# Tattoos in the workplace



## Switched

It is not like it used to be, but you may be required to keep the tattoos covered at all times. 

Anytime you have customer facing positions, what you choose to do to your body becomes a liability to you. In a big city or a less conservative area, like SF or NYC, no one would give it a second look.


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## Switchgear277

As long as you don’t have gang tattoos on your face and neck idd say your good .

I have a sleeve and it never caused 
A problem or second glance .


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## MechanicalDVR

First of all welcome aboard @Joshua.m97!

Ink is an odd thing, while contractors may have no problem with it customers may just be very turned off by it.

I have many tattoos and not one that can be seen when I'm in a uniform shirt.

Just don't ink up your face/neck and think it's fine.


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## daveEM

Joshua.m97 said:


> I also have my ears stretched to 7/8.
> .


Old, I had to look that up.


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## Tonedeaf

As an employer, I can deal with the tattoo's as long as they are BELOW your neck and are not profane.....

Loose the EAR loops....they are a big turn off.


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## drsparky

:shifty:It's not right but I always have an urge to slap a padlock through them ear loops.:shifty:


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## 99cents

drsparky said:


> :shifty:It's not right but I always have an urge to slap a padlock through them ear loops.:shifty:


Good place to hang a worklight or impact driver  .


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## eddy current

What????


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## eddy current

Seriously though many companies have a zero jewelry policy. Especially conductive jewelry


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## HackWork

I think people who mutilate themselves by scretching their ears are rather foolish. Why would I hire them? As a consumer, why would I want them in my home or business?


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## telsa

Motor Controls are most guy's idea of 'cake' work... meaning that it's reserved for fellas that have paid their dues. ( the ancients ) 

Self-expression in terms of body art clashes with the dominant culture ( of motor control fellas ) - which is largely Baby Boomer, if you will.

The Baby Boomer cohort shunned tattoos, and piercings. These only became 'hip' about 40 years later.

Stretched ear lobes are still deemed ultra-radical... or ultra-primitive, take your pick.

I can't imagine any electrical contractor would hire you for any position that has to face the public... ie his customer base.

For your body art makes you come off as a very artsy fellow, someone who'd be at home in an art loft in SOHO.

Your niche, if any, would be some ultra liberal enclave like SOHO, the Mission District, North Hollywood, performing everything but motor controls. 

Hollywood would love you, too.


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## MechanicalDVR

drsparky said:


> :shifty:It's not right but I always have an urge to slap a padlock through them ear loops.:shifty:


Funny, often I just feel like ripping them out....


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## bill39

Is it fair to compare the long hair of the 60’s & 70’s to the tattoos of today?

By that I mean will they become the norm and people will just get used to them? I really don’t get the tattoos on the neck and face though.

Now get off my lawn!!!


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## HackWork

MechanicalDVR said:


> Funny, often I just feel like ripping them out....


Agreed. And it's not to be violent, I can do that with anyone. It's just because I think they are so stupid that they should have to feel it.


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## MechanicalDVR

bill39 said:


> Is it fair to compare the long hair of the 60’s & 70’s to the tattoos of today?
> 
> By that I mean will they become the norm and people will just get used to them? I really don’t get the tattoos on the neck and face though.
> 
> Now get off my lawn!!!


Many guys I have worked with from the start had tattoos and I never paid them much mind.

But the youngsters now seem to have cartoon colored tats that really stand out and attract attention (often negative).


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## MechanicalDVR

HackWork said:


> Agreed. And it's not to be violent, I can do that with anyone. It's just because I think they are so stupid that they should have to feel it.



It has little to do with violence.

(When my oldest daughter turned 17 she had her belly button pierced without permission, it lasted about a week before she tore it out with a beach towel.)

I often wonder how many that have the gauges in their ears have them get caught up on things like tree branches or things like that?


