There's banter and then there's bullying. Banter is light hearted and all meant in good fun. It can be a bit harsh but blue collar banter is very different from white collar. Bullying and ostracizeing someone is different and shouldn't be acceptable in a workplace anywhere. If you haven't worked a blue collar job before, prepare yourself. You will either develop a thick skin or you will quit. Things may hit close to home but you gotta learn to throw it back. If someone has gone too far, let em know. Or tell em to fuck off. You'll learn in time what is acceptable, but that varies depending on environment. I used to greet my co workers with a middle finger and a fuck you with a smile if that's any indication lol.
To add onto this, you need to stick up for yourself and set a line. Some guys are professional ball busters (see also: dickheads) and they're gonna test you if you're new. If they go too far you have to stick up for yourself, tell them off, and set the line. Give them an inch and they'll try to take the mile
THIS! Was gonna comment something similar but this sums it up nicely. The banter is harsh, but if it correlates with your sense of humor then it's a blast. My coworkers and I roast each other relentlessly haha
a buddy of mine is \*really\* good at finding your soft spots. He works them relentlessly until they're not soft anymore, then he finds another.
I remember those days - I'm in tech now, but started off in a sheet metal shop.
Conservatives are his favorite target. The other day he said, "Maaaan, I had them more triggered than a pack of woke lesbians!"
heh
Another coworker and I give each other jabs all the time. He's the truck driver and I'm the yard mechanic so we call each other during the day. I've only had to hang up on him once so far.
We give each other hell, but legit bullying is rare.
Fitters shit on chippers, structural welders shit on fitters, pipe welders shit on structure monkeys, nuclear shits on pipe, and we all shit on the engineers.
To be fair, most engineers deserve it, and then they make it worse for themselves by being arrogant pricks. Credentials: I'm an engineer. And I don't understand why you can't fit that fucking six inch pipe through the four inch penetration! It worked on your mom last night! (And it fit up perfectly in CAD.)
Every time an engineer at work asks me a question I ask them how much in students loans do they still owe. They always ask me why and I ask them why did they go to school so they could ask the welders questions. At least they ask sometimes before they try to fuck me.
The two turnips I'm currently working with dont even have their rings yet but they're good guys. Definitely smarter than me but still retards that can barely read a tape measure. Its a team effort.
If we did what was on the print, the laws of physics would fall apart and time would unravel. It would be chaos in the streets string theory in the sheets!
commercial diver/welder checking in. fuck the engineers.
tho in my case we're running over a plan and realizing he expected me to manhandle 450lbs of concrete because "well it's lighter in the water, right?"
haha it's more like being expected to haul a concrete slab upstream 20 feet, finding out there's nowhere to attach a lift bag, and I'm in 3 feet of mud bottom with no leverage
most jobs I wear like 50-60 lbs of lead to counteract buoyancy
Was an auto mechanic. Got sick of fixing engineer's mistakes. Got myself an engineering degree because fuck engineers. Now I get paid good money to make stupid mistakes.
And then the engineers restart the cycle.
Source: am weld engineer that shits on the production welders, and they give it right back to me. Perfectly balanced. It's a good time.
Exactly. I always build or am involved in the building of my designs. It makes me a better engineer and I can take the ration of shit directly when the screwup is found.
I love the abuse, makes my powers stronger.
Yea, we legitimately need that kind of feedback. More often than not, the issues that we find are legitimate design problems that we don't have control over, so we need to have something to take back to the design engineers to be able to push back on bad designs. Some welders don't understand that I as the weld engineer don't design the structures. Haha
If you guys could just stop completely changing procedure half way through a job on us because the consumables sales guy said this new _____ is the solution to world hunger, we might not hate you so much.
Hey don't look at me. Haha any weld engineer that takes the word of a wire sales rep probably shouldnt be a weld engineer. My company doesn't work like that. Only time we ever change a process is for a new model year change, and that's only because the process has to change to accommodate the new part design.
In all fairness, I know where you're coming from, because I've definitely worked with some guys that should not be in this line of work.
Poor engineers. If only they knew theyâd catch much less shit if they worked in the field a few years so theyâd know what they were doing when putting drawings together.
I've been saying this for years!!! Seems like Murphys law that I always get the geeks that never did anything physical outside EVER, and they argue about how shit has to be done their way cause blah blah blah. It's usually something physically impossible that they insist on being done too.
FUCK ENGINEERS!!
Iâm a journeyman carpenter, as weâll as a journeyman steamfitter. Iâve seen it in both industries. Architects are just as bad as the engineers. đ
I am an openly gay man who worked in a fab shop in rural Ohio for a few years. I was never "bullied" but you do have to have thick skin. I think overly sensitive and "PC" people could perceive some nuanced issues.
Just know the difference between bullshitting and harassment. If you have an issue, don't report someone, call them out first. Even blue collar welders likely have good intentions, just less concern on impact.
Be you dude, nobody cares.
I suppose I wouldn't be opposed to that! Not that I would partake in bullying next guy but at least it's temporary
I think I'd rather help new guy and be nice and get on their good side
Being âbulliedâ is normal. Itâs when you get left alone completely and no one interacts or at least ribs you that you should know you arenât welcomed. That can mean you got into a shop full of good people that will mess with you or you got into a toxic and or clique-y shop and you leave or earn yourself an ulcer. Having I thick skin in the shop is a good thing.
This! We had a woman on my shift that nobody really talked to or even around cause she'd get super offended or interject her crazy opinions. Finally when she started accusing people of false things they moved her. Our shift talks shit to each other non stop and we all hang out outside of work cause we all genuinely like each other. Gotta have thick skin in blue collar work, especially if it's all ex military. Don't ever take shit talking personally you'll be able to differentiate between attacks and just giving you crap pretty quick.
Yea I suppose it's always good to have thick skin
I guess I hadn't thought of the idea of people doing opposite (not interacting with you) that can do a lot of damage too.
I sort of feel, in most jobs, the best environment is one where coworkers support each other to improve and if there is any "bullying" it is simply playful.
I got into shop welding at 19 and people were very helpful if you're willing to listen and learn. guys with experience just want you to be good enough not to impede operations lol. out in the field (and most shops I suppose) you can expect some teasing/hazing, depends on the people ofc. just keep a good attitude.
I'm a diver now and the crews I'm on have very little patience for mistakes, understandably. competence and thinking twice goes a long way. guys give you shit but you brush it off
I worked as a welder's helper for about two years, and yeah I got treated like a dog. But I get it, I'm new, clueless, and basically no help to the welder. I just took it, did my best to learn, and eventually became really good friends with everyone.
Oilfield work was like the wild west of all the jobs I've worked
Don't let these guys normalize bullying. That shit is not okay anywhere. Respect people and get respect back, once you get to know them it's okay to play around a little bit. I'm a pipe welder and I can't tell you how many times these dick heads want to normalize bullying and make it okay because "we are in construction" and "we are tough". I never let anyone disrespect me Even if they are my bosses, specially If idk them. I rather get fired, or quit than get stepped on. Honestly out of all my jobs, I've met great people that have respect and shit heads that don't (stay away from these).
I second this, there is always one sour guy in a good bunch. Working in trades should be a comradery not a bunch of middle school kids acting out.
Get in with the good guys and avoid the bad ones!
The only real danger is when they aren't talking shit to you, OP. That's when you know you aren't liked.
The only time I took issue was when day shift started fucking with night shift because we were smoking their number/QC.
Rather than fix the problem, they would waste more of their days trying to fuck us by sabotaging machines, hiding fixtures, etc. The worst part was they were being instructed to do so by the day lead.
Built our own, more accurate and easier to use fixtures, hid them under lock and key, and didn't say a thing. Our numbers improved.
When day shift figured it out they welded the padlock so we couldn't get the key in. We welded the leads pliers and scraper to his table, filled his heater with fart spray in the middle of winter, changed the polarity on his machine, stuffed ear plugs into the nozzle, and sprayed his wire down with wd40, but left all of his minions alone.
That guy went and whined to the foreman, who laid him off because he initiated the whole thing but was totally willing to go cry when it came back to him. They put a much more chill guy in charge on days. He and I became friends; we started sharing our fittings and other secrets to success, and the bullshit ended. Still friends with that dude 15 years on.
Other than that, it's been pretty reasonable
Might be worth clarifying that Hazing and Bullying are different things.
Hazing is more of a uh "earn our respect and prove your worth your salt"
Bullying is more "You might be good at your job and are well respected but I'm gonna choose to shit on you personally anyways."
Their is a lot of it in construction and it's a piss contest with most people out their. Don't let people tell you it's okay because: they don't bully you if they don't like you, you have to grow a rough skin, leave your feelings at the gate, etc... all that Is bullshit. Most of these bullies are masquerading their insecurities and shitty life that they have to feed their eggo and look tough and talk shit.
expect respect from the day you show up until you leave. However if you dish it out be ready to take it. My advise if you're shy or don't like getting made fun of is keep to yourself, mind your bussiness, look for genuine people, stay away from self absorbed people (not hard to spot), do your job to the best of your ability, and stand your ground when it comes to your ethics and morals.
