Today was a good day

Daroxtar

I work in construction. I've often gone a few months without work. With a mortgage, 2 small kids and a hungry wife it gets tough at times but we survive. 4 months back I got offered a job on a big site. I was told it would be for several months, possibly a year. First time in about 5 years that something decent had come up so naturally I was delighted.
I had to pay about €250 of my own money on getting safety certs up to date but I didn't mind as this was a fresh new start with a fairly big contractor on a big site, basically this was the one I was waiting for.

How fúcking wrong could I be.

First morning 6 of us started together at 8am. We had to do a long site induction. We got a quick cup of tea at 10, then back for 4 more hours. Our boss met us afterwards at 2 and took us straight down the site to work with the other 6 guys on site who had been there for a few months previous to that without letting us take a break. We told him we hadn't eaten and he responded with a laugh that none of us looked starved yet so we should get cracking because we wouldn't get paid for standing around.

Right there we should have known what kind of Ape we were dealing with but we let it slide and worked til 4.30 then headed home as quick as we could.

Next day we were introduced to his pet witch/project manager. She was the passive aggressive counterfoil to his neolithic ignorance, a bad mannered little bitch who criticised and belittled at every opportunity.

Ape and Witch spent 3 months making sure that everyone on site was worked like a dog, consistently telling us to perform dangerous tasks under pressure and when we were given warnings from safety officers they laid the blame solely on us, verbally abusing us for our stupidity and threatening our jobs.

We were routinely told that we were fools, eejits, slow, useless, stupid. Morale was incredibly low among a group of the nicest chaps I've ever worked with.
All this for the lowest wage I've had since 1999 and that bugged the shít out of me because everyone else on site that I spoke to said that the money was great. Something was wrong.

3 days ago I got wind that we were being let go this week; probably no notice just being told on friday that there was nothing for us next week, maybe a few weeks before things would pick up again blah blah blah so now I knew I had nothing to lose

2 days ago I approached a union representative to see why we seemed to be the worst paid employees on site and he ran through the rates and allowances with me.

Yesterday I approached a senior site manager and told him about our situation. He was not impressed. He told me in no uncertain terms that we should be getting almost €200 a week more than we were. Within a few minutes of me leaving his office Ape was summoned.

The shít hit the fan.

Today we got word that we are getting between about €2,500 and €5,000 per man back paid with immediate effect and we are not to be let go until all this has been settled and proper notice is given.

Ape hasn't spoken to us in 2 days. He is not even pretending to anyone of us that this is happening but he looks like he is about to have a stroke. Witch hasn't been in but I can't fúcking wait to see her miserable face on monday.

Those horrible bastards tried to screw us out of roughly €40 grand and did so while making us feel like shít but we caught the cúnts and they are absolutely fúcking sickened. They will be even more sickened when we call in to the office and ask them for an apology because tbh we want to see them squirm just a little bit more. I'm half tempted to video it

We won.

Today was a good day

chocksaway

Love when twats like that get their comeuppance!

shopaholic01

Bastards trying to take advantage of people they know will have been struggling to find work.

Well done, OP! Enjoy the lump sum.

hawkwind23

you should try this book.
you will recognise a few characters in it. quite worrying that over 100 years since its publication very little has changed.
you should find a free copy if you have an E-Reader

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ragged-Trousered-Philanthropists-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/184022682X

keith16

I'm getting hammered right now.

fatherted1969

Hate wnakers like that. Fair play

Jimoslimos

Dedicating this one to you OP

wexie

That's brilliant!!!

Bloody.....so and so trying to get away with that. Be interested to see what's going to happen here, and how much you were on the books for.
Wonder if 'Ape' was doing not only you but the company as well.

Wouldn't necessarily go making any troubles but a guy like that deserves to be taught a lesson.

LowOdour

Nice way to describe your other half as "hungry wife". Poor woman, glad to see you got treated like **** after calling her fat.

hawkwind23

just read the following review for the above book and i agree.


