibilities on me. I have let a lot of things slide because I generally like the people I work with and I don't want to be hot-headed and quit. Just because I can't put my ego aside and look at it from another perspective. Plus I have a family that depends on me too bring home the bacon. With that being said. Almost a year ago I needed the company to go above and beyond for me. And they took the stance of we don't have to and if I don't like it I don't have to work there. That pissed me off for several reasons. I don't think that the company owes me anything and I understand that. But I really wasn't asking for anything unreasonable. What had happened was my daughter came down with covid and I had to stay home for two weeks without pay. I asked to continue working. Because I am one of the lucky ones that covid doesn't effect. And also because I work in the field. I don't have to come in the shop and I don't deal with anyone personally. I show up, diagnose and order parts. No contact with anyone, but through phone and email. I was told no. I reminded him that when any office personnel get covid. They get to work from home. I then asked for any kind of clerical work that I can do. The answer was still no. I resisted and was told if I didn't like it that I didn't have to work there. That really pissed me off. Even more so because I have pulled their ass out of the fire many of times. And here I am in a jam and I was told tough luck. So fast forward to now. There is a machine in the shop right now that has been there for over 90 days. All of the parts have finally come in and management wants it finished before the end of the month. It is a big job that I didn't tear down and now I am being asked to complete the job. The guy who's job it is went on vacation and was supposed to return today, but now has "covid " . The machine is three bays away from mind and my box is to big to just move it across the shop. Plus I just don't want to take on such a large project that I didn't tear down. And because I don't want to do it because going above and beyond in this company doesn't net you ****. My attitude as of late is I was a good employee. You could've asked me to go above and beyond and I would've done without thinking twice. But since they showed me how much I mean to them. My attitude is simply this. I will only do what is my job. I will still show up every day and on time. And my work will still be top shelf. But anything beyond that you are **** out of luck. You didn't care when I was in a bind and treated me as a expendable employee and not a professional. So employee I am so employee is what you get. Am I out of line? Should I die on this hill and draw the line in the sand? Should I just walk away and get another job? I really don't want to quit. I hate changing jobs and I will lose a good chunk of change because I'm not fully vested with the company. When that happens I will be debt free and I will make a career change. But that is 1.5 years away?
Please refrain from any politics. I just need some perspective from employers and employees.
 

ianjoub

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Jun 22, 2018
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1,437
Location
Homosassa, FL USA
I would explain the problem of you having not done the tear down and the problem of all the walking back and forth to your box. Then tell them you will be happy to do what they ask, just be aware that it will likely take a little longer than usual. Then do the job. Don't bust your a$$, but don't go out of your way to hurry either. You can come off as still looking out for them.
 

donkey doctor

Senior Member
Joined
May 18, 2010
Messages
425
Location
Ladysmith bc canada
Occupation
retired
Sounds like you get a lot of self satisfaction out of this job. It is more than just a job isn't it I worked with a guy who had some what the same predicament and his answer was "Why should I let an a$$hole like that drive me out of a job I love." I would say don"t do anything life changing over something trivial that you will have to live with for a long time. This too will pass. Just my 2 cant worth. d.d.
 

BigWrench55

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Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,176
Location
Somewhere
I would explain the problem of you having not done the tear down and the problem of all the walking back and forth to your box. Then tell them you will be happy to do what they ask, just be aware that it will likely take a little longer than usual. Then do the job. Don't bust your a$$, but don't go out of your way to hurry either. You can come off as still looking out for them.

This is more or less about boundaries. I really don't think that their wants should impact me in a negative way. The main issue is that they don't give a **** about me and my problems, so why should I give a **** about their problems? There are two bays with two mechanics on either side of this project. Why can't one of those guys be bothered to take on the project? It really is a big imposition to ask me walk back and forth to my box and then to put away my tools every evening. In my eyes it is highly inefficient for me to do it.
 

BigWrench55

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Messages
1,176
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Sounds like you get a lot of self satisfaction out of this job. It is more than just a job isn't it I worked with a guy who had some what the same predicament and his answer was "Why should I let an a$$hole like that drive me out of a job I love." I would say don"t do anything life changing over something trivial that you will have to live with for a long time. This too will pass. Just my 2 cant worth. d.d.

At this point I don't really care about the self satisfaction. I get enough of that by completing my own jobs and from helping the younger guys learn.
 

chidog

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Joined
Jun 21, 2021
Messages
770
Location
kent, wa
If you quit, and change jobs then moving your tool box will be much farther than the next bay. You need a rolling cart to just pile the tools in to transport to the next bay. I'd make sure they understand if something ends up not right from you doing the job it is because you didn't tear it down. And tell them its going to take much longer than normal because you have to study the books on this one.
What your describing is a normal outfit to work for, in my day the boss would always sing the no money blues, I had a few projects I took apart that sat for close to a year before the money was finally available to finish it.
I never liked working for someone else's business, but did pretty much all my working life. So what is the project?
 

