Rant from a Machinist

[vinnycr2]

I'm 45 years old and have been a machinist since high school. CNC for the last 15 years.

I like what I do and am very good at what I do while making very few mistakes.

I've been at the same place since 89. It really sucks to work there now but is hard to leave 5 weeks paid vacation and a 4 day work week Monday to Thursday.

Haven't seen a raise in 6 + years and have to deal with a F#%&*%@ Psyco bastard that is twice my size who wants to kick my 5' 5" 160 lb ass for reasons beyond imagination.

It doesn't take much to get this guy going. There are a few instigators who tell him crap and enjoy the show. He believes just about everything these F%$^ tards tell him.

I get fed up with him and go see the General manager. He blows a cork that I'm bothering him with this baby crap and to make a long story short it ended with if you guy's cant get along you are both going to get fired.

I don't even look at this freak show but he goes out of his way to let me know he is there. I walk by him he sticks his leg out to try and trip me or bump me sometimes almost knocking me down. Stares at not just me but anyone he has a problem with more than a few times a day.

He left the place and came crawling back a week later after calling me out to the parking lot the day he left. They take him back after they tell him to straighten out his problems with me. You stay away from me and I'll be fine so they take him back and he starts 2 weeks after he leaves.

Now he is as big an ass as he ever was and a major ass wipe to boot.

The shop foreman calls me aside today. I know you are unhappy. What is the problem. Besides not having a raise in 6 + years Freak show as I call him is a major problem.

Says he has talked to him and he will not cause any more problems. Wrong I tell him. I'M leaving the snack room today while he just happens to be getting a coffee ( wasn't there when I went in ) and he takes a few steps back so I have to squeeze by him.

My wife wants me to leave it aint worth the agravation. Why should I let him win or anyone like him. I'm sick of ignorant people getting there way because of a company that doesn't have the balls to stand up to a guy like this.

I called the employment agency to ask who I can talk to about what my rights are if I get fired do this situation. After an hour or so of calling far to many agencies I'm basically F#%&*@.

As for getting a raise the general manger said if you want more you need to do more as in run more than one machine at a time. They are paying a major ass wipe more than me who can't hold a candle to me abilty and experience wise because he kisses the general mangers ass and says you need me to run another machine while I'm standing here. He will start to and never acomplish much but bucause he made the effort. Plus he will trash talk the place as much as anyone in there.

Is it me or is this country going to Sh$& in a big way with stagnant wages and control freaks who want more from you without rewarding a good effort?

I here the same crap from other industries as well.

 

[mzrsq]

As a partial owner of a machine shop, I hate to tell you but in todays market with everything going to china, or investment cast, or composite mold, the only way to stay alive in the trades today is by sacrificing and spreading yourself.  You may call your willing to work coworker a kiss-ass, but in my shop if you can't run your share then theres' no place for ya on my floor.  As co-owner I run 2 CNC Verts myself, 12 hours a day, 5 days a week and Satudays when necessary.  Unfortunatley this isn't the same game it was even 10 years ago, with machines running faster than ever, cad-cams, robotics and all..........the machinist and machine shop is a dying breed.

Not meaning to bash, I just run into to many of you old school guys who truely have no idea what the market is and the life expectancy of the average machine shop today.  Suck it up and be thankful you have a job, because there's 1000's of unemployed machinists out there that would love to have your job, running two machines for far less pay and benifits than you're recieving.    

 

[SAMBUSA]

I'm still kinda young so maybe I have a "young punk kid" attitude" but you need to stand up to the knuckle draggin bastid. It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Stand up to him one time and he will probably leave you alone. Don't know how many times I have done that because I have always been small. 5'9" and 165. The nice thing about workin for the Railroad, if someone is messing with you, just beat his azz. There aren't any managers in BFE. He has his size, so get an equalizer. Pipes work well.

About the pay, unless you are union, cant help ya. Good luck with it

 

[extreemachine]

Grab a stcik, bat, pipe, whatever it takes and stand up to him. He is a bully. Make sure you beat his asss well enough so he knows never to come back. Do it out of company time out of there parking lot etc.. but let him have it. I am big enough to take care of myself, not the biggest but I have always been a fighter. Love to fight. Bigger they are the harder they fall. He is picking on someone alot smaller than him, that says alot for who he is inside! Keep us posted

 

[Don Hardcastle]

I have to tell you that I don't agree with these guys. Have you tried talking to the guy? Tried to find out what his deal is and why he is being difficult. There is more than one way to resolve a situation. You tried the management and struck out. Try speaking to him.

Don

BTW for those of you that are screaming "Man what a p***y". I fought full contact for 7 years and am currently a Defensive Tactics/Ground Fighting instructor at the state police academy. You have to fight smarter not harder because no matter how big the fight in the dog, you don't go toe-to-toe with Mike Tyson, because you will get your ear bitten off everytime".

 

[trip]

Sue them for hostile work environment... they won't be able to fire you...

Of course if the 50k you get doesn't put the company under, nobody will ever speak to you again..., your boss will hate..., etc.

Best to suck it up and work it out or just live with it.

..., or go into business for yourself.

..., best of luck!

 

[Projekt]

Next time you go for coffee and he magically appears just smash the kettle on his head. He'll get the double whammy with the stun and the heat.
Then wake up from your fantasy and plug away.
Maybe you ought to step up to him and say you and him need to sit for a brew. Afterwards if the shet ain't sorted tell him to check out that cool new tire iron in your trunk. Remember, kneecap, ribs, temple. Left, right-up-diagonal, left... kinda like a zig zag...

 

[Aquaman]

Vinny,I am going to show this post to our H/R person at my work and see if she can suggest anything.
She know a lotta the stuff that co's aint supposed to do.

 

[thepushercg]

what i would do is pick up something and waylay the guy. now thats not christain of me , never said i was perfect but i would bring him down to my size real quick. or a nice hard kick in the groin area. just catch him away from work. tell you the truth if i worked with you this guy would not be doing this, i would take it up with him myself. not having a raise in 6 years is low. it really shows what they think of you. i would say look elsewhere for a job but i guess there are not any more machine shops close to you.

 

[BusaWhipped]

The GMs attitude is wrong. You have the right to a harrasment free workplace and the GM has an obligation to investigate complaints. With that said, your only recourse is to take action against him. By law, they are not allowed to penalize you or take action against you because of it, but in the real world, if you escallate this, there will be retalliation. If you can't work it out with the azzhat, you can try taking it to the GM again and reminding him of his responsibility. I doesn't sound like you will get anywhere with it though.

 

[ks-waterbug]

The best advice was given earlier in that you should kill him with kindness...  Go out of your way to be extra nice to this person when he tries to interact with you! Trust me when I say it'll do more than harsh words and idle threats....

As far as the job there is a lot more to life than money! You said it best when you said I get x number of days off per year for this or that. You really enjoy what you do for a leaving, ect... I'd say this guy has really gotten under your skin and from the sounds of things he's everything you said and then some. But, don't give up! People like this are their own worst enemy. Often wearing their own welcome out with the folks that can do something about them. He's on the radar now that he quit once... That will always be in the back of their minds so when it comes time for cuts the quiters usually get the axe first.

 

[Aquaman]

Tyring to be the guys best friend is NOT going to help.I have dealt with people just as Vinny describes,I too work in a manufacturing shop for 22 yrs.
These people have severe mental problems and you cannot just try to be their friend and it all goes away.......Sorry

 

[BusaBret]

(mzrsq @ Oct. 24 2006,20:27) As a partial owner of a machine shop, I hate to tell you but in todays market with everything going to china, or investment cast, or composite mold, the only way to stay alive in the trades today is by sacrificing and spreading yourself.  You may call your willing to work coworker a kiss-ass, but in my shop if you can't run your share then theres' no place for ya on my floor.  As co-owner I run 2 CNC Verts myself, 12 hours a day, 5 days a week and Satudays when necessary.  Unfortunatley this isn't the same game it was even 10 years ago, with machines running faster than ever, cad-cams, robotics and all..........the machinist and machine shop is a dying breed.

