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From: James Sovie (no email)
Date: Wed Aug 18 1999 - 11:36:12 EDT
Dave wrote "Rates are 60-70/hour to have 8-10 dollar an hour
laborers destroy customers boats. "
I used to have an office right next to the lift at a boatyard in Ventura. I
watched one day as one of the kids they hired came out to paint a boat
bottom. He applied two coats of paint and then, deciding the job complete,
picked up the can of paint to leave. His body movements indicated the can
was till very heavy. I walked outside and asked him if he had mixed the
paint before he used it. "Do you need to?" he asked. I explained why it
was necessary, and showed him the copper "muck" in the bottom of the can. I
went back inside, and he went over to talk to his boss. No one came back
out to repaint the bottom. The next day, as they were preparing to launch
the boat, I struck up a conversation with the owner of the boat, and told
him what I had seen.
He talked to the yard owner, etc. it became clear that since he was passing
through, the yard owner thought he had a pigeon, and just didn't care about
the quality of the work.
I quasi my point is that it doesn't matter if the guy working on your boat
has ever sailed a day in his life - the guy that wrenched on my race bikes
never raced, ditto for my race car mechanics - people do a good job when
they (first) are taught, and (second), care.
When I came off active duty in the late 60's people still had pride in their
companies and in the jobs they did. For the most part, they are gone now,
replaced by unskilled laborers and bosses that are products of the new
business schools where they are taught that the bottom line is everything,
and people are nothing.
My Grand dad used to tell me "If you really want the job done right, learn
it and do it yourself". Back then, it made little sense to me, since you
could hire competent help easily and at a fair price. Nowadays, his advice
sure hits home.
Ookay, who wants on the soapbox next?
Jim
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