Family in the workplace or abnormal behavior?

[dbrown20]

Went to work for Pac. Pwr. and Lite in May of 78 in Rock Springs,Wyo. The crew I went to work on was a Transmission Maint. crew and consisted of 4 people. One of the odder things I observed was on the Meter relay crew. They had a foreman on this crew who I believed possessed a double E degree. I don't recall his name but he was very musical and could play the hell out of a piano. Anyway the strange thing was he brought his pre-school son to work with him on a daily basis. There were 2 supervisors present at this location and nothing was ever said of this practice. The story was that his wife taught school and didn't want their child in a day care and so this clown just brought his child to work. I asked a supervisor once about this practice and the attitude was that this man was so brilliant, he could do as he pleased. He was also noted for showing up to work 30 minutes or more than an hour late at least once a week. Nothing was ever said to him. The child was loaded into the company van and these meter relay chaps would journey to distant subs and test relays etc. I remember once going to Jim Bridger power plant and observing this small child playing in the large switch yard while his father and crew were testing power transformers and relays. Strange. I don't know what the arrangement was if his father had to travel out of town on an emergency.

The other weirdo was a radio technician who always brought his Siamese cat to work with him. He lived with his mother and the cat and it's behavior was like a dog. When he was ready to leave the shop he would tell the cat, lets go, and the cat would follow him to his van and load up with him. He related that when he went backpacking in the mts. that the cat would follow along and go with him into the mountains no matter how far. A funny aside was that this fellow with the cat decided he would quit and so he gave his two week notice and it was accepted. About at the end of the 2 weeks he had a change of heart and wanted to rescind his resignation. Management said tough, you've already resigned. They made him go ahead and quit. They didn't care for him.

Another goof ball worked out of the local union hall for contractors. He was GFing a small transmission job once and would occasionally take his wife and children out on the weekends and make them help him frame structures. What a weird world we live in.

Forgot to mention that the meter relay foreman got into management. Any surprise? dbrown20

[Koga]

I remember one in particular. We handed him a walkie talkie his first week and told him to stand down by the signs we put out and flag traffic. :confused: Puzzled look came over his face? He had no idea what it was or how to use it.Later gave him a grease gun and told him to grease the boom on the truck parked over there. He came back 5 min. later with one hand covered with grease and said he ran out and needed more. :eek: Yep sure nuff ,he squirted the grease in his hand and wiped the boom down with it :D One day they decided to send him down to the office in the district south of us, to pick up some material. Told him directions how to get there.Usually takes one about 30 to 45 min to drive there.He calls in later (4 hours and 150 miles later) and is lost.He made a big loop on the interstates and ended up about 50 miles east of where he wanted to go. When Entergy bought us out and layoffs came we knew he was a gonner. Thats when we found out his daddy was connected big time to the PSC. He now enjoys a supervisors job over meter readers. Go figure ! We've had 3 out standing employees that really made you wonder how the "survival of the fittest rule " didnt take em out in early childhood.

Koga

[QuebecMonteurs]

One of my crew chief brought his girlfriend at work two weeks ago... We were out of town and she ahd to come at the end of the week for an unknown reason. It was cool; she was moving the truck and getting the things that were sometimes missing at the truck. But it is still a behavior I don't encourage.

[dbrown20]

One of my crew chief brought his girlfriend at work two weeks ago... We were out of town and she ahd to come at the end of the week for an unknown reason. It was cool; she was moving the truck and getting the things that were sometimes missing at the truck. But it is still a behavior I don't encourage.

Depends on what she looked like and how she was dressed. dbrown20

[QuebecMonteurs]

Depends on what she looked like and how she was dressed. dbrown20

:D To keep being polite, I would only say that she looked like... hummm...euhhhhh... let's say "strong enough" to pull our lashing machine setted with two lashing wire placed in a Z position on the pulleys... :D

[scammy]

No ,no one should bring you family to work , especially if you love and care about them, what if an accident ocurred,involving them ,would you want them to witness it? or worst be involved?I would question thier thought prosses,and call osha.........scammy

[dog38]

I have 9 year old daughter and I take her too school every day in the service truck that I drive.My wife has cancer now and next year Im sure I am going to have to pick her up from school occasionionly but i would never have her on a job site with me. I might have to drop her off at the office and let the supervisor baby set for a little while. So far this new guy we have has been a decent person as far as i am concerned.Having some one out there just to be in the way is a lot diferent than when you have too take care of buisness because your to poor to pay for baby sitter because the company provides you with shitty insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CHICAGO HAND.]