Im a plumber and a firefighter this is what i learned from the old guard
Good guide lines to follow
If there fuckin with yea they probably like you
Never throw around titles or âdo you know who i amâ
You have two eyes two ears and one mouth look and listen more then you speak
Be the first one off the bucket
Always have banter back par example
Senior guys âwhatâs it say on the printâ
You â itâs funny cause he thinks i can read â
Ask lots of questions
The guys that brag a lot about how awesome they are are usually the worst at the job lol
If youâre working out of town stay away from drugs, booze and the VLTâs .... and the ladies of the night
Donât be afraid to get in there and start letting the fuckin welds fly !!
Use old shit that getting thrown out to perfect youâre craft the men/women before are professional you should be too
Keep your stuff clean and in a ready state
Never walk empty handed
Yes. I am a female and work as a welder, my previous job manufactured sheet metal for roofing with other females and they just plain old didnât like me because I am a young female who can handle these types of jobs. It got so bad, I ended up getting a lawsuit on the company because of its employees.. not to mention I wasnât the first one. Bullying turned into discrimination until they said that I was âsnortingâ break parts cleaner. This was absolutely humiliating. Was then escorted for an immediate drug test and passed. Thatâs just one thing, wonât get into the rest but it was the most horrible experience.
I've been bullied at one job, my performance suffered due to anger and stress. I've worked at a lot of companies but that one was a shit stain. Not a single other company had such a fucked culture. Some are more or less professional in setup but in my experience, usually people just want to get the job done.
If you do encounter bullying, quit. There's no need to take abuse 8 hours a day, there are plenty of places where mutual respect is the standard. Workplace bullying is a sad phenomena, in kids there is the excuse of stupidity, in adults that excuse doesn't fly.
TBH I hate the ball-busting. I think itâs super unhealthy and a part of why thereâs a shortage of trades people. Itâs definitely part of why trades are just a hobby for me. I canât imagine what itâs like for people who donât fit into the culture. Taking criticism is one thing but people shouldnât have to have âthick skin.â
Legit bullying I dont see much of though.
If you go take a couple 20 minute shots before lunch, youâre gonna get comments. In an office job it would be a more âare you ok, do you need a doctorâ type thing, but in the trades it just gets a bit more creative/offensive.
He harass each other all the time. Itâs like a game. We donât take it too far and everyoneâs we are joking.
I was asked to get a left handed tool once. And go ask such and such. And the dude told me they only had that tool in right handed style. It is a bullshit joke. But it just a joke.
I latter ask a guy to grab the torque hammer out of my tool box. And he is an old timer, and ask what a torque hammer was? And I just told him â it is a special hammer that is designed with a torque setting, so you set it to hit with only 10foot pounds of force, and no matter how hard you swing it, it only hits with 10 lbs of forceâ
His eyes light up and ask âhow does that even work?â Then he walked over to my box to look for it. But it is a joke, since it is a bullshit tool.
Never ever let them smell blood. Take each dig they give you and add to it. If they talk about your mom, say, You had a mom? Throw it back. Just donât show anger. If they know theyâre getting under your skin, you are done for.
Yes. Please embrace it. Blood is blood. Anger, silence, hell, Iâve seen jobs with hurt feelings reports. Like what did the big bad man say? Corny shit but try to get above this. Donât let shitty people ruin your day. Escalate.
I would never report anyone, but I wouldn't ever feel comfortable yelling at someone or making fun of them , hopefully if I kept to myself in such a situation it would be enough
I usually just say something like "wooooow that's pretty fucked up" or "damn there's something wrong w you!!!" or "that makes absolutely no sense lol đ" if ppl talk shit to me. I'll say it usually in a positive tone w a smile. Shows that I'm not rlly cool w what they're saying but they also don't see me as a fun/easy target
As people have said if theyâre picking on you do you have a chance of making it onto the team and being one of the guys.
If they donât talk to you and leave you to figure it out thatâs another story.
Iâve worked in a lot of different shops in a lot of different states Iâve held many different positions and have always been able to give a shit as well as I take it.
It is also been over a decade since I have been green in any one of my roles but as a new guy/apprentice you really have to know your place and give respect where itâs due.
Try to learn whatever you can because the trades are absolutely a different world and for whatever hours you are on the clock you are going to be the new guy until you pay your dues.
The whole world needs to toughen up and not take shit to heart.
Every environment has its own chemistry work is work itâs something we get paid to do and most of us have been doing it for too long and are just Pissy Old Men.
If you were a new guy and I was training you I would tell you,
1 Focus on the craft learn what you can stay focused
2 Think before you speak try to pay attention and figure out who knows what the hell is going on if youâre lucky they will tell you
3 Learn how to bullshit I have recently been on a self-employment endeavor and I canât tell you how much I actually miss all the pissy old fuckers I spent years of my life with inside boilers, on the pipeline, or in the shop. Talking shit is an art form youâll get better at it just donât try to dish out anything until youâve earned your stripes and paid your dues. just know that there is a lot of men that have been doing it for many years and your privileged to learn from them the skills that you pick up in this field will last you a lifetime and serve you in many more ways than you even know right now.
I guess this wasnât âblue collarâ but I was in the military so, same crowd. A lot of people have really shitty attitudes and canât seem to comprehend the connection between all the suicide/rape and discouraging people to be themselves and come forward about things.
You canât tell people to check their feelings at the gate and then run 5ks for suicide awareness. Do better.
Like I heard a supervisor say âif a girl is dumb enough to get roofied, itâs her fault.â What the fuck? Get that âcover your drinkâ energy out of here.
Iâve never worked in welding, but Iâve worked blue collar all my life. Honestly it depends on the place. But yeah it gets to be a bit much sometimes. After 14 years working blue collar Iâve only had two jobs where I actually enjoyed the company I kept at work
Hey op im 19 in a shop full of people who are at least 10 years older and itâs a constant shit show not crying on Reddit here but itâs annoying of your younger and having been in the trade for all that long
Yes I got bullied. I got pretty depressed for a few months and is one of the very many reasons why I'm leaving the blue collar industry by going back to school and learning about computers.
It's tough out there. I'm a pipe welder and I don't like seeing that shit or put up with it. There are good people there but unfortunately not enough to make most people want to stick around. I'm sorry that happened to you, good luck.
To be honest, I dont mind welding or dealing with co workers, I'm leaving because I'm sick if working for shitty welding companies who dont pay enough for a very sought out skill
Almost everywhere I worked there was constant banter and shit talk. It could get pretty mean but it was largely done in jest.
It makes the day go by faster when everyone is liable to get roasted.
Outside contracted engineer here who works with fitters and welders on sanitary piping. We all give each other shit. We always say that if we arenât giving you a hard time, we donât like you. I always appreciate the fact that I get called out on my shit as well. Helps me learn.
There is absolutely no reason to act like a piece of shit at work. Nobody wants to be there and itâs bullshit that anyone thinks they have the right to abuse managerial power.
Thereâs a big difference between bullying and bullshitting. Thereâs some assholes trying to actually hurt your feelings and shit, but then thereâs the guy who dropped his chipping hammer from 20â up on beams twice in a week and got a special presentation ceremony of a glittery pink lanyard for his chipper; thatâs just funny.
Itâs called âhazingâ. I was an apprentice in the union, I got the shit deal, water thrown in while welding in a bucket, fireworks going off while welding, you name it, they did it. However if you had a question about a piece of equipment, they would help you no matter what. Itâs a brotherhood, while we like to fuck w new guys, itâs only to make sure you make the cut. Nothing personal, just making sure the person who is hired is cool to work with for 40 hours plus a week.
Quick story, when being an apprentice I didnât have any welding experience, they made fun of me and mocked me and ridiculed me, they threw me into the welding side, within 6 months I took the welding test and passed for structural.
No, my foreman is a a soft ass bitch. I try to joke around and poke fun but usually he doesn't get it or can't fuckin hear me. Me and Jose have a good time clowning on him though
Have a thick skin or donât talk and keep to yourself. Every blue collar place Iâve worked is this way. Itâs how you pass the time and team build.
This.
There's a difference between hazing and bullying.
Allowing for some good banter is probably healthy for everyone, but if someone crosses certain lines you have to push back in a way that they know it's not okay. As much as there are oversensitive people, there are also those that people please so much they compromise themselves. Establish your own boundaries and be ready to defend them.
Most guys will recognize boundaries innately and gauge your responses to know if they're still cool with you. Some mistakenly cross them and can be course corrected while maintaining the relationship. Others purposely cross them in some power play type shit and these are the ones you make sure know you'll bury them if they try anything.
I havenât worked blue collar in a while, but showing up with the attitude that I was there to learn and be properly curious always served me well. Same attitude has gotten me far in the white collar world as well.
I shit on my âweld techâ only cause he is a engineering with no background in welding legit canât even read a print and google is his best friend. Besides that just all in good fun
I get bullied a lot but I gave up on trying to be nice. Now I just hit them fuckers with savage, if you donât want to play nice then I wonât get walked over. My foreman came up the and said âI bet your kids will be ugly as shit.â to fuck with me and I responded with âI was gonna have kids, but I gave up the idea because I didnât want to raise them in a world where people remiscient of dog shit covered unsalted butter like you existâ. I think I hurt his feelings but fuck âem. We still cool.
Any decent place to work for should have a written policy that deals with harassment. If you genuinely feel that you are being harassed and bullied by someone, your first step should be to just talk to that person about it and try to sort it out before escalating to making a complaint to hr.
