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

Shelga · 04-10-2022 01:38PM #1

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.

04-10-2022 01:45PM

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 · 04-10-2022 01:58PM

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 · 04-10-2022 02:00PM

This conversation reminds me of this gem

https://youtu.be/xIiNbBQM_Go

Leg End Reject · 04-10-2022 02:29PM

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 · 04-10-2022 02:38PM

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 · 04-10-2022 02:47PM

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 · 04-10-2022 02:54PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:02PM

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

04-10-2022 03:10PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:14PM

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

04-10-2022 03:15PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:25PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:26PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:29PM

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

Boooourns · 04-10-2022 03:36PM

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

Gregor Samsa · 04-10-2022 03:51PM

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 · 04-10-2022 03:56PM

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.

04-10-2022 03:58PM

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 · 04-10-2022 04:04PM

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

Shelga · 04-10-2022 04:06PM

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.

04-10-2022 04:09PM

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 · 04-10-2022 04:10PM

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 · 04-10-2022 04:10PM

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 · 04-10-2022 04:11PM

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

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

One eyed Jack · 04-10-2022 04:43PM

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 · 04-10-2022 04:46PM

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 · 04-10-2022 05:02PM

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 · 04-10-2022 05:23PM

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 · 04-10-2022 05:27PM

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

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

The Continental Op · 04-10-2022 05:29PM

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.

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

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