The Books That Could Be Written About The Stuff That Has Gone On Down Here !
There Is Defenetly A Different Breed Down Here, The Likes Of Which I Have Never Seen Anywhere Else.
I Am Sure It Has Nothing To Do With Working Next To Mr Death All Day Long And Into The Night, While Management Who Has Never Done The Work And Who Is Afraid To Plug In There Toaster Question's Us On What's Taking So Long.

[Patriot]

Went to work for Pac. Pwr. and Lite in May of 78 in Rock Springs,Wyo. The crew I went to work on was a Transmission Maint. crew and consisted of 4 people. One of the odder things I observed was on the Meter relay crew. They had a foreman on this crew who I believed possessed a double E degree. I don't recall his name but he was very musical and could play the hell out of a piano. Anyway the strange thing was he brought his pre-school son to work with him on a daily basis. There were 2 supervisors present at this location and nothing was ever said of this practice. The story was that his wife taught school and didn't want their child in a day care and so this clown just brought his child to work. I asked a supervisor once about this practice and the attitude was that this man was so brilliant, he could do as he pleased. He was also noted for showing up to work 30 minutes or more than an hour late at least once a week. Nothing was ever said to him. The child was loaded into the company van and these meter relay chaps would journey to distant subs and test relays etc. I remember once going to Jim Bridger power plant and observing this small child playing in the large switch yard while his father and crew were testing power transformers and relays. Strange. I don't know what the arrangement was if his father had to travel out of town on an emergency.

The other weirdo was a radio technician who always brought his Siamese cat to work with him. He lived with his mother and the cat and it's behavior was like a dog. When he was ready to leave the shop he would tell the cat, lets go, and the cat would follow him to his van and load up with him. He related that when he went backpacking in the mts. that the cat would follow along and go with him into the mountains no matter how far. A funny aside was that this fellow with the cat decided he would quit and so he gave his two week notice and it was accepted. About at the end of the 2 weeks he had a change of heart and wanted to rescind his resignation. Management said tough, you've already resigned. They made him go ahead and quit. They didn't care for him.

Another goof ball worked out of the local union hall for contractors. He was GFing a small transmission job once and would occasionally take his wife and children out on the weekends and make them help him frame structures. What a weird world we live in.

Forgot to mention that the meter relay foreman got into management. Any surprise? dbrown20


Danny, when I started with this outfit there was a guy on the highline crew that took his wife all the time. She didn't ride in company rigs but would follow in her own car or pickup. To the jobsite, bring him lunch, or go back to the motel and wait. None of what you mentioned would be condoned any more. Completely out of the question. Interesting to know though.

I wonder where the guy that went into management eneded up? I never knew any that were that talented! :-)

[dbrown20]

Danny, when I started with this outfit there was a guy on the highline crew that took his wife all the time. She didn't ride in company rigs but would follow in her own car or pickup. To the jobsite, bring him lunch, or go back to the motel and wait. None of what you mentioned would be condoned any more. Completely out of the question. Interesting to know though.

I wonder where the guy that went into management eneded up? I never knew any that were that talented! :-)

Ask some of the old hands, they'll remember him. Heron should know. That was when they had the Power Dept. and Oscar Younglund was the dept. head. Also Leroy Swartz if he's still around. dbrown20

[LostArt]

Now Mr. Brown can frown about my story....................

Well, it's been many many years ago, but it was during the Hugo storm up near Monck's Corner in S. C. I think I came on the scene about two weeks into it.

I was going to stay at the hotel, but since the boss was the boss on this crew, I went with him. Yes, I did. The first morning was going down to eat breakfast with the other linemen. Oh man..........from like all over the country, they were. I'll admit it was very odd for me to be there and I was definitely treated as an oddity! Yeah, uncomfortable ...............at first.

We ran into some of the boss' kin, which was from JEA (Jacksonville) and I had never met him before. Now, he and his wife still stay in contact with us. Before then, I never knew the boss had a first cousin from Jacksonville in the powerline business.