BigWrench55

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Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,176
Location
Somewhere
If you quit, and change jobs then moving your tool box will be much farther than the next bay. You need a rolling cart to just pile the tools in to transport to the next bay. I'd make sure they understand if something ends up not right from you doing the job it is because you didn't tear it down. And tell them its going to take much longer than normal because you have to study the books on this one.
What your describing is a normal outfit to work for, in my day the boss would always sing the no money blues, I had a few projects I took apart that sat for close to a year before the money was finally available to finish it.
I never liked working for someone else's business, but did pretty much all my working life. So what is the project?

It's more than the next bay. And I just spent a bunch of money buying this box moving out of the service truck. I don't want to buy a tool cart. I have been doing this for 25 years and as soon as I am out of debt. I will be going into semi retirement. That also coincides with me being fully vested. As I read you guys post. I believe that I am out of line. But you guys are from a generation before me and feel more loyal to who you work for. I use to feel that way, but after 25 years I am loyal to no one but my family and myself. I may be out of line, but I feel that I am entitled to just work on my own projects from my experience and expertise alone. No one has gone behind me. And let's not forget the cavalier attitude that the company has already taken towards our relationship working together. I don't feel that I owe this company anything more than a job well done and that is a job I started. Like I said before. I have gone above and beyond for them before and it has netted me nothing. I would like some perspective on why I should do it from an employers standpoint. Especially after making it clear to me that it doesn't matter if I work there or not.
 

crane operator

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Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,274
Location
sw missouri
Generally speaking (and there are truly all kinds of exceptions to this):

I think in a corporate/ dealership structure, the manager of a location will tend to treat employee's differently than in any personally owned/ partnership construction/ equipment company. The manager of the dealership gets judged by his higher ups solely based on his particular stores numbers. Employees are a number within his overall numbers. A private company that's hiring you to fix their stuff- generally knows the equipment needs fixed, and they need you to do it.

The further you get into generations of ownership in a private company, the more "corporate" a company will become. Of course the more "corporate" it is- the bigger the overall numbers ($$$) will be in the company, and hence the more they can pay you and the better benefits you can usually expect to have. But it becomes all less personal.

So you have the general choice- stay small for less $$ and more personal, or go for the big bucks and benefits, and be just a number.

Of course I know guys with their own small company that treat all their employees like dirt, and there are also large companies that go out of their way to treat their employees fairly.
 

crane operator

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sw missouri
And now that I've said all that-

If you worked for me:

Not wanting to roll your toolbox two bays over, to work on a different piece of equipment- comes across as petty and prima donna ish to me, that box has wheels on it (and I know you can roll it to a different employeer too:))- roll it over two bays- and get to work- you're getting paid by the hour and it needs fixed.

They didn't tell you a limit of time to put it back together, and I don't think your working flat rate. You get paid to turn wrenches, and these are the bolts that need put in today. It ain't all fun and that's why they pay you to do it.

And I would have paid for you to be off for the two weeks to take care of your daughter during covid. Or put you on unemployment or gave you a bonus of extra vacation/ however I could have made it work out in the books. Good people are hard to find and it has to be a two way street.

Sorry its not working out where you are at- I don't know that I would stay a year and a half somewhere I didn't like just to be vested. There's too many other people looking for help- find somewhere you feel better working at, life's too short, and you spend far to much of it working to be miserable. Too many companies hold $$ hostage - gotta stay with me those 5 years or you're losing this $$$ that you've supposedly earned. That's B. S. If I've earned it- I can't lose it.
 

BigWrench55

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Crane operator I agree with you about it being petty not wanting to move my box. And if the circumstances were different I wouldn't have any issue taken on a project like this and moving my box. I do enjoy the challenge. But there are some facts that I can't get past. 1) they have already made it clear to me that my experience and expertise isn't appreciated, 2) there are two able bodied mechanics on either side of this job, 3) although my box has wheels. It is big and not easy to move from one end of the shop to the other. As far as the vestment money goes it wouldn't bother me too lose it if it came down to it. I really don't want to lose it but it wouldn't hurt me if I did. I like the people that I work with and I don't want to take another job. Because the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. I am generally biding my time until I can go on to the next chapter in my life. Whether I stay here or go work somewhere else. I am done turning wrenches in a year in a half.
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
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Is there some other reason(s) you don't want to work on this machine? They might want you to work on it because you will do a better/the best job repairing it. Kind of like showing you they do in fact appreciate you/your experience but won't come right out and say it. A compliment in disguise. If you're paid by the hour and potentially have to walk back and forth to your toolbox it's on their dime not yours. They must have a cart you can put a bunch of tools on to roll over to the job. Not letting you work while someone in your immediate household has covid could just be a policy they have that would apply to everyone. It's not the same as working from home. How do you know covid won't affect you? I know a couple people that thought it was blown out of proportion... until they got it.
 

