# Second year apprentice doing trench work



## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do
> 
> Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> ...


Looks like you have a problem with this trade. Joined 2009? 2nd. year? What have you been doing for 6 years?

Did you write this back in 2009?...



> I must have put that last message in by mistake. Somehow the thought of doing hard labor for a long time doesn't appeal to me. A lot of people here seem like they discourage new people from entering the field. I just want to decent electrical work and not break my back over it


^^ It's on your profile page.

Anyway you have problems with your JM as to his age? Think he is immature? Warning from your boss. In 2009 you stated you didn't like hard work. After 6 years you are a 2nd. year.

I don't know if this trade is for you. The good stuff is usually earned in this field and... electricians are really labourers with a fancy name.

At your work you just have to pick it up. Be better than at least one person and you will move up and that person will trench. Right now, for whatever reason, you appear to be the low man on the totem pole. So you get the **** work.

*Edit:* Don't worry on how old the JM is. He has earned the right to run the job. You can't let stuff like that bother you.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

You've been in the trade since 2009 that's 6 years...Have you been in prison?

You should be a journeyman now. Not a 2nd year helper....


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I still dig and I have been in the trade for, uh. a long time.
I wouldn't start complaining until the checks bounce or you you start getting less than 40 hours.
Don't worry about what anyone else is doing. They might just be tooled up together and it's as simple as that.
Could be, he is keeping you busy, looking busy for a few days rather than having to lay you off.
I chipped concrete and dug ditches for my first two years in the trade.
I think it builds character.


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## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

And the more you complain the more you would dig. Whiney apprentices are not worth keeping around, on the job, in the company or in the trade.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

We dig constantly and I tell my guys if I am doing it we all are doing it. Now I will say that I do not ask them to do something I would not do. I still trench and cart away the garbage and rocks. Its a part of the trade and you will need to accept that. 

Personally I enjoy digging. Its nice to be able to put in headphones and listen to some music while getting work done. Also there is a lot of money in digging. Most people either don't want to do it, don't have the necessary skills and experience to know the best or easiest way to dig or just are flat out unable to dig. Where there's difficulty there's profit!


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Suck it up buttercup. The world needs ditchdiggers too. 


> I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week.


Sounds like they're gunning for ya. Why aren't your skills up to speed? The boss doesn't like paying a 2nd year to dig when a 1st year is tying in panels or running conduit.


> I worked overtime today throwing [COLOR=blue !important]heavy rocks[/COLOR] in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy.


You may not be lazy, but as your boss warned your skills aren't up to speed. Maybe your slow? Or a slow learner? Maybe you're unproductive? Maybe you're sloppy? I don't know I'm not there. What I do know is when higher paid labor is assigned menial tasks, that something is very wrong.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

_"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: those with loaded guns ... and those who dig. ... You dig."_


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Man, I was a JW at 23. I earned it. You haven't. Why are so many apprentices afraid of a shovel? You have the wrong attitude for this trade. If they want me to dig a $&@% hole for JW$ an hour then give me that shovel. Neck down today.

You could go flip burgers... Or deliver pizza... There are a number of other rewarding careers out there...

Sarcasm aside- get it together cubby, it only gets harder.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

IslandGuy said:


> ...Sounds like they're gunning for ya. Why aren't your skills up to speed? The boss doesn't like paying a 2nd year to dig when a 1st year is tying in panels or running conduit....


 Bingo.

While there are assholes out there that make stupid business decisions out of spite, any good foreman is gonna organize a job so it makes the most money: You're doing something to earn those tasks, and you need to figure out what in a hurry.

Instead of asking why you're being given the hard work, maybe you should be asking how you can improve and help those around you.


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## redseal14yrs (Jun 8, 2015)

Everyone above me is 100% right.
You need to change your attitude, first of all. 

I don't care if you're 36 and your journeyman is 23... he is your boss, so get over it and pay attention to his lead.

If you've been on the tools since '09 and you're still only a 2nd level there is a problem somewhere.

You need to be asking your supervisor what you can do to improve.

You need to be willing to learn, you need to accept your assigned tasks without getting huffy about it.

You need to keep your head in your job, not on what others are doing.

You should treat a shovel no differently than a pipe bender, if they hand it to you put it to work.

Your coworkers are your coworkers not your friends.

