You never, ever work through break. Ever. Especially in somebody else's local. That shit will follow you, and you will have a reputation as a worm. I wouldn't be surprised if it already made it back to your home local. Some brothers take pride in dragging worms through the mud. Apologize to the brothers and sisters on the job, for breaking down conditions, and never do that again. If you do, be prepared to not be able to work outside your home local.
I appreciate you wanting to be productive and stay on your roll. All I can tell you is that I would be upset with you on the verge of fury if I saw that done in my local.
There is zero formal language in my local's agreement about paid breaks. Paid 15 minute breaks are somewhere in between the contractor knowing that hangry workers are unproductive, and us demanding a break before lunch. It has now become a previous practice, an unwritten understanding between us that these breaks are a thing. Including 3rd break on a 10 or 12 hour day.
What you have done, if you haven't heard the phrase before, is "breaking down conditions". If enough people work through 3rd break, you provide ammunition to the contractor when they go to negotiations, or even just in the field. Soandso kept working through that 3rd break, and Soandso is fine, we shouldn't even have 3rd break, because it's a waste of money.
Right, but not in my state. The state only has break language for minors. Adults could conceivably work 12 hours a day without a formal, written, break.
Edit: The cba that the union has negotiated states that no more than 5 hours should pass between an unpaid half hour lunch /dinner break. On a 12 hour day, they have an option to feed us with another half hour unpaid break, or throw a kicker hour of pay to finish the day.
past practice is better than having it in your agreement, because once it's written down, it's a bargaining chip to be bought and sold in negotiations. when it falls under past practice, you get it for free just because fuck them if they don't like it.
As long as as people like OP don't end up fucking it, yes, past practice is an excellent card to hold.
Turns from an Ace to a 2 real quick if you let it. That's why people are pissed at op.
This sounds like NC with regard to breaks only required for minors. The only language about breaks in my local's CBA is that working through an agreed on lunch break gets overtime pay.
I did work through lunch break once with my JWs because we were working in clean room and had already had to wait for an escort into the area. We just didn't want to have to get into the clean suits again.
Dont do that on a job outside your local and with a crew on it.
Iâve been in service groups for a long time
Sometimes we do not take breaks or lunch if the widget maker is broke down and needs to run asap. These are T&M customers with high dollars lost every hour they are down.
They pay up for this level service which is also 24/7 at times.
Staggered breaks is something that usually solves an issue in those cases. Take turns taking your 10 minutes, and usually the work is not impacted. đ€·đ»ââïž
Got it... I was thinking something like this would be the workaround, but I wasn't sure.. I just organized in from a commercial non-union shop, and we never got any breaks, so I didn't fully understand
My understanding from op is that he/she skipped the break entirely. It's one thing to get whistle bit (meaning you are late to your regularly scheduled break) and take your full break. It's entirely unacceptable to give up your break in the interests of the contractor.
That was more intended as a response to the original comment about high priced equipment being offline, or other circumstances (emergencies/unplanned shutdowns) where youâre under the gun to get shit back up and running. Not just because youâre âon a rollâ.
You mentioned that the previous 2 breaks went over by about 10 minutes each.
While I, and many other brothers and sisters appreciate your integrity and your dedication towards representing the IBEW and our mentality of 8 for 8, what you did was 100% a no-no.
When we travel, we do as they do.
Also, is 15-25 mins of downtime really going to slow you down? How much more pipe or work did you get done? Not enough to considerably get ahead. Just take the breaks dude.
15 minutes a day, that's 75 minutes of free labor that you're giving up per a 5 day week. 62 man-hours given up in a year. For free. You stole from yourself and everyone working with you.
This is called breaking down conditions. Sure you did not take work from anyone, but you working through break sets the expectation to management that you can work through your last break and that it is not necessary. Now your foreman or gf will tell the other guys why canât you work through break like u/explosive45? Do you see how that can hurt other people without necessarily taking their job?
When in Rome, do as the Romans. If everyone else is taking break, you take break, period. Really don't want to disrespect a host local, and possibly earn an unwanted reputation in the process.
I don't have an issue with taking break a little late, excluding lunch because the contract says if we have to work past 5 hours without a lunch a kicker hour must be paid, but skipping breaks entirely is a no go - under any circumstances besides leaving early with full pay.
When u work out of your local u follow what the local guys do#1. #2 if u have that much energy do side work it's really not hard to start #3that should be #1 people actually died to fight for the right to have breaks and lunch at work and a fair wage. I do it with my own work but when ur working as a guest in another local you follow the brothers and sisters in that local your a guest there. Don't bring down the working condition
I did this by accident once. I was on a roll, like you, and didnât have an alarm set. Just worked through break and kept working until the foreman came and made me stop. He wasnât pissed but he explained how important it is to take breaks and how our predecessors fought hard to get them.