Although this book was written nearly 100 years ago, so much is still pertinent today. I have worked in the construction industry for 40 of those years and have met and worked with many of Tressel's characters. I have bought and given this book to several workmates in the hope that some of Tressel's humanity could be imparted and some of his dignity could be passed on. Construction is still a much under-valued occupation and its employees are if anything far more exploited now than at the turn of the last century. I am amazed so few builders have even heard of this book. I doubt one in a thousand or even one in ten thousand of those I've worked with have read it, or even know of its existence. Perhaps in another 100 years they might and perhaps they will not be so philanthropic. I wonder !

P.Walnuts

LowOdour wrote: »

Nice way to describe your other half as "hungry wife". Poor woman, glad to see you got treated like **** after calling her fat.

There's always one

Banjo String

I'm about to open my first, but only bottle of a very decent bottle of a Belgian beer
I have been meaning to drink in a while.

I'm drinking it to you OP.

fair play, and well done!

Daroxtar

LowOdour wrote: »

Nice way to describe your other half as "hungry wife". Poor woman, glad to see you got treated like **** after calling her fat.

God love her, she's far from fat with the meagre rations we've been getting by on recently:)

Legs.Eleven

GREAT NEWS! Good job standing up for yourself, man. Yay!

TeddyTedson

Great news for you OP
I had a friend in the construction trade told upon starting that he wouldn't be getting his rate, which he accepted due to there being so little work.
But was then told to be in earlier to start and finish 30 mins later, basically getting another free hour out of him.
Also similar to you everyone was roared at and made to feel completely stupid.
Some contractors are definitely screwing people over and reaping in the extra earnings for themselves.

Why on building sites is a blind eye turned to verbally abusing the staff?

mfceiling

Well done OP. The days of working in construction and being abused is long over. I work in construction myself and no matter how bad things are, if anyone treated me badly then i'm gone. I treat everyone with respect and i expect that to be given back.

All inductions nowadays mention welfare, bullying, respect and discrimination. Nobody in any field of work should put up with any of this nonsense.

Hope the work stays steady and plentiful.

uch

Spent many years on the Sites in the late 80's and early 90's and put up with this kinda shít every day, until I got sense and moved on. OP I applaud you for your courage in going to the the Union when jobs are scarce, and I'm delighted you got a favourable outcome in getting what was owed to you and your co-workers.
Fair play to you for standing up to them. It just shows that Trade Unions do work.

Elbaston

Dont celebrate yet.


Sorry, but its the truth, not til the money is in your pocket.

FearDark

Fair play OP. These people are only out to take advantage of the situation knowing there are feck all construction jobs out there they rode the back off ye. Fair play for sticking it out, personally I would have snapped and put ape and apette in a hole.

TeddyTedson

It always comes back to the Simpsons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj5OT3z1VGA

Daroxtar

Elbaston wrote: »

Dont celebrate yet.


Sorry, but its the truth, not til the money is in your pocket.

I love your optimism:P

Mickey H

It rained today. I got a good night's day's sleep. Now I'm on the nightshift.
I agree OP, today was a good day.

Nice to see that you got sorted in the end OP.

tobsey

Fair play OP.

As a side note it's a shame the public sector unions get such a bashing in this country, even more so on this forum, when private sector workers are getting pissed on by employers and expected to lap it up because there are plenty of unemployed people to replace them. This story shows the value of unions and if workers, regardless of public/private sector, don't stand up together they will be bullied and taken advantage of by scum bag employers, using the length of the dole queues as justification.

passremarkable

I can just picture the ape now OP..
Fair play , delighted for ya...
He can stick it up his ring piece...
Victory for the decent man

uch

passremarkable wrote: »

I can just picture the ape now OP..
Fair play , delighted for ya...
He can stick it up his ring piece...
Victory for the decent man

I've no Idea what you just said !

Fair play OP.