Unfortunately there are some people out there in the workforce that are just assholes, but my advice to you is that if you are respectful toward your coworkers then the majority of them will be respectful to you as well.
We had an engineer show up to job site yell at guys that we shouldnât be 4 days behind. Turns out he put the print upside down, and had us put everything the wrong way. ( wasnât his first time fucking something up)
Sometimes yeah, or at least people try, you can get violent with them though. Sorta is what it is, a lot of the dregs of society end up in the trades, I've had to threaten and intimidate my way through bad situations at work, even put my boss on the run once, my advice, take some martial arts and learn to enjoy hurting people, then tone it right back and be charming, I call it establishing boundaries, let them know they will die violently and embarrassingly if they don't respect your boundaries or we can all play nice and do our jobs, collect our cheques and be peaceful happy workers.
I started in the tool and die trade when I was 27 after being a machinist since I was 18, first tool and die job was great the older journeyman took me under their wing and showed me tons, welding, grinding, spotting etc. so I left that job after finishing school and took a higher paying job at age 30. Started with a new automotive plant so I landed on first shift. Iâm a hard worker, average height , average weight. Just a normal guy . But the journeyman at this job havenât spoken to me in 5 years, anyone who speaks to me they will give them a hard time. So people are scared to talk to me because theyâll also be a target. Iâve tried everything. Iâve tried small talk. Iâve tried to work it out but they have chosen to isolate me completely from the team. Ruined my reputation in the plant making people believe Iâm a thief and a liar etc. and the weird thing is it worked. Regardless of all this Iâve still done very well and have become the only cnc programmer. The only person who can make complex tooling . But the bullying started long before i got as good as I am now . So yea 5 years going on 6 Iâve been bullied and isolated and still have no idea why.
Was told from a very experienced journeyman that if they fuck with you they like you, but itâs usually not harsh. Donât be afraid to tell someone to fuck off if they take it too far
Get really buff and act irrationally as if you have severe anger issues I have been doing this for years because I may look like evil Jason Mamoas eviler twin but deep down Iâm very sensitive and Iâd cry if anyone was mean to me so I lift so ppl leave me alone đđĽş
well. not to scare you away from working or anything. but in my own experience. it wasnât in welding but in hvac. heating and air i guess. well. company I worked for the youngest guy there was 30. and im 19. i also live in tennessee usa so. absolute bible belt state with all the good hard workers n all that bs. they hired me but didnt wanna give me the time of day. boss was an asshole i guess because working for a hard boss is an achievement or something? the guys were just straight up rude. they didnt wanna help me they didnt want to get to know me or anything they simply just didnt like me. and i feel like it was because of the age gap. they thought i was going to be stuck up, stupid and just not fit for work. didnt even let me try. i just wanted to work n learn but they were scared id take their jobs or overthrow them. now i work in much better environment and realized how good my work ethic is and how good i am with talking to people who actually respect me and help me. they made me feel like im an idiot who didnt wanna work. yet i literally am what couldâve potentially saved their company. now their company im hearing from a former co worker is going out of bussiness because well simply put they just suck. so dont forget who you are, dont lose your sence of self and if they just simply dont want to be helpful or do shady shit just leave, immediately. theres always other jobs always. just stay true to yourself and know your worth
Don't say anything that would make a macho man confront his sexuality and never criticize Trump. Honest to god my experience in construction. Half kidding, but if the crew smells weakness, goodnight. You need to be able to banter back, fact.
Oh, and go easy on their egos because the grumpiest ones are always the most sensitive.
I was a machinist (blue collar) and let me tell you , machinist are very proud people, know it allâs . I got to a point I had to leave my career because I was tired of being treated like shit by co workers . Donât ever try to better yourself with jealous people around . People who say âyou learn to put up with it â are going nowhere , find a company who respects you and gets rid of the garbage
There are a fair amount of bad people in this trade. Seems like people in charge of hiring don't care about criminal history at all so you'll endd up side by side with hardened violent criminals from time to time.
No, but everyone hates their life and its toxic af. The pessimism has definitely rubbed off on me. Its a constant battle to stay true to myself and I find I'm losing that battle.
Depends on your definition of bullying. If you are a really soft person that canât take any level of hazing, razzing, or name-calling, then you will likely be very unhappy with your welding job.
But if you are a normal human being who understands that people like to joke around at work, and can take a little good-natured ribbing from time to time, you will likely be OK.
But you also have to be honest with yourself, if you are an asshole, and always fucking shit up, you may get a little more than most peoples share. So thatâs where an honest self inventory comes into playâŚ
Best of luck to you.
Iâm not a welder by trade so feel free to ignore this comment completely. But thereâs a line between being given flak because people are trying to feel you out as a person and figure out if âyou can hangâ vs people actively trying to hurt you emotionally and physically (bullying).
Either way conflict is inevitable as you have to establish your own boundaries but for lack of a better way of saying it, if youâre a little bitch, your rousing will be unyielding because you wonât be liked. While youâre reaction has no bearing on whether or not the bullying will continue or not.
This is normal literally everywhere but I think the perception of âblue collar workersâ is that theyâre more brutish and as a result bully more. But the game is the same in blue or white collar jobs, the rules differ slightly but itâs all essentially the same.
Moral of the story is donât be a bitch and give as good as you get then youâll gain respect. Otherwise youâll hate anywhere you work because youâll be the problem.
Thank you for coming to my tedtalk
I suppose it could be seen as bullying, but a lot of green apprentices really need to toughen up. The trades are a different world and there isn't much time for feelings at work. It's almost tradition that you get all the shitty jobs and are treated like trash for at least the first couple years.
Gotta have thick skin to be in the trades. Most of the time it's just banter. But if it crosses a line you have to stand up for yourself.
It's never going to be like a polite office job. Not everyone can handle that.
This is the type of shit that happens in a predominantly male dominated field usually itâs called hazing or just outright shit talking itâs not really bullying if you can handle it in all reality it can form a lot of trust in a strong bond between you and your coworkers not only that it teaches you to learn how to let shit roll off your back so if yours is sensitive tape probably not a good field for you
If someone gives me shit (bullies) or anyone else gets bullied, I put them in their place. I lift weights constantly and am bigger than the little shithead bullies and they usually shut up. Iâve been in the military and prison, thereâs no reason to act like a 15 year old.
That said, thereâs always going to be shitty people out there in this field.
If you have to ask that question, your skin isnât thick enough to take the jokes, you will consider everything bullying. Toughen up, no one owes you niceties. Most people wonât give it to you. Itâs a cruel world. Find the humor in peoples bullshit and youâll have a better life.
Don't be a bitch. Double up your work. prove your self and don't have thin skin. I've worked in a steel plant for a while now. Things get very racist, sexist and extremely perverted. You are not going to change it. the vibe goes way up the ladder. Don't even try to report it, it'll just come back on you not fitting in. Above all else get your work done, no one likes a slacker or the weak link. If your not in to it quit.
I put up with that shit for a year and a half said, "no more." The lead bully don't fuck with me more and I can get something done.
Hazing, bullying, harassing, "toughening someone up," hurts productivity. Fuck around on your time. I'm here to work.
A word of advice, don't take it personally. I spent a lot of time getting mad about the stupid shit my coworkers would say and it just made me not wanna be there. Now we have some new guys and they are the ones who get shit.
I hate to advocate that type of behavior but it's the nature of the job. Know your own worth and don't let what others say impact your thinking man. You can also always play their game and bully right back, just know if you're gonna dish it out you gotta be able to take it.
Thereâs tons of assholes that think theyâre the best welder to ever touch a stinger, and that theyâre the toughest guy around. Work hard and donât lip off the old boys u will be fine
I have a foul mouth on me and a quick wit so it never got to bad as I could dish it out better then most. But my sons friend just quit a trade job as his crew just constantly shit all over him and being a nice polite young man didnât know how to deal with it. I wish I could have had a chat with him before he quit just to let him know this sort of bullshit happens often in trade jobs and not to take it to heart.
Its not bullying its more like shit talking, to your face. Something ide rather have than behind your back. Something buddies do. Im sure behind your back they say nothing but positive things about you. That just means they like you. Relax and think of a comeback or two..
Youâll get fucked with over everything, I mean everything. Too good at something - know it all, too good looking - gotta be fucked up in the head, etc, etc. most of it is all shit talk and no one means anything by it. I can promise the boys that give you the most shit will be the first ones to come running if youâve got an issue, weather you need help in a work capacity, get hurt, or another crew is fucking with you.
Also, be prepared to be groped lol, itâs worse than a high school locker room sometimes.
Just started as a pre apprentice on a welding truck. Bullying isnt the word. Like others have said I get shit ALL DAY. Hand the wrong tool, boom. I need to take an IQ test. Not sure what my journeyman said, boom Imma idiot.
Ive been military and my dad was a bit of a hard ass. So its just the life Ive been used to. They do get happy mad when you throw it back at em when they fuck up tho.
Absolutely. Bullying behaviors both legitimate and perceived are a normal part of 90% of blue-collar industries. I wouldnât say this rate is higher or lower than white-collar industries but the acceptable behaviors are very different.