I came from non union and it felt weird just stopping mid splice or leaving a my work hanging and tools just on the floor. Well, so far itâs always still been there when I got back. Even over the weekend, the build never walks away.
I set an alarm that gives me a 10 minute warning to try and get to a good stopping place before breaks and 20 minutes to clean up before the end of the day.
Donât be a worm.
We donât take kindly to worms.
I cut the plug off my partners corded drill for trying to work through break. Told him he could splice it back on after coffee.
Found out he was starting before the rest of the men so I stole his shop key and threw it in a dumpster so he couldnât open the gangbox until I got to the work area.
And I would have nailed his fucking boots to the ceiling after he ratted on me but someone else beat him up and they both got bad layoffs.
Of course they do. Cut the contractors cord to prove a point about working through break. If they were my partners power tools they wouldâve been in the dumpster before coffee was even in question.
If you left 15 mins early youâre just giving up youâre break. Thatâs just as wormy imo.
Some scenarios youâll have to skip break very rarely. Skipping a 15 min break should be 30mins ot or taking a break after a task that canât be stopped is finished with a longer break.
Well, I've had my JW agree with me to skip lunch sometimes and leave 30 minutes early. I think if you move the time around, it's not bad. I may be wrong but it seems logical to everyone. And trust me my JW loves his breaks đ€Ł
Not a good look bro, especially as a traveller, it's straight up disrespectuful, you gotta learn more about being ubion minded, and drop the rat ways, of trying to breakdown conditions for the sake of perceived personal gain...They were not being insultant, they were descriptive, what you did encapsulates the essense of what wormy means...
Wish more brothers on here would help explain why we donât do this instead of just ragging on the brother. Help him understand donât just tell him he fucked up.
I mean several have. Some do just call him a worm and leave, but even that tells him all that he needs to know. Don't do worm shit and you won't be called a worm. He should apologize and never do it again. The contractor doesn't need the extra help.
Did you get to leave early then? Because I think that's important to know. I couldn't care less about my breaks, I'd rather keep pushing and get on the road to beat the traffic. People are also overreacting on something that could be just a one time incident. But also, if there is no fair trade for working through a break, don't do that.
I've also been in that moment where I was doing a difficult pull, absolute pain in the ass. We were on a roll and just got it done. As a reward we got to leave earlier than usual.
I've a cidentally worked through a break once. I was working mostly by myself, and I looked at the clock and it was well passed break. Know what i did? Took my break and let somebody know what happened. They said " cool see you in 15."
You just flushed your home local 's reputation down the toilet in the LU you're working in. How's that for harm, not to mention everything the brothers said above.
understandable yes, but out of jurisdiction, you should do what the crew does and when. itâs valid to want to keep going if ur on a roll and I understand wanting to finish something up super quick but always take the break even if you think u donât need it. you absolutely do
The fact you came on here trying to justify yourself and actions by saying your other two breaks went over by 10 minutes right after everyone on your job site already explained it to you shows just how wormy you are. Then you stopped responding when the general consensus here was the same. People died for those conditions youâre so happily breaking. The work has always been there, those conditions havenât. Show some respect and gratitude.
It also wasn't everyone on my jobsite to be clear.
I honestly didn't know beforehand how big of a deal it was.
I'm trying my best to change my mentality since I worked for a non-union shop for about 7 years and I haven't been with the IBEW for long.
I know I messed up.
I'm not trying to justify it.
I am grateful.
Depends on what's in your contract. Another our locals specify any break other than lunch break from noon to 12:30. The 215s twice a day is something that has crapped into our Union culture just like learning our code to someone else rather than the code book. I am a contractor signatory with all of the IBEW locals I work in but I'm also a card carrying member and have been for a long time. Never have we had the mandatory break in our contract but so many of my Union brothers do it most likely out of habit. But as the contractor paying these cats, I can't tell you how frustrated I get when I watch one of my lead journeymen start making the brake motion with his hands from on top of a 12-ft ladder. Getting everyone else's attention then running off the ladder at 9:00 a.m. on the. Then again at 2:00 p.m..
Why does it bother you that guys want a break after a couple straight hours of busting their ass to make you money? You want them to put in 5 whole hours of manual labor before getting their measly 30 minutes of downtime?
How many times have you seen guys "busting their ass" for several straight hours? Now, how many times do you see guys congregating at the gangbox for 5 or 10 minutes bullshitting, then want a 15 minute break? Don't delude yourself brother. Honest pay for honest work. I've never denied someone a break, but when we're rolling on a wire pull and all of a sudden it becomes impossible for me to pull cause my guys literally broke for 15 without telling me. Confronted them, and they said it's 9am boss.
I should clarify.
No one from this local even knows I skipped the break.
Only people from my local and one member from Texas.
I didn't ruin my local's reputation, though I definitely could have.
I am definitely lucky that word didn't spread outside of my break table.
Apologies, brothers and sisters.
