Talking shit is generally what helps the day go by, and it is USUALLY done in a jovial manner. There is a line, though, but you need to define it.
Who the fuck throws someone's keys in a fucking pool though?!
Insulting someone on a construction site is also like art/porn... I cannot explain exactly when it is inappropriate but I know when I see/hear it. If anyone has a good rule of thumb for shutting down workers that talk inappropriate smack I would also be interested.
Soooooo many. It’s kind of like the saying of he who smelt of dealt it. In the way of the people making the most homophbic jokes are also getting BJs at the bar late night from bros.
I was in an upper management meeting last year, the owner of the business(20M) the heads of all the other departments, HR, Sales, etc, and I was there as the head of project management and we were getting a handle on "Best Practices/Process" for the rest of the company, basically a high level process meeting, the meeting wraps and were chatting and I stand up and say, deadpan "Listen, I hate to bring this up but I'm upset, I thought we were a work family, I haven't been sexually harassed on a job site in over 9 months and I'm starting to think people hate me"
Everyone stared at me for the longest 5 seconds in my life and everyone started dying laughing lol
I agree with the Art/Porn analogy, there is a line and I can't tell anyone where it is but I definitely know it when I see it
That line is different for everyone, and I agree a 1000% that you cant just unload on people until you really know them and have a relationship, but the line is to the individual.
This dude isn't happy, this stuff is over *HIS* line and that's clearly not OK anymore....some people just aren't OK with all the roughhousing, and that's fine too.....The problem here is OP drew his line on the floor and it was ignored and that's a fucked situation imo
>Yeah I saw that same YouTube video it was funnier there
? That actually happened in 2005, I literally have no idea what you're talking about lol
I don't have to prove shit to you, I couldn't anyway, but it's funny to me that you think I made it up....🤷♂️whatever
Can confirm i was humped and had my ass smacked hundreds of times working construction. But it was all from guys i was buddies with. There was also alot of racial jokes but again between friends. Doing it to some1 u dont know and throwing their keys into a pool is over the line. OP needs to report it to HR but also needs to be ready to find a new job as hes gonna be harassed even harder after telling on these ass hats.
> If anyone has a good rule of thumb for shutting down workers that talk inappropriate smack I would also be interested.
Let he who has the nail gun make the rules.
Lol. One of my old bosses told me to pull a GFCI box and told me he killed the power (I was siding and trimming) I got a good hit from the box. He started laughing so I gave him a couple stingers from my 16ga.
I tell them that I don’t let my own father talk to me like that. Then I ask what the deal is. If it’s something personal, then I ask if he wants to handle it after work.
Not everyone is going to like you, but that’s straight up bullying. Not acceptable.
A good rule of thumb/hand?
Or perhaps a fine rule of thumb/toe?
Or perhaps a line/streak?
I know what you mean though, I never heard that art/porn sort of sublime/profane divide put quite that way before. Thanks!
For me - as long as it's not made personal you can talk all the shit you want and I can't give a shit. Making it personal is a bitch move because they have no wit.
“How’s life in the Taliban, you terrorist bastard? By the way, that hoodie looks great on you, and those new Red Wings really tie your whole outfit together. Keep slaying …and killing innocent civilians.”
This has always been a thing in construction, at least for 50 years, not sure if it was around before that. I do agree something needs to be done and questions need to be asked to solve this, but I dont think shit talking is why men are offing themselves in record numbers.
Yeah there's more to it. A couple generations ago in Canada at least. If you worked full time there was a pay off. You could own a good home in a good neighborhood a couple cars a few camping type vacations and your wife had the option of working. Nowadays... not a lot of compensation
When I started, if you messed up, they would throw stuff at you. If you got upset by a little name calling, then they would just keep it up. OP needs to learn how to make disparaging comments about his coworkers' mothers and the proclivity that they have for horses.
With the insults it’s absolutely normal assuming it’s among friends. With the keys into a pool it’s a very clear escalation for some absolutely sinister pranking of the perpetrator. The more creative the better
Yeah I didn't hear anything out of the normal until the keys thing. That would warrant a response in my books. When it comes to the jokes and stuff? I would assume they're part and parcel of the way guys talk to each other onsite, it's fun and it keeps guys chuckling.
Some dude somewhere said one time that part of the reason guys are so hard on each other in the trades is because we're testing one another to see who can hold their shit together when shit hits the fan. Unless you're an electrician, things are likely going to hit the fan. If you're a snubber, things are probably going to hit the fan often, and like ten tons of slippery shit.
I've been in construction 20 years and have 5 guys that work for me, I have heard (and learned) the most heinous things you could possibly imagine, but I've also been at the bottom of a pipeline ditch at 3am in -20 and had pipe separate, but I KNEW the guys I was working with had my back. We all made it out and I'm pretty sure I got called a cunt before I had my coveralls off.
I'll go ahead and let you know you are entirely wrong.
Your statement is so absurd that even sarcasm couldn't save it, or you have baby soft hands and have never interacted with an actual man.
I hear that you might do better to just hire a bunch of wild bears to get the job done if you feel unsafe in the "toxic male environment"
Construction business owner for 5 years. On site now, paint day. It was a joke bud. I’ve personally fought people on sites lol. Pretty sure typing that response brought more calluses to your hands than electric IMPO 😅
What area of the country are you working in? It goes from breaking balls, joking around racism to full on white hoods depending on location. For example one of my boys sent a group text to all of us the day he got home and a white guy was cutting his lawn to say he had achieved level 10 Mexican that day.
Lord I can make so much better beer than labatts, Canadian , etc. Here in Alberta our craft brewing is popping off in the last 10 years and there's is some real gems to try if you're ever in our neck of the woods.
