If a tradesperson said something racist to you, would it put you off hiring them?

Shelga

Today I had a man in my house to quote me for a new boiler. He seemed sound, really nice. We were making pleasant chit chat when he referred to a Chinese woman as a "fcking Ch*nk". I didn't say anything at the time but after he left I thought, what the hell? How does a professional person think that is ok to say to someone in their house? It galls me that he thinks that because I am white, I will be fine with comments like that.

On the other hand, if I get other quotes and he's the cheapest, I can't pretend my morals will hold up all that long, to be perfectly frank. Would this put anyone else off hiring someone for a job? I just think it's disgusting to talk that way.

Fr Tod Umptious

It amazing what people will just come out and say.

I was on the phone with a employee of a company I do IT work for.

We were making small talk, while waiting for something to complete, he told me what town he was from and I said I had been there a few times and told him that I thought it was a decent town, and his reply was.

"it's full of tinkers too"

I was stunned, I never meet this guy in person, he never meet me, yet he has no problem saying something like that in casual conversation.

I keep my opinions on travelers to myself.

Esho

I had a guy at work go off about refugees, which i thought was a bit wierd and out of context for work.

After i while i told him my dad was a refugee.

Lol!

Yes, i wouldn't listen to that shizzle under my own roof, def no callback.

.

FintanMcluskey

This conversation reminds me of this gem

https://youtu.be/xIiNbBQM_Go

Leg End Reject

Good tradesmen are like hen's teeth so I wouldn't judge him on his conversational skills or prejudices. I'd rather get the job done and get on with my life, I don't try to make friends with them.

BattleCorp

If I was hiring a tradesperson I wouldn't give a crap about their personal views.

I'd just want him to be able to do the job he is supposed to do for the agreed price in the agreed timeframe.

Boardnashea

If you decide not to give him the job as a result of his comments (and I think that is a reasonable decision), you need to tell him why if you want anything to change. It may not change anything anyway but it would at least be a nudge in the right direction.

Would I make the same decision??? Would I tell the person why??? I don't know.

veryangryman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700180#Comment_119700180

In fairness he didn't give an opinion. He simply said the place was full of them. Sure if you love them, you'd be delighted to live there.

Looking for a problem where there ain't one Father.

veryangryman

I once met a new landlord who said to me "I've got 3 rules - No couples, no blacks and no jews"

Wow - tell me what ye really think.

Being the Dublin rental market, I was not really in a place to give an honest opinion. Shrugged my shoulders and thought "I probably got this place after they filtered out everyone without an irish/english sounding name so be thankful".

Sometimes the overall world is a crummy place and sometimes that works to one's advantage.

Tony Soprano explains it well to Meadow

https://tv.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/d1ab7b43-704b-415c-bdaa-d6b40c6d36b0

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700522#Comment_119700522

I think he might have said "fuckin" also.

But even if he didn't, tinkers is viewed as a derogatory term in this day and age, and his tone was not exactly positive towards them.

dxhound2005

The Greens will be sending a nice tradesperson to take out the new boiler before long.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700557#Comment_119700557

Sometimes the overall world is a crummy place and sometimes that works to one's advantage.

Happened to me doing a driving test I'm America.

The guy doing the test was delighted to see a white person walk in the door rather than the usual blacks and Hispanics he had to deal with.

Gave me the driving license there and then without having to do the test.

PARlance

You'll be handing over a fcking chunk of change to this guy so it's up to you.

I would be more interested in a trademan's quality of work tbh. I just want to change a boiler, not the world.

Shelga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700538#Comment_119700538

I knew it wouldn't be long before someone came along to tell me not liking someone saying "fcking chnk" is woke.

dxhound2005

Would it put you off hiring them, if they could do a good job for you?

Boooourns

Would I pay a racist to do a job for me? No would be the answer.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700440#Comment_119700440

Is that really true, though? I mean, if he made a sexual comment about your wife, would you say nothing and just hire him anyway based on his price, skills and availability? What about your child?

I'd say it's more likely that there's some personal views you'd be happy to let slide, and some that you wouldn't. And different people probably have different tolerances, but we all have our limits.

Larbre34

Having personal views and keeping them to your ****ing self in a professional setting are two different things entirely.

