I found this and wanted to make Machinists Aware

[CrazyMachinist]

I found this web site, and I wrote to the guy and talked with him. I figured I should try to help make sure no one else made the same mistake. If more of us did this when we found a problem shop, a lot fewer of us would get stuck working for problem shops.

Go to http://innovativemd.tripod.com to see what i am talking about.

[Dan B]

There are two sides to every story. His need to create a web-site within a week of being let go indicates some real personality "issues" which may give a hint as to why he was really fired (if you can use that term for someone who only worked 2 or 3 days).

Dan

[Splint]

As Dan says there really are two sides to every story, and in his case the unofficial break may have been used as an excuse for other reasons.
Who knows what Paul is really like on the shop floor, his oppinion of his own performance may be dramatically different from reality.
To give you an example I work with a person who if you listen to what they say about themselves is a highly skilled tradesperson who can hold their own against anyone in the trade. The reality is the complete opposite. To give you some examples this person who has been in the trade for around nine years was told to use an electric drill to drill a hole. When attempting to do this the drill wouldn't work so she had to find someone to help figure out what was wrong with the drill, as it turned out the switch on the wall was not turned on.
On another occasion she was given the task of balancing a set of car wheels and after about an hour she came looking for help saying she couldn't balance the wheels, the cause of the problem turned out to be that the centering cone which makes the wheel run true on the balancing spindle was no fitted and the wheel was orbiting the spindle nearly shaking the balancer to peices.
On another occasion she was doing a wheel allignment on a car and needed help with the settings, the target spec was 3mm plus or minus 1mm, when the machine showed the actual spec to be 3.1mm she thought it was out of spec and adjusted it to 0.3mm.
And on another occasion a first year apprentice on his very first day at work had to show her how to opperate a fluke thermocouple meter, the're really not very dificult to opperate, there's an on/off button, a farenheite/celcius button and a dial to pick which one of the ten thermocouple plugs to read the temperature from. All this and much much more from a qualified tradesperson who claims to be highly skilled.
I strongly beleive if she got the sack she would put the blame 100% on the employer.
I hope this put some perspective on what may or may not have happened.

Splint

[CrazyMachinist]

You may be right, but he will answer any questions you have. His experiance spans 10 years, or so he says. The shop was recently set up, so there were no breaks set, and the guys just took them when they wanted. He told me that he had only taken breaks when he was told, which was lunch. I am waiting to hear from the other side, as he posted it online and feel that they may address the issue. Fact is, a lot of corporate types treat people like crap. I support his desicion to let people know so they can make their own judgement. I would be willing to listen to the other side as well. The guy told me the Shop Manager didn't agree with it, but had no choice.

[Dan B]

I worked with a toolmaker years ago, while I was an apprentice, that thought he was the cat's meow. One day he was sticking some wooden shims under the base of the little drill press we had. I watched him for a minute or so, then asked him what he was doing.

He was intending to drill a hole on an angle.

I still remember that to this day, and that's almost 20 years ago.

Dan

[CrazyMachinist]

Yes Dan, when I started machining I wasn't trained 100%, I still find myself learning on a daily basis. Good story, not sure what it has to do with the thread, but good story none the less.

[Dan B]

The point is that that toolmaker (not an apprentice) thought he could do no wrong (the cat's meow may not be a familar saying) but in reality he wasn't that bright. Perhaps this guy fits in that category.

Don't you guys have probationary periods in the States? We have 90 day periods for new employees where I live. Anytime within that period we can let someone go easily. After that, it is extremely difficult to fire someone. This guy worked 2 or 3 days and they let him go. Then he creates a web-site to cry about it and bad-mouth the company????

That to me indicates a very vengeful personality. He should take the time he is spending creating web-sites and fielding phone calls and look for another job instead.

Dan

[diarmaid]

Hmmmm.....very interesting....definately two sides to the story. Definately not fired just for taking the break.

What did he actually 'do' at the other company to burn his bridges? Why would he do this....you never burn your bridges....

What information was he giving to his former co-workers about his new company? What info did his new boss think he might be giving....was his former company a competitor?

Did his former boss hold a grudge and give a bad referance when the new boss probably called to check? Quite likely if he did something to warrant the bridge burning statement.

Thats a nicely set up internet site. Why would he bother going to so much trouble....if it was really warranted then maybe wrongful dismissal and a solicitor would be a more productive avenue?

Lastly and perhaps most importantly....when he took his 'break' was the soda the last of his boss's favourite type of soda .......

[ger21]

Don't you guys have probationary periods in the States? We have 90 day periods for new employees where I live. Anytime within that period we can let someone go easily. After that, it is extremely difficult to fire someone.

If you're not in a union or have a contract, you can be let go at any time. No matter how long you've been there. If it's a union job, then yes, usually 60-90 days before you're "locked in"

[Mcgyver]

you can be let go at any time in Canada (none union), just that you will have to make a payout based on the length of employment, unless it is with just cause, which, unless its something overt like stealing can be challenging to prove. good HR policy dictates that they company keep records where they show how they 1) communicated the problems to the employee (in writing) and made repeated attempts to deal with or remediate the problem. said employee then has much less change of winning a wrongful dismissal suit, nevertheless there is usually some sort of settlement beyond 2 weeks notice.

Years ago I remember a white collar guy that was fired in Toronto who my gang knew. He was so incensed about how unfairly he was treated that he proclaimed to the world he was going to right a book about everything that was wrong with the employer. As if anyone would read it or would assume after a firing the he was a model employee and the company was incarnate evil. It just made him look like a silly hot head.

Some guy who would bother with a web site rather than just getting on with his life strikes me the same way. What would be interesting and would give him some virtue would be giving the company equal billing on the site to tell their story. maybe add some blogs and let the other employees in. then get his sister and girlfriend's point of view. A whole new form of entertainment, Springer meets the Truman show over the net

Your only real job security is adding more value than what you cost, this includes getting along with and contributing to the team etc.

[diarmaid]

In Ireland you have to give recorded verbal warnings, followed by written warnings, followed by suspension with pay, followed by dismissal.

[miljnor]

Another angle is maybe His "freinds" that came looking for a job (yes the ones he recomended) tanked him!

They could have said something that got him canned, you never know.

could have been a personality conflict or something totaly unrelated to his work ethic.. (maybe he smelled).

water under the bridge though! so move on.