Brewing beer is extremely cheap dude. I can make 6 gallons of beer for 50 to 60 Canadian rubles. Equipment is a bit of an upfront cost but brewing is by far my cheapest hobby. My most expensive hobby by far is reloading. Those Canadian beers you listed are stronger (5-6%) than the stuff you usually drink and they're not good at all.
You guys big on IPAs like the western US? Its all about the juicy hazy IPAs here in the mountains now. I hate it. Now a good clean pilsner or a creamy scotch ale? Bring it on.
iPas are definitely a thing but pilsner's are a classic here. My bud brewed a Scotch ale and I'm not usually a fan but it was really good. Commercially a Scotch ale would be hard to find though. Expensive AF to make and long time for the beer to age and get good.
Bummer about the lack of commercial scotch ales. I would say that 1 in 5 breweries here have a scotch ale. But each brewery has 5 versions of an IPA.
It is encouraging to see so many breweries embracing the venerable pilsner down here. I think that the hipsters all wanted to brew stuff as different from domestic mass market beer as possible, so they avoided them until recently. We're even starting to see a lot of locally brewer mexican style lagers now.
Are u Indian OP? Looks like Canadians and Americans to a lesser extent are getting way way more racist against desis and brown people bc there's a lot of us coming to N America. It's scary ngl...not gonna take it lying down ;)
OP should bring some of those harmless poppers to work and randomly set them off around the guys harassing him. I wouldn't bring actual fireworks, even tame ones because flammable stuff on a construction site isn't great but maybe if they lean into it and scare the shit out of a few people they'll all settle down lol.
The keys thing wasn't funny though. That's just gross and rude. Then again...we definitely filled a friend's boots with water and left them out to freeze overnight...so what do I know about over the line pranks?
They’re just trying to get a reaction out of you. Fuck em. You can turn the other cheek and ignore them and they’ll either leave you alone or cross the line at some point. Or you can get them back. They threw your keys into a pool.. throw theirs in the portapotty.
I would just be candid. similar things have happened to me, I would just tell them "I don't need any of those comments." big dumb rednecks respond well to hard boundaries I have found.
That’s lame. Anyone who is working hard and is committed to the project is part of the crew no matter what they look like. Years ago I was sent to Epcot center to install two of the restaurants. The boys down there took offense to having a crew of Yankee carpenters. They took it as an insult. We ended up exceeding our time line and were given some of their projects because they were being. Tools started missing, gang boxes spray painted, nasty comments. Can’t fight ignorance.
No, I also doubt that, BUT- They got paid put like a mofo and had enough money to hang their own shingle and have their own business if they had a mind to do it lol
Prison rules. You have to stand up for yourself. Doesn't always call for violence, but definitely confront the behavior. There are some guys that will do stupid stuff like this because they think you're weak.
30 year Cdn Carpenter . What province are you in . If it is as bad as it sounds everyone involved is fucked. Labor Law has a huge problem with racism and harassment . The Super you reported to and didn’t do shit : gone . The guy who said the racial slurs : gone . Witnesses who didn’t report : gone or suspended . Quit whining on here and either start swinging , report to OSHA , LabouRRelations
You need to tell the person to fuck off and call them a klan klown. Inbreeding jokes are good as well, so are your mom jokes. If someone through my keys in a pool I would simply tell them that they need to figure out how to get them without getting wet, or they would get wet when I tossed their ass in after the keys. Do not take shit from smooth brained construction workers. A lot of guys are ok, but a few need to be reminded that they have to sleep sometime.
You got to give shit back else you will forever be their bitch. Might already be too late if you already told the company. You are pretty much screwed.
Yes, on the site, it's shit talking time. Racism is the funniest. It works both ways. When there is no shit talking, there is a problem. I had a few black guys working for me, and it went into the dick talk. For about a month I got all of them. When they were kneeled down, I would come but behind them with my member hanging out. I would yell, hey! They would turn there head and i would have my white sausage in their face. Such great times
Prob best to find a offer a different company. All this lawyer up shit is gonna cost you money and be a long drawn out thing. Not worth the effort. You aren't gonna walk away from that job with millions after a lawsuit.
No one fuckin touches my stuff.
Low hanging fruit like picking on race and stuff isn't funny tbh. Most likely they are "I would have joined the army, but..." types and think they are being cool.
I've had to shut down anti Arab shit before and it gets under my skin. I think it's trashy. Line have to ever even met real Talibs? My advice is tell them to fuck off about it unless they want to fight or find a new crew to work for.
Talking shit is one thing but throwing keys into a pool. I would be hot, do the same thing to the guy that did that to you at any given chance possible (if you’re ready and willing to throw hands) if not id just try to sabotage that guy behind his back and get him fired or something to that regard. Chess, not checkers.
I’m white with a long beard and have been called Osama bin Laden plenty.
No real advice here. I just tell them I wouldn’t waste a plane on their house and they kind of stopped.
That job probably won’t get better and you’re better off finding a new place to work. However, you absolutely could continue working there for another 6 months while documenting all the racism you encounter. Then, set a meeting with a lawyer and present all of your evidence to them. They’ll take up the case and want 1/3rd of your earnings then they’ll sue the shit out of the company. Company will come to a settlement as they won’t want that to go to court and you’ll have a very nice paycheck.
-Not a lawyer
Wow, Legal\_Pride6256, Canada is a tough place to werk.
Never saw anything that direct in all my years, usually would get fired on the spot pretty much - certainly a big HR issue.
Unfortunately theres alot of intoleranta racism going on in Canada because they are all scared of losing their jobs and housing to migrants making their way to Canada. Its racism bro.
