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What's wrong with people?

thepumpguysc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,445
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
I know what you mean Kshansen.. I've been out of work for 2 weeks with ruptured disks and a sciatic nerve problem..
I went by the shop on my way to talk to the surgen about a date for surgery.. and locked up EVERYTHING I could lay my hands on.. I would have hated looking for tools after a 6-8 wk recovery..
AND on top of that.. Monday morning my home shop burnt to the ground.. think of all the tools I've made there makes me sick..
 

Delmer

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
8,865
Location
WI
Sorry for your loss Pumpguy, I can't imagine the pain you're going through.

Not that you'd tell your customers to get a second opinion from a surgeon about their injection pump, but... Have a look at the success rate of back surgery, pretty low. The correlation between back injuries and back pain is extremely low. Relax, take a vacation, change jobs, whatever it takes to get rid of the "pain in the back".
 

fixou812

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
Occupation
Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
Good points Trax' As we know it takes Money to go out of town, It's also a Leap of Faith" in a new employer....with no one to count on around you (or worse) A young couple could be sharing a car that may not be reliable enough to leave town.
Some of us can afford to stay home rather than whore out. I'm sure some are apprehensive about driving three states away only to return with
their tail between there legs and broker than before they left.
 

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
Some folks just aren't cut out to work away from home. That said, a good percentage of those who aren't, aren't suited to hold a job close to home either.

I seem to be having a poor success rate in finding employees who want to learn the trade and move up. Most seem to think they deserve to start at the top, or at least halfway there, and then there are the ones that seem to think one or two weeks of labor entitles them to a raise and promotion to "operator". It seems very few want to spend the time it takes to actually learn what is needed to succeed in the business.

There are good ones, and I have not given up, but it seems it takes at least twice as many candidates as it used to to find a good one.
 

JD955SC

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2011
Messages
1,349
Location
The South
This just in. Local guy here who works as a supervisor for a construction company that's big enough to run 3 or 4 interstate highway jobs in that many locations. They are looking for laborers and people are walking out of interviews when they are told they may be 2-3 states away and working 50 or so hours a week. Same people crying cause they can't find work. Wife works at a convenience store that's looking for help both part and full time. People again turning done jobs because of evening and weekend scheduling.
Rick

We have a lot of non working jackwagons around here that won't take a job unless it pays what they THINK they should be making and gives them the hours they want to work...and when I say this I'm talking about someone who only has at most retail/restaurent work skills, nothing really valuable or uncommon. They think they are worth $20+ an hour when the norm for their field is a good bit less than that, and they think they should not have to work 40+ hours or they think that their weekends, nights, and early mornings are more important than earning some bread.

I have always been willing to work hard, work long hours, do the unpleasant jobs, and make the sacrifices as necessary. I have always had at least an OK paying job as a result and always had plenty of hours to work, plus the bosses are willing to give me raises, promotions, and all the other good stuff.
 

Deere Marine

Member
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
20
Location
Downeast, maine
Occupation
Owner/mechanic of a Deere, Scania, Volvo, Zf, and
Well guys there is some hope, I hired a 21yo from tech school in February and he's doing quite well! Asking all the right questions and not doing the stupid stuff so far. It's really hard to find young guys around here because they all get jobs in lobster boats making up to six figures for only six months out of the year.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Well guys there is some hope, I hired a 21yo from tech school in February and he's doing quite well! Asking all the right questions and not doing the stupid stuff so far. It's really hard to find young guys around here because they all get jobs in lobster boats making up to six figures for only six months out of the year.

Well get him on here so we can encourage him to keep up the good work and maybe pass on some knowledge from those of us who were the new guys on the job 45+ years ago!
 