You're an apprentice, so be good before being fast, you can be the fastest, hardest worker in the world but if you screw something up and cost your employer money, you'll be looking for a new job.

Take a hard look at yourself and figure it out.

Lastly this is what I tell my apprentices when we first meet;

"Don't make me be your boss. Let's be coworkers"


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Construction is a dirt sandwich -- and everyone has to take a bite.

If your superior is only 23... he must be one heck of a talented guy... consequently he is the fellow you want to learn from. Obviously, his habits, style, effort lead to rapid success in our trade.

My other recommendation: purchase the best gloves -- and have a spare pair in your vehicle at all times. 

As for myself, I went so far as to purchase my own shovel -- top of the line. It cost me big bucks: $25. Why? My personal shovel is half the weight of a conventional wood handled one. A savings of 1.25 pounds lifted times hundreds per work day... yes it's a back saver.

My last recommendation: learn how to dig the most with the least effort.

1) Never attempt to bust out compacted soil with a shovel. Break it up with an electric pick// jackhammer first. 

( Absolutely contractor can afford to bust out soil with a manual pick -- it's just too slow -- electric jackhammers are cheap.)

2) Don't use a shovel where a hoe makes more sense. Hoes are drastically more effective at trimming the last spoils up out of a trench -- and laying down backfill// sand support -- immediately ahead of pipe lay-down.

3) Don't use a shovel where a rake makes more sense -- as in policing up stones that have fallen back into a trench.

4) A wet/dry construction duty vacuum is the dream machine for sucking up dry spoils -- like the loose spoils at the bottom of a pole base. The nature of the dirt means that it can never get past the filter. So the machine soldiers on -- for months -- then years -- in such service.

It's also the dream machine for excavating chipped up concrete slabs -- all of those sharp fragments and the sand they rest on. 

The first time I turned the crew on to this method -- no-one ever used their hands again.

Just be sure to have a spare filter always on hand, as some joker always manages to screw up the machine at an inconvenient time.

%%%

You'd be surprised at how quickly the boss is willing to purchase a hoe or rake -- if you ask for it. 

The faster you wrap things up -- the faster you get out of the hole.


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## Lemus"TheDon"Navarro (Jun 1, 2011)

Wow as someone who is a veteran and a ibew apprentice this bothers me you know what's hard about getting out of the military hearing so many people complain oh this person yelled at me or they made me do this and that and I didn't want to really they have you trenching I just did that recently as a 3rd year it's ok you know why because it's my job YOU DO AS YOU ARE TOLD YOU FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS thus you earn your check in this trade there are EASY DAYS AND HARD DAYS I did not like reading the AGE PART OF YOUR FOREMAN reminded me of all those older guys that joined up in the military late with a chip on there shoulder because there Sgt was younger then them oh well deal with it there your superiors your job is not to keep tabs on everyone else's work its to do whatever is asked of you reminds me of an apprentice recently that told me he will quit the company if they have him catch concrete slab cores again I was like wow ur complaining about an easy task he said I shouldn't be doing this as a 3rd year I said you got another company lined up to pick you up he said no I said then don't quit do your job idk if you don't like the trade go to school try a different career this is a physical job someone has to do it


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## pete87 (Oct 22, 2012)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do the most recent being digging trenches of various depths an lengths and also picking up all the rocks from those trenches and wheelbarrowing them offsite. None of the other apprentices were doing this and I questioned why I was given all the sh*t work. Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> I know I have to do work that I might not like but to always be given all the crap jobs while the other apprentices get free rides seems pretty ridiculous to me. I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week. I worked overtime today throwing heavy rocks in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy. Would like some input here on how I should handle this situation because right now I'm not getting along that well with my immature JM.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk





Damm Right App Man ... Tell the Boss you are ready for floats in a sewer tank .



Pete


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I don't particularly like digging, but went to help a fellow owner trying to find the underground break. Got out the locator and the snake. Got right to shoveling because I knew we were close. Found the classic buried pvc box. The digging never totally goes away. Didn't mind so much because we were solving the problem.


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

I was just venting because my body hurt so much after last week and more so yesterday I felt that he was trying to make me quit. I'm still under probation so who knows, maybe I'll be laid off by the end of the week. Everyday I bust my a** off and none of it is recognized even after the day I am let go.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

electricnewf said:


> I was just venting because my body hurt so much after last week and more so yesterday I felt that he was trying to make me quit. I'm still under probation so who knows, maybe I'll be laid off by the end of the week. Everyday I bust my a** off and none of it is recognized even after the day I am let go.
> 
> BTW I'm on pain killers, but nothing seems to help but booze.


