Isn't that the truth! In a way, I think this downturn was one of the best things to happen to our industry. Every once in awhile, new blood needs to float to the top. Not exactly like in this case but some of the best lineman are...actual linemen and not foremen.
Once the economy took a dump, I saw contractors cut the fat...their star linemen! Then downgraded foremen to linemen...foremen who haven't seen a bucket in years. I guess we all know how that turned out Massive snowball effect of failure.
Well of course these linemen found their way onto the books first, became foremen/lineman for competing contractors and are now currently embarrassing the old sheriffs in town.
That's why I love this trade. Your apprentice could be your boss one day. Show everyone respect and you have nothing to worry about. I know some only now learning the hard way, a very very hard lesson.
Now I've had some exceptional lineman and I always made sure to give them credit on the paperwork even when there was no place to put it. I think that is important. I just wouldn't feel right bringing in a project days or weeks under schedule and only having my name on the file...just isn't right. I suppose that's why I can travel anywhere I want and hired without hesitation
I always like to work in my bucket time just to make sure I still have it. On the flip side, I've seen fellow foremen have their ego blown out to massive proportions by their lineman. There are golden linemen out there that will bring project after project in under schedule without fail...often way under schedule. These linemen make up maybe 2-5% of the population. Put rookie with one of these and he thinks foreman is the easiest thing in the world. And it is all but cruise control...it really is. But in reality, most lineman are average, most work average paces, and make average time consuming mistakes.
I watched more than one world crumble when the lineman left. And I've heard more than once "The hall keeps on sending me idiots." Really, I understand one or two but five kid? Only one thing in common here...
A lineman that can work at a pace that gives you a safety net of time is a breath of fresh air but this is not reality. I've watch a lot of incompetence covered up only for it to finally meet it's maker in this downturn.