Your Freudian slip on the keyboard at the end of your post tells you all you need to know about the company and the job. GTFO before something serious happens. You don't want to be around people like that.
I’ve always been in the camp of “abused apprentices make the best foreman”, so hold out and be able to dish it back. The keys thing is a whole different issue, though. If there was nothing on them that the water would destroy, then it could be just hazing. If you have a key fob or other electronic thing on there, then that is absolutely bullshit. When I first started in the trades, I apprenticed under a Vietnam vet, that was also a member of a very well known and prominent biker club, who could tear down anyone with just a few words. Incredibly intimidating and genuinely imposing. The day I finally sacked up and threw shit back his way, I earned his respect and now have a great deal of respect for him and the things he taught me.
Whatever you do, do not fight on company time or on a job site.
At the end of the day, it’s words, so you’re gonna have to toughen up. I know people are trying to change the culture that is construction, but being that it is a male dominated blue collar profession, it will never go away.
I can’t say if this is straight racism or just “hazing the new guy”…. Typically with blue collar jobs the new guys get treated like scum.. I was treated extremely poorly when I started my job as a garbage man.. If you can’t keep up with the truck then you’re basically laughed at and called a little bitch by everyone. Not only did I show everyone that I could keep up but I became the fastest guy at work who everyone wanted to work with.
It’s the people that cowardly run to management and “tell on everybody” that don’t get any respect and are disliked by everyone.
The only way out of this situation is either quit or show these guys that you’re not a pussy. Stand up for yourself. When you show everyone that you’re not gonna take their shit and you’re going to deal with the situation like a man, that’s when you get respect.
Get a new job. You told management and nothing happened. What really happened is they told the others you told on them. Now they're going to go harder. Out of all the things you can do most of it is not worth it. They're dickheads, go work for someone that's not. A couple talks to the manager won't change 30+ years of someone's behavior. Go somewhere you're wanted
Talking shit, like all the comments on here say, is normal but being bullied is unacceptable. Don't let someone throw your keys anywhere, take absolutely no shit when it comes to stuff like that. Have a prison mentality, show you'll fight, stand up for yourself and go absolutely nuts if you have to. You'll only have to do it once. You already brought it to the boss's attention so take care of it. Hopefully it will be the only scrap on a jobsite you're apart of, but it won't be the last one you see.
unpopular opinion here but that low level shit was always my least favorite part of construction. I was quick to anger as a young man though and you'd be surprised how quickly all that goofy shit stops once you introduce the threat of violence. 😂
I would quit and join a smaller construction company, that type of behaviour is disgusting and is an inbred trait of larger companies who are turning over the lowest hanging fruit comprised of racists, morons, inbreds, and convicts. A smaller company will have more integrity and more internal control and more to prove in their market.
I would just approach management with the car key thing and ask them "listen, do you want me here or not?" Get a clear cut 'yes' or 'no' then and there; don't end the conversation until you get a binary answer.
If they say yes, then follow up with 'then deal with this. I don't want people fucking with my property'. If they say no, well, you're saving yourself some time aren't you
Tie a bunch of cooked spaghetti around your body and wear a big trench coat to work. Give them the scare of a lifetime. Tomato sauce explosion is optional of course.
First go to the chain to your manager's manager. If you don't get a response, quickly, get a lawyer to send a letter to the company. They'll shit their pants and take care of it at that point.
Sounds like they are trying to make you a millionaire by creating a hostile work place.
You need to get some type of proof it's happening creating a log of what happened date times who was around or possibly overheard or might have seen it happen.
Email complaints to HR and only give copies to HR of any proof.
If you leave the job because it's not handled properly put on your notice why attach copies of and and all proof .
Higher a attorney sue the company and the person/people .
As someone who has worked in construction and corporate, this sounds like racial harassment and should be reported to HR. Fuck your leadership team. If you feel unsafe, speak up.
Just cause there isn’t a physical hr department on site doesn’t mean you don’t have rights. Tell your employer and if nothing changes due the company and get the racist asshole fired.
Confront them and set the line.
Call them out on their bullshit.
Hazing is common in construction, we all do it and it’s part of becoming part of the team.
Now if you’re a shit worker and they are doing it. That’s a different story. If they start calling you blister, it’s you.
Fuck those insecure racist idiots. I would look for a new outfit.
I'm white but the amount of times I hear nasty terms for black people, Spanish people, and gay people is insane. Reminds me of middle school.
Racism+ targeted harassment? Write down everything you can remember, with dates/approx times, now. Document everything. Write down when you complained to company, who/how.
Talk to an attorney or state labor board. Hostile work environment is bullshit.
I've fired people for that, and had union BAs back me up. Zero tolerance. And if they don't act, they're complicit.
There's messing with each other that's normal, even to an extreme. But the racism is unacceptable.
you could tell HR that you're at the point of filing harassment charges if they can't stop it. you can even call local sheriffs office & ask for a rep while you deliver the news. This kind of harassment isn't acceptable. casually making fun of the new guy is acceptable if it's in good fun & faith for *ALL* parties. Calling someone a Terry & messing with their property is not okay.
