Bleepedy Bloops

It does seem like a real shit thing to do. Not only do you need to wait two days to hit the pavement, it ruins the weekend too.

canadian_critic

No, employment is brutal here. Not that EVERY employer is like this. Zero ethics though for most of them. There are a lot of empty promises here. I know one **** up who interviews people to make him feel important and to satisfy his craving for rejecting others, perhaps to make up for his own failings. He'd have the living shit kicked out of him in Britain for that but poor suckers here just lap up his BS and fall into his trap. All the best but be careful with who you trust and selective in what you believe

canadianinleeds

Wow. You have described my past experiences exactly. I knew it had to be a North American thing. I am a plumber who is returning to Calgary in a couple of weeks. I have been let go from a few jobs like that. Mostly always on a Friday. Always the same reason. "We have no work." After 2008 everything slowed down a bit and that is the year I also became a journeyman and I guess too expensive to hire. When they can get some 3rd year to do what you can do they always will. I always found another job easily afterwards, but it seems like they would hire me telling me how busy they will be for 5 years blah blah blah. Get me to help finish a project, then out I go. No warning. So three months here, four there. As an apprentice, I NEVER had a problem. Also worked for guys that get rid of decent guys when times are tough and keep their buddies around. Most of whom take advantage and slack off.

forrey10

Ya, I have had some crappy bosses too, you get to know when it is coming, and I normally ( if I do not care to much about the job) just quit and walk that day, I think if they can fire me on the spot I can quit on the spot.
On the other hand I have had the best two employers ever and both Canadian, still working for one of them, worked for one Brit over here and never again.
Any way good luck, don't worry to much about the red seal I got mine in machining 20years ago and have never used it.
Forrey.

spikeyken

Work's not too bad here in London, the firm I'm with has enough work on the books for this year. This time last year was pretty grim however, wasn't sure if the company was going to make it. I do mostly commercial with a little bit of industrial work now and then. How did you find the transition from UK style of work to Canadian? You a dab hand on the foot bender now? I notice that they seem to pipe absolutely everything.
Anyway, hope this week works out okay for you!

K

Londonuck

They always do that. Particularly cowardly in my eyes.

Good luck mate.

Irishcpl

Hey Dude, I haven't posted on here for a while. But my wife insisted that I give you a reply. Your story is so similar to mine its uncanny. I am an CNC machinist by trade working in the Aerospace industry. The first time I moved to Canada wayback in 2001, after 4 mths of searching i got a job and l;ow and behold 3 weeks later laid off on the friday and that was that!
Which is fair enuff I suppose, if the work is not there its not there!

I had returned to the UK for work and moved back in 2005, went out on holiday looked for work sat an interview with a large aerospace company, got the job then and there because of my experience the promised me the world. Moved back within a month at their request and it took them approx 6 weeks to hire me. As you know that can eat into ur already evaporating savings! I pratically had to beg the to start me. So they did and all was well in the world. So I thought.

Turns out they had nothing ready for me, the new extension was not even built, no new machine that they promised. so the put m on the biggest piece of crap they had, i swear it was a step back in time 20 ys for me. awful dirty oily piece of crap! No air conditioning and I am telling you it was 45c indoors.
Turned out the foreman was a bully , one of the guys on the machine tried to be a bully, but they were bullying the wrong guy!! It all came a head one day when they guy on the machine was tryng to bully me, Im 15st bodybuilding Martial artist! like WTF! I quietly pulled him too one side and told him if it didn't stop I would take him to the car par and kick his teeth in! Needless to say tha hut him up and the bullying stopped.

Shortly after I had enuff and I jacked th job in. Empty promises! Tbh I was gutted and my wife and I returned to the UK, bothof us shed lots of tears on that trip home. I had given up everything t go back again and for what, sold our car moved out of our house Left a GOOD job, were I mattered!!!

I have worked for some of the best aeropace companies in the UK without any of this unecessary duress... I have over 15yrs experience and that mattered for squat when I got to Canada, there is a serious difference in workers rights and ethical employment practies between the UK and Canada,. the UK wins hands down every time.