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## MDShunk

MechanicalI often wonder how many that have the gauges in their ears have them get caught up on things like tree branches or things like that?[/QUOTE said:


> There aren't many tree branches in their mom's basement in the area of the PlayStation, so probably not a huge worry.


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## MechanicalDVR

MDShunk said:


> There aren't many tree branches in their mom's basement in the area of the PlayStation, so probably not a huge worry.


LOL.....

I see a lot of guys with them doing things like landscaping and working as laborers.


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## varmit

bill39 said:


> Is it fair to compare the long hair of the 60’s & 70’s to the tattoos of today?
> 
> By that I mean will they become the norm and people will just get used to them? I really don’t get the tattoos on the neck and face though.
> 
> Now get off my lawn!!!


Hair length was a lot easier and cheaper to change than stretched ears and ink all over some one.

I really don't care what some one does to themselves, but in life every action or bad choice has repercussions.


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## Switchgear277

I can see if he’s asking to do residential and he has to talk to stuck up booshy ppl in their houses .

But in industrial buildings or on commercial job sites no one really cares if you have ink as long as you produce you’ll 
Be fine .

My Forman looks like a white trash hillbillie with tatooes and a ugly beard and overall appearance .

But he’s one of the smartest electricians on site and it dosnt matter bc he produces


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## Martine

MechanicalDVR said:


> It has little to do with violence.
> 
> (When my oldest daughter turned 17 she had her belly button pierced without permission, it lasted about a week before she tore it out with a beach towel.)
> 
> I often wonder how many that have the gauges in their ears have them get caught up on things like tree branches or things like that?


I used to have mine pretty big big, took them out a year and a half ago, they're a LOT smaller now. Can confirm I never got stuck in weird places.


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## eddy current

I had 8 awg 20+ yrs ago in one ear and it’s completely closed now. Although 8 awg is nothing compared to the flesh tunnels people have now.


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## MDShunk

I don't have anything, in particular, against tattoos, but I have a hard time even looking at someone with tats on their face and neck. Weirds me out.


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## CurtisStewart

Facial tattoos are a bit much, anywhere else shouldn't be a deal breaker. I've worked with a few guys with neck tattoos and hand tattoos, never heard anyone complain. I have a few on my arms, and some hidden but I decided to draw the line there


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## Galt

I just don't get it.


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## brian john

drsparky said:


> :shifty:It's not right but I always have an urge to slap a padlock through them ear loops.:shifty:


I always want to ask the stretched ear guy do you realize you look like a jack azz.

Tats vary I am not a fan but realize they are the thing. BUT Tats on the face is where I draw the line.


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## MDShunk

I don't have any. I never wanted anything on my body that would cause me to have to explain to the nurses in the old age home what it used to be. I remember back to an elderly neighbor I had when I was a kid that had navy tattoos from WWII. They were just an inky blob.


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## HackWork

Martine said:


> I used to have mine pretty big big, took them out a year and a half ago, they're a LOT smaller now. Can confirm I never got stuck in weird places.


Good looking people like us can get away with things that normal people can't.


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## bill39

MDShunk said:


> I don't have any. I never wanted anything on my body that would cause me to have to explain to the nurses in the old age home what it used to be. I remember back to an elderly neighbor I had when I was a kid that had navy tattoos from WWII. They were just an inky blob.


I can understand getting a tattoo to remember a life-changing event but other than that I’ve never had a shirt, jacket, pair of pants, etc. that I would want to wear every day, let alone for the rest of my life.


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## Pete E

The thing is that tattoo's for youngster today are so main stream (men and women) employers that have a very strict no tattoo policy may be missing out on a lot of skilled/talented people.

I don't have any tattoo's and to be honest I am not really keen on them especially on women, but I guess I am just old fashioned.

That said, if I were hiring, I would try to look at the potential employee as a whole, not just focus on tattoo's and try to access each person on a case by case basis...

Edited to add, the example that always strikes me as "odd" or even "wrong" is where you have police officers with more tattoo's than many of the people they are arresting!