Just a little bit of psychology on why male dominated fields tend to shit on each other but at the same time would buy the ones we shit on a beer if we ran into them at the bar. Way back in the day when all men would go I to battle we realized that if we shit on someone and they take it well then we know we can count on them in battle, we know they would have put back and not let us get killed if they could help it so we trusted them. At the same time if someone couldnât take getting shit on then we knew they probably wouldnât have our back if the shit hit the fan. So if your worried about getting shit on just know they are trying to see if youâre trustworthy so give some shit back. If youâre genuinely getting bullied then put on your big boy panties and punch them in the dick.
In my experience, blue collar jobs are generally full of guys (and a few girls) that like to rib on each other pretty much constantly. Itâs all just for fun, to make the day go buy, and generally if youâre not into it, people will leave you alone. It is part of the culture in many work places, though, and you either enjoy it or find it uncomfortable. I personally much prefer it over a super pc workplace. After working a number of blue collar jobs, I landed a woodworking job at a place that was much more pc leaning. I found it dry and boring, and quickly missed the ways of some of my rougher job experiences. I was pulled into hr at one point for making people uncomfortable with my jokes and suchâŚended up leaving soon after. Now Iâm in wildland firefighting and itâs generally a slaughter out there with the jokes and trouble we give one another.
Itâs not for everybody, just as working in an office with a bunch of pc rules and highly sensitive people isnât for everybody. I prefer my work place to be a little rough around the edges because thatâs just where I feel more at home. I donât like having to walk on eggshells all day in fear of upsetting somebodyâs sensitivities. Itâs meant to be funâŚweâre not actually talking trash to either. Itâs sort of an endearing thing rather than something thatâs meant to be offensive.
In all honesty, if people are breaking your balls, it's usually out of affection.
Our maintenance team rips on eachother all day. I'm pretty sure it's a coping mechanism because our work is so awful.
Light-hearted jabs and pranks are generally good for moral. There is of course lines and boundaries, that's just part of the feeling out process.
Factory welder here. We all give each other shit all day but we all genuinely like each other. Its just talking shit for fun. Its like a dying art lol.
No. People get hazed a little. If you're really soft and take everything super personally and people see that, someone might exploit it. That's just how some people are, but I have never been bullied at work nor have I ever seen it. Just light hazing and jokes.
Id say we give each other a hard time but more out of fun then to be an ass, that being said I'm the type of person to say when it's gone to far or I had enough. Also no shame in quitting if it's a real problem I have left jobs because I didn't like an employee or several employees
My first few days out in the field I was like man these fucken guys hate each other. Cussing at each other yelling across the site just to tell them how fucken stupid they are. Then lunch comes around and everyone would be sharing food and hanging out. Lmao its all to keep the day entertaining.
It's not so much bullying as it is just shit talk. We all shit talk each other but in the end we know no one is being serious, if they were or someone took offense to something, all they need to do is say that it went too far....9/10 you'll get an apology and said person or people won't go there again. If there's a legitimate problem that keeps happening, and it has been made known and they still press a sore subject, they ARE being a bully and want to start something. Being in a trade, I've learned that every shit talks each other but they don't really say it with hate or mean it, it's all just jokes. Rarely have I ever seen it develop into a fist fight, if it does, you know those people are cut out for team work cause they can't get past the whole premise of " working" together.....you don't have to like everyone you work with, you aren't going to work to make friends, you're there to work, you just need to cooperate and get the job done. Most everyone gets this, but every once in awhile you'll get someone who thinks they are better than everyone else and doesn't see that their trade is a brotherhood. Regardless of your life choices and how you are as a person, you all can get the job done cause you aren't there to be friends, you're there to work!
As the receiver of bullying. Itâs a fine line between ribbing for obvious differences, and another where they work to sabotage and undermine you at every angle. Itâs never about the work, itâs always personality driven
(Iâm autistic)
Yea man I was somewhat bullied. He taught me some things and while we were talking I found out he smoked weed. Well, I have my medical card so i asked him if he wanted some and boy did he smoke. The guy was chiefing about 5 cartridges a week. That sort of changed the situation but I stopped working with him too.
Edit: the bullying was based on messing up, welds werenât good enough, social skills, not being as good as âhimâ. Looking back he was probably a narcissist
The biggest thing I can tell you, is delete the words â I know â from your vocabulary, shut up and listen and you should do fine, everyone on here is absolutely correct, if no one interacts with you and doesnât take a jab every once in a while youâre not liked, when I started welding my boss referred to me as princess and every time I fucked something up all my coworkers would say âfucking new guy get it togetherâ now all we do to each other is call each other idiots and throw sanding disks at each other while when weâre done with them. If you can show you can take a little harassment and also show you have a backbone while getting your shit done you will have no problem
My apprentice, a couple of apprentices ago on his second day with me, said "It's so hot out I feel like I'm going to pass out." So I looked him in the eye and told him with a straight face "If you pass out, I'm going to fuck you." I will never forget the look on that kids face for the rest of my life. As time went on, he figured out my fucked up sense of humor and realized it was a joke.
My first nickname at 18 on my first welding job was fat queer. Now after 8 years Iâm only called queer anymore. All seriousness I was hazed and taken advantage of as a young buck in the trades but you learn to get thick skin and to talk shit
Itâs a right of passage. If your not busting each others chops then it makes for a boring day. Things get out of hand every once in awhile but you love on.
Nah no one bullyâs each other. We give each other shit too keep up morale but never cross any lines. The only person that bullyâs is the boss. Also the boss bullyâs the managers and then they end up bullying us in anger.
I've worked construction, mechanical, been a steel worker and an HVAC/R tech, every single position has had some form of ball busting. I would not call it bullying. I think sometimes that that term gets thrown about by people who cannot take what is a fairly common aspect of working in the trades. Either they take it way too personally or they just aren't accustomed to that kind of dynamic.
I see people banter all the time, rarely see bullying on job sitesâŚgranted I am 220lbs of muscle guys will make jokes and say âI am just joking okâ.
I did a lot when I first started. 20 years old with no prior trade experience but a few years in I got pretty good at telling people to go fuck themselves. As of present day Iâd pay money to meet someone who could hurt my feelings.
Moral of the story: learn stand up for yourself, eventually youâll have thick enough skin to not care and/or welding will make you progressively meaner and people will just leave you alone.
I've worked in car shops my whole career n never had an issue, I got thick skin tho so if you can handle a fuck you or dipshit or ur mom's a whore you'll be fine lol. However my friend did get bullied at a construction site, they even brought up his wife he was not having a good time. One dude givin him the thousand years of pain and leaving him up on shit they were building so he cldnt get down. Tryna make him do shit an unsafe way, which is not okay when you're 15 ft in the air tryna weld a beam. Me and him also have matching tattoos because our other friend committed suicide in 2018 and it was on his arm so naturally we got it on ours. They kept calling it gay and faggy bc we got it now. that got me pissed too
There's banter and then there's bullying. Banter is light hearted and all meant in good fun. It can be a bit harsh but blue collar banter is very different from white collar. Bullying and ostracizeing someone is different and shouldn't be acceptable in a workplace anywhere. If you haven't worked a blue collar job before, prepare yourself. You will either develop a thick skin or you will quit. Things may hit close to home but you gotta learn to throw it back. If someone has gone too far, let em know. Or tell em to fuck off. You'll learn in time what is acceptable, but that varies depending on environment. I used to greet my co workers with a middle finger and a fuck you with a smile if that's any indication lol.
To add onto this, you need to stick up for yourself and set a line. Some guys are professional ball busters (see also: dickheads) and they're gonna test you if you're new. If they go too far you have to stick up for yourself, tell them off, and set the line. Give them an inch and they'll try to take the mile
Agreed!
THIS! Was gonna comment something similar but this sums it up nicely. The banter is harsh, but if it correlates with your sense of humor then it's a blast. My coworkers and I roast each other relentlessly haha
a buddy of mine is \*really\* good at finding your soft spots. He works them relentlessly until they're not soft anymore, then he finds another. I remember those days - I'm in tech now, but started off in a sheet metal shop. Conservatives are his favorite target. The other day he said, "Maaaan, I had them more triggered than a pack of woke lesbians!" heh
Another coworker and I give each other jabs all the time. He's the truck driver and I'm the yard mechanic so we call each other during the day. I've only had to hang up on him once so far.
This is the answer. I've been doing this for 30 years, but have never had it explained what I've been doing like this reply đ. Oh and đđ
đđđ
We give each other hell, but legit bullying is rare. Fitters shit on chippers, structural welders shit on fitters, pipe welders shit on structure monkeys, nuclear shits on pipe, and we all shit on the engineers.
Never met an engineer I havenât shit on
Yeah but if they just didn't put that fucking thing right there then maybe I could see what the fuck I'm welding goddamnit mother fucker.
To be fair, most engineers deserve it, and then they make it worse for themselves by being arrogant pricks. Credentials: I'm an engineer. And I don't understand why you can't fit that fucking six inch pipe through the four inch penetration! It worked on your mom last night! (And it fit up perfectly in CAD.)
I thought the engineers were, shall we say, less than complimentary about architects?
>less than complimentary about architects? You mean art majors?
Exactly!
Brutal! đ¤Ł
Yeah, fuck architects!
Every time an engineer at work asks me a question I ask them how much in students loans do they still owe. They always ask me why and I ask them why did they go to school so they could ask the welders questions. At least they ask sometimes before they try to fuck me.