I wouldn't hire a person who couldn't control himself from saying something he or she KNOWS to be offensive and probably unlawful at a time where they are trying to represent their workplace or their own business and gain someone's trust.

The only time I've come across it so far was Taxi drivers and I've reported every single one of them. Some of them absolute toerags.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700706#Comment_119700706

So you're happy to discriminate against people who have different beliefs to you?

That, my friend, is discrimination. Wash out your brain with soap.

rob316

Couldn't care less as long as the job is decent and im not messed around with times.

Shelga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700784#Comment_119700784

It was terrible when those woke liberal elites discriminated against those with different views to them at Nuremberg.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700810#Comment_119700810

Yep, that injustice used to keep me awake too.

Mind you, the defence "I vos only obeying orders" applies just as much to woke disciples as it did to the Nazis on trial.

Stark

I'd find it off-putting tbh. Not because it's bad in itself (which it is), but more because it's a good indication I'll have to deal with a **** dick in my home once the initial pleasantries are over and done with and I've agreed to the job.

Maybe overlook it for a quick job where the guy would be in and out but not for anything major.

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700760#Comment_119700760

Yeah, I'd let most stuff slide if it didn't affect me but I'd have to intervene if he said something sexual about my wife or child.

But saying things like chinks, tinkers etc, I'd let that slide.

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700706#Comment_119700706

It probably depends on how badly you need the job done?

One eyed Jack

Would this put anyone else off hiring someone for a job?

’Twould. I’ll never be so desperate that I’d put up with that sort of shyte.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700784#Comment_119700784

I believe the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 is an abuse of freedoms under the Constitution of this State and so I believe I am quite entitled to break the door lock of my next door neighbour and enter her house and take whatever valuables I can find.

In fact, feck it, I believe in anarchy altogether.

But when I do that, all I get is the Guards and the DPP and the Courts DISCRIMINATING against my very beliefs!!!!

*********

This is not about beliefs, you absolute tulip, its about behaviour. Maybe pick yourself up a bar of soap.

BrianD3

Many tradesmen, builders and manual workers would have similar opinions. Homophobic and sexist ones too. It's hard enough to get a tradesman without adding in an additional "must not be 'ist" screening test which would eliminate a large number of them. So to answer the question, no I wouldn't care. I'm not going to sit in a house with a broken boiler or leaking pipe because a tradesman said something racist about a third party. And I find it difficult to believe that anyone else would either, no matter how principled and woke they claim to be.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701083#Comment_119701083

It’s really not that difficult to find a tradesman who isn’t a gobshyte. If one doesn’t know any through their own personal connections, there’s plenty of ‘em on tradesmen.ie -

https://tradesmen.ie/

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700810#Comment_119700810

Yeah, because that's so relevant to getting a tradesman. 🙄🤣

The Continental Op

Talk about a made up post for after hours. Don't believe a word of the OP.

LOL at the thought that the OP can manage to find more than one trades person who will quote for anything.

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701186#Comment_119701186

Not too difficult to find a tradesman who isn't a gobshyte. Oh how naive you are.

By the way I'm not saying all tradesmen are gobshytes, I'm saying it's hard to find a good one who is available for work.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701218#Comment_119701218

I know you’re not saying they’re all gobshytes, I don’t even know what experience @BrianD3 has that he can claim many tradesmen are this, that or the other.

I’m only going off my own experience too and I know plenty of tradesmen, labourers, landlords that use tradesmen, landlords that are tradesmen, and they all have their own people that they know too, and then I have the few who I know are reliable. I’m not sure what your expectations or criteria are, but I don’t expect on-demand service, might wait a day or two, and sure I’m lucky if they’re available immediately.

I’m not so naive that I don’t know they’re all busy, I just know the tradesmen I wouldn’t trust to wire a plug or unblock a drain. Something like a new boiler I definitely wouldn’t be jumping at the first randomer just because they’re the cheapest. Usually they’re the cheapest because they’re undercutting professionals who are registered, certified and regulated.

Normally people only need to find one good tradesman, he’ll know plenty more in the business. Nobody needs to find a whole army of them for what’s usually a one-off job.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701204#Comment_119701204

I was going to make one up about a Hindu plumber who had very trenchant views on Muslims, but I didn't think anyone would believe it. He had a catchy slogan on his van though, "You've tried the cowboys, now try the Indians".