Pain killers and alcohol do not mix. If you are smart you would not post things like that where your employer or future employers will read.


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

Edited post. I mean I've tried them but they didn't work. And no I've never mixed both together.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

3D Electric said:


> Pain killers and alcohol do not mix. .


Killjoy...:whistling2:~CS~


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do the most recent being digging trenches of various depths an lengths and also picking up all the rocks from those trenches and wheelbarrowing them offsite. None of the other apprentices were doing this and I questioned why I was given all the sh*t work. Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> I know I have to do work that I might not like but to always be given all the crap jobs while the other apprentices get free rides seems pretty ridiculous to me. I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week. I worked overtime today throwing heavy rocks in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy. Would like some input here on how I should handle this situation because right now I'm not getting along that well with my immature JM.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk


What ever you do don't hit your JM with your purse


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

Black Dog said:


> You've been in the trade since 2009 that's 6 years...Have you been in prison?
> 
> You should be a journeyman now. Not a 2nd year helper....


It's not easy finding work around here and there's usually piles of resumes on contractor's desks. It's only now that the government is supplementing wages for apprentices that companies are starting to wake up.

I have another trade in IT. The good thing about this is that I can always go back to working at something else if things get too bad, but because most IT jobs are being outsourced to countries in which people can barely speak a word of English, it's good to have other career plans.


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

Bad Electrician said:


> And the more you complain the more you would dig. Whiney apprentices are not worth keeping around, on the job, in the company or in the trade.


I guess that's why you're one of those that don't hire any.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Especially when he's in the ditch himself .......~CS~


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## Lemus"TheDon"Navarro (Jun 1, 2011)

Sgt in the military once told me and my peers if your expecting a pat on the back you got a long wait ahead of you he said expect nothing if no one speaks to you then your doing your job if we have to speak to you then something's wrong i try to live by that it's a double edged sword because it does make it hard when I do get compliments because sometimes I am in the zone thinking of he next task I had to learn to aknolwdege respectfully thank you quickly because if you don't people take offense when your not intentialloy trying to offend them and sometimes if I get a compliment I think there mocking but it's really just a compliment just be easy man do your job speak when spoken too that's all


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Bad Electrician is a well respected and competent craftsman. He's probably forgotten more than some of us will ever know. His opinion carries weight. He is telling you what you need to hear. It might not be how or what you want to hear, but you asked and a lot of seasoned professionals have given you the same advice.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

electricnewf said:


> It's not easy finding work around here and there's usually piles of resumes on contractor's desks. It's only now that the government is supplementing wages for apprentices that companies are starting to wake up.
> 
> I have another trade in IT. The good thing about this is that I can always go back to working at something else if things get too bad, but because most IT jobs are being outsourced to countries in which people can barely speak a word of English, it's good to have other career plans.


I see, that stinks....IT sounds like your JW is a creep and want's to screw you up to make himself look good:no:


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

There are 50 guys that work for me. 
I feel empty inside if I don't have a shovel in my hand at least once a week. 

Construction is taking a field, making it a whole, then making it a building or whatever. 
If you want to be inside and not get dirty, go wire up some telephones. 
If you don't like shovels, go be a welder. 

Put on your big girl panties and deal with it.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Black Dog said:


> I see, that stinks....IT sounds like your JW is a creep and want's to screw you up to make himself look good:no:



Wtf are you talking about? There's nothing written here that implies the jw is corrupt. I'm seeing a pattern here with you and playing the victim card. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

Black Dog said:


> I see, that stinks....IT sounds like your JW is a creep and want's to screw you up to make himself look good:no:


He's young and and can be a bit of a jerk at times. We get along but sometimes he can be a little over the top. I'm a pretty quiet person and can take some harassment but it came to a point where I had to talk to the supervisor because it was affecting my work.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

ponyboy said:


> Wtf are you talking about? There's nothing written here that implies the jw is corrupt. I'm seeing a pattern here with you and playing the victim card.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


:laughing::no:


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## kg7879 (Feb 3, 2014)

Why do you even care what other apprentices are doing on your job site?


