How do I help my Lineman !

[tiger]

Help !
How do I help my Lineman who has been out of work for 2-months now? :confused: He has been in the trade for 40+ yrs and has never been
out of work longer than 2-weeks!
He keeps telling me he is sorry and is starting to get down and telling me I would be better off with someone else that has a job etc...
We have the standard 3-months living exp saved up but its been 2-months now and he knows its getting scary! so I can't keep saying it will be ok: Unemployment is a joke @ 421.00 a week that took 3-weeks to get! .
I mentioned that I need to get back to my job (Had surgery 4-weeks ago)
Doctor wants me off 6-8 weeks so I have 3-4 more weeks to go. No comp as I'm a Independant Contractor...NO BENNEFITS, He really freaked out that I will undo all the good the Surgery did by going back too early.
To be honest I'm having a hard time not getting down myself, I would welcome any support from anyone who has / is in this situation.

Hugs,

Tiger

[linetrampboozie]

Tell him worring ain't gonna help him.If he has a CDL take a driving job for a little bit.Linemen can do everything and sometimes it just aint linework,thats all.Hell 40+ years in this trade is alright if you ask me.California has some work,washington state has some 138kv going on,thats about what I know is going on in this neck of the woods:D Cbottles local 47 ibew since 1994.Tighten that belt bro I know it aint YOUR first time.

[BigClive]

Definitely don't put yourself at risk because of the financial pressure. I'd guess that if there's not going to be local work then he could try further afield.

Get him on here so we can talk and see if we can find him some work somewhere. Just warn him that we can be volatile at times, so not to take our banter too seriously. ;)

[old lineman]

As a lineman I really never thought that I'd be out of work.
The 1973 oil embargo changed all that.
Fortunately we had a dear friend who was a school teacher. She said this is a great opportunity to further your education.
Never being one for school I didn't like the idea but went along.
I started with a Dale Carnegie public speaking course.
Long story short best thing I ever did.
Now retired after a great career in utility saftey.
That's an area that's expanding and where your expertise is desperately needed.
The Old Lineman

[LostArt]

Welcome Tiger!

I've not personally been in that situation, but I'll offer you my support. :)

I've been laid off before. It was back in '83 from the telephone company. I had two small babies at the time and my lineman husband was working out of town. Looking back, I just did the best I could. It sure wasn't easy and it took almost 8 months before I found another job working at Barnett Bank. And then it was only part time. Now that I think about it we really weren't getting ahead since I paid a babysitter---diapers, food, etc, etc. I guess at the time, I thought that it would get better. And it did, about 20 yrs later. :D

Sorry. I know it seems so tough now. And I really would be freakin' out myself if the Boss was laid off, and we are even better off than we were back then! It's still scary. Best of luck to you and your lineman.

[Lizzy Bordon]

I am in the same boat. 33 years and now no job. Its horrible. I try very hard not to get bumbed out. I have been painting. I painted the living room, 1 barn, the front porch yesterday and started on another barn. It rained today cant paint. Personally I am going crazy. Yes all the feelings are there, pissed off, scared of the mail man, what if the car breaks down and no health care. You do a lot of self searching and did you let your family down. I went grocery shopping today and walked by things my daughter wanted because it cost too much, too scared to spend money. I will get severance pay which will help but not for long. I wish I had some warning. When you get the carpet ripped out from under your feet and your head hits the concrete it hurts really bad. Economy, I have no faith right now. Too young to collect my pension. I am shell shocked, feel hopeless but nobody can help you. He has to sort it out himself. I went out walked in the rain going no where just wondering.....came back in put on the TV tonight saw a little boy suffering from a rare disease which is fatal.....looked at my healthy daughter and I do have it all. Health. My friends tell me everything happens for a reason and another door will open. Hang in there, good thing for me summer is coming is and so is the garden, free food. I wish I could help, I am in the same dark hole with the helpless feelings, real good days and really bad ones. Give him space.........nothing provokes me worse right now then not having my space to myself to sole search. I can not accept hand outs its not my nature. That's why I am here getting help from my friends. My friends have been a real help.....even while I am extremely edgy they understand. Do not take it to heart if he seems like he is lashing out or feeling bad he cant take care of his family. I feel the same way and have no one to fall back on........its awful. I never thought I would see the day I had to barter to get hay to feed the horses. I had my life all planned out........bam......OK need a new plan. Don't go back to work early heal yourself first. You will learn to hate the phrase......Hey it cant get any worse.

[johnbellamy]

As a lineman I really never thought that I'd be out of work.
The 1973 oil embargo changed all that.
Fortunately we had a dear friend who was a school teacher. She said this is a great opportunity to further your education.
Never being one for school I didn't like the idea but went along.
I started with a Dale Carnegie public speaking course.
Long story short best thing I ever did.
Now retired after a great career in utility saftey.
That's an area that's expanding and where your expertise is desperately needed.
The Old Lineman

I will preface this post with an apology, I am sorry, I need help. But I hope this song might have some meaning for you in your time of need.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmfqLOLCNi8


Because I am gonna use it to bash an old friend "The Old Safetyman", had ya pegged from the start, enough said.

[LINEHAND]

I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!!

Thats some funny ****! While old is very knowledgeable without a shadow of a doubt, it has been obvious for years he was a saftey man!

