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I was brought up in Linework, in 1969 buy a guy, "Tiny" Fossler, all 300 lbs of him.
An apprentice, hired, right off the street...just cause.."I was tall enough". 6'4". 1969.
Rantoul, Ill. Thank you Mr. Wiker...god rest your soul.
Back in the day...when ya actually went into a persons house...and helped them with an electrical outlet problem.
Now days...
Yup, it’s certainly has changed.
When I got hired at the power company back in 78, my boss came to the companies main office to meet me and pick me up. I followed him to the line shop, and he showed me around before hauling me out to where the crew was working. He made me sit down in his office, and take off my brand new boots and socks. He had me sit there and count my fingers and toes....like I didn't already know that the total was 20. He told me to make damn sure that I still had all of them when I was his age! He was 60, and I was 20. Now I'm 60 and he's been gone for 17 years. I was a pall bearer at his funeral.....with all the fingers and toes intact thanks to his insistence that all of his men worked safe. I'm thankful that I came up in the time when you just worked safe....instead of working to not get caught. And yep, helping customers when it was clearly their problem was commonplace. I dug a 14' deep hole with the line truck once....so an old guy could build an outhouse over it! :eek:
Dang right things are a lot different today. I started in the mid 80’s , safety was first, and we always looked after the older fellas, especially the ones close to retirement. Now being how I am one of the older fellas I just feel used and thrown out like a dirty rag. 2 layoffs in the last year that were not legitiment. Back in the day we would get a customers power back on no matter what, sometimes we had to be very creative. Now it’s cut them off and “ sorry call an electrician”.
Awesome story man!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by JD426H
I rode my Bike, a 750 Honda with a Vetter Windjammer fairing, down from Ill. in the fuckin snow in Feburary of 72 with Carhartts on... to check out a job I already had...just to make sure.
When I hit florida, it was like...68 degrees, when I rolled into the Ft. Pierce Yard on my bike, to meet the Supt. who knew I was comin.
Had a pack of Lucky Strikes rolled up in my White T-Shirt sleeve when I rolled into the yard, and Put my kickstand down, and stepped off my bike.
Little short fucker, with a big fuckin Stogie, was standin outside watchin me roll up and puffin his stogie. I said, "Where can I find the Supt?" He said.."Ya found him. You that lineman from Ill??" "Yes sir"..."You ride that thing down from Ill?"
"Yes Sir"....
He said, "I already told ya, You're hired. Get in. the truck, lets go get Breakfast".
Fellas had integrity back then too, they meant what they said, and they showed respect where it was due!
Went to talk to the Area Foreman and District Manager in Jan !962 and started one week later. Learned right away that the job was to keep the lights on. About a week after I started an ice storm came through and I worked 3 straight 20 hr days. Right away I saw the dedication these old(to me) guys had and I never forgot it. Been retired for over 17 yr now but still can't stop myself from watching a crew work if I get the chance or talking linework with a current or former lineman.
Here's just one example I experienced, over the last 35 plus years. I was one of over 800 people who applied for just 21 jobs. The year was 2002 and the company was Ameren (ameren.com started as Union Electric of St. Louis, Missouri). It was quite the spectacle. The jobs where power plant maintenance; 7 electricians, 7 welders and 7 mechanics and over 800 applicants. I made it through several rounds of testing and interviewing over a period of several weeks. This meant using valuable vacation time to accomplish this task. I was dispatched to the Meramec Power plant in southern St. Louis county. I arrived early, parked and walked over to the security shack. There a Black security guard checked me in and escorted me across the yard to some construction office trailers. Once inside, he told me to have seat and I will be seen shortly. I remained standing and waited about 10 minutes. Next 2 Black man walked in and immediately eye fuxked me. They looked at their clip board, then looked at me. Then they spoke to each other and looked at me again and their clip board. Next, one of the Black men asked me for my name, address and phone number. Then he asked a second time if my address and number where correct. Then he asked a third time if the prefix (1rst 3 digits) of my home phone number are correct, "not the area code, but the prefix". At this point, the 2 black men walked out. About 10 minutes later, the Black security guard walked in and said; "You can leave now". THAT WAS MY INTERVIEW FOR THAT JOB! It was later revealed on the local news media that Ameren had "Red Lined" all 800 plus applicants. By using Post office zip codes; 63XXX and Telephone prefix numbers "XXX"-XXXX to have only minorities (black people) interview for these jobs. If I had known that, I wouldn't have wasted my time on this. Note-1, I live halfway between Ferguson, Missouri and East St. Louis, Illinois. So now you can see how this happened. Note-2, what I did NOT know back then was this; I could have sued them for discrimination. I found out years later, there is no such thing as "reverse discrimination" only "discrimination". Keep in mind, most of us, including myself are not thinking in terms of "suing" to begin with. It was the last thing on my mind, back in those days. I do have the satisfaction of knowing how disappointed and upset those 2 "minorities" where. Instead of being a top notch Black man, I was just another; pinky, furry, honky, white mothxr fuxker.
Hopefully President Trump can undo some of this Democrat shizt. I'm sure some of U hate him, but until U walk a day in my shoes, U will never understand just how screwed up it has become. Still haven't heard back from Movalleyjatc. Must have gotten lost in the mail, or maybe because I'm only 6'2" 185 pounds :rolleyes: