As a welder, what will you do if there are times when your boss will ask you to do some painting jobs or other non-welding works, because there are no more welding jobs to do?
Another question, if you are the welder's foreman or supervisor, will you ask your welder's to do non-welding related jobs?
In a non union shop You do what they tell You.
In a union shop they don't ask, as whoever's job that is supposed to be will file for wages, and they would have to pay You for doing the work as well as the other guy who didn't.
In a non union shop, I would expect cooperation from all employees, regardless of their job description. If I asked You to do something, it is because it needs to be done.
If You won't do it, pack up Your stuff, and come for Your final check on payday.
Incorrect Dave, these days a union shop will expect you to do any work associated with the project you are on. You can refuse to do any job, anywhere, but don't be suprised when you're hit with a one man lay-off. UA(pipefitter) apprentices are required to have a welding cert. to turn-out in our local and journeyman will have the opportunity to rig, layout and assist in fitting their welds if their not under the hood or running copper or pvc. The days of standing around waiting on someone to yell out "tack" have long been gone.
depends on the size and nature of the job
I guess times have changed. I last workes union in '91 as a member of USWA at an auto frame plant. I was a tool & die maker. I was not allowed to do any electric welding process, but could use a torch. The guy who worked in the steel yard wanted machinist rate to drill start holes for flame cutting thick steel plate. They sent tool & diemakers to the flame cutting yard to drill a few holes...
There were a lot of rules about who did what, and where in the plant they did it, and they were enforced by the union.
This plant was closed in 2000. Labor issues were not the cause of the closing, but they didn't help matters any.
Union or Non-Union? Do you want to work there? DUH!?!?!
As long as the pay is the same do you really care?
I know a guy that got asked to bolt up in a plant because they were short handed. He said heck ya..! I get paid welders wage and I have no chance of busting a shoot. Bring it on..! He said he busted a shoot about a month later. He said he should have been run off it was so bad but they said tighten up and dont let it happen again. We want to keep you on because you will help out where you are needed..!
MILLSCALE
The Ideal employee is the one who when asked to do a task says sure.
I am grateful to all the tasks I was instructed to do as they allowed me
immeasurable job securities and opportunities..
Just my ΒΆΒΆ's
Good Luck
Marshall
Absolutely and without question.
Any primadonna's who refuse to do other tasks will be the next one out the door.
Tim
In general, sure I would do almost any job needed, with some exceptions. I will not pick up ciggarett butts (I am a non smoker), I will not clean up a pile of rod butts that is someone else (when I have been using my stub bucket), and do any job just because so and so won't do it. I am of the opinion I will jump in and help just about anybody on almost any job, but I will not do the work for them out of laziness. Now this attitude has cost me some pretty good jobs back in the day. What advice I would give is take pride in yourself, be hummble,but don't let people use you as a door mat. Know when and what battles to fight.
When I worked at the cat dealer as a mechanic and it got slow I'd paint lines, sweep, help in the parts department or deliver things with my class A. When it got slow and they were willing to pay me to do those things instead of a layoff I was ok with doing it. The short time I spent single hand I'd help unload the truck, move pipe and materials and even fit and sweat copper for a month.
I'm just a man-whore, so I work for wages. As long as the pay is the same, why would I care what the task is as long as it is not illegal, immoral, or unethical? Then again, if the pay is right.............
If you want to be picky about the work you do, start your own company and refuse the jobs you don't want.
My son-in-law often asked me why I work so many hours and why I traveled so much. At the time he wouldn't work overtime, wouldn't travel, and wouldn't do many tasks that could easily be considered as part of his job. He got laid off and is now is self-employed (by necessity). Now he works all hours of the day and travels extensively. Its funny how things can change when you are self employed.
As an Ironworker, I never refused a job. I didn't especially like some of them, but it put food on the table and paid the bills.
Best regards - Al
So true Al!! One thing I left out. Same Cat dealer, it was slow and they loaded about 3-4 of us in a truck and took us to the owners house....hovel,
Our task at hand, rearrange the furniture in their home!! No kidding!! I was playing, well....don't know what I was playing. The Mrs. Owner was directing where things went and we'd put them there. Funniest thing was the rotten half eaten apple we found under the couch!! Boy, I bet the cleaning lady got an earful!!
We got paid the same as we did back at the shop rebuilding components for expensive equipment. It also made the day go by.
Union or Non-union I've always done whatever was needed and/or requested of me. Sweep, paint, rig, fit, weld, run any equipment they had. Gained lots of valuable experience and skills. Kept me working when others were laid off. During the 80's (an earlier recession period) I worked almost all the time. When one job was done I was among the first pulled into the next one. Usually the last to leave.
Don't know the exact reason for the query, but don't be picky about doing something not in your 'Job Description'.
Have a Great Day, Brent
Your question reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was working as a welder at a new construction project, at a papermill. A few weeks after starting, I happened to pass the foreman for the job on the stairs leading down to the basement work area; and my hands were empty. The foreman asked me "What are you doing?" I snapped off an answer without missing a beat. I said, "Whatever you tell me to do!" I welded, swept, threaded and fit pipe, fixed leaks, fabricated hose stands, made pipe hangers, even spray foamed holes in the walls around pipes. Basicly whatever they asked for.
I was a temp hire on that job. I was the last temp hire they let go. I finished out the job working the crew taking care of punch list items, when they sent some full time employees off the next jobsite. Basically got paid for being present 8 hours each day for the last two weeks I was on the job. Almost like getting paid to do nothing, and I was grateful for the work.
Same contractor, I worked a 1 week shutdown at a steel mill. Spent 16 hours 1 day fetching and stepping for another welder who was welding a 6" high pressure gas main. At least 12 of those hours was nothing but, "up five", "down 10", "re-sharpen these tungstens", "get me some lo-hy rods", etc. I hiked 3 sets of stairs each way for everything this guy needed. I was exhausted and bored out of my mind by the end of the shift. But the welder and the regular hands appreciated the help, and I'm sure it paid dividends in respect from the regulars in the crew. The paycheck didn't hurt either.
Some of the other 'road whores' on the job wouldn't scratch their own noses on the job site. I saw legions of those fellows get run off the papermill job; sometimes within 30 minutes of starting to work there.
All that said, I'd never do anything I thought was truly unsafe or unethical. I've refused to do work when I knew the safety guy would run me off if he saw me. I've also refused to travel overseas for other companies if I thought the country wasn't safe to visit. You got to stand firm on principle; just be ready to pay the piper...Remember, it's your choice what you do and who you work for. But most employers appreciate someone who does what's needed to accomplish the job...The ones who don't aren't worth working for in the long run...
I made a good part of my living back in the day don't "unsafe" work, or at least dangerous things,,, ha but if I am on a welding job and something wants something else done i am likely to drop that stinger like a hot rock. On most days I would just as soon dig a ditch and being a helper on someone else's job I am not running is way more entertaining than welding. We kind of take turns in my shop on occasion and my job mostly is to stay out front of my men or be there when they need me. I do a lot of the cleanup, if I am the helper 90% of it is already put away as something is finished.
"Yes sir, no problem it will be done!" No sure's, why's, yups or but's needed! Some bosses don't like the word "sure" it would seem.
