co-workers frustrate me...

So since our family bought our shop, iv asked the other mechanics to please save and set asside certain things, such as ecm's, pcm's, O2 sensors, dirty aluminum, wiring, etc. Still to this day I go through the shred bin and constantly find the stuff I asked them to leave out of shred. Iv repeatedly asked to please try and saperate stuff, iv gone to bossman and asked to just remind them to save/seperate some stuff, because he also agreed that it should be left seperate. But they STILL just toss everything in shred. Its almost like they purposely do it and make it very clear that they dont care.

One example, theres a 6.7L power stroke diesel engine we have thats scrap. The one mechanic comes up and says we are gonna load it up in my truck to haul it away to the scrap yard. Its loaded with easy to grab aluminum. So I say ok yeah just let me grab the alum off it. He goes "Pffft No way just load it up and get it out of here. Dont waste your time." Sure glad hes not my boss.

Anyone else have to deal with this sort of thing?

Maybe they should be getting a little bit of the proceeds. Might surprise you on their willingness to cooperate with the recycling program. I bet your return will even get better if there was something in it for all!

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Originally Posted by bigburtchino

Maybe they should be getting a little bit of the proceeds. Might surprise you on their willingness to cooperate with the recycling program. I bet your return will even get better if there was something in it for all!

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Bossman does. He gives everyone little kickbacks once in a while. We recently loaded a bin full of rotors, came out to 900 bucks and he gave everyone a $50 bill. But hes beginning to wonder why he does. Every time we buy a scrap car or save stuff, somebody bit*hes about it!

"Houston we have a problem!" If money not motivation enough, then evaluation of staff is in order.

If they are unwilling then get what you can for yourself and try not to worry about the rest.

I recently watched our warehouse at work and 4 tractor trailers get cleaned out. They brought in and filled up about 6 to 8 construction dumpsters with old computers, phone systems, rectifiers, circuit boards and much more. I managed to bring home 10 truck loads (Ranger) before it was gone. Thousands of dollars was thrown in the trash. It was sickening.

Well imagine the *****ing an moaning they'd do if they didn't get anything. I say buy earplugs, an cut the lazy no-goods out. Want the money but don't want to work. Far as not listening, time for the boss man to step up an lay down the law. Doesn't matter if you wanna do it, or don't. Your being paid to do a job, so do it, regardless of your feelings about it.

Last I checked, when you run a business you need to be dictator like, not democratic. If they won't get in line an do whats best for the company per the boss/owner, find folks who will. Not hard right now to find folks who want work.

I may be harsh, but..I did 15 years of retail. I hated every minute of it after the first 5, but I kept doing my job, cause that's what I was paid to do. I wasn't paid to like it, or complain about it. I was paid to work. An I dealt with a lot of idiot bosses.

Walk the line, or get in the unemployment line(or whatever you Canucks call it.). Ha ha! Cash Remix!

Sirscrapalot - Do your job an nobody gets hurt! - I dunno

As a friend of mine says, "They call it going to work, not going to fun."

That being said, either crack down on the employees or just get used to the fact that you have a bit of extra work to do before going to the scrap yard. I'm not there so I can't see what is happening, but as for me personally, I don't mind separating the scrap myself for the return it generates. Also I never really like educating employees as to the value of scrap. I don't need them getting ideas.

good point about not giving away all the ideas.

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Originally Posted by jord0690

So since our family bought our shop, iv asked the other mechanics to please save and set asside certain things, such as ecm's, pcm's, O2 sensors, dirty aluminum, wiring, etc. Still to this day I go through the shred bin and constantly find the stuff I asked them to leave out of shred. Iv repeatedly asked to please try and saperate stuff, iv gone to bossman and asked to just remind them to save/seperate some stuff, because he also agreed that it should be left seperate. But they STILL just toss everything in shred. Its almost like they purposely do it and make it very clear that they dont care.

One example, theres a 6.7L power stroke diesel engine we have thats scrap. The one mechanic comes up and says we are gonna load it up in my truck to haul it away to the scrap yard. Its loaded with easy to grab aluminum. So I say ok yeah just let me grab the alum off it. He goes "Pffft No way just load it up and get it out of here. Dont waste your time." Sure glad hes not my boss.

Anyone else have to deal with this sort of thing?

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I work construction and have asked the same of the guys on site- every time I go to the dump-trailer I pull out pounds of steel, aluminum cans, gang boxes with switches and wire still in them, hvac grills and floor registers.. on and on. I wonder how much stuff goes in there that I never get too.. since I have work to do and not time to stalk the trailer. I figure "Well I get what I get" but I've asked and asked.. they just keep tossing it on in.. guess it is better than them being smart enough to take it home with them!

Well bossmans first priority is repairing cars. Scrap comes second for him. I dont mind seperating it, but it frustrates me sometimes. Just sharing/venting here really. Not much I can do about it other than to deal with it!

Sounds like this is your families shop, how does your family feel about what your trying to do? If this is your families shop then I would think you have some say in what goes on in that shop. Sit down with the family and explain to them how much money they are lossing because of the help not doing what is asked of them. Sounds like insubordination (disobedient; defiant) grounds for termination.

Fine an dandy the focus is on fixing cars. But if attitude is being given on simple things like.."Hey guys, let's save such n such for more pizza, beer, tools, bonus etc" then I imagine it's just time before that attitude shows up in other areas.

