How does this work out?

[Deleted]

I've been in this employment a good 14 years. We started off full time and then the hours were dropped, this was only to suit the boss because he said the wages bill was too high. One lad left us about two years ago, he'd had enough of the problems here also. The other bloke here out of all three of us has been here the longest. When jobs come in like any engine jobs, timing belts etc they always go to the 'other bloke'. I understand he is pissed off with being given all the jobs like engines and timing belts etc as he has had enough, I fully understand where he is coming from. We all know my bosses attitude towards me and he has never been any different, clearly with him it has to be personal. 

Today a van driver calls into the garage 5.00 pm complaining of an engine coolant light illuminated in the instrument display. The van was in our place last week for a service. I put the van on the ramp and topped up the water level as it was low. The vehicle is a VW Caddy diesel. Inspecting the vehicle underneath I can see clearly water dripping from around/through the crankshaft front pulley. To me it looks like the water pump seal has failed. The boss asked me to look at the van, so I did as he asked. Then when I advise him the water pump is leaking he then goes to the 'other bloke' and then asks him to look at it. Clearly the 'other bloke' is pissed off because he ends up doing the jobs and he does not want to do them. So the 'other bloke' comes to me and says why don't I go to the boss and tell him I'll do the jobs. The 'other bloke' said the boss thinks I can't do the jobs. I said to the 'other bloke', this is not my business, I can't tell the boss what to do, it is no secret that the boss does not like me nor does he trust me, he never has. The 'other bloke' is trying to get me to approach the boss and take over the work load, which is not my responsibility to question the boss or direct his footstep in these matters. I'm an employee and follow his instructions. In fourteen years I can't remember the boss ever having problems with any jobs I have done, although I must be honest I've never done any involved engine strip downs or timing belts for him, and this is because he always gives those jobs to the 'other bloke', who has cost the business a good few thousand pounds in lost revenue when his jobs have backfired in grand in the past. 

The 'other bloke' has walked out tonight early and then the boss has walked into the workshop possibly looking for him and then started to talk about putting a sign out for another mechanic because he says nobody wants to do the jobs! I was not sure whether that was pointing the finger at me or the 'other bloke'. The boss only pays us two hundred and odd pounds a week and to be honest he is and always has insulted us with this amount of money, which is possibly another reason the 'other bloke' gets pissed off. 

There has never been one experience where the boss has ever asked me to do any type of job and I have refused or declined, I've always just got on with the job and done it. In my own time over fourteen years I have always completed CPD training outside of work hours and kept up to date with technology the best I can, whether that be financially or time permitting. On here we all know I went on a 14 months college auto-electrical course to try and ensure that I was keeping up to date with modern vehicles and their technologies, and I even have invested in modern up to date diagnostic equipment both through Snap On and Pico equipment which is at the workshop full time, and all the boss could say about that was 'my wall looks better now your shit is not against it'. 

What then exactly I'm I supposed to do if the 'other bloke' is pissed off with the arrangements and I am only an employee doing as I'm told!

[Joepublic]

Tell us why you stay there?

[Deleted]

Because our industry keeps blowing off its steam about professional skills shortages and all these jobs that are available, and then members on here introduce me to Auto recruit who I contacted twice and they did not have the respect to return phone calls or emails. The marketing of our trade is blagging its way through and all these skills shortages and jobs opportunities are pie in the sky because I can't seem to find any where professional employers are looking for professional experienced people, they are just looking for gofers that can be dictated to and got rid of when required. Everybody requires an income which is the only reason I've stuck it out there because jobs are not freely available.  

[remmington]

I do sympathise with you...

I really do...


The only three routes open for progression in the motor repair trade is:


1. The dealer route - then become a "super tech". Then if you are really good - and work for a big chain - become a "problem solver".


2. The fast fit route - dump the tools - get into the office - progress thru management (dump your conscience when you dump your tools).


3. Set up for yourself - set the standard - provide a service you can be proud of - earn every penny out of the charged out labour - not just wages. But to succeed with your own garage - you need other skills - not just repairing cars - this route is not for everyone - not everybody has the other skills - not everybody can keep the high level of effort up. This is lifestyle choice - not just employment.



Fixing plant and lorries - even forklifts is a better job than fixing retail customers cars for wages. Trust me on this...


Look at your boss? What sort of life does he have? Is is having three holidays a year - does he live in a mansion - drive a new car - does his wife work - is his kids in private education - is he amassing a fortune in property and cash out of your efforts??

[studabear]

I offered to look for jobs within the company who I work for. With your skills you would earn a lot better than the current place you work.

But you didn't seem to bothered due to previous reputation etc.

I know if I had the choice of earning probably double what your boss pays I would certainly not be bothered about this that the other. Money pays the bills.

[rhyds]

Not being cheeky Guardian, but you sound like the old bloke in the Library in the Shawshank Redemption, institutionalised and ground down by where you work to the point you don't want to leave.



You've basically got two choices:

Either get another job, any other job at any other company. As Studabear says it doesn't matter if you're working fast fit or Ferrari as long as the pay is steady and the work sensible

or

Stay where you are, its what you seem to talk yourself in to doing every time, despite the best efforts of everyone here.

[remmington]

Aug 6, 2019 20:19:07 GMT 1 studabear said:

I offered to look for jobs within the company who I work for. With your skills you would earn a lot better than the current place you work.

But you didn't seem to bothered due to previous reputation etc.

I know if I had the choice of earning probably double what your boss pays I would certainly not be bothered about this that the other. Money pays the bills.

