Ever Refuse to Do Something at A Job?

[Nitric]

This has not a thing to do with treasure hunting! I think it's in the right forum!

I was just thinking of all the jobs I've had through out life so far.Working for a company or on my own. I was raised to do whatever the "boss" tells you to do. So, I'm wondering what the average person draws the line at, at work? I will do pretty much anything to get a job done, I'm also the type that hates "busy" work, You know? the stuff after you bust your butt to get things done and get done right and early, they find you more to do, just to kill time? Almost like a "good job" punishment!

Two that stick out in memory were....

I worked at a gas station/store while in high school. prob 16 or 17. Not to get too graphic, but someone made a mess in the restroom. More like an explosion of some kind. I was handed a bucket and a sponge and told to clean it up. "NOPE,NO WAY, YOU CAN FIRE ME!" they didn't fire me and I didn't have to clean it up.

Next was years later, working for a tree service. The very first day....There were 4 of us sent into about a 1 acre lot to cut down all the trees and clear the lot. The boss sent us in, in all directions. As I'm at my spot, looking around, there are trees falling all around me. I was afraid to move. You had no idea where the other guys were. Nope! Walked out, told him I was sorry, I'll do anything else you want, I feel that is too dangerous the way we are doing it. Someones going to get killed. He let me run the chipper and I never was fired.

I have more, but those were the most memorable for some reason.

Anyhow, where do you draw the line? What have you said "no" to?

This is just for fun and to see what crazy things employers have tried to get people to do at work!

 

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[ARC]

Ever Refuse to Do Something at A Job?

Yes... work. :P

 

[ARC]

"I worked at a gas station/store while in high school. prob 16 or 17. Not to get too graphic, but someone made a mess in the restroom. More like an explosion of some kind."

lol

 

[Nitric]

"I worked at a gas station/store while in high school. prob 16 or 17. Not to get too graphic, but someone made a mess in the restroom. More like an explosion of some kind."

lol

Does that give you a nice visual? Like right out of a scene from "Dumb and Dumber", or "Along came Polly" type stuff!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Several times I refused to work telcom jobs in certain areas due to high crime there and not allowed to carry pistol in company vehicle...

 

[Nitric]

Several times I refused to work telcom jobs in certain areas due to high crime there and not allowed to carry pistol in company vehicle...

We refused to do a job in Newark NJ, for the same reason. A friend and I had a business for a short time, doing graphics and signs for gas stations, We had to work at night. The place we were at, looked like something right out of a movie. It was bad! I think it's cleaned up now, but at that time the cops drove in parades of 3 and 4 cars. It was a crazy place! Sit the drill down, turn around and gone! That fast. Gun shots etc....I think I told this before....

 

[Chadeaux]

I used to haul heavy equipment for a company that put in water systems. The owner was a local preacher.

One day his son took me to lunch and told me to put up a "farm fuel" tank for him. The next words out of his mouth were: "I gotta find a way to cut costs because these fuel taxes are killing me!" Problem was, he didn't have a farm ... he was wanting me to run farm fuel in an 18 wheeler. Big no no, even in the 1980's.

Told him I wouldn't do it, he said, "You will or I'll fire you." When I got up to leave, he said he wasn't serious about firing me, but that when I got back to our home office I was to put up the tank.

"No." Got loaded up and drove back to office. Unloaded the backhoe, got in my car and went home. Next morning, brought a written resignation letter. The preacher went ballistic.

He tried his best to block my unemployment, so I stuck it to him. Not only did I get my unemployment, but he got a nice "fine" when I turned in my comic books to show his refusal to make necessary repairs to the truck I was using to haul equipment.

For 2 years I couldn't get a job because after interviewing, no one would hire me. A friend owned a trucking company and offered to help. With me in the room, and a tape recorder going, he spoke to the preacher and asked for information about what kind of worker I was.

Boy, was I surprised to learn that I had been arrested for DWI while in one of his vehicles, that I had abandoned his truck and equipment in Texas (the only state adjoining Arkansas that we were NOT licensed to do business in), and had stolen money. Tommy said ... "I'm looking at him right now and he just doesn't seem to be that kind of person. *******, did you really do all them things?" The next sound I heard was a click. He never gave another bad reference after that one.

 

[Chadeaux]

Several times I refused to work telcom jobs in certain areas due to high crime there and not allowed to carry pistol in company vehicle...

We refused to do a job in Newark NJ, for the same reason. A friend and I had a business for a short time, doing graphics and signs for gas stations, We had to work at night. The place we were at, looked like something right out of a movie. It was bad! I think it's cleaned up now, but at that time the cops drove in parades of 3 and 4 cars. It was a crazy place! Sit the drill down, turn around and gone! That fast. Gun shots etc....I think I told this before....

