Who would be a linesman ?????????????

[bren guzzi]

Really who would be a lines man. ?????? I've neen a linesman for over 30 years. I am 50 years of age this year.(June !!!! If your thinking of buying me a prezzie ). Anyway.as most of ya know I'm working in Scotland this past 3 years. When we started we(as its the law) got a contract of employment. BUT as is the case with a lot of companys its kinda "flexible". We were told if we work 10 days we could go home Thursday. We come back Sunday night and aren't paid for that. So itss kinda gentlemans agreement. TODAY we are told . As from next week we are expected to work thursday and Friday and be in work for 7.30 am on monday morning. SO ' I.will get home midnight on FRi and travel back Sunday . All teams were told this today. Result one foreman that's been here 20 years walked off the job. Another crew handed in their nottice on mass.

My team are quite cool . So no knee jerk reactions. And we've a meeting with the bosses on thurs.
Its a hard job up here . Very tough terrain as maybee you can see from my "many pics" . I'm not in such a bad position as some of my team. I live next to Dublin Airport.so when we fly to Dulin I'm virtually home... The guys I work with leave their car at my house in Dublin but have a 4hour drive from there to the west coast of ireland.
So these guys won't get home untill 2am sat morning and will have to leave at 2pm Sun to get back.

SO tommorow morning when we set off up the mountain HOW DO YOU motivate these great guys to be positive. ??????????? As I get older it aint getting any easier.

BLOODY SICK OF IT. :(

[BigClive]

SO tommorow morning when we set off up the mountain HOW DO YOU motivate these great guys to be positive. ??????????? As I get older it aint getting any easier.


You don't. They've just been f*cked by their employer, so right now they couldn't give a toss about working for them. Don't take any sh*t at the meeting. It might be worth reminding them about how hard some of the work actually is. (Well it would be to an office worker.)

Shoot a suit. :rolleyes:

[bren guzzi]

Its the lies we can't handle CLIVE. We have been working lkie this for over 2 years. As you know in the UK if you've been working a certain way for over 6 months it becomes "custom an practice" and that superceeds your original contract. We worked this all out with our manager back then so you would think "COOL" we are coverd. But he's denying not only "our arangement BUT THAT HE EVEN KNEW WE WERE WORKinG THESE SHIFT PATTEnS. So basicaly saying the six month rule dosent apply..... Lieing Bar steward ...... Its no wonder the guys are leaving. If I wasn't 50 I would walk aswell. BUT the way the economic climate is. Who wants an old linesman ?? Even though there's a lot of contracting work about at the moment . And I could join one of the many firms. ....... Don't fancy the whole contracting merry go round AGasIN. Been there done that. She got the T shirt ( divorced ). :)

[T-Man]

Bren, they are creating a mental fatigue factor in crews with a short turnaround that will surely be the cause of an accident, Keep your heads on and work at a pace that keeps things safe.

[bren guzzi]

Bren, they are creating a mental fatigue factor in crews with a short turnaround that will surely be the cause of an accident, Keep your heads on and work at a pace that keeps things safe.

Trying to T MAN. If ya saw the job we got tommorow ?? Its a nightmare. H pole change. Thdigger spent all day today trying to dig his way up a slope that's so steep ya can't even walk up it. We've gotta get a bucket and the two poles up there tmorrow . Build the structure and the try and change it over. Worst terrain yet. Add to that a gang of de motivated men and the fact if we start a pole change we gotta finish it.(They need the line to be in a posiyion to be switched back in at night if required)

SO its gonna be a hard task...... But I will have a chat with the guys in the morning and tell them that its about pride in your work and we will not be beatenetc. And I know my Irish guys will pull through.. We are a strong team... (And typically stuborn irishmen)

BRiNG IT ON...... :)

[BigClive]

Sadly a lot of companies know that "pride in your work" means you'll do it whatever they throw at you. And you're not an OLD lineman Bren... You're an EXPERIENCED lineman.

[young_ian]

As you know Bren, I work for the same firm, doing mostly live line work and low voltage work. We are getting the same kind of treatment too, it almost as if they are trying to make guys jump ship at the minute. We have 5 guys in our crew, one in his 50s, happy to ride it out til he retires. The other four of us have already agreed we will look for a move as a squad, either to powerteam (most likely), but looking into australia too.

