was I fired or did I quit?

ronaldj

ronaldj

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Was I fired or did I quit? this goes with the other post about being fired.

I was working for a small contractor, him, me and his brother. I had worked for him a couple years and he liked to yell and carry on when we were working but he was an ok guy. We would be driving to the job and he would be talking about is horse or cows or kids and then we would get to the job and he would open the door and a monster would come out. One hot summer day we were working, and he was yelling, and nothing was going right. His brother was so mad he went and worked on the other side of the house. He was hot and screaming and said, “you’re fired go sit in the truck.” I did what I was told. If I had not rode with him I would have left. He said nothing all the way home. I got home and called a friend who need help driving dump truck. That night “screamer” called. “I need you tomorrow on the job.” I told him I had a job. “but I need you” next night he called. “I really need you on the job.” I got a job I said. The third night he called “I really need you back.” I got a job and am not coming back don’t call again. He didn’t so was I fired or did I quit?
 

ronaldj said:
the next week when my check came in the mail it was one dollar an hour shorter.
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The last guy that tried that on me ended up paying me for several additional days as "Waiting Time Penalties." The Labor Board called him while I was there & suggested it would cost him less to pay me what he was supposed to pay me now because each day would cost him my regular wages after I quit.
NOBODY rips me off.
 
A few years later I was working for another small contractor and there were two partners, they were always mad at each other and when I worked with one he would complain about the other and same when I was with the other. We worked long hot hours and drove miles and miles to jobs. After several months I was very tired of them and ready to find someone else. My wife said all summer find something else. I just wanted to do the carpenter work and be out of the politics. One day we were working about half an hour from home and the one I rode with on the way home said, “you have to go to (said a town, hours away)” “I don; think I want too. “then, you will have to call (the other partners name) I called him and he said “yes, you have to go there”, I said nope, then and I quote, “I guess I have no work for you.” Next day I made a call to another contractor and said I was looking for work. He had a job half and hour away (I worked there for the next eleven months. A week later my other “friend”: called and said, “are you ready to come back to work.” I said I had a job. “but I need you, you cannot quit.” I said, but you said you had no work for me. I would see him every Sunday in church and he would not talk to me for over two years. Then I found out years later he was bidding one price and paying me wrong, another story.
 
Forty years of carpenter work gives y0u nothing but stories and here is another one.

I was working for a company and had been for eight years. Winter came and work got slow and I was laid off., this was around Thanksgiving time. In March I found another contractor who was looking for help. I went to work, about a month later my first guy called, now I was working on condos about ten minutes from my house and enjoying the work and he had lots. I told my old boss, “I think I will stay with this new guy.” Two years later we finished up and I was looking for work. I heard the other guy was looking for guys I called him, and he said, quote. “I thought you had a good job.” “John that was two years ago.” A little while later I found work with another contractor and worked two years for him until he went out of business. John who heard I was off called and I went back to work for him for several years.
 
In the first case, you quit.

Off topic, you can't get a carpenter here, all too busy, and if you are working for a contractor the boss will never let you quit or fire you. They are worth their weight in gold.
 
Lee said:
In the first case, you quit.

Off topic, you can't get a carpenter here, all too busy, and if you are working for a contractor the boss will never let you quit or fire you. They are worth their weight in gold.
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these were in the early working years the late 70s and 80s, most of the 90s and up to when I retired stayed with the same guy and now 68 and get job offers all the time - in fact did a small concrete job today.
 
One of my younger brothers was a carpenter.
Your stories are very similar to his. No wonder he retired as soon as possible and never looked back.
 
food-drink-new_restaurant-waiter-tables-woodwork-carpentry-mban2916_low.jpg
 
I was an architectural draftsman. In the early - mid 90's, I worked for an awning and canopy structure company. The owner thought he was a US Marine drill instructor or something. His nickname was "the whack". Short for "whacked out whack-o".

There were those plastic file folder bins mounted in strange places on the walls around the office to cover the holes he'd punched in them. One day after trying and trying unsuccessfully to beat a material supplier down on his price, he slammed the receiver down, then picked up the entire phone and slammed it against the wall.

Guys from the shop occasionally had to re-hang the break room door because he'd kick it and tear the hinges out.

After three and a half years of that crap, I walked out on him one day right at the beginning of a really big, really complicated job because he started in on me. Something he hadn't really done much in the past, but because I had been after him for a well deserved raise that he was stringing me along on, he was irritated with me.

Quitting that jerk's dump of a company was the best thing I ever did.

Took a month off then got a job designing trade show exhibits.
 
ronaldj said:
He didn’t so was I fired or did I quit?
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Had about the same thing happen.... almost put it in the other thread... This is the only time I was fired....maybe?
Construction, and He was great to work for, but you had to work hard...
Went to a head on wreck with the Fire Dept, Monday evening about 8. 7 hurt....Rode in on the Ambulance and stayed to help at the hospital..
Finally got home at 530, waited 30 minutes and called him saying I wouldn't be able to work... He chewed my ass out
about picking my priority's and told me I needed to find another job and hung up.
Went to bed and about 200 awoke to the phone ringing... A tire shop I had put an application in almost a year earlier..
'You still looking for a job?"
Actually.... funny you ask.
"When can you start"
Give me about 45 minutes OK,,,
"REALLY ok we'll start you at $5.50/Hr" ....
So off to new job I go Tuesday afternoon.... 50 cent raise, start at 830 instead of 6....working inside no missed work from weather.
Discover they buy sandwich stuff and provided lunch every day. You had to work thru if it was busy, but done at 430...
Get to sleep in Wednesday morning???? Nope....
Phone rings at 630 " Where the hell you at?..."
Home in bed, you told me to find another job.
"You wont so come to work"
Already did, dont start till 830 and better money.
"Be at the job site in 30 minutes and Ill match it"
Sorry but no....have a good day....
So my 1st full day get to meet the other owners, make friend with the other guys, Just 5 of us. Fun environment
Had to bust azz from time to time but mostly laid back
Then Friday I get my check.... I'm puzzled, and take it to the Owner...This isn't correct...
He smiles and says yes it is... I got paid $6/hr
Worked there almost a year and a half, Hated to leave but became full time as a Paramedic....
Damn thats been over 33 years ago. ...
Next will be retirement....Is that quitting?
 
Sounds like some people you people worked for were: 1. Very verbally abusive, 2. Lacked common manners, 3. Just bad bullies. Bet your glad to be retired. I sure am.
 
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