I have a British workman in ....

[ZARDOZ]

Middle class man convinced builders like him

[sasguru]

Hey, now come here's a chance to put your theory to the test; pretend your Germany and invest in him, say an extra £100.00 an hour. Come on, do it and do get back with the results.

Eh? For that experiment to work, we'd have to take him back in a time machine and give him solid apprenticeship training with a respect for duty, perfectionism and craftsmanship.

[vetran]

I have a council workman in ... installing new oak look Vinyl floors in my bedsit. It's day 2. Yesterday he left at 3 pm because my collection of BBW porn mags were stacked to the ceiling.

Today he's had a 40 minute break between 11 and 11.40 (ran out of the room shouting he's mad I tell you) but is readying himself for lunch (he is going to the office to threaten to resign if they don't take him off the job because he finds the tenant scary).

Of course he's had his tea and fag breaks too (seems to be a chain smoker). On second bottle of scotch after AssGuru shouted take me big boy at him.

And that in a nutshell is what's wrong with my existence.

FTFY

I even added some paragraphs.

[Gibbon]

Eh? For that experiment to work, we'd have to take him back in a time machine and give him solid apprenticeship training with a respect for duty, perfectionism and craftsmanship.

Agreed. Plus unions being pragmatic and not waging class war.

[Runs With Scissors]

I had Scissors Towers double-glazing replaced on Friday and Saturday. 6 Normal windows and 2 Velux. 4 young (they all look young to me now) Scottish guys who did a first-class job, tidied up after themselves, had 1 cup of tea all day and generally did their best to minimize any damage or disruption to my home. We talk down the quality of craftsmanship in this country but we can still produce tradesmen who take pride in doing a first-rate job.

[sasguru]

I had Scissors Towers double-glazing replaced on Friday and Saturday. 6 Normal windows and 2 Velux. 4 young (they all look young to me now) Scottish guys who did a first-class job, tidied up after themselves, had 1 cup of tea all day and generally did their best to minimize any damage or disruption to my home. We talk down the quality of craftsmanship in this country but we can still produce tradesmen who take pride in doing a first-rate job.

I noticed when I lived oop North for a year (yes indeed I did) that thq quality of the work there was much highere than down south

[tomtomagain]

Haven't read all the thread. Only the first post.

I had British workmen in to build an extension, fit a kitchen, decorate and do some plumbing.

Without exception they've all been excellent.

I couldn't rate them highly enough. Turned up on time, polite, did the work to the original budget, were helpful throughout.

I think that just because you've had a bad experience you shouldn't start castigating the entire working class.

Maybe you need to think about how you approach people you have working for you? Maybe he just thought you were a muppet and an easy push over?

People like you who continually talk down the country and the average working man should just get over themselves.

[sasguru]

Haven't read all the thread. Only the first post.

I had British workmen in to build an extension, fit a kitchen, decorate and do some plumbing.

Without exception they've all been excellent.

I couldn't rate them highly enough. Turned up on time, polite, did the work to the original budget, were helpful throughout.

I think that just because you've had a bad experience you shouldn't start castigating the entire working class.

Maybe you need to think about how you approach people you have working for you? Maybe he just thought you were a muppet and an easy push over?

People like you who continually talk down the country and the average working man should just get over themselves.

Where do you live?

[Goatfell]

Eh? For that experiment to work, we'd have to take him back in a time machine and give him solid apprenticeship training with a respect for duty, perfectionism and craftsmanship.

All true, it's hard to find craftsmen better at doing a particular task, fitting say, an oak floor. The problems arise when that same craftsman can't lay a mahogany floor.

Probably a rather facile comparison, but in my experience British workers have been appreciated in Germany and across europe because of their skills, speed and flexibility. Didn't see many British managers though

[SueEllen]

I had Scissors Towers double-glazing replaced on Friday and Saturday. 6 Normal windows and 2 Velux. 4 young (they all look young to me now) Scottish guys who did a first-class job, tidied up after themselves, had 1 cup of tea all day and generally did their best to minimize any damage or disruption to my home. We talk down the quality of craftsmanship in this country but we can still produce tradesmen who take pride in doing a first-rate job.

Young tradesmen regardless of Nationality tend to be keen to get the job done and are like what you describe. I noticed a lot of them actually don't drink tea or coffee, and rely on coca cola.

The tradesmen I have issues with tend:
1. To be over 30
2. Do not own the company

These people have a tendency to take lots of tea breaks and decide to "go to collect materials" as a way of going home early.

The fact that I have a large number of trade counters and builder merchants within a 10 mile radius and also know the traffic conditions escapes their attention. It was more amusing when I worked out that one such slacker lived a few roads away from me.