As a former sparks I've seen many tradesmen (myself included) get treated like dirt. Its rare you see someone by-pass the "middle management" and take it up with a senior manager and even get the issue resolved on the spot! I know its a difficult world for tradesmen at the minute but it will improve. Don't let anyone make you think you are "lucky to have a job". You worked for it, are willing to keep working for it and therefore deserve it.

Daroxtar

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Fair play OP.

As a former sparks I've seen many tradesmen (myself included) get treated like dirt. Its rare you see someone by-pass the "middle management" and take it up with a senior manager and even get the issue resolved on the spot! I know its a difficult world for tradesmen at the minute but it will improve. Don't let anyone make you think you are "lucky to have a job". You worked for it, are willing to keep working for it and therefore deserve it.

I thought if I just left it with the unions it could drag on a bit so I took a gamble and went as far up the ladder as I could. TBH my mouth was dry walking into that office and it might not have worked out the same for everyone but he seemed like a decent man on the only other occasion I had spoken with him so I went for it. I'm glad I did.

Daroxtar

Everyone had every cent lodged in last night. It has been emotional

Davidth88

Daroxtar wrote: »

Everyone had every cent lodged in last night. It has been emotional

Great news !!!!

I think Ill make a cup of tea to celebrate your good news .

Itwasntme.

I am really happy for you OP!! To be honest I was a little worried as well you wouldn't get the money so I am incredibly relieved that you did. Bravo!

anncoates

Nice to see an upbeat ending for once. Fair play OP.

Esoteric_

Fair play, OP. That took some guts.

genuine leather

Well done Daroxtar.
The rest of the guys must be very grateful for your balls and determination getting what you deserve and entitled to. Construction work is damn hard enough without having to put up with that sh1te.
Good job

cantdecide

@OP- I couldn't be happier to hear your story. Very well done. The industry needs more of these stories...

A lot of contractors these days relying more on the old fashioned in and out, domestic and maintenance work and telling the QS's to go jump. Repeat work and recommendations are putting more food on peoples' tables these days IME.

I was in the glazing business with my dad and in recent years there has been a LOT of evidence of QS's making fools of people offering them a fake 'Look, beat this other price we've gotten and the job's yours' advantage. Cue a massive gulp and a future filled with sleepless nights of cash flow nightmares. The truth is QS's often have great difficulty getting contractors to even tender for the work these days. ie they're struggling 'to get their three prices'.

My dad's still a glazing contractor. Last week he had a call from a QS he did a lot of work with in the past who tried to spin him a yarn that if he gave a decent quote for a job, there was a big chance it could go to him.

My dad told him "send on the drawings and €1500".

When the QS asked him what he's on about he said "Look, I know you're in tow with Such and Such Glazing. You're asking me to spend two days pricing and filling out pre-tender docs and then you'll give the job to Such and Such again. I really don't feel like helping you to make fools of all of us so they're my terms- pay me for the time I put into helping you get your three prices before giving the job to Such and Such . I'll put it to you this way- I'm doing a shop front that will make me €1200. If I take on your 40k contract, I'll be lucky to break even".

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Some contractors are definitely screwing people over and reaping in the extra earnings for themselves.

I don't think many employers are "screwing" too many. At least, I don't think contractors are profiting from the exploitation. IME Contractors are selling the family silver to get work. They are then having to exploit tradesmen in order to stay in business. The bottom line is that we, in construction, collectively are screwed, from the top to the bottom.

Kevhog1988

cantdecide wrote: »

@OP- I couldn't be happier to hear your story. Very well done. The industry needs more of these stories...

A lot of contractors these days relying more on the old fashioned in and out, domestic and maintenance work and telling the QS's to go jump. Repeat work and recommendations are putting more food on peoples' tables these days IME.

I was in the glazing business with my dad and in recent years there has been a LOT of evidence of QS's making fools of people offering them a fake 'Look, beat this other price we've gotten and the job's yours' advantage. Cue a massive gulp and a future filled with sleepless nights of cash flow nightmares. The truth is QS's often have great difficulty getting contractors to even tender for the work these days. ie they're struggling 'to get their three prices'.