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

It might happen when you are JW too....I have had JWs sweeping up and apprentices terminating....just because I thought that was best at that point on that job.


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## derit (Jul 26, 2015)

I found this online document informative about ergonomics:

http://www.lhsfna.org/files/hh_ergo_manual_11-03.pdf


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Something's missing here. It sounds like your skills aren't where they should be or maybe it's your speed. Maybe it's time to have a heart to heart talk with your journeyman or foreman. It sounds like you're halfway out the door already. If you're going to have that talk, it should be now.


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## fistofbolts (Jan 25, 2014)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do the most recent being digging trenches of various depths an lengths and also picking up all the rocks from those trenches and wheelbarrowing them offsite. None of the other apprentices were doing this and I questioned why I was given all the sh*t work. Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> I know I have to do work that I might not like but to always be given all the crap jobs while the other apprentices get free rides seems pretty ridiculous to me. I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week. I worked overtime today throwing heavy rocks in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy. Would like some input here on how I should handle this situation because right now I'm not getting along that well with my immature JM.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk


You are being a whiny as b.....suck it up. No offense but the job needs done and he trusts you to get it done. Think of it as a paid workout. I would shovel crap for the hourly i get. So just do it...


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

I was just told by my forman that everyone has to do it.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

Lemus"TheDon"Navarro said:


> Wow as someone who is a veteran and a ibew apprentice this bothers me you know what's hard about getting out of the military hearing so many people complain oh this person yelled at me or they made me do this and that and I didn't want to really they have you trenching I just did that recently as a 3rd year it's ok you know why because it's my job YOU DO AS YOU ARE TOLD YOU FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS thus you earn your check in this trade there are EASY DAYS AND HARD DAYS I did not like reading the AGE PART OF YOUR FOREMAN reminded me of all those older guys that joined up in the military late with a chip on there shoulder because there Sgt was younger then them oh well deal with it there your superiors your job is not to keep tabs on everyone else's work its to do whatever is asked of you reminds me of an apprentice recently that told me he will quit the company if they have him catch concrete slab cores again I was like wow ur complaining about an easy task he said I shouldn't be doing this as a 3rd year I said you got another company lined up to pick you up he said no I said then don't quit do your job idk if you don't like the trade go to school try a different career this is a physical job someone has to do it





Lemus"TheDon"Navarro said:


> Sgt in the military once told me and my peers if your expecting a pat on the back you got a long wait ahead of you he said expect nothing if no one speaks to you then your doing your job if we have to speak to you then something's wrong i try to live by that it's a double edged sword because it does make it hard when I do get compliments because sometimes I am in the zone thinking of he next task I had to learn to aknolwdege respectfully thank you quickly because if you don't people take offense when your not intentialloy trying to offend them and sometimes if I get a compliment I think there mocking but it's really just a compliment just be easy man do your job speak when spoken too that's all


Punctuation and formatting are your friends. Your posts are nearly unreadable.


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## Lemus"TheDon"Navarro (Jun 1, 2011)

My bad English class was never my strong suit


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## Bad Electrician (May 20, 2014)

Lemus"TheDon"Navarro said:


> My bad English class was never my strong suit


I was never very good at writing and I have not improved much bit. I found out slow down and re-read the sentences.

Your first sentence could read.

My bad English class, AS in due to a bad English Class

or

My bad, English was never my strong suit.


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## OaklandElec (Jan 4, 2011)

Bad Electrician said:


> I was never very good at writing and I have not improved much bit. I found out slow down and re-read the sentences.
> 
> Your first sentence could read.
> 
> ...


Slow down and re-read that....


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

I apologize for what was posted here. I was just ranting and didn't mean to offend the person I was ranting about. Everything is fine now. I guess this is all because I wasn't used to the amount of labor involved but it is getting easier now and I have a lot of help from my co workers and boss. I'm still very interested in this work but will take my rants elsewhere.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Life isn't always biscuits and gravy....

You must know that by now.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

electricnewf said:


> It's not easy finding work around here and there's usually piles of resumes on contractor's desks. It's only now that the government is supplementing wages for apprentices that companies are starting to wake up.
> 
> I have another trade in IT. The good thing about this is that I can always go back to working at something else if things get too bad, but because most IT jobs are being outsourced to countries in which people can barely speak a word of English, it's good to have other career plans.


