Is any simple workers (machinist ) here ? (IT job, profit, degree, jobs)

[moroz49]

I am worker from Russia ? now pensioner . During 10 years of inet searching i cannot to find the same worker in US .I only want to talk about the working day at your mill , factory , etc... relations with boss , discipline, and so on ... my e mail - moroz49@list.ru , my name in Skype- moroz49...

[moroz49]

Hi guys ! what are you afrad to chat with me ? I cannot to bite . I am very kind and calm grandpa ...

[YAZ]

Are you trying to find manufacturing work in the U.S.?

Or just talk about general issues in the manufacturing industry here?

[moroz49]

Just talk about one working day at your factory , plant , mill... relations with boss , discipline, and so on. Any time comfortable for you , or some questions - response by e-maile . Nothing terrible ...

[YAZ]

Typically, the machine shops have 2 - 10 hour shifts per day. Day shift is 6:00 am - 4:30 pm and night shift is 4:30 pm 3:00 am. Monday thru Friday and Saturday once in a while.....6 hour shift on Saturdays.

30 minutes for lunch and 2-10 minute breaks.

If you do a good job, then the boss will be nice to you. Do a bad job and you'll be terminated. Attendance is crucial. You can't miss more than 3 or 4 days per year. Yes, we work when we're sick. Too much vodka the night before is no excuse for missing work.

If you know you're gonna be out, arrange it beforehand.

No smoking in the plant and only on breaks.

Some companies don't allow you to eat while working. Some require a covered container for beverages.

You have to keep your area clean and organized. This is for safety as well as for "good looks" when we have visitors.

While communication is vital to the organization, standing around talking to your coworkers (even if your machine is running) is a no-no. You'd better keep busy as companies out here have a tendency to ship work to Mexico and overseas to maximize profit. Do your best to keep your company profitable.

Talk to your wife on the cell phone at breaktime. No personal calls at work. Ya gotta be fair to your employer, ya know?

Lock up your tools when you go home. We buy our own measuring instruments for our daily work as well as hammers, wrenches, etc.

[moroz49]

Dear YAZ you dont believe it , but i v been searching you - 10 years long ... Thank you very much !!! But if you let to begin real talking with you - here my new questions-
How many people working at your shop?
What detail your shop is produce ?
What age of the very new machine / very old mashine?
If you working at old one - and this machine cannot provide the draft"s accordance ? and you told about this to your Boss ? What response you get ?
If you forget to lock up your tools ... what can be happen ?
if the weather is very cold / hot - what temperature at your working place ? The same ?
The lunch - what is it ?Do you buying the hot full food at the dining room , or got dry food you bring in your bag ?
In Russia arround any factory there is the high fence with the barbed wire ( as a rule) , how about this at your place ?
(standing around talking to your coworkers, talk to your wife on the cell phone ) - do you have constant observation during 10 hours of the shift ? or your coworkers ask you - dont do it ?
if you have a hang-over, or a bad/thick head-it means you have strong smell of alcohol from your mouth - all the same -boss let you to start work ?
if you to arrive 5 minutes late - what happen with you ?
Your wages have only one part ? and depend only from time of work ? do it have premium part ? or you get the wages is depending from volume of the details you have done ?
I beg your pardon if i boring you , but it very intresting to me .
Do you have the trade union ?
All the best Vladimir .

[YAZ]

Lucky for you that I speak broken English very well......

I work with all kinds of people in manufacturing:

Hispanics
Poles
Czechs
Bosnians
etc., et al.....

About 80 machinists at the shop. 50 people on the day shift and 30 on the night shift.

We mainly produce parts for the aerospace industry. Half of it is military and half commercial airlines. Many components for APU's, turbine stuff and tie rods.

We have CNC machines (mills, lathes and grinders) that range in age from new to 25 years old. Our engine lathes and knee mills are much older. Our manual machines are at least 35 years old.

Of course, older machines have "slop" but we tend to not run tight tolerance jobs on them. If the machine cannot hold the print tolerance, we have to communicate that to the boss, engineering, etc. And we do that immediately. We don't wait until we have a bunch of nonconformities. Typically, we change machines or the process as soon as the problem is known. Sometimes we have to fight it though.

Some people just aren't honest. People steal your things. Mics, calipers, indicators, etc. are purchased with our own money, and as you know these things are expensive. Sometimes your friend on the night shift will borrow your things and forget to put it back. It's best to keep your things locked.

We have heat and AC here in Phoenix, AZ. It's very comfortable. Some shops in the colder parts of the U.S. don't have air conditioning. It can get hot in the summer but maybe only for a couple of weeks.

Larger companies have cafeterias where you can buy your lunch at work. Some companies have a catering truck that comes. I like to bring my lunch as my wife is a great cook and I heat it up in the microwave at work. Sometimes I make a sandwich and bring fruit. It's cheaper that way too and much healthier.

Security varies. My shop doesn't have a fence but I've seen some that do. I have a card key that I use to get into the building. It's monitored so management knows what time you entered.

We talk on the cell sometimes but not when the boss is around. Everyone knows that sometimes it is necessary. Just don't do it much. Same thing when talking to your coworkers. Try to keep it job related.

Don't come to work with alcohol on your breath. Probably get fired. Stupid way to lose a job. If my friend has a hangover and I can smell alcohol, then I let him know. Breath mints, chewing gum, and stay away from the boss.

Being late for work is OK once in a while. Sometimes it happens. Excessive tardiness will get you fired. It depends on the circumstances. Some places are more rigid than others. If you're late 2 or 3 times per year, it'll be OK.

We get paid by the hour. Time x 1.5 over 40 hours per week. I received a bonus last year for Christmas.

$150.00.

I was thankful as I know many machinists out of work right now.

We don't have a union where I work and that's fine with me as I can negotiate my wage on my own.

Have a good day Vlad and let us know how your workplace is different.

[DrEarth]

I was a machinist, and I was laid-off 4 years ago.

[moroz49]

Dear YAZ ! great thank you for response .
I got worked at different places ? - military -7 years ? and last 20 years at the big Paper mill , as the lathe operator ( 6 grade ) Do you have any grade sistem . What property is your shop ? I cannot to understand that you must to buy the- Mics ( micrometer-? ) , calipers, indicators ? It means - there is 80 full set/kit of tools at your shop?And what about - if you need to measure the size about 1000 mm ( or more ) with a high (degree of) accuracy ( inner and outward )? and what about the big of the gauge for each size - begin from 5 mm - 100 mm with step in one mm ( it more than 200 pieces ) ? How many people in administration of your shop, engineers , technologists ? You said - you get paid by the hour. Time x 1.5 over 40 hours per week ( 60 hours ?) .Is any mesure of the quantity of details you must to do each shift? What is your wages? Is any difference in wages of your coworkers ?
At the paper mill - machinist shop got very old mills, lathes and grinders ,some of them have more then 40 years without any major/thorough repairs... and the boss dont care... do details - or go out,it is difficult with the tooling ! but at any factory -Mics, calipers, indicators, workers get from the firm. What about - if you need to do something to yourself ? How many time you need for your way to shop ? All the best , Vladimir.

[moroz49]

Dear DrEarth ! If you have time and wish to answer about your shop , i ll be very thankfull to you .