The way they are going, they will just be left with district boys, most already into late 50s, with a few 18-23 yr olds that are going to end up way out of their depth before the company even realises there is a problem!:eek:

[rob8210]

So do you at least get paid to travel one way?

[bren guzzi]

As you know Bren, I work for the same firm, doing mostly live line work and low voltage work. We are getting the same kind of treatment too, it almost as if they are trying to make guys jump ship at the minute. We have 5 guys in our crew, one in his 50s, happy to ride it out til he retires. The other four of us have already agreed we will look for a move as a squad, either to powerteam (most likely), but looking into australia too.

The way they are going, they will just be left with district boys, most already into late 50s, with a few 18-23 yr olds that are going to end up way out of their depth before the company even realises there is a problem!:eek:

I've the feeling that they are trying to get blokes to jack (leave). And put all the work out to contractors.
Seen it before in other companys. Make it intolerable for a few years. THEn ! Say we can't cover the work.and get teams to tender for each job. They get the work done but don't have to supply vechicles , insurance, or facilitys... Watch this space buddy.

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmmmmm If thats the case make sure n get all yer available vacation, sick leave, etc etc and enything else you or yer crew mite be entitled to and learn em durty play can be worked frum both sides. Ummmmmmmmmmm N let that be a lesson to ya " If it aint in writing it just aint" There are no gentlemens agreements within the corporate culture.

[bren guzzi]

So do you at least get paid to travel one way?

No we don't. gotta pay for our own flights. And we had an "AGREEMENT". That we would leave thursday and they would pay us for that day in full and we would be on site for 7.30 am Monday morning. And the only way to achieve this is to fly back Sunday eve.
It was working well for all partys but now nobodys happy. We have a contract poot but it allows for managers discretion... For example we get paid monthly but get our expenses weekly. BUT ! They even want to change that. Seems they are useing the recesion to kick us.when we are down... They have lost a good foreman today and some good linemen are also going. We are proud men "linemen" but I'm a realist and always remember."HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NO BREAD"

[reppy007]

No we don't. gotta pay for our own flights. And we had an "AGREEMENT". That we would leave thursday and they would pay us for that day in full and we would be on site for 7.30 am Monday morning. And the only way to achieve this is to fly back Sunday eve.
It was working well for all partys but now nobodys happy. We have a contract poot but it allows for managers discretion... For example we get paid monthly but get our expenses weekly. BUT ! They even want to change that. Seems they are useing the recesion to kick us.when we are down... They have lost a good foreman today and some good linemen are also going. We are proud men "linemen" but I'm a realist and always remember."HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NO BREAD"

Sounds like they are trying out some type of American version of ways to screw you guys,little by little,is this some type of rush job?It kind of sounds like it it is and if so why...........bonuses for the bigger bosses.........as far as your friends parking at your place....is that the place with all the trailers stacked on top of each other? ...sorry had to mention them:D

[bren guzzi]

Sounds like they are trying out some type of American version of ways to screw you guys,little by little,is this some type of rush job?It kind of sounds like it it is and if so why...........bonuses for the bigger bosses.........as far as your friends parking at your place....is that the place with all the trailers stacked on top of each other? ...sorry had to mention them:D

Don't know what the motivation behind it all ???? But it will be money driven as usual. If we all leave dunno who the bosses are gonna boss. ?????

Me an my guys will be ok. We've a few cards we aint played yet and if they win this battle it don't mean they've won" THE WAR ". :). An no reppy my irish house is "lovely".

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmm the one thang I do know is a real lineman can walk away and land on his feet most enywheres. Age isnt as big a factor as ya mite think because with it comes lottsa experience and know how.I know you were there for the Retirement benes but where there is a will there izza way.

[reppy007]

Good luck Bren,what you said is so true,if you guys leave there is no job to complete,and the bosses need to learn that they cant function without having people to boss around,so they would be wise to understand that the throat they may cut can be their own.....here in the states some situations would be way better if the guys just would stand there ground and im sure even the top dogs would change their ways,but it may or may not be too late now unless the workers really see the light and stand together.....which I dont see our unions pushing,and its way past due.

