Finding an Honest Employer

[John C.]

Never has where I've ever worked. Same rate but almost unlimited amounts of overtime in the field.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Same here John.. I even had a meeting w the head honchos about it.. I felt it was a down grade, going out on a job.. I toldm that I would like to be compensated for the benefits that I’m loosing when going outside the premises to work.. I toldm that working in 110* temps, loosing the access to the drink machine, the food machine and even basic needs like the bathroom was considered a benefit.. that I was losing..
And wouldn’t you know it.. I was laughed out of the meeting ..
And they wondered why I retired..

 

[JD955SC]

We pay field a premium. It’s blood money to work out in the extreme heat, rain, cold, landfills, and other undesirable conditions plus late and weekends. I have no problem with them getting more for that and for me it’s not enough of an incentive to climb into a field truck and work like a dog.

on the same idea like thepumpguy I am a little annoyed when I get sent out into the field because they send me out in a pickup truck without air, power, tools, etc

 

[Old Doug]

We pay field a premium. It’s blood money to work out in the extreme heat, rain, cold, landfills, and other undesirable conditions plus late and weekends. I have no problem with them getting more for that and for me it’s not enough of an incentive to climb into a field truck and work like a dog.

on the same idea like thepumpguy I am a little annoyed when I get sent out into the field because they send me out in a pickup truck without air, power, tools, etc

I have never had a service truck to use i have done alot of field work. I bet i never went out on a job and had every thing i could have used.
The first job of management is to turn a profit number 2 job is to get every atom of profit from the employees . If you are very lucky way down on the list at the bottom is try to make the employees not want to quit.
If i ever get rich even if i didnt have a need for it i would have a service truck just because it would have been great to have.

 

[John C.]

I remember picking up the purpose built service trucks at the first dealership that I worked at. Just F350 gas pots with service boxes and a 2500 pound capacity crane that only had power on the winch. The boom raise was a long hand jack and the swing was free. Management didn't care how long a job took because they charged by time on the work order from leaving the shop to returning to the shop. Winding bolts by hand was just that much more profit in the job.

I had a dozer wind up a mattress spring in the sprocket and we had to change the seals. Cat dealer sent out a guy to work the jacks and press with a hand pump. We got the thing up in the air and apart in one day. We told the guy that if he didn't bring the electric pump the next day we would get someone else to do the work. Customer push back is why service trucks got bigger and better equipped.

 

[Zewnten]

I'm being told that after a performance review I will be making more. They claim to offer everyone this much to start in the field but who knows. Either way they keep their word or they don't, but I'm out of Denver so it's a win.

 

[Truck Shop]

 

[DMiller]

Get that five or six years, live as cheap as can handle then buy a service truck, get cards made and go Inde. In this day and age can cut a fat hog relatively quick but will cost time spent away from family, bodily wear and tear and tools expenses.
Best part, wake up storms everywhere, do not answer the phone. Good days make as much charge able time as can to cover winter slow downs and crap weather do not want to do it today moments.

 

[thepumpguysc]

No truer words have ever been written.!!!
It’s easy to say at “our” age.. and easy to read.. but you’ll never understand what it means until u actually do it..
I’m in the retired club and it’s the best decision I ever made..
I’m busier than I’ve ever been..
My boats are sitting w pine trees growing thru the trailers and my grass is ankle hi..
If I’m not turning wrenches, I’m on the phone calling and doing callbacks.. & when I’m not doing THAT, I try to get here and help out..
Damn I’m tired.!! Lol

 

[Old Doug]

View attachment 281286

I was on a Jeep fourm and learned that a Toyota starter could be made to work on a Willys jeep. Just think someday a Mechanic could be working for a shop owned by a Japanese company on a WWll jeep with a Toyota starter and discover that this very Jeep that was used to fight aginst losing America was owned and restored by his great Grandfather and his family lost when this country was lost that is something he will never be able to own . Why would anyone bolt a Toyota starter to a Jeep???? This is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night

 

[CM1995]

The first job of management is to turn a profit number 2 job is to get every atom of profit from the employees . If you are very lucky way down on the list at the bottom is try to make the employees not want to quit.

Doug that type of management is about 10 years old and has not aged well in my area of the country.

In our area the labor market is tighter than dicks hatband so retaining skilled employees is priority #1.