Try HVAC. It's easier, and more money.:thumbsup:


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## Ink&Brass (Nov 6, 2013)

Love me some dig days, it breaks up the monotony of some jobs. It's like being back in the army, only I don't have to sleep in the holes I dig in -30C. Being an apprentice is great, all you have to do is show up, bust ass, learn all you can, all while bearing limited responsibility. The only thing I'm not going to miss about it is the pay. 

I've had many bosses younger than me, and I'm only 25. You'll learn to deal with it.


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## Azspark (Jan 24, 2014)

I find it that you always do your best work with whatever task your given. It speaks louder than words to see someone busting their butt doing crap work and doing the "fun" work. Not to get on my soap box but. I find that makes the best people to work with. Always having the best attitude no matter what the task is.


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## AK_sparky (Aug 13, 2013)

electricnewf said:


> I apologize for what was posted here. I was just ranting and didn't mean to offend the person I was ranting about. Everything is fine now. I guess this is all because I wasn't used to the amount of labor involved but it is getting easier now and I have a lot of help from my co workers and boss. I'm still very interested in this work but will take my rants elsewhere.


I just saw that it looks like you are in NL. Here is an alternative: I just moved to NL and I'm looking for work. I'm willing to dig for a paycheque. Let the bossman know!:laughing:

Jokes about taking your job aside, where in NL?


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do the most recent being digging trenches of various depths an lengths and also picking up all the rocks from those trenches and wheelbarrowing them offsite. None of the other apprentices were doing this and I questioned why I was given all the sh*t work. Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> I know I have to do work that I might not like but to always be given all the crap jobs while the other apprentices get free rides seems pretty ridiculous to me. I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week. I worked overtime today throwing heavy rocks in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy. Would like some input here on how I should handle this situation because right now I'm not getting along that well with my immature JM.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk



Suck it up. Buttercup!


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## pete87 (Oct 22, 2012)

Damm ... I liked the Labor and work out ! 

There is something Zen to do with the Earth .

I even worked with Explosives one summer , got to get through the Granite to get services down deep ...Water was in same trench as electric , old days ... there was RED explosive boxes on jobs every where , ressi too . 

Set your caps on Dynamite , fill and tamp holes with sand , I think it is 80lbs to set off dynamite at ends so use your judgement when tamping , set mats with track hoe , connect to plunger add ... WHAM .


When wiring back to the plunger ... I thought of 2 way radios .

It will take 2 Blast to get to 4 1/2 feet , so you redrill twice... watch for any wiring left from first blast ... tell tale sign of unexploded hole ..

Easy peasy , just set next charge xtra heavy and extra mats and Wham

The mats blew 40' in the air , no chance of unexploded charge now .

Rained rocks though , dived under the track hoe .



Pete


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## Spark Master (Jul 3, 2012)

Why pay a JM, or apprentice big bucks to trench, when a day laborer will dig for $125 / day. No union card, no English, no back talk, no whining. And you buy the guy a pizza for lunch. And he says thank you !


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Spark Master said:


> Why pay a JM, or apprentice big bucks to trench, when a day laborer will dig for $125 / day. No union card, no English, no back talk, no whining. And you buy the guy a pizza for lunch. And he says thank you !


Why hire an illegal? :no:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

electricnewf said:


> Over the last couple of weeks my journeyman (23 years old) has been giving me a lot of crap work to do the most recent being digging trenches of various depths an lengths and also picking up all the rocks from those trenches and wheelbarrowing them offsite. None of the other apprentices were doing this and I questioned why I was given all the sh*t work. Was told that it needed to be done and that I was "only a second year". Meanwhile the first years were doing easier tasks.
> 
> I know I have to do work that I might not like but to always be given all the crap jobs while the other apprentices get free rides seems pretty ridiculous to me. I already got a warning last week from the boss saying I would be laid off if I didn't get my skills up to speed, so now I'm worried that will happened this week. I worked overtime today throwing heavy rocks in a bucket and carting them away, so I'm not lazy. Would like some input here on how I should handle this situation because right now I'm not getting along that well with my immature JM.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk


You have a $375.00 Nexus phone. I believe you are being paid well to just do your job.


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## Spark Master (Jul 3, 2012)

Chris1971 said:


> Why hire an illegal? :no:


 They may be legal, you'll never know.

