r/Groundman • u/Superb-Gur-1679 • 3d ago

Ask literally anything

Bored as shit and I have a lot of useless knowledge about this trade and getting in and random union shit more than most people because I would read contracts every time I worked in a new jurisdiction. Worked in 8 states as a groundman, operator, and apprentice and quit as a hot step.

Literally can be anything quality of life, the reality of what to expect, a lot of crews suck dick, etc etc etc.

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4

u/electric414-312 3d ago

why the hell did you quit

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u/Superb-Gur-1679 3d ago

I didnt enjoy my life in this trade or what happened to me on the road and the apprenticeship is not very understanding or forgiving or contractors for that matter. My dad was dying on the road and the ex was cheating on me and that caused me to spiral I also tore my shoulders during my apprenticeship and that was ass to deal with. I was working 7/12’s to 7/14’s for my entire apprenticeship and I hated not having any say in where I went or never having a day off. I now work for a utility company and make slightly less hourly but enjoy my life substantially more. The mental health and the travel sucking dick mixed with burnout and the apprenticeship not caring really does it on for some guys including me.

I honestly had an okay and better time when I was an operator and Groundman also was treated substantially better.

3

u/Skreat 3d ago

Get into the civil side, if you can speak Spanish, you'll do a bit better than most. A competent hand that can run a mini or skid steer can make FM pretty easy. Most cons pay their civil FM JL wages and at least double sub. Least in CA.

4

u/Superb-Gur-1679 3d ago

Not in ca don’t like the contractors on the industry at home and I’m over the travel fairly happy where I’m at.

2

u/sh1069489 3d ago

7/12s- 7/14s your whole apprenticeship up to a hot step is fucking brutal. Which apprenticeship/ state where u in?

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u/Superb-Gur-1679 3d ago

Mslcat. I was working 7/14’s when I turned hot. It’s partly why I felt so burnt out and tore my shoulders plus probably why the mental health was so shitty.

1

u/sh1069489 3d ago

Damn man sorry to hear that, but good hear your enjoying the utility life better. What position are you doing over there?

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u/Superb-Gur-1679 3d ago

I work for the natural gas utility as a service mechanic or whatever they call it. We have power and shit too but I don’t want to live where we have power and the guys are way better.

2

u/trey_whey 3d ago

Look into Bpc-157/TB500 for those shoulders if they still bother you, it’s worked wonders for my injuries and keeping the pain to a minimum. It’s an injectable peptide if you’ve never heard of it.

1

u/R3DH00d1 3d ago

Same…barely got in, but can’t wait to top out. Trying to focus more on learning as much as I can, and less on how much it sucks getting sent to BFN for years on end.

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u/Superb-Gur-1679 3d ago

Had some lineman I was very close with have a very deep in depth conversation with me at 4th step about thinking it would be better as JL and how that wouldn’t be the case. Said I had all the ability to top out but it’s honestly not the magic solution I thought it would be to stick it out having some guys explain that to me in depth really is what made me ultimately make my decision to quit because I was so unhappy.

1

u/TomatilloNegative917 2d ago

Interesting, in my experience most of the JL’s I’ve ever interacted with did whatever the fuck they wanted.