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## canbug

Try not to judge a book by it's cover.
If you interview well, get along with people and not a slacker, you'll do fine.

We have a guy working for us at the Airport that deals with contractors and the public, might add he's a plumber, and he has a big a$$ cross tattooed on the back of his head that you can see because his hair is always buzzed. 

I don't understand, but again, try not to judge.

Tim.


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## UncleMike

https://youtu.be/sl5wFP-CIv4?t=4m30s


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## joebanana

I just don't get why someone would want to look like someone else' sketch pad. And if body-mods present a safety hazard, they must be re-modified to mitigate that hazard.
Other than that, long sleeves are preferred.
Facial tats, are a no-go.


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## MechanicalDVR

bill39 said:


> I can understand getting a tattoo to remember a life-changing event but other than that I’ve never had a shirt, jacket, pair of pants, etc. that I would want to wear every day, let alone for the rest of my life.


I have 9 tattoos that reflect serious parts of my life.

Chances are I will add a couple more by the time I die.


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## UncleMike

Sorry... that video is supposed to start at 4:30. The link looks correct, but it's not starting there for me.


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## adamclark52

bill39 said:


> Is it fair to compare the long hair of the 60’s & 70’s to the tattoos of today?
> 
> By that I mean will they become the norm and people will just get used to them? I really don’t get the tattoos on the neck and face though.
> 
> Now get off my lawn!!!


I think they already have, at least on the arms and legs. Face tattoos are still looked down upon in a lot of avenues of life. But long hair was the rebel thing forty years ago and now it's not even thought about, arm tattoos and earrings were the rebel thing twenty years ago and they're not even given a second glance now other than to appreciate what the tattoo may be, these ear gauge and face tattoo guys are the rebel thing today; I really dread how my kids are going to rebel in the next fifteen years.


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## Martine

I do agree that some employers will have a hard time with tattoos, but in the grand scheme of things, they're a choice I made

I didn't mention it before (since I know it doesn't affect my work ethic at all), but I have over 90 hours of tattoo time. I know I'm bound to get **** for it, but hey, as I said, my choice. I'm also not going to cry over someone not wanting to hire me, I'll just keep trying.


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## Dan the electricman




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## Simpson Electric

A friend of mine has a brother that has fu*k you tattooed on his eyelids. He probably shouldn’t close his eyes at a customer’s house....


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## lighterup

okay...under no other circumstance would I 
consider revealing my true identity...but here goes...


https://youtu.be/ztMFL_BV1_Q?t=84


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## home_brewer_mike

It was the cool thing to do in High School, lol.

Personally, I wear wood plugs. I wouldn't wanna chance wearing metal jewlery while working with electricity.

It's kinda funny this thread came up, I had this exact conversation yesterday at work. A GC came in to pick up an order of lumber and while we're waiting for the pallet of lumber, his empoyee and I who are roughly the same age (mid-late 20s) struck up a conversation about the sizes of our earlobes and how he stretched his way out but eventually let them close back to the point where they're, for lack of a better term, "tasteful".

To me, as long as they're not HUGE, I wouldn't really care.


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## MDShunk

As long as you realize that some people are turned off by it and you don't mind, do whatever pleases you most. 

Something to note, however: "I Did It My Way" is the theme song of many people in the unemployment line.


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## MTW

MDShunk said:


> As long as you realize that some people are turned off by it and you don't mind, do whatever pleases you most.
> 
> Something to note, however: "I Did It My Way" is the theme song of many people in the unemployment line.



In the electrical world, the heavily tattooed are often relegated to construction sites.