My dad's still a glazing contractor. Last week he had a call from a QS he did a lot of work with in the past who tried to spin him a yarn that if he gave a decent quote for a job, there was a big chance it could go to him.

My dad told him "send on the drawings and €1500".

When the QS asked him what he's on about he said "Look, I know you're in tow with Such and Such Glazing. You're asking me to spend two days pricing and filling out pre-tender docs and then you'll give the job to Such and Such again. I really don't feel like helping you to make fools of all of us so they're my terms- pay me for the time I put into helping you get your three prices before giving the job to Such and Such . I'll put it to you this way- I'm doing a shop front that will make me €1200. If I take on your 40k contract, I'll be lucky to break even".



I don't think many employers are "screwing" too many. At least, I don't think contractors are profiting from the exploitation. IME Contractors are selling the family silver to get work. They are then having to exploit tradesmen in order to stay in business. The bottom line is that we, in construction, collectively are screwed, from the top to the bottom.

Im a qs.... Were not all bad tbh. But i do work on the subcontract side of things so i also battle it out with main contractors who have no interest in giving me the work.

smee again

There's a fcukin' pimp in every trade. Delighted for you.

jack7

delighted for u.Well Done::D:D

Daroxtar

Just got home after a great day at work. For some bizarre reason I was motivated and content all day :pac:. The ape still hasn't said anything to anybody about what has happened apart from muttering to someone that someone had caused a lot of problems..... I can't help comparing him to Lance Armstrong.

Anyway the car is taxed, the ESB bill is paid, the mortgage is covered and we are going for a meal tomorrow for the first time in a long time.

Mr.McLovin

I'm glad I clicked into this thread, cheered me up.

A victory for the little guy, for once!

Gaillimh1976

Mr.McLovin wrote: »

I'm glad I clicked into this thread, cheered me up.

A victory for the little guy, for once!

+1

ScumLord

Daroxtar wrote: »

The ape still hasn't said anything to anybody about what has happened apart from muttering to someone that someone had caused a lot of problems.....

How is he even still working there? Surely he should be talking to police right now?

I have two friends that used to be in construction and they have plenty of similar stories. It wouldn't even surprise me if it was the same people involved, those types always seem to be able to land on their feet. I've told them they should write a book on their experiences. the amount of shoddy work that took place during the boom and to this day is incredible. People don't realise what kind of poor building their living in and on top of.

kopkidda

Great story , delighted I clicked on this link.....Happy friday all

mfceiling

Well done OP.

I was stung in january of this year to the tune of just over 3 grand....2 builders who just decided i wasn't getting paid. Plenty of excuses and hot air...in the end i gave up chasing as it was too much hassle for me and was taking over my thoughts all the time.

Both of them have called me since looking me to do more work....both got the same answer....pay me for the last job or fúck off.

Nemeses

Daroxtar wrote: »

Just got home after a great day at work. For some bizarre reason I was motivated and content all day :pac:. The ape still hasn't said anything to anybody about what has happened apart from muttering to someone that someone had caused a lot of problems..... I can't help comparing him to Lance Armstrong.

Anyway the car is taxed, the ESB bill is paid, the mortgage is covered and we are going for a meal tomorrow for the first time in a long time.

Drinks are you on later are they?

count me in :P

WoollyRedHat

It's these kind of victories against the bastards of this world that give me faith.

If there is no recourse, then this people are allowed to continue to be assholes and walk over people.

Fair play.

davlacey

where they just ripping the new lads that started?

Doom

I worked as a union shop steward for a couple of years in a company with 120+ employees, I was always in constant amazement with how little management knew about management, employee rights and the law.....this company was also family ran.
The owner was know to say...."its my company I can do what I want"
Anyway we enjoyed showing him he couldn't..... :-)