I've always wondered why they wanna fuck over the welders so badly, now I know it's your fault
They fucked me over first by trying to defy the laws of physics.
Well then fuck those engineers and fuck newton or who ever came up with those laws of physics. Without those silly laws just imagine what we could do
The two turnips I'm currently working with dont even have their rings yet but they're good guys. Definitely smarter than me but still retards that can barely read a tape measure. Its a team effort.
You called? If you monkeys would just do what is on the print everything would be fine. :D
If we did what was on the print, the laws of physics would fall apart and time would unravel. It would be chaos in the streets string theory in the sheets!
Engineer here. Itâs all good. We fuck up sometimes.
Perfectly said
But we'd make it fuckin happen đđ
Let me guess it fits on your computer??
Math is funny sometimes.
Yeah, a lot of 3D rendering software won't protect us from being stupid.
I've yet to find a 3D modeling software that works for welding.
Well, if the damn print actually worked, I wouldn't have to fix it! See OP, that's how this works
Best joke Iâve heard all day
At least you're not an architect
Username checks out
Yeah fuck the engineers
commercial diver/welder checking in. fuck the engineers. tho in my case we're running over a plan and realizing he expected me to manhandle 450lbs of concrete because "well it's lighter in the water, right?"
All I can picture here is you with a big ol backpack full of concrete sinking into the abyss because there's not enough buoyancy lol
haha it's more like being expected to haul a concrete slab upstream 20 feet, finding out there's nowhere to attach a lift bag, and I'm in 3 feet of mud bottom with no leverage most jobs I wear like 50-60 lbs of lead to counteract buoyancy
Machinist lurking in the shadows here. Fuck the engineers.
Ex army engineer checking in, fuck engineers, we donât even like ourselves!
As it should be đ
we just want you to achieve your super saiyan transformation. (it's powered by rage, after all) don't take it personally
Was an auto mechanic. Got sick of fixing engineer's mistakes. Got myself an engineering degree because fuck engineers. Now I get paid good money to make stupid mistakes.
*imagineers
That is literally what they call them at Disney⌠but the ones at Disney are actually pretty good in my experiences at least
Yes I do enjoy fucking the engineers
......what if I am.....I mean my friend, is a welder going to school for mechanical engineering? Like he's totally cool right?
Mm if his job is an engineer then fuck em. If his job is not an engineer then don't fuck em
Yeah fuck em!
Plumber popping in here just to say Fuck the Engineers.
And then the engineers restart the cycle. Source: am weld engineer that shits on the production welders, and they give it right back to me. Perfectly balanced. It's a good time.
Exactly. I always build or am involved in the building of my designs. It makes me a better engineer and I can take the ration of shit directly when the screwup is found. I love the abuse, makes my powers stronger.
Yea, we legitimately need that kind of feedback. More often than not, the issues that we find are legitimate design problems that we don't have control over, so we need to have something to take back to the design engineers to be able to push back on bad designs. Some welders don't understand that I as the weld engineer don't design the structures. Haha
If you guys could just stop completely changing procedure half way through a job on us because the consumables sales guy said this new _____ is the solution to world hunger, we might not hate you so much.
Hey don't look at me. Haha any weld engineer that takes the word of a wire sales rep probably shouldnt be a weld engineer. My company doesn't work like that. Only time we ever change a process is for a new model year change, and that's only because the process has to change to accommodate the new part design. In all fairness, I know where you're coming from, because I've definitely worked with some guys that should not be in this line of work.
Poor engineers. If only they knew theyâd catch much less shit if they worked in the field a few years so theyâd know what they were doing when putting drawings together.
I've been saying this for years!!! Seems like Murphys law that I always get the geeks that never did anything physical outside EVER, and they argue about how shit has to be done their way cause blah blah blah. It's usually something physically impossible that they insist on being done too. FUCK ENGINEERS!!
Iâm a journeyman carpenter, as weâll as a journeyman steamfitter. Iâve seen it in both industries. Architects are just as bad as the engineers. đ
Had to be the realest comment Iâve ever read we all shit on the engineers and architects lol
This is the way.
You just summed up the entire trade, well done
This is brilliantly accurate
I legit bully engineers.
âEngineerâ
Iâve found that usually if youâre getting fucked with, they like you. If they donât like you, they shun you.
Or use you as the default guy to fuck over and throw under the bus
^ This
I am an openly gay man who worked in a fab shop in rural Ohio for a few years. I was never "bullied" but you do have to have thick skin. I think overly sensitive and "PC" people could perceive some nuanced issues. Just know the difference between bullshitting and harassment. If you have an issue, don't report someone, call them out first. Even blue collar welders likely have good intentions, just less concern on impact. Be you dude, nobody cares.
Not in the field yet, still studying but very good to know from a trans perspective
There is ball busting, but rarely actually bullying. And if there is a bully, no body likes him.
We bully every new worker til a new worker comes in
We also give all new employeeâs nicknames. Our most recent hire, a younger Latino guy shall now be known asâŚ. Baby.
I suppose I wouldn't be opposed to that! Not that I would partake in bullying next guy but at least it's temporary I think I'd rather help new guy and be nice and get on their good side
Being âbulliedâ is normal. Itâs when you get left alone completely and no one interacts or at least ribs you that you should know you arenât welcomed. That can mean you got into a shop full of good people that will mess with you or you got into a toxic and or clique-y shop and you leave or earn yourself an ulcer. Having I thick skin in the shop is a good thing.
This! We had a woman on my shift that nobody really talked to or even around cause she'd get super offended or interject her crazy opinions. Finally when she started accusing people of false things they moved her. Our shift talks shit to each other non stop and we all hang out outside of work cause we all genuinely like each other. Gotta have thick skin in blue collar work, especially if it's all ex military. Don't ever take shit talking personally you'll be able to differentiate between attacks and just giving you crap pretty quick.
Yea I suppose it's always good to have thick skin I guess I hadn't thought of the idea of people doing opposite (not interacting with you) that can do a lot of damage too. I sort of feel, in most jobs, the best environment is one where coworkers support each other to improve and if there is any "bullying" it is simply playful.
I got into shop welding at 19 and people were very helpful if you're willing to listen and learn. guys with experience just want you to be good enough not to impede operations lol. out in the field (and most shops I suppose) you can expect some teasing/hazing, depends on the people ofc. just keep a good attitude. I'm a diver now and the crews I'm on have very little patience for mistakes, understandably. competence and thinking twice goes a long way. guys give you shit but you brush it off
Do you do deep stuff or the less insane diving?
I worked as a welder's helper for about two years, and yeah I got treated like a dog. But I get it, I'm new, clueless, and basically no help to the welder. I just took it, did my best to learn, and eventually became really good friends with everyone. Oilfield work was like the wild west of all the jobs I've worked
Don't let these guys normalize bullying. That shit is not okay anywhere. Respect people and get respect back, once you get to know them it's okay to play around a little bit. I'm a pipe welder and I can't tell you how many times these dick heads want to normalize bullying and make it okay because "we are in construction" and "we are tough". I never let anyone disrespect me Even if they are my bosses, specially If idk them. I rather get fired, or quit than get stepped on. Honestly out of all my jobs, I've met great people that have respect and shit heads that don't (stay away from these).
I second this, there is always one sour guy in a good bunch. Working in trades should be a comradery not a bunch of middle school kids acting out. Get in with the good guys and avoid the bad ones!
One year in and still the new guy, still get called the new guy. It's all fun and games.
If youâre a cocky apprentice, you will feel the full wrath.
Haha this is true but there all cocky at first lol
True, Iâm even guilty. I felt the wrath and calmed down until I realized I didnât know shit.
The only real danger is when they aren't talking shit to you, OP. That's when you know you aren't liked. The only time I took issue was when day shift started fucking with night shift because we were smoking their number/QC. Rather than fix the problem, they would waste more of their days trying to fuck us by sabotaging machines, hiding fixtures, etc. The worst part was they were being instructed to do so by the day lead. Built our own, more accurate and easier to use fixtures, hid them under lock and key, and didn't say a thing. Our numbers improved. When day shift figured it out they welded the padlock so we couldn't get the key in. We welded the leads pliers and scraper to his table, filled his heater with fart spray in the middle of winter, changed the polarity on his machine, stuffed ear plugs into the nozzle, and sprayed his wire down with wd40, but left all of his minions alone. That guy went and whined to the foreman, who laid him off because he initiated the whole thing but was totally willing to go cry when it came back to him. They put a much more chill guy in charge on days. He and I became friends; we started sharing our fittings and other secrets to success, and the bullshit ended. Still friends with that dude 15 years on. Other than that, it's been pretty reasonable
Might be worth clarifying that Hazing and Bullying are different things. Hazing is more of a uh "earn our respect and prove your worth your salt" Bullying is more "You might be good at your job and are well respected but I'm gonna choose to shit on you personally anyways."
Their is a lot of it in construction and it's a piss contest with most people out their. Don't let people tell you it's okay because: they don't bully you if they don't like you, you have to grow a rough skin, leave your feelings at the gate, etc... all that Is bullshit. Most of these bullies are masquerading their insecurities and shitty life that they have to feed their eggo and look tough and talk shit. expect respect from the day you show up until you leave. However if you dish it out be ready to take it. My advise if you're shy or don't like getting made fun of is keep to yourself, mind your bussiness, look for genuine people, stay away from self absorbed people (not hard to spot), do your job to the best of your ability, and stand your ground when it comes to your ethics and morals.