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## bostonPedro

In controls, tattoos may be an issue if you are the person who speaks with customers....think fat secretary with chin hair at an office and that would be you to some people. 
I personally have no issue with tattoos other than if they are on you neck or face at which point I would call you an idiot if I was a coworker and If I was in charge I would not hire you. 
Ear gauges I think are and idiotic and I wouldn't hire you. I have worked with a few people who have the ear holes and I understand that they are often tied into a music scene but 3/4 of those people also smoked the baloney poney even though they also liked women so I wonder if ear holes are a bisexual thing


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## Instrumentation

Tattoos are fine, as long as you can hide them. If you can't hide them they can and probably will limit your career options.


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## MDShunk

bostonPedro said:


> ... but 3/4 of those people also smoked the baloney poney even though they also liked women so I wonder if ear holes are a bisexual thing


Perhaps, but who a person spends their intimate time with seems to have no bearing on their skill in doing electrical work in my observation. I'd also hazard to guess that those with the most deviant lifestyles are the ones you'd never actually suspect.


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## bostonPedro

MDShunk said:


> Perhaps, but who a person spends their intimate time with seems to have no bearing on their skill in doing electrical work in my observation. I'd also hazard to guess that those with the most deviant lifestyles are the ones you'd never actually suspect.


I tend to agree with the last part BUT
On large jobs it can become an issue when you get outed. This happened recently on a job when a bi guy slept with a lady coworker(stupid in itself) but he then went on to tell people how she was a slut among other things and that he and a friend had a 3 some with her BUT she had pics of their little tryst and it wasnt of her getting it from 2 guys it was of the crap talking bi blowing the guy during their 3 some which she gladly sent to everyone when she found out he was calling her a slut. 
The guy became the jobsite joke 
Both were fired
She is known as a trouble maker 
He is known as a queer....not something he wanted to be known as. He got outed. Might be the best thing for him so he doesnt have to live a lie but can he handle when people break his balls about it-----only time will tell


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## MDShunk

bostonPedro said:


> I tend to agree with the last part BUT
> On large jobs it can become an issue when you get outed. This happened recently on a job when a bi guy slept with a lady coworker(stupid in itself) but he then went on to tell people how she was a slut among other things and that he and a friend had a 3 some with her BUT she had pics of their little tryst and it wasnt of her getting it from 2 guys it was of the crap talking bi blowing the guy during their 3 some which she gladly sent to everyone when she found out he was calling her a slut.
> The guy became the jobsite joke
> Both were fired
> She is known as a trouble maker
> He is known as a queer....not something he wanted to be known as. He got outed. Might be the best thing for him so he doesnt have to live a lie but can he handle when people break his balls about it-----only time will tell


His mistake wasn't being bi. His mistake was having a big yap.


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## HackWork

bostonPedro said:


> I tend to agree with the last part BUT
> On large jobs it can become an issue when you get outed. This happened recently on a job when a bi guy slept with a lady coworker(stupid in itself) but he then went on to tell people how she was a slut among other things and that he and a friend had a 3 some with her BUT she had pics of their little tryst and it wasnt of her getting it from 2 guys it was of the crap talking bi blowing the guy during their 3 some which she gladly sent to everyone when she found out he was calling her a slut.
> The guy became the jobsite joke
> Both were fired
> She is known as a trouble maker
> He is known as a queer....not something he wanted to be known as. He got outed. Might be the best thing for him so he doesnt have to live a lie but can he handle when people break his balls about it-----only time will tell


Were you the guy who got fired or the other guy who joined in the 3-some?


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## bostonPedro

MDShunk said:


> His mistake wasn't being bi. His mistake was having a big yap.


Agree. 
And because of that "big yap" his sex life became an issue and his rebel persona got shattered in the process as well and now he is just the "queer dude"


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## bostonPedro

HackWork said:


> Were you the guy who got fired or the other guy who joined in the 3-some?



LOL. Hows your bum buddy MTW? You 2 lovebirds crack me up


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## HackWork

bostonPedro said:


> LOL. Hows your bum buddy MTW? You 2 lovebirds crack me up


He's pretty good. We've been doing good together lately. I just had to get Chris1976 out of the way first.