Wow, I used to be a repo man. I went into peoples' homes to take possession of rental properties. Did so as late as 9:00 PM, by myself, in the projects. Never have carried a gun into those situations ... but I did hear the words "crazy man" lots of times.

Saturday morning, walked into a house with my buddy (he told me he had permission from the customer to pickup our property that Saturday morning). Once I got inside and my eyes adjusted to the light, there were drugs, guns, money and passed out crack heads everywhere you looked.

John "Goat Ropper" slowly turned down the volume on the stereo we were repossessing, then unplugged it. It took us two trips each, but neither of us had more than a Buck knife on us. Been 20 years, but every time I train a new repo guy, I tell them the story as an example of what not to do.

 

[Nitric]

I used to haul heavy equipment for a company that put in water systems. The owner was a local preacher.

One day his son took me to lunch and told me to put up a "farm fuel" tank for him. The next words out of his mouth were: "I gotta find a way to cut costs because these fuel taxes are killing me!" Problem was, he didn't have a farm ... he was wanting me to run farm fuel in an 18 wheeler. Big no no, even in the 1980's.

Told him I wouldn't do it, he said, "You will or I'll fire you." When I got up to leave, he said he wasn't serious about firing me, but that when I got back to our home office I was to put up the tank.

"No." Got loaded up and drove back to office. Unloaded the backhoe, got in my car and went home. Next morning, brought a written resignation letter. The preacher went ballistic.

He tried his best to block my unemployment, so I stuck it to him. Not only did I get my unemployment, but he got a nice "fine" when I turned in my comic books to show his refusal to make necessary repairs to the truck I was using to haul equipment.

For 2 years I couldn't get a job because after interviewing, no one would hire me. A friend owned a trucking company and offered to help. With me in the room, and a tape recorder going, he spoke to the preacher and asked for information about what kind of worker I was.

Boy, was I surprised to learn that I had been arrested for DWI while in one of his vehicles, that I had abandoned his truck and equipment in Texas (the only state adjoining Arkansas that we were NOT licensed to do business in), and had stolen money. Tommy said ... "I'm looking at him right now and he just doesn't seem to be that kind of person. *******, did you really do all them things?" The next sound I heard was a click. He never gave another bad reference after that one.

A friend that owns a real small construction company has had that happen on accident. New guys put fuel from the offroad tanks in the trucks or vise versa, or gas in a diesel, and vice versa not understanding what or why there are two tanks. I locked one up when I didn't get the seal on the air filter. There was a seal that went below the nut in the center to keep out rain water. I didn't know any different, changed the air filter. It rained over the weekend, went to start it on a monday morning and hydro locked it. Amazingly, he wasn't too upset, just made me change the motor. I actually felt bad for not knowing something so simple. I was probably 18 at the time.

 

[Chizzy]

I went to measure a house for new carpet and give the landlord a material list and estimate of my labor. The place wasn't exactly "clean"............
It was pleasant weather and the owner left the front door open to get some fresh air into the house. After measuring a couple of first floor rooms, I picked up my tape measure, pen and clipboard to move on to another area when I caught movement from the stair well............I looked just in time to watch a good sized rat scurry from the upstairs steps to the front door and outside...........I followed soon afterwards................

 

[SeabeeRon]

I worked for the major gas & electric utility out here in Central and Northern California and we went through a period where folks were taking pot shots at sub stations or at workers on poles. The company let the workers refuse to enter those situations. My son now works for Comcast and if he goes into a home with too much filth or he he feels threatened, he can just walk away and call it in. I am no fan of Comcast, but this policy I like!

 

[Limitool]

The last six years I worked for GM I was pulled from production and given an engineering job. I traveled all over the U.S. visiting assembly plants to help and evaluate their compliance to a new mythology concerning their electronic assembly tools. I was sent out East once to the Delaware plant. Way to busy for me... airport not close, toll roads everywhere, one way roads and it seemed like mass confusion 24/7.

A couple years later I'm in an engineering meeting at my assigned plant in Spring Hill, TN. I'm told @ beginning of meeting I'm going back to Delaware. I quickly said "I'm not going". Then half way through meeting a reference was made about my upcoming trip out East. I again said "I'm not going". After meeting the lead plant engineer was going over details of my trip. I asked him if he had his ears turned on.... I'M NOT GOING BACK TO DELAWARE! I told him I hate going there and I don't have to go... period. He just stated he had "news" for me and I was going.

When GM Corporate pulled me from production I never quit being a UAW member to join the "GM Corporate Team". I always remained a production worker in name. My assigned boss had completely forgotten about this over the years and started to argue with me... I just stated "I quit". His mouth dropped open and he just said "I'd appreciate some type of notice then"... So I said ok "tomorrow". He had no sense of humor at all. I had in about 31 years of service at that time and GM was offering a $25,000 bonus to rid themselves of high seniority workers if they'd retire. So I signed up, took the money, retired @ 49 and called it a "quit". The next day at work my engineering boss said "You don't have to go to Delaware".... Finally he got it right... I still "quit" 6 weeks later.