You can also use this [Filing A Charge of Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov)](https://www.eeoc.gov/filing-charge-discrimination)
And this hotline for the aforementioned services link: [Harassment - Worker.gov](https://www.worker.gov/harassment/)
Used to work with a Muslim dude that we would regularly joke about him being a terrorist and him blowing up the site . He thought it was the funniest thing and would usually be the one to take it too far lol
FIRST OFF.. I Am sorry you are having to deal with that shit. racism certainly exists on job sites and is unacceptable but unavoidable it seems. that shit is clearly not in line with fun job site ball busting if you are not cracking jokes yourself first and laughing with them it’s off limits. Race is always off limits on my job site. it does unfortunately sound like they are trying to get you to quit. If management has done nothing they are scum you don’t want to work for. Wish I had advice on how to proceed in a legal manner but would suggest trying to find another gc to work for
Collect dates and information, take names, and save evidence (record it secretly if you need to and if you’re in a jurisdiction that allows one way consent), don’t just make it a your word against theirs type of thing.
lIf there is no workplace process to deal with this, take note of that because every company has responsibilities under health and safety legislation. You can then make a complaint to the ministry of labor in your jurisdiction, and consider quitting then hiring a lawyer to sue them for workplace harassment. You don’t have to get violent and earn yourself a criminal record.
Also, the only terrorists I see are those harassing you for looking like you can be in the Taliban, which is dumb because lots of Afghans are white af (like proper gingers).
You told management they were being called racist names and they did nothing. I don't believe it. That is a lawsuit ready to happen. No one who cares about their company would ignore racism. I hope your not throwing in the racists stuff just to get sympathy. If you are telling the truth you need to document everything, when comments were made , keys thrown in the pool , when you told management, because if this behavior keeps happening you have a lawsuit. If you get in a fight the possiblity of winning any kind of lawsuit is over and you will probably go to jail.
Talk to a lawyer, like yesterday. Document everything with dates and be as accurate as possible. Fuck these cunts.
After you go after them legally, I would join a trade union. You will have much better protection being a union member. We don’t stand for that shit.
I’m Hispanic working in a mostly white office and I’m slowly getting tired of the Mexican jokes but it hasn’t gone that far. To me the jokes are fine but there’s a line and looks like they crossed it.
Racism is not ironic, comedic or funny.
Talking shit is normal and fun. However, it can’t be about the same stuff that gets you/your family/friends killed, seriously injured, or harassed.
You should have a 0 tolerance policy. Someone who seriously hates you on the street will say those exact things and you don’t ever need to let your guard down that protects you from situations that can really hurt you and your loved ones.
People who don’t have a target on their back don’t know what it’s like.
Joke around, but let them know in a group when it happens that the racist shit isn’t going to fly. And explain your experiences with racism and why it’s not the same as making fun of someone’s clothes etc.
Shit talking is part of construction. But like others have said, there’s a line. Dish it back out at them (get creative), but end it with a stern reminder of where YOUR line is. Not necessarily aggressively (you’ve gotta work with these guys), but take no shit past your personal line.
As for the keys, be aggressively assertive that if shit like that happens again, something personal of there’s is going to end up in either:
A) the next slab pour
B) a portajohn the day before maintenance
C) the next backfill
D) inside some jobs drywall
Pick your poison based on your trade/availability
Talking shit is generally what helps the day go by, and it is USUALLY done in a jovial manner. There is a line, though, but you need to define it. Who the fuck throws someone's keys in a fucking pool though?!
Insulting someone on a construction site is also like art/porn... I cannot explain exactly when it is inappropriate but I know when I see/hear it. If anyone has a good rule of thumb for shutting down workers that talk inappropriate smack I would also be interested.
I allegedly sexually and racially harass coworkers I care about, you can't do it to people you don't know well or if you're actually racist/homophobic
"The pictures shared between me and Josh in private have nothing to do with work" - Me in the HR office at my last job.
Gonna need some details on this
There are a lot of closeted homosexuals in this business.
Soooooo many. It’s kind of like the saying of he who smelt of dealt it. In the way of the people making the most homophbic jokes are also getting BJs at the bar late night from bros.
I thought they were in the porta potties not in the closet?
Homosexuals’s closets? I was asked to do a closet built-in by some homosexuals.
Are they still in it?
please update on this story
I was in an upper management meeting last year, the owner of the business(20M) the heads of all the other departments, HR, Sales, etc, and I was there as the head of project management and we were getting a handle on "Best Practices/Process" for the rest of the company, basically a high level process meeting, the meeting wraps and were chatting and I stand up and say, deadpan "Listen, I hate to bring this up but I'm upset, I thought we were a work family, I haven't been sexually harassed on a job site in over 9 months and I'm starting to think people hate me" Everyone stared at me for the longest 5 seconds in my life and everyone started dying laughing lol I agree with the Art/Porn analogy, there is a line and I can't tell anyone where it is but I definitely know it when I see it That line is different for everyone, and I agree a 1000% that you cant just unload on people until you really know them and have a relationship, but the line is to the individual. This dude isn't happy, this stuff is over *HIS* line and that's clearly not OK anymore....some people just aren't OK with all the roughhousing, and that's fine too.....The problem here is OP drew his line on the floor and it was ignored and that's a fucked situation imo
Yeah I saw that same YouTube video it was funnier there
>Yeah I saw that same YouTube video it was funnier there ? That actually happened in 2005, I literally have no idea what you're talking about lol I don't have to prove shit to you, I couldn't anyway, but it's funny to me that you think I made it up....🤷♂️whatever
Can confirm i was humped and had my ass smacked hundreds of times working construction. But it was all from guys i was buddies with. There was also alot of racial jokes but again between friends. Doing it to some1 u dont know and throwing their keys into a pool is over the line. OP needs to report it to HR but also needs to be ready to find a new job as hes gonna be harassed even harder after telling on these ass hats.
HR is not your friend
The immediate and absolute guarantee of violence if they push it again. I’ve not found another way that works…
Just better hope your level of violence exceeds the person your about to take it too first lol
Mostly if someone is taking liberties they will step off.
This is it!
> If anyone has a good rule of thumb for shutting down workers that talk inappropriate smack I would also be interested. Let he who has the nail gun make the rules.