Shimmy1

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2014
Messages
4,260
Location
North Dakota
The backhoe operator lowered the valve into the trench and the student began to bolt it in. The operator started honking the horn and waving his hands. The student asked, "What's wrong?" I looked at the valve and said that the operator was trying to tell him he was installing the gate valve backwards. He then picked up the valve and turned it around and bolted the valve in place.
Good one. Also, I would much rather have a kid like this, one that knows and respects the guy that is supervising, than some loudmouth blockhead that would b**ch about having to bolt the valve up by himself in the first place. Guys like that are trainable, for the most part. The crybabies are not.
 

movindirt

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
672
Location
under a shady tree
I was reading a article the other day, I'll have to try and find it and post the link, but essentially if someone plays the game they can collect around $75k in government handouts a year :eek: :Banghead
 

Old Junk Man

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Messages
119
Location
11143Hwy 90 West Pocahontas Arkansas 72455
Occupation
retired
When I worked road construction I always tried to work within driving distance of home. And quite often when the job was completed I was out of a Job. And drawed unemploymemt comp. In the spring I frequently was out of work and looking for work. I never bothered filling out applications. Once I want into the trailer at a job site. The woman in there handed me a application. I told her I didn't want to fill out a application I was ready to go to work. I walked out. There was a old guy in the office. He followed me out. Asked me what can you do? Who have you worked for? He then stated I need a finish Dozer operator ill give you a try out. Get in my truck. He took me out to the job site where a D6 10K powershift was . He said fire it up and show me what you can do. You better not be ****ting me because im a dozer operator and can tell just as soon as your ass hits the seat. First thing I did was take off the radiator cap and check the water. Checked the engine oil. Then lifted the seat to check the transmission oil. He drove away before I ever started the engine. I worked on that job till the very end. I always was able to find work when I wanted. And occasionally I was in charge of hiring. I never hired anyone who smoked and If they where addicted to using a cell phone I didn't want them also. I knew a few alky,s who could work fine. their wives had to drive them. Never seen a doper who was any good. In my thirtys I quit the operator trade. Why work outside in the heat & cold. Never have steady income and always have some a## foreman or picky inspector to try & please. I went to driving truck. Heat and Air cond. Always tried to work for a percentage of the Gross revenues. The owner & me both made money and I liked the work. One thing I learned. When looking for work its a two way street. Your selling that employer part of the productive years of your life. He need,s to make money from whatever you do for him and you need to make money just the same. So I looked at the companys equiptment. If it was old or junk I never even bothered to waste my time asking about work. If they couldn't do any better than that they weren't about to pay good wages. No point in marking time working for someone who would starve you to death.
 

oarwhat

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
824
Location
buffalo,n.y.
When I worked road construction I always tried to work within driving distance of home. And quite often when the job was completed I was out of a Job. And drawed unemploymemt comp. In the spring I frequently was out of work and looking for work. I never bothered filling out applications. Once I want into the trailer at a job site. The woman in there handed me a application. I told her I didn't want to fill out a application I was ready to go to work. I walked out. There was a old guy in the office. He followed me out. Asked me what can you do? Who have you worked for? He then stated I need a finish Dozer operator ill give you a try out. Get in my truck. He took me out to the job site where a D6 10K powershift was . He said fire it up and show me what you can do. You better not be ****ting me because im a dozer operator and can tell just as soon as your ass hits the seat. First thing I did was take off the radiator cap and check the water. Checked the engine oil. Then lifted the seat to check the transmission oil. He drove away before I ever started the engine. I worked on that job till the very end. I always was able to find work when I wanted. And occasionally I was in charge of hiring. I never hired anyone who smoked and If they where addicted to using a cell phone I didn't want them also. I knew a few alky,s who could work fine. their wives had to drive them. Never seen a doper who was any good. In my thirtys I quit the operator trade. Why work outside in the heat & cold. Never have steady income and always have some a## foreman or picky inspector to try & please. I went to driving truck. Heat and Air cond. Always tried to work for a percentage of the Gross revenues. The owner & me both made money and I liked the work. One thing I learned. When looking for work its a two way street. Your selling that employer part of the productive years of your life. He need,s to make money from whatever you do for him and you need to make money just the same. So I looked at the companys equiptment. If it was old or junk I never even bothered to waste my time asking about work. If they couldn't do any better than that they weren't about to pay good wages. No point in marking time working for someone who would starve you to death.

