Frustrated......

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shockme123

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It's freezing here, Canada
I'm a 2nd year apprentice with about 3500 hours, an every week I'm getting harassed by my foreman for being too slow, not getting measurements right, etc. It's taken a bit of a toll on my mental health to a point that I don't want to keep this job any longer. I suffer from anxiety but this doesn't matter in this field because it is a fact that no one really cares. Construction is OK but working like it's 1953 isn't. I'm likely just going to go to my boss and ask that either I get a lay off or quit. I've cleared every personal tool and other things from the job box, trailers today, so maybe they already know I'm heading out.
To anyone getting into this trade with anxiety or other mental health issues, it's probably not the trade for you unless you get to work in a place where everyone respects you. I've learned my lesson.
 
What's the old saying? "I only have two speeds and if you don't like this one, you're gonna hate the other one."

My son went through the same thing with his last boss, nothing was ever good enough and a lot of other stuff. My son wanted to quit but I told him to make the guy let him go, which is what happened. About a week after he let him go he called my son and asked if he knew where one of his tools was, my son responded with "it's not my job to look after your tools", "really you're gonna be like that?" "Yeah, how's it feel? Sound familiar?"

He's got a new job working at a hotel, no one looking over his shoulder all day as long as he get's his assigned work done. They really like him and his personality, so they are actually training him for the front desk, which is a promotion in the hotel industry.:)
 
I wish I could quit today but there's no work around here and the company is pretty much using scare tactics because of that. It's no way to live. I'm tired of having to go through every week worrying about layoffs. Maybe for once they can focus on the good things I'm doing rather than crapping on me every week. The company has their favorites so I know none of them will be going anywhere. Would really like to make an example.
 
ptonsparky said:
My two guys are never fast enough. Drives me nuts, but they have been consistantly slow for about 20 years and 8 years.
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I could see that being frustrating, but I've only been working for this company for 8 months and dealing with the harassment for the last 3. The site is getting busier now and the foreman is taking the stress that he has out on me. Quitting would be an excellent move but I don't have any other job to fall back on, so I'm just going to wait for them to lay me off, while at the same time making it clear that I'm looking elsewhere.
 
I'm sure it's definitely under budget when most of their apprentices are under govt subsidy and are not being paid by the company directly. Think of all the money they're making by having people basically work for them for free.
 
Leave the cell phone at home. Give the appearance of diligence even if you are standing there doing nothing.

All of your Thank You is in your paycheck. If you're getting that, they are saying thank you.

Make them terminate you, that was great advice. Collect the UI if they have that in Ca. That's their game for you to play. Giving up on the UI is a win for them, they are that cheap of ...

Unless they are breaking the law and you can cite which one, learning how to keep your mouth shut and also learning how to not let it get to you may be the best advice. Don't involve yourself in their problems either verbally or even thinking about it. Learn to give it no thought.

Every time you feel harassed over speed, decrease speed by half.

There is a problem of what's called structural long term unemployment or

https://books.google.com/books?id=S...D0MQ6AEIJzAC#v=onepage&q=dire surplus&f=false

you don't have to understand it but it does cause these problems. Psycopaths intentionally are moved up so you should have no hope of your complaint ever reaching the smart people.

Always be looking for a better opportunity but never let them know this.

Watch the training videos for your position. Enjoying causing the suffering of others is very deeply rooted in the human genome. Zimbardo makes this clear.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stanford+prison+experiment

Once you understand it's the system and not you personally, once you understand the historical and repeating forces just happening over and over things may either make some sense or you may be able to take steps to protect yourself.

Expect the layoff and be in a position to be rehired next time. They will have some comfort level with you as a known quantity, but it counts for nothing.

Cashing that paycheck and having some spending money to pay bills is what it's all about. Anybody asking you to make a sacrifice is a liar, your employer, priest, president. You work as an electrician, you contribute to the (dire) surplus of productive capacity, and so feed the system that discounts you. They are morons who cannot count, but they set the average that is required.
 
This is going to sound like a joke but its not. Go get a job at your local wastewater treatment plant. If it is a reasonably large plant there are tons electrical equipment to work on. The pay will suck for the first few years but if you put in the time you can make good money. I started out 10 years ago part time at a WWP cleaning up after college classes. Now I work in controls and automation and make good money by anyone's standard.

Barring that I would shoot for an electrical maintenance job at a hospital or something similar.