Boooourns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700784#Comment_119700784

So you're excusing racists because they have a different beliefs. Wow that's a new one.

Boooourns

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119700832#Comment_119700832

Don't know tbh as I haven't been in the position yet but if it comes to safety I'd put that first obviously.

I did drop my gasman as I overheard him at the pub shouting racist stuff during a match. Can't be arsed dealing with dopes like that.

pgj2015

I remember a taxi driver going on a total racist rant in Dublin one time about black people, so unprofessional and like for all he knew, I could be married to a black person.

another time some older Irish guy (60's) said London was ok but "its full of blacks" wtf? then he kept going, I was amazed how he assumed I hated them as well.

Buddy Bubs

Could you pm me his number please I need a boiler service before winter

Hamachi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701507#Comment_119701507

You’ll have to fight me for it. Our boiler is on its last legs!

I'd feel very uncomfortable around someone like that. The landlord who said no blacks and no Jews... Jesus Christ, nutjob. And the "effing c*inks" guy... so aggressive and hateful. I'd prefer not to have any further dealings with them, but I guess it depends on how urgent/desperate the situation is.

Atlantic Dawn

My biggest concern would be that he was a 'backward' (person who is as thick as a 5 ton bag of human unprocessed sheite from a domestic toilet) and resulting in this lack of education wouldn't have a fooking clue in to the level of current training of a plumber in to what he was doing.

freshpopcorn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701507#Comment_119701507

This is the man for the job!

Jakey Rolling

About a year ago, during COVID restrictions, we got a quote from a local company for a tiling job, about a weeks work in all. Gave him the go-ahead, but while waiting to hear as to when he could start my wife came across his *business* Facebook page - full of anti-vax and various conspiracy type shoite copied from his personal FB.

Being a HSE frontline worker, scrubbed, sanitized, vaxxed and masked to the the hilt, there was no way she was going to have him near the house.

So we agreed to cancel the job and the discussion centered around do we tell him why - I was wary that we could end up the target of some online antivaxx mob if he posted about us . On the other hand, nothing is going to change if you don't call it out. But I figured in reality, his opinions aren't going to change anyway, he might just make them less public if it's costing him business. I ended up telling him we couldn't proceed due to unexpected expenses, that we'd get back to him when we had the funds available.

TBH I wouldn't consider engaging a tradesman who was openly racist or bigoted either, would certainly give someone else preference.

Buddy Bubs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119702783#Comment_119702783

He's not even registered. Absolute cowboy.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701083#Comment_119701083

Agreed they would / do.

But most would have enough brains to keep their opinions to themselves in workplace situations.

Manach

Regretfully for the OP they will need to live in a world that speech codes are not directly enforced, as for instance the film "Demolitation Man".

Shelga

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119703409#Comment_119703409

The guy can say whatever he likes. The question is whether that would bother someone enough to not hire him.

Why is someone having a problem with blatant racism in their home seen as them wanting to shut down free speech all over the world?

And yes, it’s also because I now see him as a complete moron, incapable of using his brain to know what is and isn’t acceptable- it raises the question of is he also a moron at his job?

El Tarangu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701083#Comment_119701083

Many tradesmen, builders and manual workers would have similar opinions. Homophobic and sexist ones too.

I have no doubt you are right - probably lots of 'professionals' as well. But most have the good sense not to share these views with a client/employer upon first meeting them.

As to the OP, it's a tricky one - in all honesty, if I was stuck for a provider of said service, I would probably swallow my principles and bite my tongue. But if I had the option of hiring an alternative, I probably would. And tell the first one: "Sorry I discussed with my wife Xieann, and we decided to go with someone else, thanks for your interest".

Some of my best friends are tradespeople.

whisky_galore

I don't give a shite what a tradesman or a car mechanic or whoever thinks or says as long as they get a good job done at a reasonable price.

I really don't care, it's not my problem, I don't want to be their best bud and go for a pint afterwards.

Sardonicat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119701083#Comment_119701083

Wooah! Many tradesman, builders and manual workers hold opinions like that, along with being homophobic and racist? Think you're displaying your own prejudices with that remark!