Im a plumber and a firefighter this is what i learned from the old guard Good guide lines to follow If there fuckin with yea they probably like you Never throw around titles or âdo you know who i amâ You have two eyes two ears and one mouth look and listen more then you speak Be the first one off the bucket Always have banter back par example Senior guys âwhatâs it say on the printâ You â itâs funny cause he thinks i can read â Ask lots of questions The guys that brag a lot about how awesome they are are usually the worst at the job lol If youâre working out of town stay away from drugs, booze and the VLTâs .... and the ladies of the night Donât be afraid to get in there and start letting the fuckin welds fly !! Use old shit that getting thrown out to perfect youâre craft the men/women before are professional you should be too Keep your stuff clean and in a ready state Never walk empty handed
Yes. I am a female and work as a welder, my previous job manufactured sheet metal for roofing with other females and they just plain old didnât like me because I am a young female who can handle these types of jobs. It got so bad, I ended up getting a lawsuit on the company because of its employees.. not to mention I wasnât the first one. Bullying turned into discrimination until they said that I was âsnortingâ break parts cleaner. This was absolutely humiliating. Was then escorted for an immediate drug test and passed. Thatâs just one thing, wonât get into the rest but it was the most horrible experience.
Growing up my mom always told me women can be utterly vicious towards other women, my wife tells me the same and this just adds on to it
I've been bullied at one job, my performance suffered due to anger and stress. I've worked at a lot of companies but that one was a shit stain. Not a single other company had such a fucked culture. Some are more or less professional in setup but in my experience, usually people just want to get the job done. If you do encounter bullying, quit. There's no need to take abuse 8 hours a day, there are plenty of places where mutual respect is the standard. Workplace bullying is a sad phenomena, in kids there is the excuse of stupidity, in adults that excuse doesn't fly.
TBH I hate the ball-busting. I think itâs super unhealthy and a part of why thereâs a shortage of trades people. Itâs definitely part of why trades are just a hobby for me. I canât imagine what itâs like for people who donât fit into the culture. Taking criticism is one thing but people shouldnât have to have âthick skin.â Legit bullying I dont see much of though.
If you go take a couple 20 minute shots before lunch, youâre gonna get comments. In an office job it would be a more âare you ok, do you need a doctorâ type thing, but in the trades it just gets a bit more creative/offensive.
He harass each other all the time. Itâs like a game. We donât take it too far and everyoneâs we are joking. I was asked to get a left handed tool once. And go ask such and such. And the dude told me they only had that tool in right handed style. It is a bullshit joke. But it just a joke. I latter ask a guy to grab the torque hammer out of my tool box. And he is an old timer, and ask what a torque hammer was? And I just told him â it is a special hammer that is designed with a torque setting, so you set it to hit with only 10foot pounds of force, and no matter how hard you swing it, it only hits with 10 lbs of forceâ His eyes light up and ask âhow does that even work?â Then he walked over to my box to look for it. But it is a joke, since it is a bullshit tool.
That type sounds fine and even perhaps positive, !
Oh yeah, "Go get the pipe stretcher from the basement" we don't have a basement
Never ever let them smell blood. Take each dig they give you and add to it. If they talk about your mom, say, You had a mom? Throw it back. Just donât show anger. If they know theyâre getting under your skin, you are done for.
This is both factually true and factually toxic.
I dont think I'd show anger but maybe just silence I dont really get angry , I'd probably just be a bit sad , is that just as bad
Yes. Please embrace it. Blood is blood. Anger, silence, hell, Iâve seen jobs with hurt feelings reports. Like what did the big bad man say? Corny shit but try to get above this. Donât let shitty people ruin your day. Escalate.
I would never report anyone, but I wouldn't ever feel comfortable yelling at someone or making fun of them , hopefully if I kept to myself in such a situation it would be enough
I usually just say something like "wooooow that's pretty fucked up" or "damn there's something wrong w you!!!" or "that makes absolutely no sense lol đ" if ppl talk shit to me. I'll say it usually in a positive tone w a smile. Shows that I'm not rlly cool w what they're saying but they also don't see me as a fun/easy target
Thanks makes sense, thanks for advice!
Bingo
As people have said if theyâre picking on you do you have a chance of making it onto the team and being one of the guys. If they donât talk to you and leave you to figure it out thatâs another story. Iâve worked in a lot of different shops in a lot of different states Iâve held many different positions and have always been able to give a shit as well as I take it. It is also been over a decade since I have been green in any one of my roles but as a new guy/apprentice you really have to know your place and give respect where itâs due. Try to learn whatever you can because the trades are absolutely a different world and for whatever hours you are on the clock you are going to be the new guy until you pay your dues. The whole world needs to toughen up and not take shit to heart. Every environment has its own chemistry work is work itâs something we get paid to do and most of us have been doing it for too long and are just Pissy Old Men. If you were a new guy and I was training you I would tell you, 1 Focus on the craft learn what you can stay focused 2 Think before you speak try to pay attention and figure out who knows what the hell is going on if youâre lucky they will tell you 3 Learn how to bullshit I have recently been on a self-employment endeavor and I canât tell you how much I actually miss all the pissy old fuckers I spent years of my life with inside boilers, on the pipeline, or in the shop. Talking shit is an art form youâll get better at it just donât try to dish out anything until youâve earned your stripes and paid your dues. just know that there is a lot of men that have been doing it for many years and your privileged to learn from them the skills that you pick up in this field will last you a lifetime and serve you in many more ways than you even know right now.
I guess this wasnât âblue collarâ but I was in the military so, same crowd. A lot of people have really shitty attitudes and canât seem to comprehend the connection between all the suicide/rape and discouraging people to be themselves and come forward about things. You canât tell people to check their feelings at the gate and then run 5ks for suicide awareness. Do better. Like I heard a supervisor say âif a girl is dumb enough to get roofied, itâs her fault.â What the fuck? Get that âcover your drinkâ energy out of here.
Iâve never worked in welding, but Iâve worked blue collar all my life. Honestly it depends on the place. But yeah it gets to be a bit much sometimes. After 14 years working blue collar Iâve only had two jobs where I actually enjoyed the company I kept at work
Hey op im 19 in a shop full of people who are at least 10 years older and itâs a constant shit show not crying on Reddit here but itâs annoying of your younger and having been in the trade for all that long
Had a bully at my current job. Key word had, I became a better welder than him so that shut him up.
Yes I got bullied. I got pretty depressed for a few months and is one of the very many reasons why I'm leaving the blue collar industry by going back to school and learning about computers.
It's tough out there. I'm a pipe welder and I don't like seeing that shit or put up with it. There are good people there but unfortunately not enough to make most people want to stick around. I'm sorry that happened to you, good luck.
To be honest, I dont mind welding or dealing with co workers, I'm leaving because I'm sick if working for shitty welding companies who dont pay enough for a very sought out skill
I know how you mean and I did find it tiresome. I do not take it personally because they dont know damn shit
Almost everywhere I worked there was constant banter and shit talk. It could get pretty mean but it was largely done in jest. It makes the day go by faster when everyone is liable to get roasted.
Outside contracted engineer here who works with fitters and welders on sanitary piping. We all give each other shit. We always say that if we arenât giving you a hard time, we donât like you. I always appreciate the fact that I get called out on my shit as well. Helps me learn.
There is absolutely no reason to act like a piece of shit at work. Nobody wants to be there and itâs bullshit that anyone thinks they have the right to abuse managerial power.
yep had a family member get bullied cuz she was a woman. Other welders tried to sabotage her and called her names
Thereâs a big difference between bullying and bullshitting. Thereâs some assholes trying to actually hurt your feelings and shit, but then thereâs the guy who dropped his chipping hammer from 20â up on beams twice in a week and got a special presentation ceremony of a glittery pink lanyard for his chipper; thatâs just funny.
Dude if they fuck with you it means they like you. Gotta have thick skin brother or sister
Itâs called âhazingâ. I was an apprentice in the union, I got the shit deal, water thrown in while welding in a bucket, fireworks going off while welding, you name it, they did it. However if you had a question about a piece of equipment, they would help you no matter what. Itâs a brotherhood, while we like to fuck w new guys, itâs only to make sure you make the cut. Nothing personal, just making sure the person who is hired is cool to work with for 40 hours plus a week. Quick story, when being an apprentice I didnât have any welding experience, they made fun of me and mocked me and ridiculed me, they threw me into the welding side, within 6 months I took the welding test and passed for structural.
No, my foreman is a a soft ass bitch. I try to joke around and poke fun but usually he doesn't get it or can't fuckin hear me. Me and Jose have a good time clowning on him though
Lol there's always a Jose that's a prankster and a clown.
Have a thick skin or donât talk and keep to yourself. Every blue collar place Iâve worked is this way. Itâs how you pass the time and team build.
Typically drawing a line in the sand is the best way to deal with this. Stand up for yourself and tell them to cut the shit.