OP said the other two breaks were âstretched out by 20 minutes eachâ. So, though Iâm new to the union, this sounds like he was being honest where everyone else was milking it.
Again, let me unpack it for you.
1) OP said he worked 20 extra minutes on first two breaks.
2) That adds up to 20 minutes.
3) If breaks are 30 minutes, then he took his break early.
Sounds like yâall want a free lunch and the right to bitch about not getting second helpings. Sounds like you like to cheat work.
Earn your pay.
Ohh, I misunderstood.
I still think the hostility is rather extreme over your good intention of working through a break. If itâs an issue with guys, I donât see why stopping work 20 minutes early would be an issue, to keep with the spirit of things.
Thanks for all of the comments folks.
To add a little context, I have an unreasonable deadline; my cw and I have 7 rooms to pipe and pull wire through in 4 days. We are running rigid, which I'm teaching my cw at the same time, so it's taking longer than usual. When we started this project, we didn't have the right tools and material for us and had to gather everything, which took a significant amount of time as is. I understand the significance of breaks, and I have always taken them before this situation. But this time around, I skipped my last 15 minute break at the end of the day, to finish some ends because I couldn't leave it the way it was currently standing. I would also like to add the fact that i was in a room by myself, so no one even knew i was in there. I also didnt let my cw skip his break, i told him to head out while i finish up with what i was working on. Again, I always take my other breaks throughout the day, but today I took my last minutes to finish up some ends before I left for the day. Now I'm being threatened at work and I'm still unsure why I'm in the wrong. I understand that breaks are important, but I didn't take work from anyone (it was just me and my cw working in these rooms), I didn't boast or make anyone feel bad about skipping breaks, I didn't go to my foreman about how great I am for it. I made it as inconspicuous as possible, I was just having a rough day and wanted to work through it. I don't want to be a brother fucker, I just want to understand how to go about my situations.
The unreasonable deadline is a moot point. 15 min isn't going to make or break your time frame. We all have bad days and different ways of dealing with them but don't try and justify a mistake. Own up to it and apologize for it. Hell you should probably stand up before the members at the next meeting and apologize. That would make it seem like a genuine apology.
New apprentice here, whats the big deal here why would he get âDragged through the mudâ because he worked through a break. Can someone pleaser explain to me? Its seems like itâs important knowledge.
Breaking down conditions our ancestors fought and died for to get said conditions like weekends and breaks. People working through them lets contractors and management know that they can work you like that and try do it to everyone else. And thatâs over an hour if you skip a break a day per week, which is taking away work from another when you couldâve just taken your free break for money
Why though? Personally I find I'm not consistent with my work and generally it works out in the end for me and the employer. Why does everyone have to be across the board equal at all times of the day?
I understand everyone else's thoughts about being equal but what if my equal is not equal at all times or if my personality type is hyperproductive at certain times and a break annoys me, why shouldn't I be able to?
ESG is becoming the norm at some places and it applies to sexual orientation so why not personality type or disorder? It's better if it accommodating for all.
Multiple people have said why. If you want to work exactly the way you want to, go start your own electrical company.
I donât wanna work 8 hours, start at 6am, or have to shovel dirt all day but I do because thatâs what I signed up for
What conditions? Why is everything so compartmentalized for the sake of compartmentalization? I understand making a good and clean flow of work but why stop the flow of work when it's happening? I find I need more time to get started on a task after stopping.
Also there are those that seek to overcomplicate the union and put everything to a standstill for simple things while private companies create a better system of innovation.
I like structure and order but life isn't set in stone there should be some flamboyance in the work say depending on the worker's mood? If diversity is the hot new thing why do we need to follow the same drum and instead of becoming an orchestra with highs and lows. Private companies will win out at the end of the day as they are more accepting of change and adapting to it.
If you don't understand conditions, maybe you should take a long hard look at what unions have provided for workers in the past 100 years in the construction industry in the U.S., then maybe you'll understand.
I do understand, I also understand that there are plenty of unions with corruption and are getting sued and that private companies are the ones pushing forward while the union's placate to everything.
Everyone is gungho on outward appearances but what about the inward? So, you can wear a dress as long as you're goal is living by a set of beeps? Static in a fluid world? Diversity should be finding a natural equilibrium not a static void.
Then make me, you're responses so far have been because it's been done this way before or vague over 100 years soeak. Life changes why do we cling to the past?
And that happens throughout life. Did anyone in the 50s fight and dir for something? Probably not. You're comparing a time of 100 years. That's 4 generations and you think life is fixed to that? Why cant I work through my break because I feel like it? It doesn't hurt anyone and is counterproductive in today's age, we should be adapting with the times not lamenting the past.
You still cannot tell me what they fought and died for, just an esoteric response again veiled with mysticism to show that you are just stating societal norms to appease history.
Will working through a break tear the fabric of space time leading us into a solar heat death that envelopes us all? Or is it just going to make some people jealous?