Good luck!!
 
zach_zachary1@yahoo.com said:
This is going to sound like a joke but its not. Go get a job at your local wastewater treatment plant. If it is a reasonably large plant there are tons electrical equipment to work on. The pay will suck for the first few years but if you put in the time you can make good money. I started out 10 years ago part time at a WWP cleaning up after college classes. Now I work in controls and automation and make good money by anyone's standard.

Barring that I would shoot for an electrical maintenance job at a hospital or something similar.

Good luck!!
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Yep no question those are the good jobs. The combination of regular work and better vac / hol pay is a lot more money over time. Problem is there are not enough of those, very few openings, turnover.

How the worker gets treated on trade labor construction jobs has always been bad and it's getting worse. And as indicated above, it does not take much to get blacklisted, rightly or wrongly. Everyone's best is something different. The employers can and do in fact take advantage of the labor market surplus. They are just getting the means and methods more standardized and institutionalized.

Working for a master craftsman who does training of the apprentices is some kind of unicorn in today's system. Shoot it and have it stuffed if you see one.
 
I did an externship when I was in school a few years back and got a job with a big EC. Same situation with the foreman not really liking me and a co-worker and always critical about our pace/workmanship, but hey we were 2nd year apprentices. I will say this though, when we finished, he shook both our hands and told us if we wanted to come back to work for him he would hire us in a heartbeat. Shocking coming from someone who was only ever negative. Maybe your foreman just wants the best from you and sees potential?
 
zach_zachary1@yahoo.com said:
This is going to sound like a joke but its not. Go get a job at your local wastewater treatment plant. If it is a reasonably large plant there are tons electrical equipment to work on. The pay will suck for the first few years but if you put in the time you can make good money. I started out 10 years ago part time at a WWP cleaning up after college classes. Now I work in controls and automation and make good money by anyone's standard.

Barring that I would shoot for an electrical maintenance job at a hospital or something similar.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...

Good Advice. I did that and wound up spending 30 plus years there. Great retirement plan too.
 
The water/waste water plant is a good idea

if you can get your foot in the door do what it takes to get certified as an operator

you will start out out doing the dirty work
and in a sewer plant no shortage of that lol
 
Let them lay you off!

Do the job, work the job, ride the hours, I personally wouldn't walk away with that many hours JMO.
 
If he really didn't like you he would have let you go already. He is only breaking your balls to try and make you a better electrician. Most foreman/journeyman do that to apprentices on a daily basis. Most of the time they don't mean anything personal. Maybe just try and work a little faster, but don't rush yourself. Always stay busy. And remember, no matter what they have you do your still getting paid. Even if it's pushing a broom. I'd say tell him how you feel and maybe he'll stop if he knows it's getting to you. Ask him what you can do differently.
 
No one else can really know the situation that you are in. But there are also two sides to every story. As a boss, I have to say that I try to always remember that there is another side. If your boss rides everyone then it is likely he is just that way. If he only "picks" on a select few, then it is time to step back and figure out why he thinks you are too slow. He has a reason. And yes, I am speaking from personal experience. When I was young, I had a couple bosses I felt were unfair to me. As I look back I see it from a completely different perspective.

On the other hand, if you aren't able to perform at a level that satisfies him then you need to get a different job. It isn't worth your health.

One minor thing I can suggest is that the next time he gives you a task, ask him up front how long it should take. If you get half way done, with 3/4 of the hours used up , go to him and ask him to reevaluate, or to show you where you could improve. Make him be the one who supervises.
 
I'd just quit and get it over with. Don't blame the trades as a whole for your shortcomings would be my advice.


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Some bosses only understand the stick. Some bosses are insecure and need to constantly ride their guys to make themselves feel more important. Some bosses see what they are doing as "tough love". Some bosses have a crummy home life and act out on the job to compensate.

It can take having a thick skin to survive a job working for one of those guys. Anyone who has been in the work force for many years has probably had to deal with it at some point.

At least in some places quitting a job does not automatically disqualify you for unemployment insurance. If you can show a toxic workplace environment you might be able to get it, though in your case it may be a long shot.

One way to look at it is that if you quit you let the fargin icehole win.
 
Deer frastrated

Deer frastrated

My last employer wanted me to be faster. I told him you can't have good and fast. You get one or the other. If you're going to use that line though,
you'd better be good.
 
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