After breakfast the boss headed out toward all the guys locations. First it was meeting up with the right-a-way crew. Right before we got there, there was a guy that had just about split his head open. The boss was fast moving out of the truck and when I saw the guy's face, I knew it wasn't good. I automatically looked for rags........trying to find anything that was romotely clean. I ended up with the boss's dry clean t-shirt and as the guy was getting in the truck on the passenger side, I was quickly applying pressure to his head. The gash was right above his eye. Just meters above it!

I talked to the guy and the boss drove. The guy was going into shock, and I kept saying it wasn't that bad and he would be fine. He looked up at me once and said, "Lady, I'm ugly as hell to begin with." I grinned and said, "Well, now you are gonna have some dag gum character." He actually chuckled and said he appreciated the comment.

The boss and I stayed in the emergency room until they could see him and then we were off again. As soon as we got in the truck, the boss started chuckling, "You beat all woman. The man is bleeding to death and you tell him he is going to be fine and is going to acquire some looks after gashing his head wide open." Heh. I suppose that was humorous.

Later, we passed a truck stop and the boss said that was where the guys were going to eat later by us bringing them lunch bags they were working on. I asked, "Do they need help, ya think?" He shrugged and said, "Probably, why?" I told him to stop and let me help them and he could pick me up later.

That was a long day for me, but a rewarding one. I mixed well with those cajun locals. The boss said I looked way out of place, but I seemed to fit in well. I have no idea what he meant! But, I took it as a compliment. And I have only done about 3 storms. Not many. But, I've seen enough to know that I do need to stay out of the way and not to be a distraction and when to hush. Heh. Believe it or not...........this ole school marm can follow instructions/directions.........even orders. Heh.

Now you are all frowning, I suppose. But, I have learned alot over the many years being a lineman's wife and have never went up in a bucket while he was on the job nor have I ever gotten in the way. However, I have seen some jobs done and all of the men I knew back then, are still with the boss or at least still in contact with them. And they even treat me with respect and have always answered my questions.

I never went and "worked" with the boss. Neither did my children. However, my daughter did work for an electrical company that did contract work. And she and the boss talked shop. She did have to carry some equipment to her dad on this job and she has helped doing those survey layouts. She was given that job at this electrical company.

I never thought of it as abnormal, but given more thought, maybe I shouldn't have been there those very few times. I don't know. I do know that I wouldn't do it now. However, I did have to go out and pick him up a few months ago off of his job. It was in the swamp areas..........new lines going up. And he had to leave the guys his truck to get back to the shop/co-op.

Interesting though Mr. Brown. I really never gave this much thought at the time, but I didn't get out of the truck and get in anybody's way. But, that was many years ago, and it was one of those company contractors that are so well hated here. Yes, I'm wearing a smirk.

[dbrown20]

A family member who is not actually employed by the company and periodically shows up on the job creates an awkwardness that causes some problems I believe. It creates some tension, although it may not be well apparent, and causes people not to be as relaxed and natural as they should be. I don't think it is proper, although I have seen it a few times. I am quite sure the liability is such that most companies will not allow it. I recall not too long ago when a man had his teenage grandson on the job. He decided he would give the grandson a memory of his grandfather up the pole doing linework. He tooled up and ascended the pole. He was gloving 4 kv from the pole, which was legal. He attempted to make up the source wire from the top of a cutout to the primary phase. His elbow contacted the top of the cutout while he was making it hot and he was forthwith killed with his grandson getting the unpleasant sight of his grandfather's electrocution. An extreme example, but it happened. dbrown20

[LostArt]

Danny, has any of your family seen you work from afar? I mean when you were up on the pole? I'm not saying that they "went to work" with you, I'm saying have they ever seen you work?

I've seen more men/powerlinemen working on the line than I have my own husband. Meaning either on the road, in town, during storms..........just because I was out and about.

I actually had to wait for some linemen to move and get through working on a line down a pig trail road recently because they were pulling a line. I think I waited almost 25 minutes or more. The boss actually called me and said, "Hey, I called your mom's and you aren't there. We are concerned. Where are you woman?" I laugh and say, "Waiting on some powerlinemen to let me by." He asked where and I said that the (insert REA company here) was pulling line near the river. He said, "Really? I didn't know this." And I said, "I told you last month they were clearing the road way to mom's place then, remember?"