People would come on here and and ask various saftey and or work procedure questions and he always had an awnser. . . . . . . . . . . .mind you no matter how far fetched it was and the fact that no crew would implement it or use that technique he seemed to think everyone at his utility did!

Perfect on paper in real life not so much!!!!!


Anyway good sheet right there!!!

[old lineman]

I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!!

Thats some funny ****! While old is very knowledgeable without a shadow of a doubt, it has been obvious for years he was a saftey man!

People would come on here and and ask various saftey and or work procedure questions and he always had an awnser. . . . . . . . . . . .mind you no matter how far fetched it was and the fact that no crew would implement it or use that technique he seemed to think everyone at his utility did!

Perfect on paper in real life not so much!!!!!


Anyway good sheet right there!!!

If I'd been asked in the beginning what I wanted to do I'd have replyed 8 days out of 7, "a lineman for ever and ever".
Things change though and you gotta do what ya gotta do.
It put food on the table and when all's said and done that's the objective isn't it?
The most rewarding part is that you can pass along your experiences and hopefully convince a newbie to think about the reaction to his action.
Don't look down your nose at a lineman who turns out to want to help others stay safe.
I've read a lot of complaining about the safety guy not knowing ****. That's the alternative.
The Old Lineman

[LINEHAND]

Please dont get me wrong old!!!

I dare not match wits with you and yours is truly one of the opinions on here I respect for your experience and knowledge!!!

Im sure there are many stories and it was a very fullfilling career.


Might think bout it myself when its time to go to pasture!


BTW good point about the alternative!

[Pootnaigle]

If you can look a man in the eye and say without flinching that to be a saftey man you dont also hafta be a company *****, thats a place where I would like to work. In my experience the saftey man used what knowledge and experience he had to break it off in some poor devils ass for making an honest misteak. Made No **** difference at all whether he was trained as a lineman or fell off a turnip truck. I am not talking about flagrant violations here either,

[LostArt]

Wow. This sure got off topic. :D

So, is this Tiger a plant?


BTW, Poot....how about an avatar buddy. :D

[Pootnaigle]

Got one of Snuffy Smith?

[LostArt]

Got one of Snuffy Smith?

HA! I'll see what I can do! :D

[linemanswife]

We are in the same boat here. Hubby has been out of work since February. And the savings we had are gone. Unemployment doesn't cover our expenses. Our health insurance is only good until the end of September. I am very thankful that we still have it though. Plus my hours have been reduced at work too. This really sucks. At least he has gotten to be home. We used to go weeks/months with out seeing each other.

[duckhunter]

I knew a safety man who did as you described Poot, he was an ass. Most I have known are not. But I have also known a whole lot of guys that did something wrong and claimed they mase a mistake. No right from wrong and choosing wrong is not a "mistake" it is doing something wrong.

People that work here are paid to follow the safety rules, if they choose not to, it is not a mistake, it is their choice.

[Linemansmom]

Not my husband outta work (but he is a business owner and we took a hard hit a year ago and it is not looking better) He's in an 18 wheeler sales and service partnership and we got hit when the fuel prices went up spring of 2008, most his customers are owner operators and they are up against it and going out of business. Ever since it has been a downhill saga. Cuts on hours, health insurance just went up 17% and the policy was already high. Have not laid off any employees yet but cut the over time down to 7 hours max. Most his guys pulled 57 - 59 hour weeks. Not good I tell ya.
__________________________________________________ _________

Now, it IS my/our son "the lineman" who has been laid off since February 26 of this year! He was looking to buy a home and has money packed in the bank well into the "six figure amount" however unless he buys cash he can't get a loan with being outta work. He does not think he wants to "settle" for what he has enough cash for, so here he is about to turn 25 living at home. He is also worried about things not turning around and if he goes through all the cash on hand and the unemployment would run out, then what?? We give him his space and he picks up weekends and heads out for time away . . . what more can we do?

He has insurance banked until the end of September - again once that is gone, then what? Sure gonna hope nothing happens!

It is a downer to go from working like he did the month of September down in New Orleans then all of December up in New York and New Hampshire. (they released then early a..m. on Christmas day to roll home to PA in time for Christmas dinner) They were put on short term layoff then until the 6th of January then went to work for the 6 weeks and here we are.

He did get called for three local short calls back in May which helped his moral. Then two weeks ago my cousin called him to help with some building ( general contracting) jobs he managed to pick up. My son was in the building trade during high school . . . like he said here I am 10 years later back where I started!

He had asked to be released (by our local) to work for a non union company then the non union company decided they did not want him around - afraid he'd try to get the guys to go union. Which sounded dumb ass to me . . . How the heck could a union guy who is laid off convince non union guys to go union??? For what, so they'd be outta a job too! Dumb ass reason if ya ask me!

He's picked up with a few other guys outta his local and made trips to other states to get his name on the books, no help there either. The lists are long around this part of the country (we're in PA) Calls in to keep his sign on updated, what more can you do?


Get this, I took real estate classes last summer and then took and passed the state and national test on the last Saturday in September, then all the crap hit the fan on the Monday morning! How is that for bad timing??? I never did activate my license, but am ready to, I can't make less then I am now - or can I, lotta things going on these days that we never thought would happen!!??? (I do not work outside the home right now)
Things sure are not looking good are they?