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Stay golden R-12 , stay golden.















































See the Outsiders

someone made the judgment call that I was once more with a crummy outfit.


hmmm.... maybe you should be a head hunter ... locating good contractors for good service mechanics to work for.
if you got that kind of discernment.... that is.



I am thankful to be working.
I am grateful to have this job.
I like the people I work for and work with.
They are not perfect, but neither am I.

I have a lot of freedom during the day and even though it is not "top drawer" .... for right now .. it is where I work. So I am going to apply myself to the position at hand.

just as I did at the last outfit. I did my best and didnt worry about what didnt work out.


I was not complaining about being on call.
Of course, few would want to be on call. And that is understandable.

I just wanted to start this thread to see who was working this weekend. This being the worst weekend in our industry .. for the man on call.



once in awhile I post here just to vent. It is more appropriate here than at work or around friends who dont do this sort of trade.




as far as what might be wrong with me that I dont work for an outfit which gives me everything a mechanic could dream of having ... plus ideal working conditions and respect and such ...

no tats.
no four hundred pounds of body weight.
no foul mouth.
no drinking problem.
no troubles with the wife.
no problems with the law.
no one is chasing me.
no alimony.
no other forsed deductions.
no IRS issues.
no pimples.
no drug issues.
no driving problems.
laziness is not an issue either. in fact, when my co-worker radioed and said the boss just ordered us to take the rest of the day off ... on Friday .... I insisted we go finish a call where the blower ad coil needed to be removed and cleaned in order to restore suffecient airflow to the apartment.
And that occupied us a couple of hours!
On a Friday afternoon when I could have been enjoying a drive thru the countryside going HOME ... where I could relax for the long weekend approaching.

so laziness is not in my vocabulary. I like to see work finished and done with.
I am not a gas it n go type of person.


I cannot answer your question.
But this is not the top thing that I occupy my thoughts with.
So I'll let someone else figure it out.


Otherwise I'll get a complex and never be any good to anyone.

Re: WWHHAATTT????

Originally posted by NedFlanders

Originally posted by condenseddave
I'm on 0600 Sunday 'til 0600 Monday. Probably not get home 'til late Monday morning....

Dave , I thought you were always on ?
You actually take days off ?

And I thought you were a refrigeration machine .(what is the world coming to?)

You guys don't read the news too often, do you?

As the owner, it's my decision

Took a call at 4:00 Friday night for a sump serving a toilet and laundry backing up. Since my company didn't install it, I told her to call Roto Rooter.
Would have sent someone if it was our install.

So many guys fight this month in and out. I got friends that work for other shops all over the Metro area. And they all bitch about their turn being on call, yet they look at me as a self employed and think I have got it made. Cause I got it dso easy you know. Yeagh Right?

There is a group of us that meet for beers every once in awhile, and the conversation always always comes up. And I am constatnly telling these guys, that they should feel lucky they only get it once a month or what have you, that I am on call 24 / 7. I tell them they could not survive as I have simply due to their not wanting to work beyond the normal work day.

I work when the work is asked of me. One thing I have come to terms with is, if you want to be your own contractor and like staying small and on your own, your schedule will never be predictable. I can be standing down for a week and a half, and then boom, I am working for the next 3 weeks, 7 days, 18 hours a day. I have days where I have nothing going on, which I truly have learned to cherish, then 8 pm, the phone rings and then I am out all night. MY wife, my kids, my extended family, they all understand and support me. They may not like it at times I have to cut out of a family event or what have you, and to be honest it does not happen a lot, but if I do got to bug out, they realize not only do I love what I do, that there are customers who count on me to be available like that and that, it pays well.

And I don't just jump. Say I am in the middle of dinner, or a movie with the kids. I wait till I am done, then go chase the call. I don't let anyone push me into the mentality that I should be there yesterday.

This type of trade takes an enourmous commitment of your self, and no Nancy Boys allowed.

Here's some ignorant bliss for ya. When I first started in service, working for family (that's another whole story) I was not only on call, and lived 5 minutes from the shop, but was on SALARY! Yep, salary! I was probably the only service tech in the region on salary, but I was learning the ropes and welcomed any and all opportunities to learn. Mind you, I knew enough to do my job, but we're always learning, right? Anyway, when I hear guys today whine and cry about having to be "on call" and are even gettin' paid $$$$ just in case they might have to run a call, I think back to my early days. Yeah, you can call me naive' (shoot I call my self that!) but at the time, I was a babe in the woods when it came to the industry and the proper compensation for service techs. Anyway, I could not have gotten the training I did under any other circumstances, but on call on salary????? Gee..... I don't really feel any better after sharing that.

