Frustration

[Demonseed]

We are on a job, pretty basic buildings, 12 units per (2 rooms a unit 12x 15'6 or so). We have to cut back the flooring to the rooms, sweep the rooms, skim coat, prime, install carpet tile, install base and reducers and clean up. This job is getting me to the point of quitting.

each building takes approximately 4-5 hours to completely prep for install (one person), sweep, skim coat, prime (using air movers to speed up the process). The install amounts to 250 yards of carpet tile, 720 linear feet of cove base (2 outside corners per unit), 36 feet of reducer, and clean up.

The install takes me 7 hours, so combined a building takes me 11-12 hours to complete start to finish. Yet there are 5 guys on this job, and not one of them can do a building in under 16 hours, the slowest one taking 24 hours. I am good but I am not that good, this is all prevailing wage work, and despite whatever extras i get, i can't deal with this anymore.

I have been considering options to bring to the boss; A: Pay me at time and a half for the hours on these jobs...B: I leave after 5 hours and get paid for a full day C: They fire me and let me collect unemployment.

Even the bosses' can not keep up with me, and i do not know how to slow down, I get bored too easily, my mind races and work is my distraction. I am not bragging, or trying to imply i am some 'superman installer', it is just the situation at hand.

It makes no sense to me, a few hours here of there because patch is not drying, or you have a case of the lazies, but 24 hours for what should be a 12 hour job??

I had to vent for a minute

[Jim McClain]

Why are you so concerned about the other guys? I don't get it. Two-thirds of the crew does the work in 16 hours or so. One-sixth of the crew takes 8 hours more, give or take. One-sixth takes 4 or 5 hours less, about. You are the anomoly, not them. So friggin' what? Do your work and never mind what "the other guy" does. Unless you are their supervisor, it's not really your concern.

Worried about the disparity in pay? Slow down. Take more breaks, go to lunch off-site and make it last an hour, pick your nose. It doesn't matter. Don't ask them to speed up, or someone will be back to take care of their mistakes - and they may already be making too many as it is.

I was a good installer, but no way could I install all that in 12 hours. I might be up there with the majority of them. I would feel good about doing the work I was doing and would get pissed off if some crackerjack complained just because I couldn't keep up with him.

Just my opinion.

Jim

[skhardwoods]

Poor you. I was laughing at the part about you quiting, and then thinking you could actually collect unemployment. I'd love to be a fly on the wall, when you are pleading your case at the Unemployment office.

Just do your job, and quite worrying about the other guys. Or, use your "free" time to help the other guys out. Be a team player.

respectfully yours
SK

[barrycarlton]

It sounds as if you work smarter not harder. This could speed you up considerably. It is the way I work. I feel your frustration.
Maybe you could discuss some kind of bonus program, available to all. This would be contigent on no inrease in complaints than the firm already deals with on this or this type of project. This way you would not lose your motivation, and the others may be motivated to work smarter.
It should work out to be win win for everyone.

just a thought

b

[Floorguy]

SK,

Here there is no case to plead. It doesn't matter how he lost the job, he is now unemployed and our Texas unemployment commission gives them unemployment benefits, as long as they can prove they are out looking for work. Even though I am self employed, if I lost it all tomorrow, I can go file for unemployment and get it.

[Nick Arrera]

You have to have your own ins in Jersey .. I had a policy that paid me $500.00 a week if i was out of work .. [expensive]. after a year and a half i filed a claim having thrown my back out , and they sent my money i paid in back to me and canceled my policy .. The ins comish said they can do that up to two years ..

[skhardwoods]

California is different, or at least it was 25 years ago, when I last was an employee. You had to be wrongfully terminated. You couldn't just quit your job, cause you thought you were working harder then everyone else, and go get compensated for it. Geez, another bit of govermental genius.

[stullis]

I'd say you are full of shit.

[jay f]

C'mon Scott, how do you really feel. Please say what's on your mind.

[rgfloor]

Floorguy, I read through the Texas laws and if you are fired for cause you can NOT collect.

It is also very gray as to a self-employed person can collect. IMHO

[Floorguy]

All you have to do is list who your last check / payment was from. Even if it was a private homeowner and you working self employed.

Since I don't have help my flooring buisness isn't effected. It is the wife and I's flower shop where the employment commission comes into play.

[Nick Arrera]

When i called the ins comish , he told me he only had control over people that were not self employed .. Today i can put a wavier on my workmans policy that includes me for a extra charge of course .. that has only been in effect here a few years ..

[Demonseed]

just to clarify::

I have been considering options to bring to the boss; A: Pay me at time and a half for the hours on these jobs...B: I leave after 5 hours and get paid for a full day C: They fire me and let me collect unemployment.

Even if they do not accept any of these options, the situation is simple, they expect me to do more work than my co-workers. If they establish a standard of what is acceptable production, they can not require me to do more than that standard. I would perfer a bonus system, that is available to everyone to try to increase everyone's output, yet the idea that I have to do more than anyone else, is inherently unfair and is the nature of my gripe.

If it was solely an issue of working at a 'natural pace', it would not bother me, yet Thursday I was told I have to return to the job and finish it on Monday. Yes I can finish it, but for anyone else it would be two days, or the equivilant if you count the fact the would have to get OT.

[Floorguy]

Ask if he will do a piece work payment schedule with everyone, because of your concerns.

[Lo Down]

Around here, anyone working as hard as you gets a tee shirt at the end of the year.