It depends. The kid in question was attempting to use trade classifications to avoid bitch work, and on certain jobs that's how it is. This particular job had what's called composite crew, which means different things depending on where in the country you are, but here it means that strict trade classifications are laxed in order to make union work competitive (in other words, the crew sizes are going to be small enough where everybody just works to get the job done for the most part). I'm not a foreman, so i can sometimes just have a short talk with them, to explain how we need to do this or we all are out of a job. Sensible ones shape up after that. Next I resort to taking the tool out of his hand that he's leaning on and banging it out. Most men were taught at one point out another that taking tools out of someone's hand is a super faux pas, on the order of calling him a bitch. That alone usually gets then riled up enough to do their job or start getting lippy, so then i can call him out in front of everyone and remove all doubt of my opinion of them.
If that doesn't work, i will usually nickname him, and everyone will call him that lol. So he is reminded how he's useless 100 times a day, and that will hopefully piss him off enough to start pulling his weight. Boat anchor, statue, sloth, weekend at Bernies, etc lol. Peer pressure can be a good thing. If that also fails then you refuse to help him do anything, so it's apparent to the foreman that this one guy is the weak link. When i came up, you had journeymen around all the time, and if you got out of line, they didn't hold back at all. If you sucked, you got assigned complete bitch work, or just laid off. In fact, it's a common practice to hire more guys than you need, then cull the ones that aren't cutting it. A one man layoff sends a very clear message usually.
Jim, these aren't volunteers by any means, they are union construction hands. These guys will do this type of work until they retire. When people are new to it, you sometimes have to show them their boundaries and expectations. It's in my best interest to push my co workers to their potential, and vice versa. I do agree on the place for everyone, as long as they will put forth effort. No effort equals a waste of air.