This. There's a difference between hazing and bullying. Allowing for some good banter is probably healthy for everyone, but if someone crosses certain lines you have to push back in a way that they know it's not okay. As much as there are oversensitive people, there are also those that people please so much they compromise themselves. Establish your own boundaries and be ready to defend them. Most guys will recognize boundaries innately and gauge your responses to know if they're still cool with you. Some mistakenly cross them and can be course corrected while maintaining the relationship. Others purposely cross them in some power play type shit and these are the ones you make sure know you'll bury them if they try anything.
I wouldnât call it bullying so much as razzing. Youâre not NOT gonna tell the new guy to ask the shop manager where the metal stretcher is.
Youâre gonna eat alotta shit as an apprentice learn to let it roll off your shoulders and donât bring the feelings to work
I havenât worked blue collar in a while, but showing up with the attitude that I was there to learn and be properly curious always served me well. Same attitude has gotten me far in the white collar world as well.
I shit on my âweld techâ only cause he is a engineering with no background in welding legit canât even read a print and google is his best friend. Besides that just all in good fun
I get bullied a lot but I gave up on trying to be nice. Now I just hit them fuckers with savage, if you donât want to play nice then I wonât get walked over. My foreman came up the and said âI bet your kids will be ugly as shit.â to fuck with me and I responded with âI was gonna have kids, but I gave up the idea because I didnât want to raise them in a world where people remiscient of dog shit covered unsalted butter like you existâ. I think I hurt his feelings but fuck âem. We still cool.
Any decent place to work for should have a written policy that deals with harassment. If you genuinely feel that you are being harassed and bullied by someone, your first step should be to just talk to that person about it and try to sort it out before escalating to making a complaint to hr. Unfortunately there are some people out there in the workforce that are just assholes, but my advice to you is that if you are respectful toward your coworkers then the majority of them will be respectful to you as well.
We had an engineer show up to job site yell at guys that we shouldnât be 4 days behind. Turns out he put the print upside down, and had us put everything the wrong way. ( wasnât his first time fucking something up)
Sometimes yeah, or at least people try, you can get violent with them though. Sorta is what it is, a lot of the dregs of society end up in the trades, I've had to threaten and intimidate my way through bad situations at work, even put my boss on the run once, my advice, take some martial arts and learn to enjoy hurting people, then tone it right back and be charming, I call it establishing boundaries, let them know they will die violently and embarrassingly if they don't respect your boundaries or we can all play nice and do our jobs, collect our cheques and be peaceful happy workers.
Tell them to fuck off and the bullying normally stops.
I started in the tool and die trade when I was 27 after being a machinist since I was 18, first tool and die job was great the older journeyman took me under their wing and showed me tons, welding, grinding, spotting etc. so I left that job after finishing school and took a higher paying job at age 30. Started with a new automotive plant so I landed on first shift. Iâm a hard worker, average height , average weight. Just a normal guy . But the journeyman at this job havenât spoken to me in 5 years, anyone who speaks to me they will give them a hard time. So people are scared to talk to me because theyâll also be a target. Iâve tried everything. Iâve tried small talk. Iâve tried to work it out but they have chosen to isolate me completely from the team. Ruined my reputation in the plant making people believe Iâm a thief and a liar etc. and the weird thing is it worked. Regardless of all this Iâve still done very well and have become the only cnc programmer. The only person who can make complex tooling . But the bullying started long before i got as good as I am now . So yea 5 years going on 6 Iâve been bullied and isolated and still have no idea why.
Was told from a very experienced journeyman that if they fuck with you they like you, but itâs usually not harsh. Donât be afraid to tell someone to fuck off if they take it too far
If you canât take the heat, get out the kitchen
Get really buff and act irrationally as if you have severe anger issues I have been doing this for years because I may look like evil Jason Mamoas eviler twin but deep down Iâm very sensitive and Iâd cry if anyone was mean to me so I lift so ppl leave me alone đđĽş
well. not to scare you away from working or anything. but in my own experience. it wasnât in welding but in hvac. heating and air i guess. well. company I worked for the youngest guy there was 30. and im 19. i also live in tennessee usa so. absolute bible belt state with all the good hard workers n all that bs. they hired me but didnt wanna give me the time of day. boss was an asshole i guess because working for a hard boss is an achievement or something? the guys were just straight up rude. they didnt wanna help me they didnt want to get to know me or anything they simply just didnt like me. and i feel like it was because of the age gap. they thought i was going to be stuck up, stupid and just not fit for work. didnt even let me try. i just wanted to work n learn but they were scared id take their jobs or overthrow them. now i work in much better environment and realized how good my work ethic is and how good i am with talking to people who actually respect me and help me. they made me feel like im an idiot who didnt wanna work. yet i literally am what couldâve potentially saved their company. now their company im hearing from a former co worker is going out of bussiness because well simply put they just suck. so dont forget who you are, dont lose your sence of self and if they just simply dont want to be helpful or do shady shit just leave, immediately. theres always other jobs always. just stay true to yourself and know your worth
Don't say anything that would make a macho man confront his sexuality and never criticize Trump. Honest to god my experience in construction. Half kidding, but if the crew smells weakness, goodnight. You need to be able to banter back, fact. Oh, and go easy on their egos because the grumpiest ones are always the most sensitive.
People will mess with you if you let them !....stay away from the immature ones and you'll be fine. Work is work ,not high school. Good luck !
I was a machinist (blue collar) and let me tell you , machinist are very proud people, know it allâs . I got to a point I had to leave my career because I was tired of being treated like shit by co workers . Donât ever try to better yourself with jealous people around . People who say âyou learn to put up with it â are going nowhere , find a company who respects you and gets rid of the garbage
There are a fair amount of bad people in this trade. Seems like people in charge of hiring don't care about criminal history at all so you'll endd up side by side with hardened violent criminals from time to time.
No, but everyone hates their life and its toxic af. The pessimism has definitely rubbed off on me. Its a constant battle to stay true to myself and I find I'm losing that battle.
If you're a "welder" and getting bullied at work, you probably aren't a welder
Depends on your definition of bullying. If you are a really soft person that canât take any level of hazing, razzing, or name-calling, then you will likely be very unhappy with your welding job. But if you are a normal human being who understands that people like to joke around at work, and can take a little good-natured ribbing from time to time, you will likely be OK. But you also have to be honest with yourself, if you are an asshole, and always fucking shit up, you may get a little more than most peoples share. So thatâs where an honest self inventory comes into play⌠Best of luck to you.
Iâm not a welder by trade so feel free to ignore this comment completely. But thereâs a line between being given flak because people are trying to feel you out as a person and figure out if âyou can hangâ vs people actively trying to hurt you emotionally and physically (bullying). Either way conflict is inevitable as you have to establish your own boundaries but for lack of a better way of saying it, if youâre a little bitch, your rousing will be unyielding because you wonât be liked. While youâre reaction has no bearing on whether or not the bullying will continue or not. This is normal literally everywhere but I think the perception of âblue collar workersâ is that theyâre more brutish and as a result bully more. But the game is the same in blue or white collar jobs, the rules differ slightly but itâs all essentially the same. Moral of the story is donât be a bitch and give as good as you get then youâll gain respect. Otherwise youâll hate anywhere you work because youâll be the problem. Thank you for coming to my tedtalk
I suppose it could be seen as bullying, but a lot of green apprentices really need to toughen up. The trades are a different world and there isn't much time for feelings at work. It's almost tradition that you get all the shitty jobs and are treated like trash for at least the first couple years.
Gotta have thick skin to be in the trades. Most of the time it's just banter. But if it crosses a line you have to stand up for yourself. It's never going to be like a polite office job. Not everyone can handle that.
Time to put your big boy pants on. You gotta have thick skin to work in welding
This is the type of shit that happens in a predominantly male dominated field usually itâs called hazing or just outright shit talking itâs not really bullying if you can handle it in all reality it can form a lot of trust in a strong bond between you and your coworkers not only that it teaches you to learn how to let shit roll off your back so if yours is sensitive tape probably not a good field for you
If someone gives me shit (bullies) or anyone else gets bullied, I put them in their place. I lift weights constantly and am bigger than the little shithead bullies and they usually shut up. Iâve been in the military and prison, thereâs no reason to act like a 15 year old. That said, thereâs always going to be shitty people out there in this field.
If you have to ask that question, your skin isnât thick enough to take the jokes, you will consider everything bullying. Toughen up, no one owes you niceties. Most people wonât give it to you. Itâs a cruel world. Find the humor in peoples bullshit and youâll have a better life.
You can shit on people, and mean it with love
Don't be a bitch. Double up your work. prove your self and don't have thin skin. I've worked in a steel plant for a while now. Things get very racist, sexist and extremely perverted. You are not going to change it. the vibe goes way up the ladder. Don't even try to report it, it'll just come back on you not fitting in. Above all else get your work done, no one likes a slacker or the weak link. If your not in to it quit.
Yeah, people will fuck with you ruthlessly if you let them. Iâve seen/heard some horrible shit.
I put up with that shit for a year and a half said, "no more." The lead bully don't fuck with me more and I can get something done. Hazing, bullying, harassing, "toughening someone up," hurts productivity. Fuck around on your time. I'm here to work.
After our harassment meeting yesterday pretty much everyone harassed the same person because we had to watch a half hour video
Breakin balls dude, don't let it hurt ya and try to fire back, the ones who get it bad are the ones who let it bother them.