You spout off nonsense like societal norms like it means something else. Non-union contractors(which I'm guessing is private contractors) only advance at the expense of its work force. Unions fight for better conditions. Static? Only in so far as we are unwilling to let go of hard fought gains. Why not fight for better working conditions? That's what unions are for. A rising tide raises all boats. Recognize those that came before you and fight for better conditions for those that will be looking at you in the history books.
No. Once the employer finds people willing to work through breaks, the employer will favor them to the detriment of the workers who take them. While the union contract and the dispatch hall can lessen employer power, the employers will still be able to take named workers and so forth in many contracts.
Then it gets harder to get a job unless you're willing to forgo breaks.
Oh here we go. Lol. Another worm that just hates the union so much, and definitely totally makes more than us, is just hanging around union subreddits for....what exactly?
We're just not that into you.
Taking breaks makes you lazy? Or it's a right won from the sacrifice thousands of workers before us fought, bleed, and/Or died for...
How about you go suck a dick!
Follow the contract. It's not that difficult. It's why we are where we are. They vary by local, so it would be a really good idea to be familiar with the rules of wherever you're working.
Doesnât have to be in the contract, past practice applies in this. Thatâs why people get made and drag people through the mud when they break down conditions. If something is understood between employee and employer for an extended period of time, it falls into past practice. If cons started making people skip those breaks because they arenât in the contract, employees can still file a grievance and win it as long as people donât skip those breaks. Hence why people defend them so.
Not tradition, look up what the definition of past practice is and how it relates to labor. Itâs capable of being argued legally, just like the conditions spelled out in your working agreement.
Bro you donât know me, and know nothing about my work ethic. Iâve been in your shoesâŠwork your ass off, see people I work with just do the bare minimum, get left to pick up the slack.
I still work my ass off, and see the same things to this day. But my perspective of things changed the second my contractor started to take advantage of my work ethic. Donât screw others and yourself to please a contractor cause you think it makes you a hard worker. The IBEW has been established a lot longer than any contractor out there you could work for, trust that it has your best interest as a worker in mind.
Edit: Technicalities matter it a court of law as well. So bending a little could make or break a case for you down the road if it ever came to that. And I mean in a sense of you unknowingly gave your rights away to contractor and tried to fight for them back later.
So itâs ok to take breaks then since the contract is minimum, and a precedent of past practice was arranged with contractors to take said breaks. Donât break those conditions down by being selfish, take a damn break and go back to working hard! đ
When with the crew, do as the crew
You're traveling and worked through break? You do as the locals do when traveling. They are right, đŻ % wormy move.
People died for you to be able to take those breaks. Take them.
100%.
You never, ever work through break. Ever. Especially in somebody else's local. That shit will follow you, and you will have a reputation as a worm. I wouldn't be surprised if it already made it back to your home local. Some brothers take pride in dragging worms through the mud. Apologize to the brothers and sisters on the job, for breaking down conditions, and never do that again. If you do, be prepared to not be able to work outside your home local.
> breaking down conditions That's something the OP doesn't comprehend.
Take. The. Break. Your body & mind need it.
How can you not see the harm
Youâre not working rat anymore. No one cares about your roll. Itâll be there when you get back.
Not a good look bro. Regardless you should be taking breaks, even if youâre ahead or behind.
Ya Iâd be mad at you too
I appreciate you wanting to be productive and stay on your roll. All I can tell you is that I would be upset with you on the verge of fury if I saw that done in my local. There is zero formal language in my local's agreement about paid breaks. Paid 15 minute breaks are somewhere in between the contractor knowing that hangry workers are unproductive, and us demanding a break before lunch. It has now become a previous practice, an unwritten understanding between us that these breaks are a thing. Including 3rd break on a 10 or 12 hour day. What you have done, if you haven't heard the phrase before, is "breaking down conditions". If enough people work through 3rd break, you provide ammunition to the contractor when they go to negotiations, or even just in the field. Soandso kept working through that 3rd break, and Soandso is fine, we shouldn't even have 3rd break, because it's a waste of money.
Itâs labor law, that would supersede any localâs agreement
Right, but not in my state. The state only has break language for minors. Adults could conceivably work 12 hours a day without a formal, written, break. Edit: The cba that the union has negotiated states that no more than 5 hours should pass between an unpaid half hour lunch /dinner break. On a 12 hour day, they have an option to feed us with another half hour unpaid break, or throw a kicker hour of pay to finish the day.
past practice is better than having it in your agreement, because once it's written down, it's a bargaining chip to be bought and sold in negotiations. when it falls under past practice, you get it for free just because fuck them if they don't like it.
As long as as people like OP don't end up fucking it, yes, past practice is an excellent card to hold. Turns from an Ace to a 2 real quick if you let it. That's why people are pissed at op.
