I need to vent - Plumbing Forum

**Briancraig81** · 12-09-2011, 07:16 PM

Okay, I need to vent to someone because the last two days makes no sense to me at all. I had gotten hired on as a service tech helper for a plumbing company in Garner, NC back on Nov. 21st. I had some experience because my grandfather owned his own business and he taught me the basics and the person who hired me knew I wasn't 100% green but being that I had been in the electrical trade for the past twelve years figured I would do fine with the company. Everything had been going great, got along fine with everyone I met there.

Wensday afternoon they sent me and a tech to change a flush valve and fill valve on an second story commode. The tech insisted on re-using the old tank bolts and washers and I even asked him if that was a good idea and he said "Yeah, the washers are still good" Got it back together, flushed it atleast ten times and we went onto our next call. Get a call from our supervisor to go back to the job, it was leaking and water was pouring out of the living room ceiling downstairs. Owner of the company has to come out and deal with the customer along with fixing the tech's mistake by intsalling new tank bolts. He told us to go back to the shop while he stayed there with the customer. We both figured he (The tech) would get fired the next morning. After the usually Thursday company meeting sure enough, the owner pulls the tech into the office and I stay out in the warehouse putting up materials that the other techs had brought back into the shop. I see my supervisor and ask him where I would be working at and with who. He pauses for a minute and say's that he was having to let me go, the owner wasn't impressed with my knowledge. Which is baffaling because I had never even engaged in a conversation with the owner of the company about anything. I asked if this was because of what happned the night before and he said "Partially", which is even more odd to me because I never even touched the commode!

I've tried several times to reach the owner by phone and everytime I call they tell me he's not in the office. He kept the tech who flooded the house but let me go instead, I cannot for the life of me make sense of it. Is this normal for Plumbing contractors to do this? In the two weeks I had never gotten one inclanation that anything was wrong and infact the shop supervisor even told me he apreciated me sticking around after quitting time and helping them put up stock that had come in late in the afternoon.

If anyone can make any sense of this please do because I'm having a hard time understanding it. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

**johnjh2o** · 12-09-2011, 07:50 PM

It sounds like the tech laid the blame for the leak on you to save his own skin. If it's any consolation a tech that didn't have enough sense to replace the tank bolts and washers on a total tank rebuild he will at some time in the future mess up again and cost the owner more problems.

John

**Otahyoni** · 12-09-2011, 11:37 PM

It's unfortunate that people do that, but John is probably right.

**LiQuId** · 12-10-2011, 02:49 AM

I too agree with john. let it be and this guy will fail again, karma is a real *****.

asside from that, dont be detered from your desire to work in the plumbing trade by one sad excuse for a human. it is not "normal" in this trade, though this does happen on occasion and there is a lot of backstabbing in commercial plumbing ( my own experiences ) where people are just dumber ( again from my experiences and not referring to all people in commercial ) the best thing for you to do is to move on and in time you will have gained a reputation for being good at what you do and these kind of people will be unable to touch you... NEVER leave a job half assed done and ALWAYS pretend its your house you are fixing... would you re-use material on your own house?

Chin up, and welcome to the forum. there is much you can learn here and we are mostly all passionate about this job, I myself just finished a 13 hour day to come here and read posts over my dinner...

Austin · 12-12-2011, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otahyoni

It's unfortunate that people do that, but John is probably right.

I think we're all on the same page with this thought.

I'm sorry to hear it man, that's terrible.

**Chris** · 12-13-2011, 11:31 AM

I see it happen all the time. It sucks but it is easy to toss the new guy under the bus.

Austin · 12-13-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I see it happen all the time. It sucks but it is easy to toss the new guy under the bus.

I had a new Manager try that once in a Kitchen I worked at. I just sat there and smiled while the owner grilled us.

After long enough he gave himself enough rope to hang himself with. I smiled, looked at the Owner and said "Sounds like we're done here.".

Guy got fired the next day. It was shame, he was making poor decisions, but not any more than anyone else in management, he just got caught and decided to not go down alone. He did.

**Chris** · 12-14-2011, 12:31 AM

As an owner myself I try and keep myself involved enough that problems like this don't happen.

**LiQuId** · 12-14-2011, 12:53 AM

there are 2 types of boss.

1. those that are talked to

2. those that are talked about

**johnjh2o** · 12-14-2011, 12:56 AM

I think that at some point most of us have had times that we felt we were either blamed for something we didn't do or something we didn't get credit for. All that can be done is to continue working and learning your trade and it will all fall into place. There is no limit to how far you can go.

John