Little Purple Bag

[Bluwenis]

Yesterday, the electricians were begging for some hook time. All they needed was 20-30 minutes to fly some cable spools to the roof. They weren't on the crane schedule and nobody wanted to give up the hook. Many hours into the day I found time to sneak the hook away and help them out. At the end of the day their foreman called me on my phone and said he'd left some crane oil for me. When I got to the bottom of the tower I found a little purple bag of Crown Royal. Is this common practice where you are working. Do you get thanked with booze or something else. It happens quite often here. Especially when someone runs your hook into the ground, through a window, or something else stupid.

:drinkup

 

[bentwrench]

I retired from fire protection (Sprinkler Fitter) and many times I've gotten crane or lull time with a case of Bud or a 5th of Jack! Seemed like half the time we showed up with a semi load of pipe nobody knew we were coming. I think they all knew I was easy.

 

[Bluwenis]

On a daily basis, many loads show up that are not on my schedule. Usually, it is not a big deal. However, if the schedule is full, your material will be turned away for another day. Especially when concrete gets priority over everything else. A little lubrication never hurt anyone.


:beerchug

 

[hoeman600]

:drinkup:drinkupmany a case will get things done around here . also any rock truck that hits a stake its gonna cost him:drinkup a case

 

[Turbo21835]

The preferred payment method is a case for a pickup load of topsoil. I had one site where i was loading clay for free, but topsoil was at a premium. One of the electricians on site wanted dirt. Asked me if any of it was free, told him the clay was. He said how bout I go get a case and i get load of the good stuff.

Another site we were getting rid of topsoil. Had someone that was letting us dump for free, only cost us fuel in the dumps. Excavator was billed to the job any way. We had a guy in the neighborhood that needed dirt to fill in a low area. It was around 50 loads or so. The foreman made a deal with him, after noon on a saturday, all the drivers and operators make x amount of dollars for the little operation. Cut the truck round trip time in half, so it wasnt costing the company anything. Guy came out with a pint of jack for all 12 of us. Plus a box of Omaha steaks for everyone to divvey up, plus our cash. Worked out well for everyone involved

 

[tonka]

Omaha steaks, wheres the drool smillie!

 

[bentwrench]

Omaha steaks are only if you don't raise these!

 

[bear]

I see a couple of cuts i'd like off that heiffer. Nothing like butchering and cooking steak on the same day.

 

[Turbo21835]

Ill tell you this, growing up around farming, Omaha steaks have nothing on home grown

 

[stretch]

Oh yes, if someone does a favor or screws something up, its almost like a law to repay them like that. Usually booze, but sometimes my family gets thanked with cheese. Not kidding, but we certainly enjoy it...until dad starts eating that smelly kind. And Omaha Steaks are another popular payment method here too. (mmm...steaks...ahhhhhhh...)

 

[Dirtman2007]

I usually go for a little cash foldin money. loading free dirt oneday from a stock pile and hauling it to one of our jobs. Had about 8 or 9 trucks rolling when another one shows up and ask how much for a load of dirt, Not knowing what to say I just said 20 bucks... ended up making about 100 extra bucks that day for 5 loads of nice clay, not bad for about 15 minutes of work. Too bad that don't happen very often.

Like I said tips are usually what I get for doing a favor. I always try to do little favors when ever I can, as long as it can be done in 15 -20 minutes with the machine. $50 - 100 dollar tips are always nice:drinkup

oh yeah, buying my lunch is good too.

 

[Turbo21835]

Yea. I always ran into that when I was loading topsoil. A random truck would show up and ask how much for topsoil. I usually told them 20 bucks for a tandem, 25 for a tri, and 30 for a quad. Nice way to make some extra spending money. The company usually never case, as long as the dirt goes away

 

[Lashlander]

Topsoil here runs $30.00 a yard.

 

[DILLIGAF]

in australia we call a case a carton or slab amongst other names, but its common law basicly if you get bogged= carton, take out a survey peg= carton, damage anything really= carton, but then on mine sites anyone new= starters carton, anyone who quits=quiters carton, and basicly any other excuse you can think of= carton, It's interesting to know this is common all over the globe

 

[Countryboy]

but then on mine sites anyone new= starters carton

I have a new guy starting next week. I'll have to see if I can get what I'm owed. :drinkup

 

[redline]

in australia we call a case a carton or slab amongst other names, but its common law basicly if you get bogged= carton, take out a survey peg= carton, damage anything really= carton, but then on mine sites anyone new= starters carton, anyone who quits=quiters carton, and basicly any other excuse you can think of= carton, It's interesting to know this is common all over the globe

sure is common currency here, I know heaps that would knock back $50 but jump at a carton (until recently a carton was around $25) LMAO:drinkup:drinkup:drinkup

 

[Dwan Hall]

Donuts in the morning sometimes helps smooth out the days work also.

Tips no mater how they come are always nice. Yesterday I got 10lb of tiger shrimp for helping off load a crab boat plus my wage.

 

[Tanstaafl]

Donuts in the morning sometimes helps smooth out the days work also.

Tips no mater how they come are always nice. Yesterday I got 10lb of tiger shrimp for helping off load a crab boat plus my wage.

Donuts were always my bribe of choice when I was spending all day on site as a CMT inspector. Amazing how much smoother the days go when you've given a crew some free food.

 

[qball]

ya gotta look for scams, er. um, extra income. i have sold thousands of side loads and unloaded tons of contractors supplies. always reasonable compared to the alternative.

 

[guyinthesky]

I'm not a huge drinker, yet I always seem to have a fridge stocked full of beer and a cabinet full of spirits from trades on site, everything from sneaking the crane away for a lift they otherwise wouldn't get until the next day because of scheduling. I've gotten gift certificates for dinner, I've gotten a couple free nights at some real nice hotels on the West Coast of BC. One of the cranes I've run encompassed a couple smaller condo's on the sides of the site, Over the course of a few months I lifted a couple hot tubs up to the roof for the owners of the penthouses, as well as some misc. other lifts that wouldn't have fit in the elevators and got a combination of cash, spirits, invites to parties they had...Tips do go a long way, makes everyones life easier in the end