Bit of good news, i returned to the uk opened a business which has been running for over 5 yrs successfully now, but I miss the beautiful country which I aspired to call home!

So you are not alone my friend, I hope it all works out for you.
Become your own boss if you can , then you only have to anwser to YOU!

Good luck my friend , I feel your pain! Chris

bozonightmare

Jesus! That is a horror story Chris!
It's a real eye opener this. I hadn't noticed it being talked about on the forum before I came here. Maybe I had rose tinted glasses on.
Don't see how you're supposed to build anything over here with no job security/ no work contract.
Some of the apprentices on that job had been there 2 years and didn't have a contract! Totally expendable.

bozonightmare

Ken, the foot bender is a piece of piss, my grandmother could do it. No threads- no skill required.
In general everything over here is simplified, which is not all bad, but if my last job was anything tO go by they expect you to graft!x2
It was like a prison camp no phone calls, no talking! I was letting know when I went to the toilet or they would ask aggressively where I was going.
Instead of setting a job out properly and building up speed, doing it right first time safely,they would rather start like a hyperactive maniac, no discussion, no planning,**** it up, do it twice, then blame an apprentice.
I hope I'm wrong, hope it's not like that everywhere.

Irishcpl

Hi Mate, i didn't even read the forums before I came, how bout those Glasses :s

I have tried and failed approx 4 times to make it in Canada, poeple say if you can just stick it out! But why should you have stick anything, its supposed to be a better life not a worse one!! My skills was 2nd highest on the assesment for points scoring, go figure!

Its really not what you know, but who you know In Canada!

Yeah its def hire and fire! I always thought that was nothing to worry about because I knew I was really good at what I did.. but thats not how it works, they will keep their half assed buddy pal and fire the foreign skilled men first. I've seen it first hand!

I have more horror stories than that, I once was offered the job as the day shift supervisor, had the job was invited to the bosses family bbq he was that impressed and glad to have me,. the night shift foreman kicked up a stink because I was more skilled and qualified than him and threatened to walk. I said let him!! Guess what no dice and no job! Back to the drawing board!

Then i cudn get a job anywhere, over experienced and over qualified! Unreal!!

Took my wife months to get a job too, if you can believe this she started the day I got laid off! and guess what her company went into liquidation shortly after this.

We eventually just lost heart and the dream was smashed, and the expense! OMG! I estimate its cost us in the region of £50,000..

Your right work is the key, I really do hope u get sorted and that you don't become immigration fodder like us! Chris

Alan2005

The hire/fire culture has been discussed on here a few times before, but most people think it won't happen to them (myself included if I'm honest). In fact several notable posters have been laid off in recent history; Kiwilass, fleds OH; Oakvillian and a number others.

Bali2010

Crap..sorry that it happened & hope you get something better soon.

rivingtonpike

We're embarking on a whole new venture - as self employed manufacturers..wish us luck! SnoMoose could be in your supermarkets soon! (soonish)

amardan

My hubby who is also an electrician experienced the same treatment with his first firm and was so shocked how rude they spoke to the apprentices and lack of help they gave them. He luckily wasn`t laid off but left as soon as we got PR and went to work in the oil sands where he found it a little bit different it just depends on the foreman and job you get. He is working for a nice firm but the frustrating thing is when the job finishes and he moves onto the next job he has to start from the bottom again. I think it just a different work ethic here which we are not used to. My hubby was also appauled at the lack of notice some of the electricians got on his site as one day they were there and then they were gone. When he used to work for contractors in UK he also was given 2 weeks notice to allow them time to find something. Good luck with job search have you thought about trying for oil sands whilst you wait it is good money and the accommodation and food is all paid for and sometimes the turnarounds are pretty good like 2 weeks on 1 week off which will still give you time to look for something more local. Also, Alberta seems to be picking up for work again so it might be an idea and relocating to a different area if you have no joy where you are.

bozonightmare

I'd definitely consider re-locating Amardan, however my girlfriend is doing a yoga instructors course over the next couple of months so we need to be in Vancouver for the time being.