Just hit 15 years in the trade and it doesn't feel like a win

Everyone at the local 83 hall talks about hitting big anniversaries like it's a huge deal, but when I got my pin last month, it just made me think about all the wear and tear. My knees are shot from years on the deck plates at the old Detroit Edison plant. Does anyone else get this mixed feeling instead of pure pride?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_grant3418d ago

My old man hit 30 years at Local 17 and felt the same way. The pin is just a piece of metal, it doesn't fix your knees. What helped him was using the seniority to bid on easier calls, like tool crib or inspection gigs. Start doing that now, don't wait until you're completely broken. The job owes you that much after 15 years on the deck plates.

bettym1118d ago

Yeah, that's solid advice right there.

pat78118d ago

The job owes you that much" is a dangerous way to think, @claire_grant34. That kind of attitude can make a guy soft, waiting for handouts instead of earning his keep. Seniority should be about leading the tough jobs, not hiding from them.