Finding qualified help

[Birken Vogt]

I have mixed feelings about this. I used to spend a lot of time on call and they had us take a small truck home then. It sure made life a lot easier rather than have to drive to the shop to get a truck and then drive to the call and then back to the shop and then back home. Cheapskate me liked driving the company truck also. But being constantly on call was one of the reasons I went on my own. But now that makes me really constantly on call but the calls are fewer and not driving out to fix the fault of somebody else at the company.

 

[BigWrench55]

I just didn't like being told that it's a benefit to me. I can see their point, but you can't do this job without driving their truck. That is why I say that it's a condition of my employment. Don't get me wrong. I won't pass my house to park the truck at the shop. But if I am passing the shop I am leaving the truck there.

 

[DMiller]

When I worked side here, I kept most of my tools in a truck at home, could be in and gone to most customers in half the time it took other contractors to get to their shop, load up and swap from car to service wagon, made good time so made more calls more often and thus more money, greed is a evil sidekick but handy.

 

[Vetech63]

Its been 30 years since I was employed by a dealer. The last dealer I worked for I was also a field tech.....for Fiat Allis, Gradall, JCB, American crane, Manitowoc, and National Crane. It was a decent sized company with branches in Tulsa, OKC, and Houston. My area of coverage was the eastern half of Oklahoma and a good section of Northeast Texas.
Now, having said that, we ALWAYS drove the trucks home and usually went direct to a customers site daily. We had to supply ALL of our own tooling so everything on the truck was MINE!!!! It was well known back then that if our tools were on the truck......then the trucks didn't get left at the shop. The company wasn't going to be responsible for them and made that very clear. We got a $200.00 (cash) per diem per week for expenses (no company credit cards back then) and if we couldn't supply receipts for meals, motels, or fuel...........it came out of our pay.

Hell, when I was a field tech at a Terex dealer (1984 I think?) we were allowed to use the company field trucks for personal use. My boss told me I could even repair other equipment on the side as long as it wasn't Terex equipment. Those days are LONNNGGGG gone.

 

[BigWrench55]

The tools on my truck are certainly mine, and the company will replace stolen tools. So long as you locked it up using the gang locks. I have a slight rebellious side and I had to make a point that I don't need their truck. The rebel in me used to be a whole lot more loud and proud. Now that I am a little older and allowed for God to come into my life I can control that rebel.

 

[John C.]

The truck thing is a load of crap that I refused to participate in. The last service truck I had was mine to use for company business any way I saw fit. The last company truck I had was a small pickup that I negotiated the benefit of never paying a dime for. All other employees that drove company trucks had to pay $300 a month for the use of the truck and only use it for company business. As far as I know, I was the only person that got that done. Then again I was driving all over Washington state leaving as early as three in the morning and getting home many times after eleven at night. The field mechanics had the worst of it with the Cat dealer. They had to pay the money, which was entirely stupid, and the customers were also charge per mile to come to their sites. Mechanics were not paid for driving from their home to pickup the trucks in the branches. I think the dealer is charging $4.50 per mile for the truck plus mechanic time for driving it. Those trucks are a license to steal and they treat their mechanics like they are stealing from the company.

 

[Truck Shop]

That's a situation of {sure we'll hire you but it's going to cost you}. Employers count on the employees ignorance.

 

[BigWrench55]

I will consider myself lucky because I don't pay for my service truck. I have heard of things like that but never seen it. I have never paid to drive someone's truck and I won't start. If they pulled that crap on me I would pull my tools out and tell them where they can pick up their truck.

 

[mg2361]

(no company credit cards back then)

Back before they invented plastic.....old man!

 

[DMiller]

I can remember when per diem was paid from petty cash and no taxes were taken from it!

 

[crane operator]

My mechanic help is in his upper 50's. He's told me he just wants to work two more years and ease out. This spring he went to just 4 days a week, and I've hired a young guy who is around 20. The young guy has been to a small engine/ motorcycle trade school. Of course there aren't many jobs for motorcycle mechanics.

I'm looking at sending him to my local community college, which has a heavy diesel course. I think I can get him in one class per semester at night. 6-9pm, two nights a week. He would have it completed in two years (I think) if taken at night. He could do it in a year M-thursday during the day, but he really needs to work, so I think the nights would be better.

I think the night classes and maybe some online courses may give him a little help with the learning curve. He's a good kid and a hard worker. So I'm thinking I would pay for the schooling, he'd have to drive himself back and forth to class (about 45 minutes each way). Does that sound fair? Or should I be helping with the fuel too? I'm not making him take the courses, I just think it would be good for him.

As far as the tools, all the tools at my shop are the business tools. No one has their own tool box, I provide everything. No tool sharing arguments. I provide a company truck for one operator. I don't see how a company could charge the employee for driving the company truck.

 

[BigWrench55]

As far as the tools, all the tools at my shop are the business tools. No one has their own tool box, I provide everything. No tool sharing arguments. I provide a company truck for one operator. I don't see how a company could charge the

Can I come and work for you. Sounds like a sweet gig.

