[Otto Nobedder]

Well, here goes...

In about three hours I hit the road for SC for a shutdown.

It nearly broke my heart to shake hands with everyone at work today after I loaded my tools.

I was fine 'till Edie, our secretary/purchasing agent hugged me.

Damn.

I hope this change accomplishes everything I chose this job for.

Steve

[weldin mike 27]

Wow, the Union is WAY different in the US than it is here in Australia. We join the union if we want to. There are some closed shops but it is technically illegal. The union is there to support workers. They don't have anything to do with finding and or supplying work to members. The main welders union is the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. They try to help us and lobby the Government to get work done here instead of importing from Asia. Also providing support with safety and pay - condition negotiation and complaints. Solidarity.

[kermdawg]

Interesting. I almost think it would be better that way here.

[rickbreeezy]

In the unted states, it differ form state to state. Some states have legislation preventing a closed shop, and some don't.

Union differ as well. Some unions have a "hiring hall" system, which means that a worker reports to a union hall for work, with the business manegers job being to find work for the worker.

Others strickly deal in negotiation, safety, working conditions and things like that.

I tend to call the first type"trade unions", becuase usually these types of unions employ construction trade workers.
I call the second type"industrial unions" becuase usually these types of union are made up of manufacturing and production type workers. If not then they organize the wokers of very large industries(railroad, shipyards, airports, ect).

[Otto Nobedder]

Kermdog,

I was joking, but;

I've been here over three weeks and haven't taken a piss test. I've never been on a job quite like it. They are doing randoms, and one guy got busted out. Probably got comfortable when there wasn't a pre-employment screen. I'm not concerned for our crew, as I know all of them, but I wonder about some of the people I encounter.

The job has been very productive, and there have been only very minor injuries, despite the number of green hands.

I was just stunned, though, that I saw neither a weld test or UA when I showed up.

Steve

[rickbreezy]

Good luck up there

Be safe,

-Rick

[kermdawg]

Ya be safe bud.

Thats nuts, no piss test, no weld test...Really makes me wanna get on one of these jobs, they must be desperate if their not even piss testin, but hell man, so many hands out of work you would think you would want to at least weed out the pot heads :p

[Otto Nobedder]

Well, I'm home with all the parts I left with, which amazes me. Safety was a joke on this job and there were a LOT of green hands.

I never did have to pee for them.

We managed to finish a week early, despite our crew having about 160 hrs of rework (night shift had some people who should have taken a weld test, and a supervisor who wasn't checking their work) and about 120 hrs of T&M extras. We were pretty well bowed up for all but the last week, and brought in two extra hands.

What do you bet there's no bonus for finishing early? This happened to me before. We finished a distiller's grain dryer building six weeks early, and our bonus was about a week's pay. We'd have done better to milk the job 'til the deadline.

I'm also pretty sure this is the last shutdown of the season, so unless they throw me some maintenance work I'll be doing something else all summer.

I have at least been told I'll be a foreman on the next job with this co. so I'll have a little more control over what goes on around me.

Steve

[rickbreezy]

Good for you steve. Happy to know you made it out in on piece.

-Rick