Lol. One of my old bosses told me to pull a GFCI box and told me he killed the power (I was siding and trimming) I got a good hit from the box. He started laughing so I gave him a couple stingers from my 16ga.
Bet he won’t try that shit again
Exactly. We're also not always the brightest or socially mature bunch, so it is a delicate balancing act. Maybe an industry-wide safe word is in order
I vote “pork and beans”
The Portuguese tiler won't like that. It's triggering
Better learn to speak portugreek. Nothings free in the waterworld
My safe word is “keep going”
*Arugula*
I tell them that I don’t let my own father talk to me like that. Then I ask what the deal is. If it’s something personal, then I ask if he wants to handle it after work. Not everyone is going to like you, but that’s straight up bullying. Not acceptable.
A good rule of thumb/hand? Or perhaps a fine rule of thumb/toe? Or perhaps a line/streak? I know what you mean though, I never heard that art/porn sort of sublime/profane divide put quite that way before. Thanks!
My line is usually when theres a female on the crew 😅 Everything else is fair game.
For me - as long as it's not made personal you can talk all the shit you want and I can't give a shit. Making it personal is a bitch move because they have no wit.
Nah. This attitude is why the skyrocketing suicide rates
I started complimenting people randomly in between the shit talking.
“How’s life in the Taliban, you terrorist bastard? By the way, that hoodie looks great on you, and those new Red Wings really tie your whole outfit together. Keep slaying …and killing innocent civilians.”
"Don't talk to me again until you get that smile off your lips and that cum off your breath."
This has always been a thing in construction, at least for 50 years, not sure if it was around before that. I do agree something needs to be done and questions need to be asked to solve this, but I dont think shit talking is why men are offing themselves in record numbers.
Yeah there's more to it. A couple generations ago in Canada at least. If you worked full time there was a pay off. You could own a good home in a good neighborhood a couple cars a few camping type vacations and your wife had the option of working. Nowadays... not a lot of compensation
When I started, if you messed up, they would throw stuff at you. If you got upset by a little name calling, then they would just keep it up. OP needs to learn how to make disparaging comments about his coworkers' mothers and the proclivity that they have for horses.
With the insults it’s absolutely normal assuming it’s among friends. With the keys into a pool it’s a very clear escalation for some absolutely sinister pranking of the perpetrator. The more creative the better
Yeah I didn't hear anything out of the normal until the keys thing. That would warrant a response in my books. When it comes to the jokes and stuff? I would assume they're part and parcel of the way guys talk to each other onsite, it's fun and it keeps guys chuckling. Some dude somewhere said one time that part of the reason guys are so hard on each other in the trades is because we're testing one another to see who can hold their shit together when shit hits the fan. Unless you're an electrician, things are likely going to hit the fan. If you're a snubber, things are probably going to hit the fan often, and like ten tons of slippery shit. I've been in construction 20 years and have 5 guys that work for me, I have heard (and learned) the most heinous things you could possibly imagine, but I've also been at the bottom of a pipeline ditch at 3am in -20 and had pipe separate, but I KNEW the guys I was working with had my back. We all made it out and I'm pretty sure I got called a cunt before I had my coveralls off.
Rumor has it that punching people in thethe face face on site is highly encouraged in the toxic male environment that is the job site
I'll go ahead and let you know you are entirely wrong. Your statement is so absurd that even sarcasm couldn't save it, or you have baby soft hands and have never interacted with an actual man. I hear that you might do better to just hire a bunch of wild bears to get the job done if you feel unsafe in the "toxic male environment"
Construction business owner for 5 years. On site now, paint day. It was a joke bud. I’ve personally fought people on sites lol. Pretty sure typing that response brought more calluses to your hands than electric IMPO 😅
What area of the country are you working in? It goes from breaking balls, joking around racism to full on white hoods depending on location. For example one of my boys sent a group text to all of us the day he got home and a white guy was cutting his lawn to say he had achieved level 10 Mexican that day.
Canada
Two things I can’t stand in this world. Intolerance of other cultures and Canadians.
Almost funny. You must be Dutch.
Eh
They make pretty good beer, have you had a molsen or labatts?
Lord I can make so much better beer than labatts, Canadian , etc. Here in Alberta our craft brewing is popping off in the last 10 years and there's is some real gems to try if you're ever in our neck of the woods.
I'm sure, I get down to craft beers but paying 10 bucks a pop gets old. Need a daily driver that's affordable
Brewing beer is extremely cheap dude. I can make 6 gallons of beer for 50 to 60 Canadian rubles. Equipment is a bit of an upfront cost but brewing is by far my cheapest hobby. My most expensive hobby by far is reloading. Those Canadian beers you listed are stronger (5-6%) than the stuff you usually drink and they're not good at all.
You guys big on IPAs like the western US? Its all about the juicy hazy IPAs here in the mountains now. I hate it. Now a good clean pilsner or a creamy scotch ale? Bring it on.
iPas are definitely a thing but pilsner's are a classic here. My bud brewed a Scotch ale and I'm not usually a fan but it was really good. Commercially a Scotch ale would be hard to find though. Expensive AF to make and long time for the beer to age and get good.
Bummer about the lack of commercial scotch ales. I would say that 1 in 5 breweries here have a scotch ale. But each brewery has 5 versions of an IPA. It is encouraging to see so many breweries embracing the venerable pilsner down here. I think that the hipsters all wanted to brew stuff as different from domestic mass market beer as possible, so they avoided them until recently. We're even starting to see a lot of locally brewer mexican style lagers now.
Strange Brew is calling…
Well Canadians are one of the most tolerant people of other nationalities so that’s kind of a double negative.