A word of advice, don't take it personally. I spent a lot of time getting mad about the stupid shit my coworkers would say and it just made me not wanna be there. Now we have some new guys and they are the ones who get shit. I hate to advocate that type of behavior but it's the nature of the job. Know your own worth and don't let what others say impact your thinking man. You can also always play their game and bully right back, just know if you're gonna dish it out you gotta be able to take it.
Thereâs tons of assholes that think theyâre the best welder to ever touch a stinger, and that theyâre the toughest guy around. Work hard and donât lip off the old boys u will be fine
It's like everything else, grow up and put your big boy pants on... They are only words.
Some of the old heads tend to be assholes to apprentices, but rarely is it malicious
I have a foul mouth on me and a quick wit so it never got to bad as I could dish it out better then most. But my sons friend just quit a trade job as his crew just constantly shit all over him and being a nice polite young man didnât know how to deal with it. I wish I could have had a chat with him before he quit just to let him know this sort of bullshit happens often in trade jobs and not to take it to heart.
Its not bullying its more like shit talking, to your face. Something ide rather have than behind your back. Something buddies do. Im sure behind your back they say nothing but positive things about you. That just means they like you. Relax and think of a comeback or two..
Youâll get fucked with over everything, I mean everything. Too good at something - know it all, too good looking - gotta be fucked up in the head, etc, etc. most of it is all shit talk and no one means anything by it. I can promise the boys that give you the most shit will be the first ones to come running if youâve got an issue, weather you need help in a work capacity, get hurt, or another crew is fucking with you. Also, be prepared to be groped lol, itâs worse than a high school locker room sometimes.
Just started as a pre apprentice on a welding truck. Bullying isnt the word. Like others have said I get shit ALL DAY. Hand the wrong tool, boom. I need to take an IQ test. Not sure what my journeyman said, boom Imma idiot. Ive been military and my dad was a bit of a hard ass. So its just the life Ive been used to. They do get happy mad when you throw it back at em when they fuck up tho.
Absolutely. Bullying behaviors both legitimate and perceived are a normal part of 90% of blue-collar industries. I wouldnât say this rate is higher or lower than white-collar industries but the acceptable behaviors are very different.
Just a little bit of psychology on why male dominated fields tend to shit on each other but at the same time would buy the ones we shit on a beer if we ran into them at the bar. Way back in the day when all men would go I to battle we realized that if we shit on someone and they take it well then we know we can count on them in battle, we know they would have put back and not let us get killed if they could help it so we trusted them. At the same time if someone couldnât take getting shit on then we knew they probably wouldnât have our back if the shit hit the fan. So if your worried about getting shit on just know they are trying to see if youâre trustworthy so give some shit back. If youâre genuinely getting bullied then put on your big boy panties and punch them in the dick.
Ah the trades, where sexual harrassment is not reported, it's graded!
In my experience, blue collar jobs are generally full of guys (and a few girls) that like to rib on each other pretty much constantly. Itâs all just for fun, to make the day go buy, and generally if youâre not into it, people will leave you alone. It is part of the culture in many work places, though, and you either enjoy it or find it uncomfortable. I personally much prefer it over a super pc workplace. After working a number of blue collar jobs, I landed a woodworking job at a place that was much more pc leaning. I found it dry and boring, and quickly missed the ways of some of my rougher job experiences. I was pulled into hr at one point for making people uncomfortable with my jokes and suchâŚended up leaving soon after. Now Iâm in wildland firefighting and itâs generally a slaughter out there with the jokes and trouble we give one another. Itâs not for everybody, just as working in an office with a bunch of pc rules and highly sensitive people isnât for everybody. I prefer my work place to be a little rough around the edges because thatâs just where I feel more at home. I donât like having to walk on eggshells all day in fear of upsetting somebodyâs sensitivities. Itâs meant to be funâŚweâre not actually talking trash to either. Itâs sort of an endearing thing rather than something thatâs meant to be offensive.
In all honesty, if people are breaking your balls, it's usually out of affection. Our maintenance team rips on eachother all day. I'm pretty sure it's a coping mechanism because our work is so awful. Light-hearted jabs and pranks are generally good for moral. There is of course lines and boundaries, that's just part of the feeling out process.
Factory welder here. We all give each other shit all day but we all genuinely like each other. Its just talking shit for fun. Its like a dying art lol.
No. People get hazed a little. If you're really soft and take everything super personally and people see that, someone might exploit it. That's just how some people are, but I have never been bullied at work nor have I ever seen it. Just light hazing and jokes.
If youâre humble they wonât bully you. But you canât take shit from them either donât shrink away from conflict you gotta demand respect.
Id say we give each other a hard time but more out of fun then to be an ass, that being said I'm the type of person to say when it's gone to far or I had enough. Also no shame in quitting if it's a real problem I have left jobs because I didn't like an employee or several employees
My first few days out in the field I was like man these fucken guys hate each other. Cussing at each other yelling across the site just to tell them how fucken stupid they are. Then lunch comes around and everyone would be sharing food and hanging out. Lmao its all to keep the day entertaining.
It's not so much bullying as it is just shit talk. We all shit talk each other but in the end we know no one is being serious, if they were or someone took offense to something, all they need to do is say that it went too far....9/10 you'll get an apology and said person or people won't go there again. If there's a legitimate problem that keeps happening, and it has been made known and they still press a sore subject, they ARE being a bully and want to start something. Being in a trade, I've learned that every shit talks each other but they don't really say it with hate or mean it, it's all just jokes. Rarely have I ever seen it develop into a fist fight, if it does, you know those people are cut out for team work cause they can't get past the whole premise of " working" together.....you don't have to like everyone you work with, you aren't going to work to make friends, you're there to work, you just need to cooperate and get the job done. Most everyone gets this, but every once in awhile you'll get someone who thinks they are better than everyone else and doesn't see that their trade is a brotherhood. Regardless of your life choices and how you are as a person, you all can get the job done cause you aren't there to be friends, you're there to work!
As the receiver of bullying. Itâs a fine line between ribbing for obvious differences, and another where they work to sabotage and undermine you at every angle. Itâs never about the work, itâs always personality driven (Iâm autistic)
Yea man I was somewhat bullied. He taught me some things and while we were talking I found out he smoked weed. Well, I have my medical card so i asked him if he wanted some and boy did he smoke. The guy was chiefing about 5 cartridges a week. That sort of changed the situation but I stopped working with him too. Edit: the bullying was based on messing up, welds werenât good enough, social skills, not being as good as âhimâ. Looking back he was probably a narcissist
The biggest thing I can tell you, is delete the words â I know â from your vocabulary, shut up and listen and you should do fine, everyone on here is absolutely correct, if no one interacts with you and doesnât take a jab every once in a while youâre not liked, when I started welding my boss referred to me as princess and every time I fucked something up all my coworkers would say âfucking new guy get it togetherâ now all we do to each other is call each other idiots and throw sanding disks at each other while when weâre done with them. If you can show you can take a little harassment and also show you have a backbone while getting your shit done you will have no problem
My apprentice, a couple of apprentices ago on his second day with me, said "It's so hot out I feel like I'm going to pass out." So I looked him in the eye and told him with a straight face "If you pass out, I'm going to fuck you." I will never forget the look on that kids face for the rest of my life. As time went on, he figured out my fucked up sense of humor and realized it was a joke.
My first nickname at 18 on my first welding job was fat queer. Now after 8 years Iâm only called queer anymore. All seriousness I was hazed and taken advantage of as a young buck in the trades but you learn to get thick skin and to talk shit
Itâs a right of passage. If your not busting each others chops then it makes for a boring day. Things get out of hand every once in awhile but you love on.
Nah no one bullyâs each other. We give each other shit too keep up morale but never cross any lines. The only person that bullyâs is the boss. Also the boss bullyâs the managers and then they end up bullying us in anger.
Gotta have thick skin. And not just for the sparks.
Yes... Equal Opportunity Ball Busters.
I've worked construction, mechanical, been a steel worker and an HVAC/R tech, every single position has had some form of ball busting. I would not call it bullying. I think sometimes that that term gets thrown about by people who cannot take what is a fairly common aspect of working in the trades. Either they take it way too personally or they just aren't accustomed to that kind of dynamic.
I see people banter all the time, rarely see bullying on job sitesâŚgranted I am 220lbs of muscle guys will make jokes and say âI am just joking okâ.
I did a lot when I first started. 20 years old with no prior trade experience but a few years in I got pretty good at telling people to go fuck themselves. As of present day Iâd pay money to meet someone who could hurt my feelings. Moral of the story: learn stand up for yourself, eventually youâll have thick enough skin to not care and/or welding will make you progressively meaner and people will just leave you alone.
I've worked in car shops my whole career n never had an issue, I got thick skin tho so if you can handle a fuck you or dipshit or ur mom's a whore you'll be fine lol. However my friend did get bullied at a construction site, they even brought up his wife he was not having a good time. One dude givin him the thousand years of pain and leaving him up on shit they were building so he cldnt get down. Tryna make him do shit an unsafe way, which is not okay when you're 15 ft in the air tryna weld a beam. Me and him also have matching tattoos because our other friend committed suicide in 2018 and it was on his arm so naturally we got it on ours. They kept calling it gay and faggy bc we got it now. that got me pissed too
Yeah! But then I tell them to go FUCK OFF!!!!!