BigWrench55

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The main reason I don't want to do it because I didn't tear it down. You don't know where bolts are and a lot of time is spent looking for pieces. During assembly you will invariably have to undo a bunch of work because you didn't see that this part should have went on first before all the rest. And had you been the one who tore it down you would know that. It's not putting on a turbo that someone else removed. A third of this truck is disassembled. You are probably right about the compliment without saying. But it is just more than the covid thing there are other things they have done that I don't want to get into. Those things weigh heavily in me not caring about their problem. As far as covid goes. I had it twice and didn't have any symptoms. The first time I had it I wouldn't have ever known had my wife didn't get so sick. The second time was from my daughter and we both didn't have symptoms. She was tested when we went to the doctor for a unrelated reason. That being said. If I was an employer and I made a covid policy that required you to isolate. I would pay you. There were things that they could've done to let me work from home. But they chose the take it or leave it approach rather than value me as a employee. This last three years with their attitude of I'm expendable. Has made me lose heart for the job I used to love so much. That is why I will be making a career change in a year in a half. I will probably still will bend wrenches, but not for a living and certainly not for a employer.
 

muddog1975

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Oct 6, 2019
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163
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knoxville tn
It is frustrating to go behind someone that has torn the machine down and your stuck having to put it back together. We have all hade to do that. They should not allowed him to work on that job if he wasn't going to be able to get it done before he left for vacation. (Imo) As far as not feeling appreciated or them knowing your worth as a dependable and knowledgeable mechanic, there's a reason toolboxes have wheels and rollbacks beds tilt! LoL. With the complete shortage of general workers and specifically, dependable good mechanics with huge investments in tools all employers should realize that and let you know that you are appreciated and needed. Everyone like being told there appreciated. He'll I even tell the check out lady at all fast food restaurants....that I appreciate lunch. And I do! Equipment dealers and small shops are hurting for people. I say that not for you to tell them that but I would start looking for something better and probably will pay more, then you can maybe semi retire in8 months to a year. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on whatever you do, please keep us updated. I also know that having a family to provide for weighs heavy on these kind of decisions.
 

John C.

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All jobs get that worn out feeling, especially doing nothing but major ones. Following behind someone is an aggravation, but is totally normal when working in for profit shops. Your issue is the loss of income when your daughter had covid and its eating away at you mentally. The problem at for profit shops doing the pandemic and even now is that in most cases, government was also looking over their shoulder and setting rules for when people had to quarantine. Most shops around here let you use sick leave for a certain amount of time. Others just said stay home without pay when someone in the household caught the bug. I know it sucks but I don't see any way around the issue. I've been let go when economies went south and been screwed out of pension accruals. I've quit other jobs when I felt slighted too many times or had to deal with jerk hole management. I generally just kept going until I saw a spot that was convenient for me to leave. When you find the right time, write a nice resignation letter and let your employers know that you terminated them as employers. That will feel good up until the time that it dawns on you that they didn't care in the first place.
 

suladas

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To me as long as it's something that's part of your job, they aren't out of line asking for you to do it assuming you are paid hourly and they don't complain about how long it takes. I don't know if it's a customers equipment or their own companies, but assuming it's a customers they obviously want it back together and don't care who does it. I mean I wouldn't work overtime or lose time off to do it, but I don't see it as unreasonable at all. If you have concerns about the walking back and forth ask them for a solution like a cart to move tools or moving your toolbox. If you don't want to move it yourself tell them and get them to find a solution. Sure it might be frustrating putting in back together, but it's not like asking a mechanic to dig a hole out in the yard or something.

As far as the covid thing, if it's a reasonable size company it was likely just a company thing and they didn't want any risk or liability. Sure they could or should have offered maybe a few days paid or something, but if they have been good to you other then that i'd say it's pretty minor.

I see the other side most of the time as my brother has around 15 employees, and it's why I will never have any employees, it's basically babysitting grown ass adults who mostly act like children. You have to put up with so much BS because it's so hard to find employees who aren't useless and actually show up. To be candid, if I had an employee say they didn't want to do a job because someone else started it and no other reason, I would tell them where the door is, zero hesitation. Not trying to rag on you or anything for it, but it's not a good reason. If you have concerns about your ability to put it back together properly that's different, but not wanting to do it because it will be frustrating and take awhile isn't a good reason to not do it. I don't see it as going above and beyond or anything, I see it as just doing your job. Sure they could have asked a different mechanic, maybe they asked you because they felt you were the best qualified to do it right?

Not saying I would be any better, it's why I will never work for anyone ever again because I don't do well with people telling me what to do.
 
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