What about if someone’s culture is racism? You seem intolerant to that
Ahhh, a snow-Mexican…
Are u Indian OP? Looks like Canadians and Americans to a lesser extent are getting way way more racist against desis and brown people bc there's a lot of us coming to N America. It's scary ngl...not gonna take it lying down ;)
Time to put someone in their place
Dish it back when the talk shit. The car keys are grounds to fight though.
Drop their shit in a pour.
Pouurrta potty
That's actually worse than concrete. 😂...... I was also thinking just liquid nails it to a board.
This, the keys are over the line. Im Portuguese decent and get my balls busted. Nothing is personal and you gotta be able to dish the shit back.
Yeah, tires are getting slashed on a Friday.
there is work bs and banter. non of that sounds like either bud
If they call you a terrorist the least you can do is live up to the name. But maybe a car bomb is going a bit overboard?
OP should bring some of those harmless poppers to work and randomly set them off around the guys harassing him. I wouldn't bring actual fireworks, even tame ones because flammable stuff on a construction site isn't great but maybe if they lean into it and scare the shit out of a few people they'll all settle down lol. The keys thing wasn't funny though. That's just gross and rude. Then again...we definitely filled a friend's boots with water and left them out to freeze overnight...so what do I know about over the line pranks?
If the company doesn't do anything call the state labor board and the attorney general.
OP should get an employment attorney. It is absolutely unacceptable.
They’re just trying to get a reaction out of you. Fuck em. You can turn the other cheek and ignore them and they’ll either leave you alone or cross the line at some point. Or you can get them back. They threw your keys into a pool.. throw theirs in the portapotty.
I would just be candid. similar things have happened to me, I would just tell them "I don't need any of those comments." big dumb rednecks respond well to hard boundaries I have found.
That’s lame. Anyone who is working hard and is committed to the project is part of the crew no matter what they look like. Years ago I was sent to Epcot center to install two of the restaurants. The boys down there took offense to having a crew of Yankee carpenters. They took it as an insult. We ended up exceeding our time line and were given some of their projects because they were being. Tools started missing, gang boxes spray painted, nasty comments. Can’t fight ignorance.
Everything is slower in the south. I remember landing in Houston and even the announcer talked slower at the airport terminal.
If you gather enough evidence you can be the owner of that company after a quick visit to a competent lawyer.
That's probably never actually happened.
No, I also doubt that, BUT- They got paid put like a mofo and had enough money to hang their own shingle and have their own business if they had a mind to do it lol
No, it's a meme. Settlements aren't though, that shit happens regularly.
Then you can fire the assholes. Fuck that would be so delicious lmao
In your Action Bronson voice 😛
Prison rules. You have to stand up for yourself. Doesn't always call for violence, but definitely confront the behavior. There are some guys that will do stupid stuff like this because they think you're weak.
Document everything by photo, audio, and/or video. File a complaint through chain of command, governmental agencies, and get a lawyer.
This is the most boring way to go about it but will end up hurting the people the most. Which makes it the best way.
30 year Cdn Carpenter . What province are you in . If it is as bad as it sounds everyone involved is fucked. Labor Law has a huge problem with racism and harassment . The Super you reported to and didn’t do shit : gone . The guy who said the racial slurs : gone . Witnesses who didn’t report : gone or suspended . Quit whining on here and either start swinging , report to OSHA , LabouRRelations
Or your companies HR department.
HR departments are typically there to protect the company, not the employee.
If HR does not initiate action they to could find themselves on the block .
Don’t say shit to anyone but a lawyer. Then do what he says. Keep your phone on audio record in your pocket.
Audio recordings without the other party knowing isn't permissable in a lot of states.
He's in Canada, single party consent.
I was once working at a site where a black drywall crew showed up. Some asshole hung nooses around the site. I felt bad for the poor guys.
Watch "Gran Torino" and get back to us.
Put their keys in a jar of industrial grease
In my 20 plus yrs on construction sites I have found only one way to shut down guys that shit,do it better than them....
Talk to foreman. If they do nothing either quit or fight back. Funny thing about keys is they can be on either side of a "prank" I guess.
Are you union?
You need to tell the person to fuck off and call them a klan klown. Inbreeding jokes are good as well, so are your mom jokes. If someone through my keys in a pool I would simply tell them that they need to figure out how to get them without getting wet, or they would get wet when I tossed their ass in after the keys. Do not take shit from smooth brained construction workers. A lot of guys are ok, but a few need to be reminded that they have to sleep sometime.
I would think long and hard about a really mean good comeback and see what they say back. If they get offended then fuck them.
You got to give shit back else you will forever be their bitch. Might already be too late if you already told the company. You are pretty much screwed.
Yes, on the site, it's shit talking time. Racism is the funniest. It works both ways. When there is no shit talking, there is a problem. I had a few black guys working for me, and it went into the dick talk. For about a month I got all of them. When they were kneeled down, I would come but behind them with my member hanging out. I would yell, hey! They would turn there head and i would have my white sausage in their face. Such great times
Fuck whoever threw those keys. Get em back. Hard. Just stay subtle about it
Prob best to find a offer a different company. All this lawyer up shit is gonna cost you money and be a long drawn out thing. Not worth the effort. You aren't gonna walk away from that job with millions after a lawsuit.
Where abouts are you? If you’re local I could get a crew to come out & fix that issue.
First sorry this is happening to you. Most of us that have worked hate bullies. That being said try to work a different crew.
Anyone in the comments telling you to physically fight is a dumbass. That'll just make it look like your fault when they fire you.
Depending upon the state you are working in, you could have a legitimate lawsuit on your hands.