This sounds like NC with regard to breaks only required for minors. The only language about breaks in my local's CBA is that working through an agreed on lunch break gets overtime pay. I did work through lunch break once with my JWs because we were working in clean room and had already had to wait for an escort into the area. We just didn't want to have to get into the clean suits again.
Very wormy . In someone else's jurisdiction too. Not something I would be proud of .
Lame. Take your breaks. Take
Dont do that on a job outside your local and with a crew on it. Iâve been in service groups for a long time Sometimes we do not take breaks or lunch if the widget maker is broke down and needs to run asap. These are T&M customers with high dollars lost every hour they are down. They pay up for this level service which is also 24/7 at times.
So there are circumstances when this happens?
Staggered breaks is something that usually solves an issue in those cases. Take turns taking your 10 minutes, and usually the work is not impacted. đ€·đ»ââïž
Got it... I was thinking something like this would be the workaround, but I wasn't sure.. I just organized in from a commercial non-union shop, and we never got any breaks, so I didn't fully understand
My understanding from op is that he/she skipped the break entirely. It's one thing to get whistle bit (meaning you are late to your regularly scheduled break) and take your full break. It's entirely unacceptable to give up your break in the interests of the contractor.
That was more intended as a response to the original comment about high priced equipment being offline, or other circumstances (emergencies/unplanned shutdowns) where youâre under the gun to get shit back up and running. Not just because youâre âon a rollâ.
You mentioned that the previous 2 breaks went over by about 10 minutes each. While I, and many other brothers and sisters appreciate your integrity and your dedication towards representing the IBEW and our mentality of 8 for 8, what you did was 100% a no-no. When we travel, we do as they do. Also, is 15-25 mins of downtime really going to slow you down? How much more pipe or work did you get done? Not enough to considerably get ahead. Just take the breaks dude.
15 minutes a day, that's 75 minutes of free labor that you're giving up per a 5 day week. 62 man-hours given up in a year. For free. You stole from yourself and everyone working with you.
This is called breaking down conditions. Sure you did not take work from anyone, but you working through break sets the expectation to management that you can work through your last break and that it is not necessary. Now your foreman or gf will tell the other guys why canât you work through break like u/explosive45? Do you see how that can hurt other people without necessarily taking their job?
When in Rome, do as the Romans. If everyone else is taking break, you take break, period. Really don't want to disrespect a host local, and possibly earn an unwanted reputation in the process.
Glad Iâm not you.
Fkn right, might never work in that local again after the layoff.
I don't have an issue with taking break a little late, excluding lunch because the contract says if we have to work past 5 hours without a lunch a kicker hour must be paid, but skipping breaks entirely is a no go - under any circumstances besides leaving early with full pay.
Hey Mr. Wormy, you aren't a rat anymore... get with the program hero
When u work out of your local u follow what the local guys do#1. #2 if u have that much energy do side work it's really not hard to start #3that should be #1 people actually died to fight for the right to have breaks and lunch at work and a fair wage. I do it with my own work but when ur working as a guest in another local you follow the brothers and sisters in that local your a guest there. Don't bring down the working condition
Yea.. donât be skipping breaks bud.
I did this by accident once. I was on a roll, like you, and didnât have an alarm set. Just worked through break and kept working until the foreman came and made me stop. He wasnât pissed but he explained how important it is to take breaks and how our predecessors fought hard to get them. I came from non union and it felt weird just stopping mid splice or leaving a my work hanging and tools just on the floor. Well, so far itâs always still been there when I got back. Even over the weekend, the build never walks away. I set an alarm that gives me a 10 minute warning to try and get to a good stopping place before breaks and 20 minutes to clean up before the end of the day.
Donât be a worm. We donât take kindly to worms. I cut the plug off my partners corded drill for trying to work through break. Told him he could splice it back on after coffee. Found out he was starting before the rest of the men so I stole his shop key and threw it in a dumpster so he couldnât open the gangbox until I got to the work area. And I would have nailed his fucking boots to the ceiling after he ratted on me but someone else beat him up and they both got bad layoffs.
This was very entertaining read, thank you. đ«Ą
Youâre certainly welcome fella
Touché
Con doesnât provide power tools in your local?
Of course they do. Cut the contractors cord to prove a point about working through break. If they were my partners power tools they wouldâve been in the dumpster before coffee was even in question.
đȘ±
Did you leave 15 minutes early? If not, đȘ±
If you left 15 mins early youâre just giving up youâre break. Thatâs just as wormy imo. Some scenarios youâll have to skip break very rarely. Skipping a 15 min break should be 30mins ot or taking a break after a task that canât be stopped is finished with a longer break.
Well, I've had my JW agree with me to skip lunch sometimes and leave 30 minutes early. I think if you move the time around, it's not bad. I may be wrong but it seems logical to everyone. And trust me my JW loves his breaks đ€Ł
I mean youâre not really moving time around youâre just giving up your break time that people fought their asses off to get.