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## bostonPedro

HackWork said:


> He's pretty good. We've been doing good together lately. I just had to get Chris1976 out of the way first.


Awesome


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## MechanicalDVR

Just a couple of my tats:


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## Lone Crapshooter

Look in the mirror and ask your self. Would I want the person that I am looking at in the mirror working in my grandmothers house?

A tattoo shows a momentary laps in judgement. More than one tattoo shows a propensity for laps in judgement and artwork shouts out look at me I an stupid and I am proud of it.

LC


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## MechanicalDVR

Lone Crapshooter said:


> Look in the mirror and ask your self. Would I want the person that I am looking at in the mirror working in my grandmothers house?
> 
> A tattoo shows a momentary laps in judgement. More than one tattoo shows a propensity for laps in judgement and artwork shouts out look at me I an stupid and I am proud of it.
> 
> LC


My ink means a lot to me, no lapses in judgement, that said not one can be seen when I am in a polo shirt and long pants.


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## Lone Crapshooter

Because I lived out side of Houston I look at 716 website about twice a week. Several times I have seen on their job calls as a requirement NO VISIBLE TATTOOS. Most of the time the jobs are in the Medical Center or in schools.

LC


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## brian john

I have a tattoo on my Johnson the size of a pinhead though at times when stretched out it says in size 22 Times New Roman font

"McKenzie's Bar and Grill Chattanooga Tennessee".


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## MechanicalDVR

Lone Crapshooter said:


> Because I lived out side of Houston I look at 716 website about twice a week. Several times I have seen on their job calls as a requirement NO VISIBLE TATTOOS. Most of the time the jobs are in the Medical Center or in schools.
> 
> LC


Two places I have spent a great deal of time.


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## Peter Goldwing

I hated tattoos of all sorts. Two years ago I told my son ( he is a PHD professor in PA) while playing tennis, how proud I was of all three being grownups no smokers, no drugs and no tattoos. "But I have a tattoo" was the answer of my son. Some sort of crap someone said, on his back. "Do you want to see it? "
No ,was my answer." It makes me puke".

I find tattoos, rings, disgusting and I wonder why people don't use Hanna ones which you can change as desired.
Dont rip my head off, I grew up that way


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## Switchgear277

Do you guys think it’s corny to get the hand with lighting bolts or other ibew tattooes to show your pride 

Just curious


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## MDShunk

Switchgear277 said:


> Do you guys think it’s corny to get the hand with lighting bolts or other ibew tattooes to show your pride
> 
> Just curious


It's your body, but that seems a like getting your girlfriends name tattooed on you with the potential of having to explain it to your next girlfriend.


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## MTW

Is it gay that I have "I heart Shunk" on my arm?


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## Switchgear277

Lol yea I hear ya


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## RePhase277

MTW said:


> Is it gay that I have "I heart Shunk" on my arm?


No more than the Badger you have tattooed on you butt cheek.


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## HackWork

Switchgear277 said:


> Do you guys think it’s corny to get the hand with lighting bolts or other ibew tattooes to show your pride
> 
> Just curious


Would you get your lawyer's name tattooed on your arm? Your accountant's?

The IBEW is a service that you use. You use it to benefit yourself. They provide a valuable service, but in the end, a service is all it is.

The whole "club" and "brotherhood" thing is nothing but silliness. You can hang out with your "brothers" the same as you do your co-workers, friends, family, etc. No need to get tattoos.


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## splatz

HackWork said:


> Would you get your accountant's name tattooed on your arm?


Not a bad idea...


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## RePhase277

HackWork said:


> He's pretty good. We've been doing good together lately. I just had to get Chris1976 out of the way first.


:vs_mad:I KNEW IT:vs_mad: Yeah, you can't make down because you "have court" Courting Peter motherf'ing D. That's fine. You two are meant for each other. The next time a medication gets you clogged up down below, you can have that sneaky bastard snake you. I'm done.