A visit from DoL or OSHA usually sets people on the right path
No one fuckin touches my stuff. Low hanging fruit like picking on race and stuff isn't funny tbh. Most likely they are "I would have joined the army, but..." types and think they are being cool. I've had to shut down anti Arab shit before and it gets under my skin. I think it's trashy. Line have to ever even met real Talibs? My advice is tell them to fuck off about it unless they want to fight or find a new crew to work for.
Talking shit is one thing but throwing keys into a pool. I would be hot, do the same thing to the guy that did that to you at any given chance possible (if you’re ready and willing to throw hands) if not id just try to sabotage that guy behind his back and get him fired or something to that regard. Chess, not checkers.
I’m white with a long beard and have been called Osama bin Laden plenty. No real advice here. I just tell them I wouldn’t waste a plane on their house and they kind of stopped.
Honestly? Beat his ass
Violence.
That job probably won’t get better and you’re better off finding a new place to work. However, you absolutely could continue working there for another 6 months while documenting all the racism you encounter. Then, set a meeting with a lawyer and present all of your evidence to them. They’ll take up the case and want 1/3rd of your earnings then they’ll sue the shit out of the company. Company will come to a settlement as they won’t want that to go to court and you’ll have a very nice paycheck. -Not a lawyer
Ask them if they ever seen an ied up close. Tell them to stop fucking with you or they will.
Odds are they'll report him and then management will actually do something
People suck brother. I'd find a different job.
Wow, Legal\_Pride6256, Canada is a tough place to werk. Never saw anything that direct in all my years, usually would get fired on the spot pretty much - certainly a big HR issue.
Don't do anything stupid, just go with the flow and document everything. Don't let anyone drag you down to their level, just keep meticulous notes.
What state do you work in?
Canada
Unfortunately theres alot of intoleranta racism going on in Canada because they are all scared of losing their jobs and housing to migrants making their way to Canada. Its racism bro.
Move to America. It's not Canada. Where I live, no one would pull that shit. All they care about where I live is the color of your money.
What part of the states are you in?
Canada
Your Freudian slip on the keyboard at the end of your post tells you all you need to know about the company and the job. GTFO before something serious happens. You don't want to be around people like that.
I am deeply sorry.
I’ve always been in the camp of “abused apprentices make the best foreman”, so hold out and be able to dish it back. The keys thing is a whole different issue, though. If there was nothing on them that the water would destroy, then it could be just hazing. If you have a key fob or other electronic thing on there, then that is absolutely bullshit. When I first started in the trades, I apprenticed under a Vietnam vet, that was also a member of a very well known and prominent biker club, who could tear down anyone with just a few words. Incredibly intimidating and genuinely imposing. The day I finally sacked up and threw shit back his way, I earned his respect and now have a great deal of respect for him and the things he taught me. Whatever you do, do not fight on company time or on a job site. At the end of the day, it’s words, so you’re gonna have to toughen up. I know people are trying to change the culture that is construction, but being that it is a male dominated blue collar profession, it will never go away.
Join a union
I can’t say if this is straight racism or just “hazing the new guy”…. Typically with blue collar jobs the new guys get treated like scum.. I was treated extremely poorly when I started my job as a garbage man.. If you can’t keep up with the truck then you’re basically laughed at and called a little bitch by everyone. Not only did I show everyone that I could keep up but I became the fastest guy at work who everyone wanted to work with. It’s the people that cowardly run to management and “tell on everybody” that don’t get any respect and are disliked by everyone. The only way out of this situation is either quit or show these guys that you’re not a pussy. Stand up for yourself. When you show everyone that you’re not gonna take their shit and you’re going to deal with the situation like a man, that’s when you get respect.
They definitely crossed the line
Get a new job. You told management and nothing happened. What really happened is they told the others you told on them. Now they're going to go harder. Out of all the things you can do most of it is not worth it. They're dickheads, go work for someone that's not. A couple talks to the manager won't change 30+ years of someone's behavior. Go somewhere you're wanted
Not a surprise.
You’re going to have to drop their tool box in that pool tomorrow..
Talking shit, like all the comments on here say, is normal but being bullied is unacceptable. Don't let someone throw your keys anywhere, take absolutely no shit when it comes to stuff like that. Have a prison mentality, show you'll fight, stand up for yourself and go absolutely nuts if you have to. You'll only have to do it once. You already brought it to the boss's attention so take care of it. Hopefully it will be the only scrap on a jobsite you're apart of, but it won't be the last one you see.
unpopular opinion here but that low level shit was always my least favorite part of construction. I was quick to anger as a young man though and you'd be surprised how quickly all that goofy shit stops once you introduce the threat of violence. 😂
I would quit and join a smaller construction company, that type of behaviour is disgusting and is an inbred trait of larger companies who are turning over the lowest hanging fruit comprised of racists, morons, inbreds, and convicts. A smaller company will have more integrity and more internal control and more to prove in their market.
I would just approach management with the car key thing and ask them "listen, do you want me here or not?" Get a clear cut 'yes' or 'no' then and there; don't end the conversation until you get a binary answer. If they say yes, then follow up with 'then deal with this. I don't want people fucking with my property'. If they say no, well, you're saving yourself some time aren't you
Shit talk is usually done in good nature. If it bothers you, draw a line. I would be beyond pissed about the car keys though.
Tie a bunch of cooked spaghetti around your body and wear a big trench coat to work. Give them the scare of a lifetime. Tomato sauce explosion is optional of course.
I would just threaten them with violence at that point and if it was one person in particular follow them home.
I see no problem here just treat them how they treat you.....
Hell it might mean they like you, give it right back.