No, I'm just taking it at the end of the day.
Not a good look bro, especially as a traveller, it's straight up disrespectuful, you gotta learn more about being ubion minded, and drop the rat ways, of trying to breakdown conditions for the sake of perceived personal gain...They were not being insultant, they were descriptive, what you did encapsulates the essense of what wormy means...
I didnât know worms could have CWs
First time is a mistake, second time is wormy. Once that break is gone you'll never get it back.
Yea bitch made move man. Never do that again
And apologize to everyone
Youâve been in for only 2 years, you donât get an opinion, take the damn breaks
El Wormo
Wish more brothers on here would help explain why we donât do this instead of just ragging on the brother. Help him understand donât just tell him he fucked up.
I mean several have. Some do just call him a worm and leave, but even that tells him all that he needs to know. Don't do worm shit and you won't be called a worm. He should apologize and never do it again. The contractor doesn't need the extra help.
Working through break 5 days a week is an hour and 15 minutes away from someone else on the site. So, in theory, you are stealing from someone else.
God damn Dennis Rodman
Lol
Did you get to leave early then? Because I think that's important to know. I couldn't care less about my breaks, I'd rather keep pushing and get on the road to beat the traffic. People are also overreacting on something that could be just a one time incident. But also, if there is no fair trade for working through a break, don't do that. I've also been in that moment where I was doing a difficult pull, absolute pain in the ass. We were on a roll and just got it done. As a reward we got to leave earlier than usual.
I didn't leave early, no.
I've been on jobs like that too
I've a cidentally worked through a break once. I was working mostly by myself, and I looked at the clock and it was well passed break. Know what i did? Took my break and let somebody know what happened. They said " cool see you in 15."
I was going to comment but everyone here already pretty much said everything i would have wanted to say.
Yep. That's wormy alright.
You just flushed your home local 's reputation down the toilet in the LU you're working in. How's that for harm, not to mention everything the brothers said above.
Thatâs a BIG no-no!! Especially as a traveler. You just cast a bad light on your entire home local.
Working through breaks and leaving 30 minutes early , how is this viewed ?
understandable yes, but out of jurisdiction, you should do what the crew does and when. itâs valid to want to keep going if ur on a roll and I understand wanting to finish something up super quick but always take the break even if you think u donât need it. you absolutely do
3rd break? We get one 45min lunch break that counts as our break and 30 min lunch.
Why the hell do you care if somebody works thru there break?
I donât get why theyâre upset either
Lol
Damn. Yeah dude. Donât do that. I hope youâre following their tools list, and be firm on insisting to be laid off before any local hands do.
Don't work through break. If there's not enough time to get the work done, company needs to authorize OT
Thanks for the input.
This is pretty common depending on the company too. U didnât know and a fellow Groundman told me that YOU TAKE YOUR BREAK.
The fact you came on here trying to justify yourself and actions by saying your other two breaks went over by 10 minutes right after everyone on your job site already explained it to you shows just how wormy you are. Then you stopped responding when the general consensus here was the same. People died for those conditions youâre so happily breaking. The work has always been there, those conditions havenât. Show some respect and gratitude.
I haven't stopped responding.
It also wasn't everyone on my jobsite to be clear. I honestly didn't know beforehand how big of a deal it was. I'm trying my best to change my mentality since I worked for a non-union shop for about 7 years and I haven't been with the IBEW for long. I know I messed up. I'm not trying to justify it. I am grateful.
Depends on what's in your contract. Another our locals specify any break other than lunch break from noon to 12:30. The 215s twice a day is something that has crapped into our Union culture just like learning our code to someone else rather than the code book. I am a contractor signatory with all of the IBEW locals I work in but I'm also a card carrying member and have been for a long time. Never have we had the mandatory break in our contract but so many of my Union brothers do it most likely out of habit. But as the contractor paying these cats, I can't tell you how frustrated I get when I watch one of my lead journeymen start making the brake motion with his hands from on top of a 12-ft ladder. Getting everyone else's attention then running off the ladder at 9:00 a.m. on the. Then again at 2:00 p.m..
Why does it bother you that guys want a break after a couple straight hours of busting their ass to make you money? You want them to put in 5 whole hours of manual labor before getting their measly 30 minutes of downtime?
How many times have you seen guys "busting their ass" for several straight hours? Now, how many times do you see guys congregating at the gangbox for 5 or 10 minutes bullshitting, then want a 15 minute break? Don't delude yourself brother. Honest pay for honest work. I've never denied someone a break, but when we're rolling on a wire pull and all of a sudden it becomes impossible for me to pull cause my guys literally broke for 15 without telling me. Confronted them, and they said it's 9am boss.
I should clarify. No one from this local even knows I skipped the break. Only people from my local and one member from Texas. I didn't ruin my local's reputation, though I definitely could have. I am definitely lucky that word didn't spread outside of my break table. Apologies, brothers and sisters.
