Where do you work?
All over Alberta mainly, work other provinces for contracts from time to time if the money worth it. Lived and worked pretty much every province and territory in Canada, except PEI and Newfoundland. Oh Quebec, fuck that shithole. I'll be honest, I've never left Canada, never had the urge yet.
What do you do?
Dual trade Tin Basher/Insulator. I do enviromental/restoration work as well, and do renos on my own on a casual basis, ie when work slow/I have time.
What field/industry? Construction/Deconstruction I guess?
Wages? Varies, Up until last year probaly 70-100kish due to my own reno/resto work on the side. Not so well this year so far, only a couple months HVAC this year at new Oilers arena, only had a couple basic frame/drywall/paint basement suites that I did on my own, not really big money. Gonna finish off the year doing enviro/resto, got 3 months in Grande Prairie starting next week, and likely some Ft. McMurray after that. Still comfortable, I didn't blow my money on stupid shit during the boom years like most of the fucktards running out of EI and begging for welfare now.
Bonuses?
When SM, PM or foreman, which is often, get bonuses for completing ahead of schedule, and keeping under budget. Varies.
Largest bonus I got was 2 years ago when I had an A-team and we finished 3 weeks ahead, and under material/equipment budget by around 30k. Probaly saved another 30-40k in labour alone. 15k bonus for me, but I spent about 6k of that renting a house for weekend down Crowsnest Pass for the crew for quadding, drinking, and general fuckery. I always share that shit with a good crew, and it always pays off. Happy loyal workers will bring extra productivity, and tend to give a shit about their job. I'm the type of foreman that bleeds, sweats, and gets dirty right along with my guys too, after my safety and misc paperwork done (which most is done before, I usually come in an hour or so early) and occasionly ive played meet and greet with the various bigwigs that show up. It's fact I've seen in action, used myself, real leaders lead the charge, and those that follow will work harder, have better morale, and tend to form up into a tight efficient unit.
Benefits?
Standard union shit I guess, I always pay my dues to both unions, get retirement stuff, legal help, ect ect. I dunno my wife the smart one on all that. I really haven't used the medical benefits yet honestly. For the enviro/resto company they match RRSP payments I make. There's constant talk of profit sharing in the future, I get some kind of copay medical/dental/prescription coverage, think its like 80% or some shit, again wife has the smarts/gives a shit about all that. Not sure how that works with the union benefits.
How long have you been there?
Working construction 20+ years. I maintain good relations for most companies/clients I've worked with over the years. I've had clients from years ago contact me to see if I'm available still. I never burn bridges unless someone attempts to rip me off. My dual trades? 7 years with unions, generally they dispatch me to various companies/projects. Enviro/resto probably 9 years total, current company part of the year past 3 years I guess. Personal projects? Thousands over past 20 years.
I'm a workaholic to be honest, I love keeping busy, I get sketchy and pissy when work is slow. I've never been on EI, never did the welfare thing, and I don't get metis/first nations benefits of any kind, except the occasional racism ( which I don't care about, that shit funny) even though I could probaly get all that if I bothered.
Nah, I take pride that I earned every penny on my own since I got out of juvie at 16, no family, no safety net, not a dime. Said fuck it, and scraped through shit until I had more experience, said fuck school for another 3-6 years, fuck student loan debt for next 10-20 years, and freedom that I'm not locked into one place, same job,same daily routine, blah blah. Love my job(s) I get paid to work out, micromanaging sites or contracts, bringing a plan to successful completion, I get to travel to various places, and I take pride that I have an old school work ethic that is becoming so rare,and, highly valued. I don't come home stressed, since between the work, and frequent, part of my job, bitching people out, I come home calm, generally cook dinner (I'm the only real cook lol) have quality time with the missus. Not rich, don't have everything, but I am content. I started with fuck all, no help up, figured shit out on my own, and here, I am. I got anxiety issues, depression, and PTSD from a entire childhood of abusive foster homes. Guess what, I deal with it responsibly. I have a therapist, I take some medication, I have other coping tricks. Work is a huge help as well. I came to the simple conclusion, fix/mitigate yourself, or you might as well end it, because wishing, praying, hoping, fantasizing is as useful and productive as tying a cinder block to your neck and leap off a bridge. I don't let bad shit from the past fuck my present/future.
Current generation, even some of my own, makes me sick, fuckin work for it, stop expecting handouts. Shitty life so far? Fucking do something about it, you are responsible for yourself, These new age millienials sure give me some entertainment when they appear on my sites though. I either turn them into decent workers, or they driven off back to working Starbucks or some shit.
Funny thing about that, is last year I had 27 harrassment/abusive type complaints against me (hurt feelings reports I call them), and I shit you not, a sexual harassment complaint (it was some 19 year old Bieber clone) Basically gave him shit for smoking and texting for 20 min in the portapotty(this was 5-6 times a day ffs), and get his skinny ass back to work, or go home for rest of week. Claimed I was peeking at him in there, and making inappropriate comments about his ass. No dumbass, I can see the smoke coming out of the top of the shitter lol, and too clueless to mute his phone. Faggots need to grow a thicker skin, its construction, not daycare.
Nothing came from any of it, except many lulz. When you earn the respect of your crews, they tend to speak up for ya, and hell make your job easier too, cause they help whip the useless into shape, or drive them off site.
Whew long post, apologies for the TLDR crew. Heading away for a month straight for work Friday, so had a nice little party last night, 5 of us put away 8 cases of beer, couple bottles of rye and red bull, and someone decided to bring a good ounce or so of some fine coke lol. It's the first time I've done blow in over a year, still flying like a hummingbird, probably won't sleep for the entire day hah.