I don't know. Seems like the public could be a nuisance. Now I'm thinking of a new thread! :D

Hey Danny. I know what you mean and I agree.

[toptie]

that was the most redneck description I have ever heard about those people. I lived and worked in that area for ttwo years, and they are some of nicest and down to earth friendly I have ever met. Cajun is a whole different life than these people you are referring to. You piss with a Cajun and thet will cut your ass in half, with a dull knife. Myrtle Beach residents just get tired of the tourions coming down and think by god they are on the ocean and are invincible. And as a matter of fact one of their popular sayings on bumper stickers and such is " you've seen the ocean now carry your ass home!" My advise to you is if you don't like the dressing stay out of the salad!

[LostArt]

that was the most redneck description I have ever heard about those people. I lived and worked in that area for ttwo years, and they are some of nicest and down to earth friendly I have ever met. Cajun is a whole different life than these people you are referring to. You piss with a Cajun and thet will cut your ass in half, with a dull knife. Myrtle Beach residents just get tired of the tourions coming down and think by god they are on the ocean and are invincible. And as a matter of fact one of their popular sayings on bumper stickers and such is " you've seen the ocean now carry your ass home!" My advise to you is if you don't like the dressing stay out of the salad!

HUH??????

What'd I say? :D Heh. I don't know how in the heck you got me to insulting folks up in Moncks Corner. I will say this, they weren't none offended like you were to my post! LOL! Whew! :D

Good golly be jeepers! heh, heh, heh. I'm glad they loved my smile Toptie! That must of saved me from the dull knife because I'm still wearing too much ass for them to have cut it off! Heh. Wooo weee.........some folks get a darn spur up their hineys at times! heh.

[toptie]

No I guess not not. But what I'm talking about is your two faced ass. What would the do or say to you after reading your yankee post??

[LostArt]

No I guess not not. But what I'm talking about is your two faced ass. What would the do or say to you after reading your yankee post??

Oh.....about the south Florida yankees? Hopefully some folks have a sense of humor Toptie and have lived past the Civil War by now. Most have to..........especially in your line of work, I'd think.

Two faced, eh? Wow, now don't you make me feel all warm and fuzzy like. :D

Wanna take this outside? Or do you wanna show these fellow linemen what you are really made of? :cool:

[toptie]

How my feelings flow dont affect me as a lineman . I know FL is not yankee territory, but you was insinuationg those thoughts. And as far as these people feel about me, their little theatre dos'nt bother me because no one better than me handles my confidence as a 26 year lineman than myself. So with that I can just say KISS MY ASS!

[LostArt]

How my feelings flow dont affect me as a lineman . I know FL is not yankee territory, but you was insinuationg those thoughts. And as far as these people feel about me, their little theatre dos'nt bother me because no one better than me handles my confidence as a 26 year lineman than myself. So with that I can just say KISS MY ASS!

LMAO!! Yes sir! :D You know what I find so amusing? Is that I and most here have contributed to Mr. Brown's thread/topic. And it's about linework. And although my stories, humor or non-humor (in your opinion) are still related to Mr. Brown's topic/subject, yours isn't. Yours was a direct hit upon my person.

I've not insulted you at all and yet you felt compelled to let me, a humble lineman's wife, know that you had 26 yrs experience as a lineman. That's what I find amusing sir. How can one, such as I, rile a confident and dedicated lineman to curse and attack?

I'm truly sorry about the break in this thread Danny. This is a nice topic buddy. I should have let him by with it. But, I still find it .........well, interesting! Heh. :D

[toptie]

and I'll say it again kiss my ass!

[scammy]

not only are you an ass ...but a hippocrite too ,,,working in NW ohio claming to be a confederate?screw yoooou and the horsees ass you rode in on,,,,,,scammy,,,,dont need you in SW ohio

[dog38]

I have met good and bad people everywhere i have been. So I share swamps view on this issue. I have worked with folks from up north and down south if you do linework you either put up or shut up! Bottom line. It doesnt matter how many years you got under your belt.

[woody]

Toptie... since you fell and injured yourself... you've shown some signs of anger that were'nt there before. Hope all is well with you and your claim against the company. If not... hope you recover soon... and keep everybody posted. Hey... P.S. don't attack L.A. ... she means well... and isn't in the habit of attacking people on this website. woody