Not to be mean but you sound like allot of the guys I wouldn't hire. Oh I hired a few and learned that they were never as good as they said they were. They always wanted more money, wanted to run the newest equipment and ALWAYS wanted to do it their way. Didn't listen very well and usually told others I didn't know what I was doing. Then they would leave usually when I needed them most to make more money elsewhere. Also wanted to be laid off first so they didn't have to work in the cold and snow. No thanks
 
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Old Junk Man

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Messages
119
Location
11143Hwy 90 West Pocahontas Arkansas 72455
Occupation
retired
Every one who I ever worked for I wanted them to make money from whatever I did for them. Like it or not that's the reason they went into business and that's the reason Why I went to work. Its like this the employee is waiting for quitting time and payday. and the owner is looking for job completion and the last draw. Both want the very same thing. I usually tried to drive truck where I got 25% of the gross revenues. I went from making $10 per hour as a finish dozer operator to driving a day cab freightliner pulling a gravel bucket. Got 25% and the rig could carry 27 tons which paid 10 cents per ton per mile. Averaging 100 miles in two hours that paid much better than operating. The last truck I drove I averaged $250 per day in earnings. No layoffs no rain outs in out of the elements and making better than $60,000 per year. The Mexican,s have drove the price paid for operators wages down to minium wage here in Arkansas. No druggie or doper can drive truck successfully. Operating equiptment and Mechanic are crappy jobs and those who hire them commonly look upon their employees a just another tool to get the job done a cheaply as possible. Yes Im not a complacient sheeple. I once was working on a job that the foreman was very abrasive. We got off on the wrong foot. I hauled a 621 scraper from Mountian View Ar to Black rock Ar. Parked the rig on a flat place centerd in the gravel road where it was the most level. Was taking off the multiple chains. And this guy in a black Pk drives up and starts yelling telling me I cant be blocking the road. I told him he would just have to wait a few minutes until I got unloaded. He Started yelling again. I turned around holding a boomer and started toward him. Asked him did anyone ever tell him to go get ******. Get got in the Pk and left. I found out the next day He was the new foreman. It took me a couple of weeks to get the spread of equiptment hauled. Then I went to work. First day I was using a front loader to load freshly blasted boulders and rock into a eulcid pit truck. And was hauling the loads to where there where deep fills. He came and took the set of plans the owner had given me away from me. After a couple of hours the loader blew air line. So I went to my Pk and got my tools and took off the hose and went to powells machine shop and had one made up. When I got back Here he came mad and yelling because I didn't go ask him permission. I gave him the finger and got in my Pk and left. That was on a Thursday. On Sunday afternoon the owner came by my house and told me when I left every on on the job walked off. And they wouldn't come back until I did. And guess what? We all went back to work. Everyone filled out their own time cards and we built 7 miles of hwy 166 without a foreman on the job. We got it cleared road bed up to grade and gravel on it in time for deer season Had some concrete work and slope work to complete but the dirt was all moved. . Hired Help that cant take care of their own problems and make decisions aint worth much. If you gotta babysit them you just as well do it yourself. A local trucking company is always in need of drivers. They advertise we will treat you like family. I don't want to be treated like family. I see how family treats each other. I want to make money. No shame in expection to make money from whatever it is that you do. Not to worry I now 64 & drawing a pretty sizeable social security Ponzi check. This old Guy does whatever he wants. and im having the most fun playing with my grandson and all my junk equiptment and vehicles. If someone had equiptment like the stuff I own I wouldn't work for them. Yep you probably wouldn't hire me and if you did I probably wouldn't make you a good hand. I would quit if I wasn't making enough money.
 
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