All over Alberta mainly, work other provinces for contracts from time to time if the money worth it. Lived and worked pretty much every province and territory in Canada, except PEI and Newfoundland. Oh Quebec, fuck that shithole. I'll be honest, I've never left Canada, never had the urge yet.
What do you do?
Dual trade Tin Basher/Insulator. I do enviromental/restoration work as well, and do renos on my own on a casual basis, ie when work slow/I have time.
What field/industry? Construction/Deconstruction I guess?
Wages? Varies, Up until last year probaly 70-100kish due to my own reno/resto work on the side. Not so well this year so far, only a couple months HVAC this year at new Oilers arena, only had a couple basic frame/drywall/paint basement suites that I did on my own, not really big money. Gonna finish off the year doing enviro/resto, got 3 months in Grande Prairie starting next week, and likely some Ft. McMurray after that. Still comfortable, I didn't blow my money on stupid shit during the boom years like most of the fucktards running out of EI and begging for welfare now.
Bonuses?
When SM, PM or foreman, which is often, get bonuses for completing ahead of schedule, and keeping under budget. Varies.
Largest bonus I got was 2 years ago when I had an A-team and we finished 3 weeks ahead, and under material/equipment budget by around 30k. Probaly saved another 30-40k in labour alone. 15k bonus for me, but I spent about 6k of that renting a house for weekend down Crowsnest Pass for the crew for quadding, drinking, and general fuckery. I always share that shit with a good crew, and it always pays off. Happy loyal workers will bring extra productivity, and tend to give a shit about their job. I'm the type of foreman that bleeds, sweats, and gets dirty right along with my guys too, after my safety and misc paperwork done (which most is done before, I usually come in an hour or so early) and occasionly ive played meet and greet with the various bigwigs that show up. It's fact I've seen in action, used myself, real leaders lead the charge, and those that follow will work harder, have better morale, and tend to form up into a tight efficient unit.
Benefits?
Standard union shit I guess, I always pay my dues to both unions, get retirement stuff, legal help, ect ect. I dunno my wife the smart one on all that. I really haven't used the medical benefits yet honestly. For the enviro/resto company they match RRSP payments I make. There's constant talk of profit sharing in the future, I get some kind of copay medical/dental/prescription coverage, think its like 80% or some shit, again wife has the smarts/gives a shit about all that. Not sure how that works with the union benefits.
How long have you been there?
Working construction 20+ years. I maintain good relations for most companies/clients I've worked with over the years. I've had clients from years ago contact me to see if I'm available still. I never burn bridges unless someone attempts to rip me off. My dual trades? 7 years with unions, generally they dispatch me to various companies/projects. Enviro/resto probably 9 years total, current company part of the year past 3 years I guess. Personal projects? Thousands over past 20 years.
I'm a workaholic to be honest, I love keeping busy, I get sketchy and pissy when work is slow. I've never been on EI, never did the welfare thing, and I don't get metis/first nations benefits of any kind, except the occasional racism ( which I don't care about, that shit funny) even though I could probaly get all that if I bothered.
Nah, I take pride that I earned every penny on my own since I got out of juvie at 16, no family, no safety net, not a dime. Said fuck it, and scraped through shit until I had more experience, said fuck school for another 3-6 years, fuck student loan debt for next 10-20 years, and freedom that I'm not locked into one place, same job,same daily routine, blah blah. Love my job(s) I get paid to work out, micromanaging sites or contracts, bringing a plan to successful completion, I get to travel to various places, and I take pride that I have an old school work ethic that is becoming so rare,and, highly valued. I don't come home stressed, since between the work, and frequent, part of my job, bitching people out, I come home calm, generally cook dinner (I'm the only real cook lol) have quality time with the missus. Not rich, don't have everything, but I am content. I started with fuck all, no help up, figured shit out on my own, and here, I am. I got anxiety issues, depression, and PTSD from a entire childhood of abusive foster homes. Guess what, I deal with it responsibly. I have a therapist, I take some medication, I have other coping tricks. Work is a huge help as well. I came to the simple conclusion, fix/mitigate yourself, or you might as well end it, because wishing, praying, hoping, fantasizing is as useful and productive as tying a cinder block to your neck and leap off a bridge. I don't let bad shit from the past fuck my present/future.
Current generation, even some of my own, makes me sick, fuckin work for it, stop expecting handouts. Shitty life so far? Fucking do something about it, you are responsible for yourself, These new age millienials sure give me some entertainment when they appear on my sites though. I either turn them into decent workers, or they driven off back to working Starbucks or some shit.
Funny thing about that, is last year I had 27 harrassment/abusive type complaints against me (hurt feelings reports I call them), and I shit you not, a sexual harassment complaint (it was some 19 year old Bieber clone) Basically gave him shit for smoking and texting for 20 min in the portapotty(this was 5-6 times a day ffs), and get his skinny ass back to work, or go home for rest of week. Claimed I was peeking at him in there, and making inappropriate comments about his ass. No dumbass, I can see the smoke coming out of the top of the shitter lol, and too clueless to mute his phone. Faggots need to grow a thicker skin, its construction, not daycare.
Nothing came from any of it, except many lulz. When you earn the respect of your crews, they tend to speak up for ya, and hell make your job easier too, cause they help whip the useless into shape, or drive them off site.
Whew long post, apologies for the TLDR crew. Heading away for a month straight for work Friday, so had a nice little party last night, 5 of us put away 8 cases of beer, couple bottles of rye and red bull, and someone decided to bring a good ounce or so of some fine coke lol. It's the first time I've done blow in over a year, still flying like a hummingbird, probably won't sleep for the entire day hah.