[Swamprat]

Trying to T MAN. If ya saw the job we got tommorow ?? Its a nightmare. H pole change. Thdigger spent all day today trying to dig his way up a slope that's so steep ya can't even walk up it. We've gotta get a bucket and the two poles up there tmorrow . Build the structure and the try and change it over. Worst terrain yet. Add to that a gang of de motivated men and the fact if we start a pole change we gotta finish it.(They need the line to be in a posiyion to be switched back in at night if required)

SO its gonna be a hard task...... But I will have a chat with the guys in the morning and tell them that its about pride in your work and we will not be beatenetc. And I know my Irish guys will pull through.. We are a strong team... (And typically stuborn irishmen)

BRiNG IT ON...... :)

Post some pictures of THAT job Bren, if ya got the time. I'd love to see that!! It sounds like a BIT$H!!!!!:eek: Be careful man....

[BigClive]

No we don't. gotta pay for our own flights.

WHOA! Run that by me again.... YOU pay for your flights to their work? And you're on their books?

I think that merits much further action with a view to recouping ALL your flight costs to date.

There's obviously no shortage of linemen in Britain if they can treat you like sh*t.

This is where it would have been nice to have a proper union instead of that fake corporate-owned AMICUS thing. I'm with BECTU for my entertainment industry work, and they are very active union. I frequently get texts from them warning me of companies that are not paying properly.

Maybe you should start a new union Bren.

[bluestreak]

Hang in there man, maybe time to have some of those educated SOB's come out and explain how to do some of your day to day work to you,because you being a knuckle dragging lineman couldn't possible know how to do your job safely and efficiently without the expertice of some office type maybe they could show you the better way to take the muck out of the bottom of a pole hole

[bren guzzi]

Got that pole change done today. Proud of the guys. Done safely and positive. Didn't get any pics .. It was raining most of the day so didn't take phone out.
And we get £44.50 a day expenses that's gotta cover accomadation and FLIGHTS. . CLIVE. We book them well in advance with ryan air... But now they have moved the goalposts again we have our flights booked for 3 or 4 trips. And we might have to re book them as they want us to work all day Friday. Meeting with the "bosses" on Thursday morning.

We've lost a foreman and one squad has handed in their nottice on mass....

Aint been a good couple of days to be a linesman up here. :(

[reppy007]

Got that pole change done today. Proud of the guys. Done safely and positive. Didn't get any pics .. It was raining most of the day so didn't take phone out.
And we get £44.50 a day expenses that's gotta cover accomadation and FLIGHTS. . CLIVE. We book them well in advance with ryan air... But now they have moved the goalposts again we have our flights booked for 3 or 4 trips. And we might have to re book them as they want us to work all day Friday. Meeting with the "bosses" on Thursday morning.

We've lost a foreman and one squad has handed in their nottice on mass....

Aint been a good couple of days to be a linesman up here. :(

Look on the positive side,least you not stuck out in the middle of nowhere like Midland Texas or worse in the middle of a desert somewhere in Saudi Arabia wiping the sand grains out of your sweaty a$$..........Im trying to help,believe it or not:D

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmmmmm tellem that with the extended working times everbodys banannas will go bad. Ummmmmmmm n then tellem if they dont act right yer gonna sell your bananna hanger plans to the entire werld and they wont have enough wire left to string a clothesline. Ummmmmmm n pick out the biggest one n poke him inna eyeball, N tell em no tee shurts fer you guys.

[rob8210]

Might be time for a couple of weeks of un-scheduled holidays, eh?

[Swamprat]

Look on the positive side,least you not stuck out in the middle of nowhere like Midland Texas or worse in the middle of a desert somewhere in Saudi Arabia wiping the sand grains out of your sweaty a$$..........Im trying to help,believe it or not:D

You're an as$hole reppy...a clueless as$hole. :rolleyes:

[reppy007]

You're an as$hole reppy...a clueless as$hole. :rolleyes:

Thanks swamp,coming from you that really means alot to me.