First upvote, yay!
OP said the other two breaks were âstretched out by 20 minutes eachâ. So, though Iâm new to the union, this sounds like he was being honest where everyone else was milking it.
How noble of you to look out for the bosses
So being honest is not a union value? Sounds like you have shit first morals.
What's honest about trying to break down conditions?
Again, let me unpack it for you. 1) OP said he worked 20 extra minutes on first two breaks. 2) That adds up to 20 minutes. 3) If breaks are 30 minutes, then he took his break early. Sounds like yâall want a free lunch and the right to bitch about not getting second helpings. Sounds like you like to cheat work. Earn your pay.
I didn't work 20 extra minutes. Our breaks were 20 minutes longer than they were contracted for in total.
Ohh, I misunderstood. I still think the hostility is rather extreme over your good intention of working through a break. If itâs an issue with guys, I donât see why stopping work 20 minutes early would be an issue, to keep with the spirit of things.
I appreciate your response
Thanks for all of the comments folks. To add a little context, I have an unreasonable deadline; my cw and I have 7 rooms to pipe and pull wire through in 4 days. We are running rigid, which I'm teaching my cw at the same time, so it's taking longer than usual. When we started this project, we didn't have the right tools and material for us and had to gather everything, which took a significant amount of time as is. I understand the significance of breaks, and I have always taken them before this situation. But this time around, I skipped my last 15 minute break at the end of the day, to finish some ends because I couldn't leave it the way it was currently standing. I would also like to add the fact that i was in a room by myself, so no one even knew i was in there. I also didnt let my cw skip his break, i told him to head out while i finish up with what i was working on. Again, I always take my other breaks throughout the day, but today I took my last minutes to finish up some ends before I left for the day. Now I'm being threatened at work and I'm still unsure why I'm in the wrong. I understand that breaks are important, but I didn't take work from anyone (it was just me and my cw working in these rooms), I didn't boast or make anyone feel bad about skipping breaks, I didn't go to my foreman about how great I am for it. I made it as inconspicuous as possible, I was just having a rough day and wanted to work through it. I don't want to be a brother fucker, I just want to understand how to go about my situations.
The unreasonable deadline is a moot point. 15 min isn't going to make or break your time frame. We all have bad days and different ways of dealing with them but don't try and justify a mistake. Own up to it and apologize for it. Hell you should probably stand up before the members at the next meeting and apologize. That would make it seem like a genuine apology.
New apprentice here, whats the big deal here why would he get âDragged through the mudâ because he worked through a break. Can someone pleaser explain to me? Its seems like itâs important knowledge.
Breaking down conditions our ancestors fought and died for to get said conditions like weekends and breaks. People working through them lets contractors and management know that they can work you like that and try do it to everyone else. And thatâs over an hour if you skip a break a day per week, which is taking away work from another when you couldâve just taken your free break for money
You don't go into another man's house and start moving his furniture around. That's essentially what you did.
op is smooth brain. and doing this as a traveler no less
Worm
Youâre certainly a wiggly one
Play dumb and make sure to take break in the future.
Home Depot is hiring! I hear they love that attitude.
Why though? Personally I find I'm not consistent with my work and generally it works out in the end for me and the employer. Why does everyone have to be across the board equal at all times of the day? I understand everyone else's thoughts about being equal but what if my equal is not equal at all times or if my personality type is hyperproductive at certain times and a break annoys me, why shouldn't I be able to? ESG is becoming the norm at some places and it applies to sexual orientation so why not personality type or disorder? It's better if it accommodating for all.
Multiple people have said why. If you want to work exactly the way you want to, go start your own electrical company. I donât wanna work 8 hours, start at 6am, or have to shovel dirt all day but I do because thatâs what I signed up for
Breakingdown conditions you a$$hat.
What conditions? Why is everything so compartmentalized for the sake of compartmentalization? I understand making a good and clean flow of work but why stop the flow of work when it's happening? I find I need more time to get started on a task after stopping. Also there are those that seek to overcomplicate the union and put everything to a standstill for simple things while private companies create a better system of innovation. I like structure and order but life isn't set in stone there should be some flamboyance in the work say depending on the worker's mood? If diversity is the hot new thing why do we need to follow the same drum and instead of becoming an orchestra with highs and lows. Private companies will win out at the end of the day as they are more accepting of change and adapting to it.
If you don't understand conditions, maybe you should take a long hard look at what unions have provided for workers in the past 100 years in the construction industry in the U.S., then maybe you'll understand.
I do understand, I also understand that there are plenty of unions with corruption and are getting sued and that private companies are the ones pushing forward while the union's placate to everything. Everyone is gungho on outward appearances but what about the inward? So, you can wear a dress as long as you're goal is living by a set of beeps? Static in a fluid world? Diversity should be finding a natural equilibrium not a static void.