 

[DMiller]

Supplementing him a tad for Higher GPA during his schooling might stir him to excel. Can see adding some gas money that way or covering for a extra snack meal to support his growth, even paying for books or reference materials is a big plus. Add some welding instruction time with that, always a plus.

 

[DMiller]

What I will NOT understand is the requirement for a Tech Instructor to have a degree, can see that for some flunky just out of trade school but old timers that have skill as well the ability to present the materials as a knowing tradesman should not require such nonsense. Was told I had the skills level but could NOT WOULD Not be able to be certified as a instructor and could not be hired for one without some form of degree by local Trade school AND the local HS, asked of what types degree they already had she would not say but the neighbor that did work there said ANY degree regardless if applies to the subjects at hand or even teaching is a qualifier, which I find ridiculously stupid.

 

[John C.]

The apprenticeship program here use to require that. All courses done after shift two nights a week. The union subsidized the cost of the school. Students paid their own books and materials. Getting there and back was up to the student. If you do a program, take steps to ensure your guy stays working for you. The problem with individuals is they can walk away with the education and leave you with no return on your investment.

 

[crane operator]

If you do a program, take steps to ensure your guy stays working for you.

There's a crane outfit near me that plays some games with that. They "certifiy" their operators, but with their own course and their own teacher. The operator's certification then is only good if they are working for that crane company. I've always certified my guys through the national NCCCO program, which gets them a card that they can take anywhere. I haven't had anyone that I paid to get certified, leave to go work for someone else. I know of a couple outfits that have that problem, they certify a operator and as soon as they are certified they hit the road for greener pastures.

I look at it this way - I try to treat the guys the way I want to be treated, and if they really want to go somewhere else, I wish them the best. Its just business. I pay a good wage for my area, and try to provide a good working environment. I'm not going to make him sign a contract that if I pay for the schooling, he has to work for me for "X" number of years or pay it back. That always kind of reminds me of indentured servitude that they used to do when getting a boat trip to the new world. Employer buys the boat trip and you work for him for 7 years. I ain't doing that.

I did work with some tree trimmers a while back that were crying the blues. Their employer makes them sign a contract that if they damage a house or vehicles/ fence etc. while taking down a tree, they are personally responsible. They all had a short paycheck for the last month because the employer was holding out $$ to pay for a siding and gutter repair on a house that got hit with a limb.

I don't think that is legal, unless they are not actually not employees, but the 1099 "independent contractors" nonsense. I didn't get that far into the conversation, because they weren't happy about it anyways, and its not my business. But I thought it was a pretty $hitty deal for the employer to do. I take the risks for the profits as the owner, so I get the bad/losses too- I don't get to just pawn that off on to the employee. If my name is on the trucks, I'm responsible for what happens.

Can I come and work for you. Sounds like a sweet gig.

Its not all roses, and we don't have all snap on tools either. We make do sometimes with a big hammer and a pipe wrench.

 

[DMiller]

Nothing wrong with a fits them all and BFH. Even as contractor if they do not sign that Acceptance it is not legal where that 'Coerced for Work' acceptance may hold water like a screen door in court. They shoved that stuff in front of me at the Mississippi lime quarries, when Fruin Colnon(Weber) took them over they noted I had not ever signed one, told them not going to. They did not push it either.

 

[BigWrench55]

Nothing wrong with a fits them all and BFH. Even as contractor if they do not sign that Acceptance it is not legal where that 'Coerced for Work' acceptance may hold water like a screen door in court. They shoved that stuff in front of me at the Mississippi lime quarries, when Fruin Colnon(Weber) took them over they noted I had not ever signed one, told them not going to. They did not push it either.

I worked for company that had a noncompete agreement. I never signed it. I worked there 3 years and when I turned in my notice that I was moving on to greener pastures. The manager was disappointed that I was leaving and then came at me with the noncompete agreement. He asked where I was going and that I remembered that I signed that agreement. I told him where I was going since it wasn't the same type of business. And then I told him to look at my file and see if he can hold me to that agreement. I actually read the things that are put in front of me to sign. And if I don't like it I don't sign it. Hardly anyone checks to see if all the t's are crossed and that the i's are dotted. I will take full advantage of the fact that we are bombarded with a ton of paperwork and no one really takes the time to make sure it's done correctly.

 

[Truck Shop]

In most courts a non compete agreement doesn't mean much, you can't be deprived of your trade and lively hood.

Good for you crane op for helping the young guy out. Hopefully he uses it wisely.

 

[mitch504]

You talking about those tree service guys makes me think of a usual practice in a completely different industry here.

My brother called me in a panic one day, he was driving one of my tractor-trailers and filled up with fuel, went in the store paid for his coffee and snacks and left. He just knew he was about to be chased down and arrested. It was a large corporate owned store we all frequented about 50 miles from the shop, and I knew the manager. I called and said I'd be by to pay later, and she was fine with it.

When I got there, there was a very pretty girl about 20 at the register. When I said I wanted to pay for that fuel, she jumped up on the counter and gave me one of the best kisses of my life!

She said she wouldn't have gotten a paycheck for the next two weeks if I hadn't showed up! I have since found out that was common practice at stores around here. I would have quit as soon as I found out about that policy.