And Peter, I'm telling Steve what we did with Mrs. McChicken on our ski trip.:vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad::vs_mad:


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## splatz

What is funny is the two young gung ho brothers above have probably figured out how much they still have to learn about the electrical trade, but think they completely understand how contracting, business, unions, politics, etc. work. 

The union is a fundamentally political entity, a business entity after that, and it effectively indoctrinates the young and dumb when they come on board so they will vote as told and the union can assert the political power it needs to exist. 

It's OK to be young and dumb for a while, but don't be surprised if there's some eye rolling when you blather on, and try to get your head out of your ass and dry out behind the ears, it gets old when you get a little older. 



HackWork said:


> Would you get your lawyer's name tattooed on your arm? Your accountant's?
> 
> The IBEW is a service that you use. You use it to benefit yourself. They provide a valuable service, but in the end, a service is all it is.
> 
> The whole "club" and "brotherhood" thing is nothing but silliness. You can hang out with your "brothers" the same as you do your co-workers, friends, family, etc. No need to get tattoos.


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## MechanicalDVR

MTW said:


> Is it gay that I have "I heart Shunk" on my arm?


Overly so!


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## MechanicalDVR

Switchgear277 said:


> Do you guys think it’s corny to get the hand with lighting bolts or other ibew tattooes to show your pride
> 
> Just curious


A tattoo should mean something to you and what others think shouldn't be a concern.

I'll also add that youngins that get what amounts to cartoons on their bodies just looks like a stupid waste of money to me.


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## MechanicalDVR

splatz said:


> Not a bad idea...


Oh *G. Howie Squeaks* Accountant LLC 

Used to use that guy when I lived in Jersey!


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## eddy current

Switchgear277 said:


> Do you guys think it’s corny to get the hand with lighting bolts or other ibew tattooes to show your pride
> 
> Just curious


I worked with a guy who got the IBEW logo on his forearm but now runs a non union shop.


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## MTW

RePhase277 said:


> No more than the Badger you have tattooed on you butt cheek.


Nobody was supposed to know about that. :vs_mad::vs_mad:


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## WiredCanadian

I have a lot of tattoos but they can all be covered with pants and a long sleeve shirt. Even on days when I'm wearing a short sleeve company shirt it hasn't been an issue. I work in industrial, doing service work. Different plants every day, dealing directly with receptionists, management, floor staff, owners...etc. I've had some positive comments on my sleeves or curious questions but nothing negative at all. 
My ears were stretched out to 3/4", had them that way for most of my apprenticeship. Took them out the summer before I got licensed and never put anything back in. They have pretty much closed up now, but will never be perfect. 
In my area licensed guys are in such demand that skill is really the only factor for most contractors. I know some other heavily tattooed electricians working in high end residential and they don't have a problem with any GC's or homeowners either. Produce good, quality work. Prove your worth and personal choices like tattoos won't matter.


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## brian john

HackWork said:


> The whole "club" and "brotherhood" thing is nothing but silliness. You can hang out with your "brothers" the same as you do your co-workers, friends, family, etc. No need to get tattoos.



I told them I have one brother and you ain't it. Did not go over well with some members.


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## Westward

Joshua.m97 said:


> I'm finishing my vocational training in about 2 months and was wondering how tolerated tattoos are in this field? I have half a sleeve and I've met other students who also have tattoos. I also have my ears stretched to 7/8.
> I don't know if it helps but I'm planning on going into motor control work as that's what I'm best at.


I hire crews to do my installations. Lots of motor work. My outlook is this; no piercings, period. I sent a crew down to Halliburton rig yard out of Houston, and had to fly a guy back because he refused to remove his earring at their request. It is covered in our safety policy. Tats are fine if the message isn’t derogatory. I assign based on skill, and my customers know that. One of my guys is well built, handsome, full sleeves. I’ve overheard a few secretaries expressing their approval. A bit of backdown marketing.


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