8 calls

All for the same kook. Started at 2 yesterday, wanted someone to comeout that night when she got there, (@ 8, just wait, she be there), my partner stop me on my way in the office at 3 yesterday to warn me. She called twice after I got there and then she cancel at 7:30 this morn, (Sat). I can't wait to see if my wife's friend who has a unit in the same building knows this wack job.
But yeah we answer, have run two so far and guys are doing an emer. change out.
Have a friend covering for me tommorow so I can take the guys tuna fishing.

WWHHAATTT????

Originally posted by condenseddave
I'm on 0600 Sunday 'til 0600 Monday. Probably not get home 'til late Monday morning....

Dave , I thought you were always on ?
You actually take days off ?

And I thought you were a refrigeration machine .(what is the world coming to?)

Now that I am an old ba$tard and CEO of this company it was dicided that I am not to be on the "On Call" list. Of course I am 'on call' 24/7/365 for any company emergency.

But I do remember being on call. Unfortunately it is a necessary part of our trade. I appreciate my guys taking their turn and representing the Company at nights and weekends. I often tell them that if there one thing I could change it would be having "on call service". Of course if I told our customers that we won't service them in an emergency then we won't have any business.

So here is one owner that saids, "Hats off to the guy on call"

Happy Labor Day.

I'm on 0600 Sunday 'til 0600 Monday. Probably not get home 'til late Monday morning....

You just started there and they gave you the holiday on-call, sorry to say R12 but looks like your at another shithole company.

Portal to portal is standard don't accept anything less, You should also get paid for every phone call that you take even if it doesn't end up with you going on it. Phone time is time, same as driving.

Where are you finding these companies and why can't you just get a good a job with a good company ? I mean spill the beans here why can;t you just get a good job, is it a long track record ? Are you lazy ? I know your not stupid,

Do you weigh like 400 pounds or something ?

Are you a long haired hippy with a gadzillion tattoos ?

Just curious.

Gravy day for me + long weekend...I love it.

Been kinda bummed watching the Katrina coverage though...really terrible.

I dont mind being on call and having to roll on a call or two .. during normal hours and such.

And whenever I can, I try to screen the calls to make sure they know this is NOT normal service rates.


Myself, I am used to getting paid portal to portal on weekends.
I'm not sure what these accounts are acustomed to paying.
But if I'm called out, I'm writing down my TOTAL TIME spent out ... not just the on site.



Even though I'm on call ... I am so glad to be back doing service work!
I am thankful for the experiences I had while installing for several months ... all those lines .... all that copper ... all that welding .... but it is in my blood to do service work.


Now if we can just land some more low temp accounts ... THAT will be hog-heaven!

With the price of gas going up and up, along with everything else to follow soon, I'd pick up and get all the cash I can. But then again, it is a long weekend.

Try getting an auto mechanic out at 3am
to change a starter and he/she would
tell you to go phuck yourself

Answer the phone............

if yur workin for somebody.

If it's yur own gig, you can choose not too, but if not.........................mite be the boss callin.


Happy Labor Day R-12.

I volunteered for Monday(labor day). $100 even if I don't get a call. I hope I get a call or three. I could use the overtime.

I just got the word .... I am pulling duty this weekend.


Boss wouldnt even tell me when I came in the shop this morning.


Oh well ... I kinda like the easy pace of most things the way they run it.


Secretary phones around five and says my check is ready to be picked up.
I tell her since I'm on duty ... I'd probably be in sometime this weekend anyway for supplies or whatever... I'd get it then. Just leave it somewhere handy.


She lives on premises, and carries her Nextel. So there's no problem there.


Since it's a long weekend .. the boss told the other guy we were to take off early. The calls were lite.

I made him go do a cleaning with me ... just to get it over with.


I was able to escape Austin City Limits without being bothered .... so far ... so good.



if y'all are on duty this Labor Day weekend ... are ya gonna pick up the phone?
Or do ya play possum?