 

[Truck Shop]

Years ago and maybe it still is, a good indicator for good employment {Did the owner start from
the bottom and slowly build a solid business being careful. Or did he stumble into it or was it
bought for him without his own skin in the game.

I tend to believe the owner who started low rung and built-is probably a better choice. Not always
but most of the time.

 

[DMiller]

Only worked for one as that, the rest walked thru a door inexperienced but family and were hand the operation. That includes the Nuke where that very Nuclear Navy ‘Family’ guaranteed the men and women in offices of power were granted their positions not on skills or qualities but the fact they had been Navy and that only. Showed out in how they appointed and promoted Golden Hair Children. Anyone did anything to better the facility was always ‘working Under’ one of these even as generally weren’t. Last group of ExNav people hired, several repeated the words they were Owed Their positions, I left them to their game, no pity.

Mort Zalk took a local Car and Truck rental business as a wedding gift from his Father in Law, he was already a known business developer and at only 25 had two of his own auto dealerships. He improved that and expanded that to Feld Truck Rental in under three Years, it became a nurtured evolving growing national rental company built on Satisfied customers and shops that made efforts to make that company. When he died the company died, GELCO Corp finished the burial. Mort and his Wife had no children.

Hogan Leasing was gifted entirely and remained stagnant while owned by the son of the builder. Once old man Carl died his three sons and one daughter parted ways, one kept the business and improved, the ofher three ard off doing their thing no involvement these days.

Kohrs truck was a offshoot of A International Dealership the owner ran into the ground with his brothers, six of them, continued the process in that little garage, wife son daughter all in managerial positions.

Mississippi Lime was built after WWI, expanded after WWII, was devoured by the children of those that built it up for every dine could snake out of the coffers machinery showed that. It failed and was absorbed by Fruin Colnon owners of Fred Weber Construction.and is now multi million
Dollar floundering mess.

Mack trucks in St Louis was owned by the man that opened the doors as he bought a Right to sell them in 1938, he sold the rights and was the man to final close that operation. The current dealer is a faint shadow of the business he once made. Mack sold him the rights as the Factory dealer was failing, no skin in that game by manager.

 

[DMiller]

Farms I worked as Inde for, they were the odd ducks. Most were family, most had subsidy money coming in but all worked their fingers raw to derive a dollar from a dollar, corporate farmers around here only have the land investment usually from the family names of employees today hiring the original owners as those employees. Sadly those family members expect to own a small part at some future date of what their family once held, a false premise. Investors and banks now own much of those properties where will not relinquish that investment. A few farms here are owned by single children of the original owners, will be no continuance as they pass.

What I really do not care for is the near to industrial development of our little hamlet here. Every home that comes up for sale bought by those intent to corner the B&B market or to start another trinket shop or another coffee shop.
Once had several restaurants served breakfast lunch and dinner, fewer and fewer true residents, worker bee’s live out and come in just to work, most will not accept that tourism is a limited game, wineries a expensive annual gamble, junk shops are not Craft Workers, and the town loses a few more quality customers every year to frufru swilling day trippers that spend little real money. Three larger well established resort style venues sold off in last few years, are now Changing hands near to annually as cannot make facility payments on weekender two day at most guests, discounts to draw anyone draws wrong clientele. Restaurants are down to a limited few and specialize in dinner or snack meals only. Finding a breakfast beyond designer Scones and $7 a cup designer brew cafe’ is impossible. Local stores used to supply the local fare shops, now are big cheap grade food service providers. Trucks clog the streets M-Th. Fridays are banished for them. Help wanted signs are unfilled as few worker types to see them.

 

[DMiller]

Stopped by KW at CoMO the other day, just to say Hi to those that aided in getting the beast built. Seems MHC is experiencing said pains. Shop was near to desolate, down to three techs and Shop manager offered myself a job that I declined. He was astonished I could or would turn down good money, but at 66 money is not everything anymore.

 

[92U 3406]

Years ago and maybe it still is, a good indicator for good employment {Did the owner start from
the bottom and slowly build a solid business being careful. Or did he stumble into it or was it
bought for him without his own skin in the game.

I tend to believe the owner who started low rung and built-is probably a better choice. Not always
but most of the time.

I actually experienced that recently. Long story short the kids got involved in the business and slowly started thinking they ran the place (owner managed the business but out of a different location). Got into a spat with one of the kids about coveralls one day and that was the last straw. Its funny how they suddenly care once you walk out the door.