 

[jerseyben]

The last six years I worked for GM I was pulled from production and given an engineering job. I traveled all over the U.S. visiting assembly plants to help and evaluate their compliance to a new mythology concerning their electronic assembly tools. I was sent out East once to the Delaware plant. Way to busy for me... airport not close, toll roads everywhere, one way roads and it seemed like mass confusion 24/7.

A couple years later I'm in an engineering meeting at my assigned plant in Spring Hill, TN. I'm told @ beginning of meeting I'm going back to Delaware. I quickly said "I'm not going". Then half way through meeting a reference was made about my upcoming trip out East. I again said "I'm not going". After meeting the lead plant engineer was going over details of my trip. I asked him if he had his ears turned on.... I'M NOT GOING BACK TO DELAWARE! I told him I hate going there and I don't have to go... period. He just stated he had "news" for me and I was going.

When GM Corporate pulled me from production I never quit being a UAW member to join the "GM Corporate Team". I always remained a production worker in name. My assigned boss had completely forgotten about this over the years and started to argue with me... I just stated "I quit". His mouth dropped open and he just said "I'd appreciate some type of notice then"... So I said ok "tomorrow". He had no sense of humor at all. I had in about 31 years of service at that time and GM was offering a $25,000 bonus to rid themselves of high seniority workers if they'd retire. So I signed up, took the money, retired @ 49 and called it a "quit". The next day at work my engineering boss said "You don't have to go to Delaware".... Finally he got it right... I still "quit" 6 weeks later.

You were going to quit a good job just because "you hate going" to Delaware? Wow.

 

[Chadeaux]

You were going to quit a good job just because "you hate going" to Delaware? Wow.

So, it's ok for someone else to decide what you should do, but it's not ok when someone else has an opinion that is different from yours?

Forgive me if I'm unjustly confused ...

 

[jerseyben]

So, it's ok for someone else to decide what you should do, but it's not ok when someone else has an opinion that is different from yours?

Forgive me if I'm unjustly confused ...

Not sure what you mean...

Anyway... Just amazed that someone hates Delaware that much, I guess.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

There are certain states I will not visit or even travel through because I refuse to spend any money what so ever there in any way, shape or form including gas and sales tax.

I told a manager once when I was transferred out of a certain state that the state was no longer in my atlas. He asked "what do you mean?" I told him "if you ever transfered me back I quit, not only do I quit but you can considered I gave you my 2 weeks notice 2 weeks prior to the date you told me of my transfer back.......

 

[Limitool]

You were going to quit a good job just because "you hate going" to Delaware? Wow.

Hey guy.... I didn't "quit" just because of "I hate going to Delaware"... period. I quit GM..... BECAUSE, of the way GM was run. And YES I hated to go out east. I quit the "good job" because I could. I am TOTALLY against what the UAW stands for today and then along with GM's stance on dealing with production problems. It's a LONG STORY and probably doesn't belong on T-Net.

99.9% of folks would/will not understand (including you). GM and all manufactures depend upon there assembler's to "do the right thing". That doesn't work and that's why there's RECALL'S. I'm only talking about fastener related recalls. Just for starters check out the link..... Torque-Control: Error-Proof Fastening at GM

I doubt you can find any "line assembler" whose methodology rose to a corporate level to mandate a "new idea" from a line assembler(s). I'm not bragging in sense.... I'm just saying when you spend time on both sides of "the fence" you get a MUCH better feeling of what's going on.

I "quit" my job because I could... I quit because GM / UAW because I could with a full pension and a bonus @ 49 y/O.

It wasn't just going out east again.... it was about the mentally and the resistance of doing the right thing from all plants regardless of a North American mandate. How the hell the UAW let me/justified/defended and let me and friend have this job is beyond me. I think I know.... because it was the right thing to do. GM stole my patent. I spent 10's of thousands and they took it.

 

[jeff of pa]

Job ? What's that ?



as a door to door vacuum salesman,
I refused to do a Repo once .
Was a Young struggling Couple .
I just knocked. told them what they wanted me to do.
and said "Just so Ya Know " I was hired to sell,
not to steal back.

As a Bar Tender/Door Man I refused to check ID's on pretty Young Ladies on occasion .
of course I know they were of age. I could see it in their eyes.

I refused to care about Quality of work, at factory Jobs.
I was a Machine operator, Not Quality Control

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

LOL, love the picture, brings back memories. Big Bamboo, is missing...

 

[Peyton Manning]

well, back when I was the body double for Arnold's movies( I mostly did the shirtless body shots), they wanted me to do the next movie for the same price.
Nope