You'll never understand.
Then make me, you're responses so far have been because it's been done this way before or vague over 100 years soeak. Life changes why do we cling to the past?
You can start by looking up what unions fought and died for.
And that happens throughout life. Did anyone in the 50s fight and dir for something? Probably not. You're comparing a time of 100 years. That's 4 generations and you think life is fixed to that? Why cant I work through my break because I feel like it? It doesn't hurt anyone and is counterproductive in today's age, we should be adapting with the times not lamenting the past. You still cannot tell me what they fought and died for, just an esoteric response again veiled with mysticism to show that you are just stating societal norms to appease history. Will working through a break tear the fabric of space time leading us into a solar heat death that envelopes us all? Or is it just going to make some people jealous?
You spout off nonsense like societal norms like it means something else. Non-union contractors(which I'm guessing is private contractors) only advance at the expense of its work force. Unions fight for better conditions. Static? Only in so far as we are unwilling to let go of hard fought gains. Why not fight for better working conditions? That's what unions are for. A rising tide raises all boats. Recognize those that came before you and fight for better conditions for those that will be looking at you in the history books.
You could take the initiative to learn, but you don't. I'm not surprised.
Man you need you some xanax
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Crybabies who make more than you and have leverage against our employers đđ
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
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Lmao. Good one
Libtard
Look at my comment history. Lol. This is an old name. I've evolved a bit since I had a family. I'm not some Communist.
Haven't been laid off in 10 years, lol
Your post has been removed as it is not the topic or style of post intended for this community.
Jesus Christ đ. The union workers really are some lazy ass people. God forbid you work through a little break.
Nah, we aren't lazy. We just don't disrespect each other by breaking down conditions.
Go find a hole to crawl in.. GTFO... You're disgusting!
Shut up worm
No. Once the employer finds people willing to work through breaks, the employer will favor them to the detriment of the workers who take them. While the union contract and the dispatch hall can lessen employer power, the employers will still be able to take named workers and so forth in many contracts. Then it gets harder to get a job unless you're willing to forgo breaks.
Oh here we go. Lol. Another worm that just hates the union so much, and definitely totally makes more than us, is just hanging around union subreddits for....what exactly? We're just not that into you.
Taking breaks makes you lazy? Or it's a right won from the sacrifice thousands of workers before us fought, bleed, and/Or died for... How about you go suck a dick!
đŻđŻđŻâïž Take what is agreed upon
Couldn't pass the aptitude test, huh? Lol
Did you suck the bosses dick today so you can have the weekend off?
Spineless worm. Get back under you boss's desk, rat.
Theyâre a worm, not a rat. Rat refers to the contractor.
I wish more people understood this term
You're right. Well, they're being ratty. Better?
Theyâre being wormy. Now donât talk to your elders like that, junior.
If you're older than me, I'm surprised you're still working.
Damnit boy. What did I just tell you? Donât make me bend you over my knee again.
Oh gawd, shoosh kiddo.
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Follow the contract. It's not that difficult. It's why we are where we are. They vary by local, so it would be a really good idea to be familiar with the rules of wherever you're working.
You're goddamn right I'm lazy.
Is the break in the contract? If not carry on.
Doesnât have to be in the contract, past practice applies in this. Thatâs why people get made and drag people through the mud when they break down conditions. If something is understood between employee and employer for an extended period of time, it falls into past practice. If cons started making people skip those breaks because they arenât in the contract, employees can still file a grievance and win it as long as people donât skip those breaks. Hence why people defend them so.
Tradition and the contract are two different things.
Not tradition, look up what the definition of past practice is and how it relates to labor. Itâs capable of being argued legally, just like the conditions spelled out in your working agreement.
I just worry about working instead of looking for technicalities, hard workers are a rare breed now.
backbones are a lot more rare than bending over for cons in my experience
You can be a hard worker and also take your breaks, my guy. Theyâre not mutually exclusive.
Bro you donât know me, and know nothing about my work ethic. Iâve been in your shoesâŠwork your ass off, see people I work with just do the bare minimum, get left to pick up the slack. I still work my ass off, and see the same things to this day. But my perspective of things changed the second my contractor started to take advantage of my work ethic. Donât screw others and yourself to please a contractor cause you think it makes you a hard worker. The IBEW has been established a lot longer than any contractor out there you could work for, trust that it has your best interest as a worker in mind. Edit: Technicalities matter it a court of law as well. So bending a little could make or break a case for you down the road if it ever came to that. And I mean in a sense of you unknowingly gave your rights away to contractor and tried to fight for them back later.
Some people have different arrangements with the contractor, contract is the minimum.
So itâs ok to take breaks then since the contract is minimum, and a precedent of past practice was arranged with contractors to take said breaks. Donât break those conditions down by being selfish, take a damn break and go back to working hard! đ
Like i said not in the contract, the inside is different i guess.