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Truck Shop

Truck Shop

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
16,921
Location
WWW.
Rule #2 find a job like mine, I take care of a company fleet. I got sick of years dealing with customers and we use to do outside work, I cut that off. What was really
funny was the look on their faces when I told them we are not going to do their work anymore. Those same demanding a$$ holes started to beg {Where are we going
to take repairs? you are the best around. quote}. My reply {I don't know that's a problem but you ain't bringing them here anymore} Plus we were only charging
$85 an hour compared to the average $110. { Morons}:D
 
funwithfuel

funwithfuel

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
5,576
Location
Will county Illinois
Occupation
Mechanic
From my perspective, this nationwide shortage of labor is only helping us right now. Those of us with logic and troubleshooting skills will only be more valuable. The youngsters coming in to this, its gonna be rough for them. They first gotta find someone to give them an opportunity. In my younger days, I would show up 5:30 monday morning and wait for the owner to show up and hound him for a job. Now they call it stalking and harrassment. I'd insist on filling out applications and attach my resume to it, even when they weren't looking for help. I was able to make/force/persuade my own opportunities. Now they tell these kids, sorry, apply online. We don't do face to face. WTF? Yer gonna work for someone you can't meet? So, you apply online, they act like they're doing you a favor by trying you out. You get in the door and meet the tool man. Now you're talked into taking on another debt on top of your tuition fees. So, of the let's say $18/hr you get $12 is already spent. If it's a union position, you'll be compelled to join. More money . And yer not even earning a living, you're just paying debts. You might be able to sleep in your car and buy a couple burgers through the week, if you're lucky. I really feel for the kids coming into this whose parents didn't prepare them.
 
DMiller

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,559
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Have three fellas figured out I used to work on the older machines, nobody around here wants to deal with them as parts are getting iffier and iffier to find(Pre 90). The first asked me IF he could have me look at his truck and give recommends, told him $120 an hour JUST to look, he walked away mumbling. Second one told me I was a Highway robber wanting that much money, asked him what he paid KW at Fenton, he too walked away mumbling something. Last fella did not ask how much, just started talking as if I NEEDED some work to do, was really cheeky in offering $45/hour, told him to triple it and I would CONSIDER. He called me stupid and arrogant, I walked away. My time is MY time, I have no need to beat myself to death anymore and HELL NO not for less than $120 would I even consider.
 
BigWrench55

BigWrench55

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,176
Location
Somewhere
I personally don't mind applying online. I am currently looking for a different job and it makes it hard to get applications put in when you are at work all day. The problem I have is that employers want my skill set and love my resume. But they don't want to pay for my skills . They offer low wages with the promise of lots of overtime. I don't think so. You want my skills then you will have to pay for it . And overtime should be a choice that I make, not because of your poor management decisions and now everyone has to work late to make you look good. Overtime is a fool's game. No one on their death bead has wished they had spent more time at work.
 
Jeckyl1920

Jeckyl1920

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
226
Location
Riverside, CA
Paul Council said:
But they don't want to pay for my skills . They offer low wages with the promise of lots of overtime. I don't think so. You want my skills then you will have to pay for it.

No one on their death bead has wished they had spent more time at work.
Click to expand...
Mine promises prevailing wages, which is less than half what it was last year due to losing an account. Luckily the foreman worked out that we dont work weekends, so that's a huge bonus! Top off that it's almost all local work.

I put up with a lot of extra dumb just for that. I'm doing the gentle push toward expanding the equipment "fleet" as he is working away from paving and toward dirt and demo work(we have no hoe or water truck...).

I did office work for 10 years straight out of college, so I can do it and train it, I just don't enjoy it. You go a little nuts when all you ever see is plans and a calculator, and literally no one will listen to you talk about work for more than about 30 seconds(but that's normal for almost any work.).
 
funwithfuel

funwithfuel

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
5,576
Location
Will county Illinois
Occupation
Mechanic
92U 3406 said:
I agree. I used to work a ton of OT in my early 20's (like 18 on, 3 off) but now that I'm pushing 30, no thank you. I just want to work my regular shift and go home.
Click to expand...
Missed my kids growing up, working one full time midnight's and a second day shift. So much time lost, no where near what I sold it for. The B!tch is , can't get it back. Once it's gone, it's gone. Never to return.
You think, when you're young, I can do this. I'll have plenty of time later. WRONG! For some, later never comes, for the rest of us, we only realize afterwards.
Try to manage your time. Next to your skillset , it is the most precious resource you have to sell. Think like this, do I wanna be a $2 whore or a high priced b!tch.
I'll be a high priced b!tch thank you
 
kshansen

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,160
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Kind of on topic.
Some here might recall me writing about the top man in the state making the claim or should I say the threat to the employees at the local quarry a few years before I retired that if we didn't like how he ran the company we could leave out that door. He said for everyone of you guys here there are ten guys outside the gate just waiting for a chance to take your jobs.

Good news is he retired a couple months ago, but I have not talked with my old boss much to see how the "new kid" is compared to mister AH!

Funny thing is wife just noticed a couple days ago at the four corners just north of the quarry gate is a 4 foot by 8 foot sign saying WE ARE HIRING with phone numbers and email addresses for people to contact. Guess those ten guys for everyone of us gave up and went someplace else to work!
 
92U 3406

92U 3406

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
3,148
Location
Western Canuckistan
Occupation
Wrench Bender
funwithfuel said:
Missed my kids growing up, working one full time midnight's and a second day shift. So much time lost, no where near what I sold it for. The B!tch is , can't get it back. Once it's gone, it's gone. Never to return.
You think, when you're young, I can do this. I'll have plenty of time later. WRONG! For some, later never comes, for the rest of us, we only realize afterwards.
Try to manage your time. Next to your skillset , it is the most precious resource you have to sell. Think like this, do I wanna be a $2 whore or a high priced b!tch.
I'll be a high priced b!tch thank you
Click to expand...

I was a single man back then. My plan was to set myself up good enough so I wouldn't be forced to work once I settled down. I don't want to miss big milestones in my future kids' lives because I can't afford to take an afternoon off. It was a great paying gig while it lasted. Once they got cheap by not paying 1.5 after 8, double after 12 and double all day Sundays I left.
 
DMiller

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,559
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Last work I did complete and SOME TIME BACK, acquaintance had a old Phelan Float, one tail light still worked, got a ticket and managed to talk them into taking it home. Called me, made a estimate(HIGH) as a lot of crawling. Six way cable, new plug, junction boxes four wire sheathed for the back, a box full of Peterson sealed lamps, sheet steel and pvc pipe with bags of Conduit clips. Started with hole saw work to set flush lamps, new steel in rear for flush Peterson style tails. New cable pulled thru PVC pipe to junction boxes, single wires thru old air tubing I had. Set him up in just over 14 hours, all wiring secured and sheathed to protect. He was grateful to hand me $950 labor. He is the same turd that I built the Pipe Tongue Pup for almost thirty years ago. HE STILL cannot change a 1157 bulb without shearing one pin, can almost chew gum and walk.
 
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