How To Be An Excellent Groundman

[Nutball]

And earbuds (music), makes it hard to communicate. I prefer earplugs to quiet the loud noises, then I can enjoy chainsaws and chippers running under load as music to my ears.

 

[squisher]

It's funny at the mill I work at now there's a no cel phone rule. Leave it in the lunchroom for breaks/lunch. Most seem to blatantly ignore that rule. I just smh.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Damn good rule.

 

[Jonny]

Union shop, Squisher?

 

[squisher]

Yup. All the babies got protection. If I was a younger man I'd go nuts. As it is I just do my own thing, mostly work alone anyways so no biggie. Lots of the older dudes seem pretty core and production minded and lots of the younger guys seem weak and unmotivated. Like I said though I just do my own thing now and enjoy the job for what it is. I got 12hrs OT yesterday while taking my floater day off, things like that are nice.

I lucked right into a great weekend posting that I've described on here before but Mick gets pissed off with how good I have it lol. I work two 12s on the weekend and get paid 30hrs(time and a half on Sunday) then I work five regular eights within each four week 'block' to top up to 40hr weeks. And I get to choose when I put in those eights. Then if I work any other shifts they're straight OT. Pretty creamy for a new guy like myself to have landed the posting.

Union is nice, good wage, benefits, and pension. As well as job security/protection but I've never needed that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

At your age...

I'd be loving it!

 

[squisher]

Yah it's pretty sweet. I get a decent workout but it's not like I'm killing myself. Pretty chill for me. Zero responsibility besides any pressure I put upon myself. Ohhh something broke, or isn't working right? Two blasts for a millwright, three for an electrician. Lol. Let me know when it's fixed.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hahahahahaaa!!!

 

[Jonny]

That's sweet. Pensions are very rare here nowadays. Uncle DuPont is nice enough to match 6% on the 401k. I like daydreaming about cashing it out and fleeing the country.

My union is for protection and negotiating raises at contract time. They will get involved in safety and health issues if needed but the company already takes that stuff pretty serious. Basically just show up on time, and don't get hurt and it's kinda hard to get fired.

 

[Tree09]

Unions are what the members make it. When i was uaw, you basically paid dues and everything pretty much happened behind the scenes. You were obviously welcome to the union meetings, but it wasn't treated as a big deal. In the fitters, all apprentices are required to attend all union meetings, so they go every month for 5 years, and at that point it becomes a good habit for some. Some halls have decided on investing on other benefits for their members, such as hunting property to private golf courses lol. I feel the construction unions have a much more involved membership because most members don't have the job security that comes with a teaching, factory, or other steady job. At the end of the job getting laid off is par for the course, so the members are involved because upcoming work is discussed at the meetings. And since they are there, a much closer brotherhood (personhood) is formed. I guess my point is being involved is a very good thing, and gives you control of your own destiny in a way.