+1 for the above....

[chippie]

I'm not in the motor trade, neither have been....but I've dealt with obnoxious folk....both as equals and management..

I understand a reluctance to change, I've been there several times......

Two things kept me in my last job....My Pension, a final salary pension scheme.....And due to my medical history I knew any other employer wouldnt take me on.... I remember coming home to er-indoors, she would ask 'hows your day been?' ' same shit, different day...' I'd reply....(not now they made me redundant and I got my pension...😂 )


If where you work is as bad as you describe, you need to do something about it.....Folk on here do care.


If you want things to change....your choice.

[Noberator]

You said "The boss only pays us two hundred and odd pounds a week."

This is well below the minimum wage IMO depending on your hourly rate/and hours per week.

You are a fool to yourself for sticking this job for so long and how on earth you manage to survive on such a paltry wage I will never know.

I would have a long time ago told the Boss "where to stick his job" and I would imagine a lot of the Forum members would to.


IMO he's a control freak and a bully.


Why you keep harping on about your work place on the Forum when you behave like a wall flower I don't know so man up and tell your Boss to stick his job up his arris.

There are places who I know would welcome experienced people.

Did you know it's against the law to pay workers below the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage or to falsify pay records.


HMRC can also take employers to civil court for not paying the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. The maximum fine for non-payment is £20,000 per worker. Employers who fail to pay can be named publicly and banned from being a company director for up to 15 years.

[wheelnut]

This is not the first time that Guardian has told us about the boss. He sounds obnoxious and I would hate to work for him. But I can't help wondering if the boss thinks so little of Guardian, why does he not sack him?

[Deleted]

At the moment I'm just struggling to keep my head level headed. I respect all your views and opinions, help etc, and I'm not disrespecting any help that anyone provides. It's difficult for people to see at this time how my health feels, I'm working in an environment that I have now no comfort zone in. When your stomach turns and each hour of every day you are thinking to yourself I'd better be careful with my chosen replies to any conversations because the other guy will twist the conversation to create an argument out of it, you then tend to try and not make conversations in case what you say backfires on you. 

I have previously been told by the other guy that when the boss tells me to do something that I should not question it but just do it, so I do and say nothing, but today the boss said to me 'check the van for warning light problems', which turned out to be a coolant leak. I reported the problem at just after 5.00 pm and we finish at 5.30 pm. The boss goes straight to the other guy and asked him to check the van for a coolant leak.

What does that mean!

He asked me and I advised correctly. Now the other guy is jumping down my neck because I did not say to the boss that I would fix it when we are about to start closing the business, why would I, why would I even think that. the job has not been priced up, the job is not booked in for any particular day, the customer is taking the company van away. So many variables, why target me with I did not tell the boss I'd fix it so late in the day, and I did not service it last week either, the other guy did, the one doing all the complaining. I've took that much stress that my brain is fried and now sometimes I just can't formulate replies adequately on time to the attacks anymore. 

Why does the boss not sack me?

A good question, why!

What would be the grounds for dismissal!

I'm never late for work, I never have time off, I don't take sick leave, I've single handily run the mot station through think and thin when computerisation has failed over the years. I've stayed behind to carryout the emergency mot paperwork catch up so that testing the following day will resume as normal. I stayed behind many nights to finish off mots and retests without pay, thanks or anything else. He has pushed me with so many mot tests each day that some weeks I have never even stopped for lunch break. He used to say to the lad that left us don't make me a brew because I'm slow at my job doing 14 mot tests a day and not stopping! He has set me up to take serious verbal violence from the other guy for whatever perverse reasons in his mind. I've gone in on my day off to either finish off jobs or get jobs done so that the next working day was clear when staff are also off, and that is again without pay, no thanks etc. There will be many other experiences that I can't call to mind at this time, and I sure prisoners don't get treated as bad as me. I am damned if I do and damned if I don't. I think now is the time that I need to use convert surveillance to prove what I am being put through each day and then if dismissal or anything else happens then hopefully I'll have some professional evidence to prove my circumstances.      

[Joepublic]

Speak,to: members of your family, tell them how unhappy you are.

Start planning your way out, even if it’s just agency work packing boxes for the short term

[remmington]

Aug 7, 2019 6:20:12 GMT 1 Joepublic said:

Speak,to: members of your family, tell them how unhappy you are.

Start planning your way out, even if it’s just agency work packing boxes for the short term

+1 for the above...

[remmington]

I spend so much time at work - at my workshop!

I try to make it as much fun as possible.

As long as the work gets done - the lads who work for me "do as they like".



I personally - would not want to keep going to the same place of work - again and again - if I felt like Gaurdian does every morning. It would not be good for your psyche - it would bad for your head. It is just unhealthy...

Please note: It would also upset me - if someone who worked for me - felt like this too. At the back of my mind - I would blame myself - I would think I had picked the wrong person for the job.


Just walk - just pack your tools up and walk. It will be like taking a big weight off your shoulders.


I also would not want to be doing MOT tests day in - day out - I reckon that would be mind numbingly boring as well (not sure I could stick this myself).


As for work - when one door shuts another always opens. It does...


It might be that - Gaurdian is not cut out for the "motortrade" and would be better off doing something else.

[Joepublic]

It might be that - Gaurdian is not cut out for the "motortrade" and would be better off doing something else.


[/quote]

I suspect the only reason he sticks it out is that he doesn't want anything else, a sideways or backward move is not an option?


A laugh and a joke with new friends would be worth a 1000 pills