Comes now the large towerdog to bloviate about the above referenced topics along
with other ramblings that may come to mind.

For those that are frustrated with the industry and the declivitous path that it
seems to have taken of late, I offer the following:

First - We have to realize that in the grand food chain of the communications
business we are at the absolute bottom. The Chain starts with a bunch of Hebrew
investment bankers in NYC, makes its was through corporate executives, phone
company employees, engineers, lawyers, government folks, project managers and
company owners until if finally stops with us: the folks that mow the grass at
the cell sites, and the meter readers, the fence crew and the towerdogs. We are
at the absolute bottom, so naturally, if someone is going to get stepped on,
stung, or treated bad, it is us.

That means that if we are on the road working and a lack of materials stopps our
progress, or a change order throws our job off course, or some executive
somewhere does not like the kind of ground kits that came with the job,
everything comes to a halt and we are just expected to suffer the brunt of the
stoppage with no renumeration or compensation of any kind. We are expected to
be Johnny on the spot, and jump high on command, yet when things come to a halt,
we are expected to keep our mouth shut and figure out some other way to pay our
utility bill.

Second, because the top of the food chain is in NYC, making millions a year, and
gives not a damn about us or our working conditions, things will most likely
stay this way for a long time to come. In fact, if you want to stay sane and
sober in this industry then one had best expect this sort of thing to keep
happening and plan finances accordingly.

It is always best to save a little bit out of each check, spend the remainder
wisely, and be prepared when the dry spells hit or you are stuck on the road
with no immediate work and need to get back home. It is always good to have a
second source of income as well. Either keep another family member in the work
force, or have a back-up employment source either in this industry or some other
(I swear, one of my guys is a mini conglomerate. See my web site) In other
words, get used to it. It has always been this way and as far as I am
concerned, will only get worse.

In the old days the guys that were giving you orders and cutting PO's had at one
time or another been in the field themselves. They at least had a bit of an
understanding as to what we all faced each day. Those men would do all they
could to keep us working or compensate us if we hit downtime. Not anymore. To
echo another poster of earlier, the ones calling the shots today have never been
out from behind a computer screen, much less out in the field. It will only get
worse. So, if you wanna stay in the game then get used to the rules. If you
can't stand to play by the rules, find another job. If you need a steady 40
hour per week check with no threat of layoffs or dry spells then get the hell
out of this business, because even the biggest employer will wield the knife
when his CFO demands it.

The present state of affairs could, of course, be avoided if towerdogs would
band together and lay down a few work rules and push back against unreasonable
deadlines and payment terms. For whatever reason we don't seem to be able to
stick together long enough to get that done and the whole industry has to
suffer.

So pick up your belt, put on your boots, and hit the steel. It ain't easy, it
ain't ever gonna be easy, nor will it be fair. It will, however, be fun and
when you get one stacked out and complete it will bring the satisfaction that
nothing else can bring, but it WON'T be steady or secure, or with benefits, or
without bad characters; which is precisely why most don't last long in this
trade.

Now - allow me the liberty to discourse on one more thing while I'm with
keys....... the whole safety issue.

We now have manifold safety programs of one kind and the other the likes of
which have been hitherto unknown to the people of our area. We have full body
harnesses, we have decels, we have 100% tie off, we have rich workmen's comp
premiums, we have briefings, trainings, safety courses, you name it. We have
all this great stuff of keep folks from falling and most of it works, and works
well.

Only problem is that as we bend to each and every new regulation and rule, as we
practice and practice safety, as we implement safety programs one after another,
we make the job less and less challenging and less and less reserved for those
that have the real common sense and guts to get it done. Thanks to our new
rules the common man can don his gear, make the climb, and do the work. We have
cheapened the trade and to a large degree, given away our self respect and
bravado in the process. Instead of the competent and qualified being able to
demand $25.00 per hour we have been reduced to begging for $10.00 an hour. We
have seen the enemy and he is us.

So - in summation..... we do have manifold things to complain about in the trade
and all of us could go on and on forever..... but it appears to me that until we
make some changes and stand our ground that we don't stand a chance of seeing
anything different happen. so....... perhaps it is time for us to start some
new threads. Perhaps it is time to start threads on working conditions and
hours, per diem compensation, road food, workday lengths, time off between jobs,
compensation for "dead days" on the road. Yeah. lets talk about those
things.... and lets see which employers get blasted, and lets see who of the
blasters has guts enough to say "I've had it. I ain't takin that shit any more.
Something has to change or I'm gone."
Which of us will it be?


Bruce W. Holsted

www.bruceholsted.com