City worker

[lineman]

I don’t go look at the other websites and I try to just ignore the slander that is being said about me by some folks but I am aware of all of the videos and character assassination that is being generated because people email the stuff to me. They are concerned about it and want me to know what is being said.

Today I was sent a thread where the Canadian and Top Groove are telling all about what I think and what my agenda is and why I banned them and all of that. They like to speak for me and say what my opinions are so I thought I might go ahead and give my own true opinion so no one has to guess.

The reason that some people got banned from this board has nothing to do with where they work or any of their affiliations because when it comes down to it, I have no idea who any of them really are other than what they post on the Forums. The only, and I mean one and only, reason they got banned was because they were bullies.

The Forums were out of control with threats and slander and all kinds of craziness that not only ran off many of our regular users but also was becoming a liability to powerlineman and it just made all of us look bad to let it go any further. It got too mean and hateful and a lot of folks were afraid of posting because they would be attacked. Now looking back, I can see that we did the right thing. The right people got banned. They prove it all the time with the hatred that they still spew.

The Canadian and Groove are now saying that this board and, I personally, are against Union. That is just a flat lie. I think that anyone who can go Union ought to go Union and anyone who crosses a strike line is committing a sin. I have worked with a lot of Union guys at the city. They would hire on and stay a while sometimes even for a few years and then move on. One of my good friends was Union when he hired on and he worked for the city for about 15 years. He finally got tired of it and drug up and reactivated his card and now he is back with Local 111. A lot of the apprentices that I helped train are now with 111 so, I do appreciate the Union and I have a lot of friends that are Union Linemen and we all get along fine and, again I will say that the reason I got paid so well all of my career was directly because of what the Union has done for the trade.

So you may ask, how come I never left the city to join the Union. Well, the truth is, I had it made where I was and I didn’t want to travel. In thirty years I never lived more that 15 minutes from the shop. (Not such a good thing sometimes to be so handy for trouble calls)
But I always talked Union and even tried to get us to organize a few times even to the point of me sitting in the Mayor’s office talking to him about it but it never came to pass. When you work for a municipal you work at the pleasure of the Mayor and City Council. You are a public servant working for the people of the town. Also, I think that because we were all just too comfortable where we were and the City paid well enough to keep us there and things were never bad enough to take that action.

As far as powerlineman goes, it has no opinion on anything and it has no agenda other than to connect Linemen from around the country and the world.

Of all of the things I have done with this web site and Powerlineman Magazine, the thing I am still most proud of is being a Lineman.

So, there is my side of things. To boil it all down, I was a City worker my whole carreer and I simply love our trade. That’s it!

Byron

[Pootnaigle]

Excellant post and dead on the money.The absolute worst offenders here are now over there and I say good riddance. They had formed a clique and when someone disagreed with any one of em they incurred the wrath of all of em. They have repeatedly shown that they have no moral fiber and spend most of their time pounding their chests and trying to impress one another. I worked union for 40 years and am deeply indebted to the IBEW, and in all truth I think it would not be at all proud of that bunch.People like them do more damage than good for unions anywhere.

[Orgnizdlbr]

I'm also an IBEW member for 40 years, if I thought that this site or Byron was anti union or anti working class, I certainly wouldnt be here.

[LostArt]

I'm none of the above. I'm not even an school administrator. I work for the educational system; the Florida educational system. I'm a very smalltown school bookkeeper that is married to a smalltown lineman for the last 32 years. I came to this site wanting to learn about my husband's job and what he does on an everyday basis. While I was here, I learned a good bit from all of you. I appreciate the respect that most of you have given me. Most of the linemen I know show that respect. However, in the last few months, I've learned there are some that haven't. Not even to another lineman's wife; the brotherhood.

But what it really boils down to is, it's not about being just linemen, utility workers, or being in this trade. It's about who you really are, what you stand for, and how you precieve yourself to others. It's not where you have been or where you are going, it's who you are.

I can honestly say that most of you are some class act guys. Yes, you are. Because I know the difference now. It's not whether you are union, non union, a grunt, a meter reader, clerical worker, or just wanting to get in this trade. It's how you conduct yourself on a daily basis.

Byron is one class act. I've seen him being thrown in the mud and still wanting to forgive and forget. Even to the point of giving folks another chance. MANY times. That's who Byron is. I'm not the only one that can say this. He is just one heck of a good guy that wants this site to be a tool for every lineman, and those that want to be a lineman, to be able to come here and talk the trade. It's pretty simple to me and I'm not even in the trade.

[PA BEN]

Love the new look I don’t know how long it’s been this way because I haven’t even bothered to look at this site for a while. And yes it’s because of all the BS that went on here. We should all be able to agree to disagree and move on. But some guys just couldn’t do that. Keep up the good work. And BTW, I’ve been a Lineman for a City for 28 years. 21 non-union and 7 union.

[Pootnaigle]

Excellant to hear from you Ben. I have missed the photos of the huge fish, the pretty little girls, and the stuff that got in the way of your gun and wound up on your table.

[Koga]

a lot quieter ! And civil. Just noticed someone got his peepee spanked again ! And I thought I was hard headed !

Koga

[lineman641]

Byron,
You have done a great job on this site as well as the magazine. I agree with what you say as that is why i have not taken part in anything much these last couple years. I think I may start back in the conversations again. I have been here since before day one, back when it was a blog?, things do change and you have made it better.

Thanks, Lineman641

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmm we suspect there are quite a few folks that no longer post due to all the strife in the past.Hopefully all of em come back now that we have rid the site of those guilty of causing it.As in anything I suspect there will always be a precious few that feel empowered to make snide remarks at the expense of others but that will be dealt with quick, fast ,and inna hurry.The more participation we have the better it will be for all.

[rob8210]

I agree completely, this is a great sight and everyone left on here is a class act. Since I have worked both union and non-union I see no difference, a lineman is a lineman. The good ones have respect for all and 10 fingers and 10 toes. Carry on!!