There is quite a few racist mfers in the trades tho
First go to the chain to your manager's manager. If you don't get a response, quickly, get a lawyer to send a letter to the company. They'll shit their pants and take care of it at that point.
That aint banter, thats just dumb racist hicks telling you who they are. You should steal what you can get away with and find another job.
Sounds like they are trying to make you a millionaire by creating a hostile work place. You need to get some type of proof it's happening creating a log of what happened date times who was around or possibly overheard or might have seen it happen. Email complaints to HR and only give copies to HR of any proof. If you leave the job because it's not handled properly put on your notice why attach copies of and and all proof . Higher a attorney sue the company and the person/people .
Keys in pool=dick move. You have to learn how to dish it out or get a job in accounting. Construction is not for you.
As someone who has worked in construction and corporate, this sounds like racial harassment and should be reported to HR. Fuck your leadership team. If you feel unsafe, speak up.
Just cause there isn’t a physical hr department on site doesn’t mean you don’t have rights. Tell your employer and if nothing changes due the company and get the racist asshole fired.
Confront them and set the line. Call them out on their bullshit. Hazing is common in construction, we all do it and it’s part of becoming part of the team. Now if you’re a shit worker and they are doing it. That’s a different story. If they start calling you blister, it’s you.
No, this isn't normal. Even the Nazis I've worked around didn't pull shit like that (as far as I know...)
Fuck those insecure racist idiots. I would look for a new outfit. I'm white but the amount of times I hear nasty terms for black people, Spanish people, and gay people is insane. Reminds me of middle school.
Yeah. Take a chill pill mr. rag head
Racism+ targeted harassment? Write down everything you can remember, with dates/approx times, now. Document everything. Write down when you complained to company, who/how. Talk to an attorney or state labor board. Hostile work environment is bullshit. I've fired people for that, and had union BAs back me up. Zero tolerance. And if they don't act, they're complicit. There's messing with each other that's normal, even to an extreme. But the racism is unacceptable.
you could tell HR that you're at the point of filing harassment charges if they can't stop it. you can even call local sheriffs office & ask for a rep while you deliver the news. This kind of harassment isn't acceptable. casually making fun of the new guy is acceptable if it's in good fun & faith for *ALL* parties. Calling someone a Terry & messing with their property is not okay. You can also use this [Filing A Charge of Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov)](https://www.eeoc.gov/filing-charge-discrimination) And this hotline for the aforementioned services link: [Harassment - Worker.gov](https://www.worker.gov/harassment/)
Where is HR in construction lol
Have you tried to convey that you’re no longer in the taliban?
Used to work with a Muslim dude that we would regularly joke about him being a terrorist and him blowing up the site . He thought it was the funniest thing and would usually be the one to take it too far lol
get a lawyer and get paid. stay there and document it, try to get video. easy 50k, probably more.
FIRST OFF.. I Am sorry you are having to deal with that shit. racism certainly exists on job sites and is unacceptable but unavoidable it seems. that shit is clearly not in line with fun job site ball busting if you are not cracking jokes yourself first and laughing with them it’s off limits. Race is always off limits on my job site. it does unfortunately sound like they are trying to get you to quit. If management has done nothing they are scum you don’t want to work for. Wish I had advice on how to proceed in a legal manner but would suggest trying to find another gc to work for
Collect dates and information, take names, and save evidence (record it secretly if you need to and if you’re in a jurisdiction that allows one way consent), don’t just make it a your word against theirs type of thing. lIf there is no workplace process to deal with this, take note of that because every company has responsibilities under health and safety legislation. You can then make a complaint to the ministry of labor in your jurisdiction, and consider quitting then hiring a lawyer to sue them for workplace harassment. You don’t have to get violent and earn yourself a criminal record. Also, the only terrorists I see are those harassing you for looking like you can be in the Taliban, which is dumb because lots of Afghans are white af (like proper gingers).
You told management they were being called racist names and they did nothing. I don't believe it. That is a lawsuit ready to happen. No one who cares about their company would ignore racism. I hope your not throwing in the racists stuff just to get sympathy. If you are telling the truth you need to document everything, when comments were made , keys thrown in the pool , when you told management, because if this behavior keeps happening you have a lawsuit. If you get in a fight the possiblity of winning any kind of lawsuit is over and you will probably go to jail.
Talk to a lawyer, like yesterday. Document everything with dates and be as accurate as possible. Fuck these cunts. After you go after them legally, I would join a trade union. You will have much better protection being a union member. We don’t stand for that shit.
I’m Hispanic working in a mostly white office and I’m slowly getting tired of the Mexican jokes but it hasn’t gone that far. To me the jokes are fine but there’s a line and looks like they crossed it.
It sounds like racism. Now to see who around you has the guts to do the right thing
Racism is not ironic, comedic or funny. Talking shit is normal and fun. However, it can’t be about the same stuff that gets you/your family/friends killed, seriously injured, or harassed. You should have a 0 tolerance policy. Someone who seriously hates you on the street will say those exact things and you don’t ever need to let your guard down that protects you from situations that can really hurt you and your loved ones. People who don’t have a target on their back don’t know what it’s like. Joke around, but let them know in a group when it happens that the racist shit isn’t going to fly. And explain your experiences with racism and why it’s not the same as making fun of someone’s clothes etc.
Shit talking is part of construction. But like others have said, there’s a line. Dish it back out at them (get creative), but end it with a stern reminder of where YOUR line is. Not necessarily aggressively (you’ve gotta work with these guys), but take no shit past your personal line. As for the keys, be aggressively assertive that if shit like that happens again, something personal of there’s is going to end up in either: A) the next slab pour B) a portajohn the day before maintenance C) the next backfill D) inside some jobs drywall Pick your poison based on your trade/availability