Your scrap is part of your business from the sounds of it, time to chat with pops/bossman an find out how important it is to the business. It's good of him to share, but I stand by my first post. Time to knock heads or find people who will listen all the time, an not when they choose to. I can't throw a grain of sand without hitting a unemployed Mechanic..let me know if you want me to send you any. ;) I also have a ton of lawyers, an politicians I'd gladly export if you'll take them....

Or you could just..."Punch'm in the face!" ha ha!

Sirscrapalot - Doesn't advise going the punch to face plan.

When I'm trying to land a new customer, one angle is to convince them that their employees need to worry about what their being paid to do and let me worry about getting the recyclables out of the way.

Some of the the guys I work with are lazy and resentful. They throw things in the trash that they know I will dig out. I have also found 35 pound piece of aluminum, from a semi u bolt saddle, in my truck, someone was trying to make it look like I was dipping in my bosses cool aid. Its funny how laziness,jealousy and resentment manifests its self. You can try and motivate sheep, and sometimes it works, and sometimes they just resent you for being a wolf.

I got the name White Lamont from guys at work. Just by talking about scrapping. I tried explaining that there is more to it than just picking up old stoves and dryers. But most people dont care. It is what it is. I like the name anyways. And I like money.

White Lamont...that's funny. Do you whistle the theme song at work just to bug them? :)

Sirscrapalot - Get the door dummy! - Fred Sanford.

There's probably another angle that hasn't been mentioned here...resentment at the boss mans kid who is doing the scrapping. Even though the others get a little of the scrapping take.

I'm with SSaL...the guys are showing their attitude by their actions. And you can be guaranteed it is flowing through to how they do their main job. You can be guaranteed that a few more shop towels than necessary are being used, a few more nuts go out of the parts bin than needed, an don't get put back, etc, etc. Maybe even sloppy work on a customer's car.

The shop needs to be shook up a little. Fire the worst one's sorry backside outta there and the rest will either shape up or be ready to follow the first one.

I've been in similar situations to Jord...just a long time ago...when you're the bosses son, you gotta work twice as hard as the next guy to prove you are worth anything. And you still get treated like shzt. He's in a tough position.

Jon.

Not sure what kind of shop you have. But like Burly, I would rather get a pile of mixed and sort through it myself. Are the items too heavy? Is there too much? In my current arrangement, no one really cares if something is cast aluminum, stainless steel, tin, or plated brass, and most don't know how to tell the difference. It all goes into a pile. I scrap, they think I'm a little nuts with my magnets, grinder and tubs.

In every profession, a person gets paid because they can do something others can't or won't, or know things that other's don't. It sounds like you know what you need to make some money. So do it. :cool:

Right. the yard isn't going to teach you.

The $50 is probably not worth their time as for one they are doing the sorting and are getting paid crap for it. They most likely don't like the sorting and additionally you mentioned that they don't always get money for it. In any case I think it is a bit about being fair and these guys probably feel like they are doing most of the work and are getting not much for it. Just my 0.02. My suggestion would be to buy them lunch and beer and bond through it. If they consider you as their own, then they might not want to screw you over.

Like alot of you guys have said, I also think its a bit of resentment and jealousy. Yes im the bosses son, but all the scrap we get, I barely get anything. Shred is all bossmans. Same with cast. Stuff that needs cleaning, like heads or dirty alum, I get a share because im the one that cleans it. I save all the O2 sensors, brass valve stems, car electronics, etc. Stuff they would just throw in shred before and continue to throw in shred even though I ask them to save it.

Theres really only one guy who being a dink. And the problem with letting him go is that hes a great mechanic. Great at diagnosing issues. Any mechanic can fix a car, but its 1/100 finding one whos good at figuring out whats wrong, especially with how everything electronic now. Bossman wouldnt let him go over not listening to the bosses son when he asks him something.

Im willing to bet its all jealousy.

Keeping a clean and tidy workspace (including putting waste products in the appropriate containers/areas) is part of the job. This should be detailed in their job descriptions and or work procedures. Every new employee should read these and sign off on them. It's also good practice to have them redo this periodically. It's the supervisor's responsibility to ensure these requirements are carried out. I have a colleague who is a painting contractor. He was having a hard time getting his guys to clean up their brushes and rollers at the end of the day. (They would simply toss them and get new ones the next day.) He has cut his painting supply costs by drafting up written procedures and making sure his crew adheres to them. The boss needs to set the expectations and make sure they are followed. You don't have to be a dictator about it, but you need to constantly reinforce the importance of controlling costs.

As one of my GC buddies used to say,"This is a Dictatorship...I'm the Dic and your the Tators".

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Originally Posted by KzScrapper

As one of my GC buddies used to say,"This is a Dictatorship...I'm the Dic and your the Tators".

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This reminds me of a very hilarious, yet extremely disturbing halloween costume idea a friend of mine had... LOL

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Originally Posted by jord0690

Theres really only one guy who being a dink. And the problem with letting him go is that hes a great mechanic. Great at diagnosing issues. Any mechanic can fix a car, but its 1/100 finding one whos good at figuring out whats wrong, especially with how everything electronic now. ...
Im willing to bet its all jealousy.

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Not trying to start an internet fight, but you have a guy who can make some real money for your shop, and you are complaining about scrap sorting? Seriously? How much tonnage do you have to sort through to cherry pick the items you don't even want to work on because you barely get anything?