Not meaning to bash, I just run into to many of you old school guys who truely have no idea what the market is and the life expectancy of the average machine shop today.  Suck it up and be thankful you have a job, because there's 1000's of unemployed machinists out there that would love to have your job, running two machines for far less pay and benifits than you're recieving.    

Amen Brother!!
I run two machines, 1) 5 axis and 1) 4 axis Horizontal and do all the programming for both plus other machines in the shop on 3 different cam softwares. Machinists are a dying breed and all that will be left in a few years are operators.

If you are really that unhappy just find another job. They are out there if you are willing to do what it takes to get them. Otherwise the services of an attorney may be your best bet. Probably you still have to get another job but you should have a cushion to fall back on.
Just my opinion!

 

[ks-waterbug]

(brendanp @ Oct. 25 2006,06:27) Tyring to be the guys best friend is NOT going to help.I have dealt with people just as Vinny describes,I too work in a manufacturing shop for 22 yrs.
These people have severe mental problems and you cannot just try to be their friend and it all goes away.......Sorry

I never suggested being his friend... quite the contrary! Just be extra nice, hence the term "Kill them with Kindness"....

 

[Wrath]

Think logically, Accidentally leave some papers laying around on the topic of harrassment in the work environment. Some that both the GM and co-worker will see. At that point the GM will be forced to do some homework as to if he's gonna take a fall for what's going on & in turn he will saddle his workers. (O-yeah, Walk around with a big S_-t eating grin the day you leave the papers laying around)

 

[forceofnature]

Well the guys seems to be having a good time at your expense. I wish I could help but its gonna be your choice no one here can guage the situation better than you. Size dosent always matter, but I would not go start anything with him. Just make sure if it comes to blows you can take care of yourself. You could always make sure someone is witness to the event and then he is gone for good.

 

[BlueHaya]

If you like the job and time off you have do not let this bully make you change.  

My first thoughts were to beat the crap out of him as others stated, but that problably is not the "best" way to handle it.  I am working on my agression..with some progress.

Do some research on you own and find out your rights to a safe environment.  There are laws in effect.  

These are the type of situations that can turn a workplace into a news story.  Who is to say this guy does not go over the line one day and mess with you while on a piece of machinery and cause an accident?  

You need to keep notes on all actions with management and what this guy has done in case you need them in the future.

Hope it works out for ya.  


ps. if it goes to blows i am sure there are some roughnecks in your area that can talk to him for ya.

 

[Juggler]

I'm likely to get flamed on this, but I would DOCUMENT all this crap. The communications you've had with Mr. Gruesome, and your management chain. I would then explain to management that the situation is creating a HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT.

Life is too short to have to deal with people like this. If management is not ACTIVELY resolving the problem, then they're PART of the problem.

 

[Aquaman]

Vin,I talked to our H/R person and she said this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.She recommended that if you can get a bunch of you to get together (ya I know,right!!) that  you will have a much better chance of letting upper management know that the problem is not just limited to you. She said they would be fools to not do anything after this.
Also,do you have an H/R dept. there?
This is where you need to first see. You are being forced to work in a hostile inviroment just as the above post suggests,and no company in their right mind should be doing this....

If all else fails,re-locate,i'll get ya a job.


BTW,normally I would just suggest dropping a Cat 50 holder with a 3" shellmill locked into it on his head!

 

[heavybusa]

I agree with the legal route. You cannot argue that and this guy will not know how to act with a civil suit against him.

Do not let him physically harm you, self defense and standing up for yourself is important.

Get an lawyer and start handing out papers.