Why kill a JM or apprentice, when you can save their backs for skilled labor.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Your foreman is giving you the crappy dog work, and your employer is basically telling you to shape up. IMHO they're trying to get you to quit. Laying you off might result in an unemployment claim, and the boss doesn't want to add insult to injury.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

electricnewf said:


> I apologize for what was posted here. I was just ranting and didn't mean to offend the person I was ranting about. Everything is fine now. I guess this is all because I wasn't used to the amount of labor involved but it is getting easier now and I have a lot of help from my co workers and boss. I'm still very interested in this work but will take my rants elsewhere.


BTW, if you've had TOO much biscuits and gravy -- and are 'heavy' -- then ditching toil is often a hint from management to slim down.

Weight gain in I.T. is common, and largely tolerated.

Whereas weight gain is lethal to ones career as an electrician.

One of the smartest General Foreman I ever knew was shoved out of the trade because he'd let his weight get way too high. He had a resume to beat the band. It was not enough. 

[ No tears... he was already a multi-millionaire from the dot com boom. :laughing: ]


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## pete87 (Oct 22, 2012)

Chris1971 said:


> Why hire an illegal? :no:




Out here they are the only ones willing and able !






Pete


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

I spent four hours Monday digging pit run out of a trench to run some pipe with my "helper", a 67 year old journeyman with about a million years experience. I'm 50 and have been in the trade for 25 years


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Chris1971 said:


> Why hire an illegal? :no:


A few reasons come to mind - they will work cheap without complaint as mentioned, because they are easy to exploit. And secondly, most people are hypocrites on the matter of illegal immigration.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

MTW said:


> A few reasons come to mind - they will work cheap without complaint as mentioned, because they are easy to exploit. And secondly, most people are hypocrites on the matter of illegal immigration.


I used to do work for a GC that would hire illegals. He told me if they got hurt, he'd drive them to Home Depot and get rid of them.


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

electricnewf said:


> It's not easy finding work around here and there's usually piles of resumes on contractor's desks. It's only now that the government is supplementing wages for apprentices that companies are starting to wake up.


It's not the companies that are starting to wake up, it's the government and society. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## pete87 (Oct 22, 2012)

Anyone ever higher a Fugitive ? I worked with one back in the 60's ...

Damm ... the man was Rock like me , The Machine .

Quiet type ... after a while , he could sense this mans no punk ...He opened up a bit .

He spoke of those unsanctioned Boxing Matches on the Yacht's off Carolinas ... Big Bucks for one night ! , 5G ... I do not think that they had referees and rounds .

We tipped him off as the net tightened ... I hope he made it .




Pete


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

pete87 said:


> Anyone ever higher a Fugitive ? I worked with one back in the 60's ...
> 
> Damm ... the man was Rock like me , The Machine .
> 
> ...


I can't top that...

But I did work on a job with a murderer. He was on the GC's crew. He was out on parole because -- though it was idiot obvious that he murdered a fellow -- the case was pled down to 1st Degree Manslaughter. 

( The victim was stinking up his car trunk, but they didn't have the murder weapon and couldn't positively put him at the scene of the crime -- since he was merely driving off with the corpse. ) 

He violated his parole by packing the exact same type of weapon used to slay victim #1 -- a bolo// machete -- in the trunk of his latest car. So he went back inside for another three-decades. :blink:

Officialdom figured that they'd finally located the original murder weapon.


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## IndridCold (May 1, 2015)

electricnewf said:
Original post 
I was just venting because my body hurt so much after last week and more so yesterday I felt that he was trying to make me quit. I'm still under probation so who knows, maybe I'll be laid off by the end of the week. Everyday I bust my a** off and none of it is recognized even after the day I am let go. BTW I'm on pain killers, but nothing seems to help but booze.
Pain killers and alcohol do not mix. If you are smart you would not post things like that where your employer or future employers will read



Who cares what he does on his own time. He needs all the crutches he can get. I love ditchwork. Get some sun, listen to music, sweat, earn your money.... Son


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> You have a $375.00 Nexus phone. I believe you are being paid well to just do your job.


It's an old phone compared to today's standards. I paid it off in installments long before I got back in the trade. It's the only phone I'll ever own until it breaks, and maybe then I'll buy another for a cheap price.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk


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