Punch up on site - Gentlemen behave yourselves!

[Pebbs]

Late this afternoon, I had a phone call from a client, telling me there had been an 'incident' over some grout! and could I go in tomorrow to sort this out.
This was followed by 3 phone calls from the lads, (I call them lads, the reality is they are all older than me). It turns out there had been such a 'heated debate' between them and the project manager, things quickly escalated until a right good punch up had taken place. At any other time I would have paid to see this event and taken a vimto and some digestive biscuits to see such an occurance, however now I think this is going to cost me dearly.
This is really turning out to be a crappy week for me, Ive spent nearly 2 years sourcing the marble, doing the drawings and bringing it in within budget. I know that will all be forgotten tomorrow, because someone couldnt keep their mouth shut.

Roll on Friday

Pebbs

 

[Dan]

I was waiting for this post after you mentioned it earlier.

Speak to all incolved especially "the lads" and tell them how long you have been waiting for the stone.

I'd even call them off the job for an hour in front of everybody to make a point. The point is... You've given them a job and hundreds want it.

Sort it before Friday and the weekend can be a rest.

 

[Pebbs]

Dan,
They got read the riot act, believe me, and they know how much work has gone into the project. When we got awarded the contract it was celebration time, and in a few minutes it can turn bad. They were all carded and sent off, even the ones who werent involved, as they were on the other floors.
I think this has been brewing for some time, normally I know the differences would be sorted out in the pub, and they could move forward working as a team. I'll just have to see how it pans out tomorrow.
Pebbs

 

[Rob Z]

pebbs, forgive me with the dumb question-we are afterall divided by a common language :smilewinkgrin: - but does a right good punch up had taken place mean that your men started fighting on the job site?:yikes: And your client witnessed this? :yikes:

 

[faithhealer]

Most workplaces have a zero tolerance on fighting and usually is instant dismissal. They are very lucky if pebbs doesn't sack them.
I was always told, never raise your hands no matter how heated it gets and I've given a few people some verbal blasts before

 

[mikethetile]

those were the days...............pure bliss

not allowed to do it now but your lads are probably about my age, when we started on site differences were sometimes sorted this way. this didnt suddenly happen, a lot has been said to your blokes to get them to fly against a pm , watch this pm as he obviousley doesnt know how to handle men or when to back off and let things calm before restating his point

I learnt that humour is a good tension breaker, and giving one lad stick usuaslly gets the others laughing.............tension deflated and back to business

 

[doug boardley]

there are rules on sites, to my knowledge the Queensberry Rules aren't included:8:

 

[diamondtiling]

I posted this one before but with more colourful language shall we say, fingers were rapped.


I was on site in Dudley some years ago and the site manager was giving one particular lad a lot of grief for no good reason. This lad was a big hefty Sheffield bloke and took it all in his stride or so we thought. He brushed it off and did his work but the Foreman never let up. Near to the end of the job and I was siliconing up or doing something to finish off, the foreman had visited the site loo, it was a Friday and was full of you know what. As soon as the door was locked the lad in question tied a cargo strap around it and pushed it over!! What a noise came from that loo, he was screaming like a baby, "What the! what the!" I cant swear but add as many as you like and it still wont be enough.
Sheffield man got into his van and drove away, the site foreman came out after security removed the strap, he looked like a small version of the hulk (chemical toilet fluid) but with lots of dashes of brown. We were off like a shot straight into the pub laughing like school girls, that lad never paid for a drink all day.

:8::8:

 

[Ken Bruty]

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Retribution I love it!

 

[Deleted member 9966]

we have a zero tolerance approach to fighting on our site (manufacturing plant) too. threatening violence is also included. last year I ended up conducting a disciplinary hearing when two over 50's decided to get "upset" over a break time quiz about capital cities :mad2:

caused ructions for weeks. shifts had to be split up and moved around, causing unrest for a lot of people who weren't involved plus management time spent sorting it all out.

zero tolerance - violence or threat of, instant suspension pending disciplinary hearing.

 

[Pebbs]

I just got back from the meeting, I feel worn out with it all. I'll update later, Mike was right this has been brewing for some time it all came out this morning.

I need some sleep, but dont have that option right now.

Pebbs

 

[user123]

Pebbs, exhausting stuff for sure, to loose a contract over this ...wow... morons... let's hope it won't come to it, eh? Fingers crossed...

 

[Pebbs]

I got there this morning, and got they were on the defensive, the project manager involved was there. His first words were 'your foreman is an ****** animal!' ummmmm ok....point taken. He then went into a tirade of how they question him all the time, he doesnt think they want to work on the project blah blah blah, you name it he said it. I let him have his rant and listened to what he was saying.
Then I had my turn to speak. I had with me a list of all the delays we've had since we started, and most of them were down to this project manager, not getting the stone in on time, areas not being ready, stone that has been ripped up because he gave them the wrong drawings and the setting out had changed and they hadnt been given revised issued drawings. The comments about them not wanting to work, was blew out of the water, we are on price, if we dont get the works done we dont get paid simple fact. The Commercial Director was there, and he said what are you talking about delays for? the upshot was he had no idea of all the problems that had gone on. He had thought that everything was running smoothly.....kiss my .... running smoothly, we should have been 60% way through the first phase and were only at 19%. Then a god almighty row started between the com director and the project manager, with the chairman sitting there just looking shocked. They asked the Project Manager to go back to the office and they would see him later.
So the upshot is this, Ive suspended the main offender for 2 weeks to cool off, the client wants him back there as they quite like him and hes great at his work. The rest of them have to go through their site induction again, any problems on site now have to be reported directly to the Com Director on a weekly basis, and gawd help me, I have to be present on site 3 times a week to 'nip things in the bud'.
It all got sorted out, and the price I have to pay is take them to see one of the England matches in a couple of weeks time and foot the bill, that is a small price to pay for what could have happened.

Roll on the weekend

Pebbs

 

[Dan]

Hat's off to you. Sounds like a problem solved to me. Although it sounds like it has a few extra conditions in the contract now lol. England match. Tut.

 

[TT Tiling]

well done mate ,hope you enjoy the weekend , things do go wrong from time to time ,sounds like your heads in the right place well done