Co-workers not doing the right thing...

How do you deal with multiple people "bullying" or even just "pranking" you at work? I have multiple times that I have had my personal tools hidden from me because I am an apprentice so I am fairly new to the company that I am working for. They also like to tell me to do the wrong thing or tell me to use the wrong thing so I will mess up...is there any tips that I can do to help cutdown on this?

Yes. Journey out.

Journey out in ways to tell them off? Or in what way?

Get out of there. This is the 21st century. There is no reason to put up with that level of garbage. Your peers should be setting a good example of professionalism and respect, not... this.

It is hard to find a job with limited experience, unfortunately. Perhaps document these incidents and bring it up with a supervisor.

I'm all for fun and having a good time, but messing with someone else's personal tools is complete and utter nonsense. The type of "fun" befitting belligerent teenagers out late at night.

And, your "esteemed, experienced colleagues" instructing you to do the wrong thing shows a complete lack of care on their part towards the company. I bet they wouldn't be doing it if they had to pay for your screwups - that they induced.

The fact that you don't know what "journey out" means leads me to believe that you are not in a real apprenticeship program. Are you an apprentice or just the new guy? The behavior you describe and your lack of knowledge leads me to believe that you have been decieved and think that all FNGs are all apprentices. Are You? In my experience any place with a real apprentice program would not have this shit going on. It wasn't tolerated when I was an apprentice and my union would not tolerate it now. Advise us of your real status and what body sanctions your apprenticeship.

Ya good luck with that..... I went thru the same shyt. All you can do is play along and start doing the opposite (the right thing) of what they tell you. See what I did was work my ass off And used my brain to become one of the most valued employees. (Not easy, and not overnight!) That will turn things around for you! See people act like that for multiple reasons
1) they wanna see what your made of.
2) they feel threatened (they don't wanna be outdone by a new guy)
3) they went thru the exact same thing and figure its there turn? Lol
All I can say is stay friendly and keep a positive attitude. Try and hang with the seasoned guys. Even tho they try to throw you off if you listen carefully there is probably a tip or a trick hiding in there somewhere and you just have to think about it to understand it. They just can't give you the answer because you'll never fully learn that way. Our old saying for new guys is (you have to f’ it up before you learn how to make it right) lol. Its not easy work... Get ready for the next year to be hell until you grasp it as good as they do.
One thing I noticed when I was going thru it as well.... They can be bitter and mean and throw you off,,, but work stays at work... When we would hit the bar up on Friday for happy hour they were comepletly different people. After a couple of Fridays and they realize your not a cocky a-hole.... They should come around to start giving you the ”good advice! ”.... Hahaha
Hope this helps.... Oh and remember this one mil tid-bit...... NEVER give up!!...... Once they see that... You will earn there respect.

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Stand up for yourself, both verbally and nonverbally... this includes the work you do. You say a lot just working and not saying anything. When I was 18-21 I got fucked with a lot, and I got pissed and told some old guys how I felt and let them know I was there to work and learn. If you are actually serious the good guys will recognize that and respect it.

At some point though you just need to leave... I worked at a place that was run by a guy who was started a lot of that type of shit himself, he thought it was a good way to run the place, and I didn't so I left.

Maturity is the word here, and there is a lot that goes into that. You gotta know when to be the bigger person, and when to bow out.

Also to add.... Not to contradict myself.... But when someone messes with my tools.... That's were I draw the line! Calipers are two hundred bucks these days so for someone else to go and grab them and risk damaging them they'd better be ready to cough up the money for a replacement set! So if I were you id definitely let them know! And if you truly work with a bag of dicks..... Well every shop has cameras these days....

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These bullies are jealous.

Best advise is to take the high road yourself. Don't be like them.

Ignore the pranks, the more they see you respond the more they will continue.

Act, don't react. Never show anger.

As long as these bullies get a reaction out of you they will keep going.

This will throw them off their game.

If the bullying continues then write down each incident including their actions, date, time and how much time it takes from you job. When you have enough confront your supervisor with a written memo with copies of your attached notes. your supervisors actions will tell you what to do next.

Agree with the never show or get angry.
Part of this maybe normal hazzing of the new guy.

Don't write it down until you have a pile and go to the supervisor, tell this person about every time you feel wronged.
It's the supers job to prevent shenanigans from your coworkers or talk you down if not a big deal.
One does not want to look like a whiner but the supervisor should know what is going on so that he/she can work with you or the others in the pack to help relieve your frustration.

This is the job of the leader or supervisor. We do not like to deal with it but it is the job we signed up for so the buck stops here.
For sure we do not want to hear every little piss and moan but it is our job to make the group work together and we need to know all the little things that are happening.
Some things may come back as "lighten up, not a big deal", other stuff may come down on others.
A good supervisor thrives on feedback on the things hidden from him/her and a understanding of how each of their people respond or feel about such stuff.
Often I'll not do much to appease you when you come with such things but I do make a mental tally of what is happening and know when this tally exceeds what I consider acceptable.
I do need you to "snitch" so that I know.

But I've been told that I'm not a "normal" supervisor/team leader/general manager so maybe all bad advice.
In the old days you just put up with it until one day you settled it in the parking lot with a baseball bat and then nobody screwed with you anymore.
Effective then but maybe not the best way now as such "fixes" are now viewed dimly by the legal system.

A rough going until you fit into the team is to be expected.
A bit of "What the fuck, why did you stash this or send me off this way" confrontation is useful but should not be the price of entry.
Bob

I would bet the supervisor is aware of the harassment, and is avoiding confrontation himself. But he's opening the company to a lawsuit if he doesn't stop this behavior. It's not horseplay, guys being guys, or an initiation - it is harassment, and it's creating a dangerous environment for those subject to it.

Look at what happens in other places where this sort of thing occurs - schools, frats, military branches, etc. Where once it was accepted, now it will get perpetrators thrown out of their school, or other sanctions. Sometimes when things aren't addressed there's been bloodshed when the victim has had enough.

To the OP - this is not OK, not today. It's up to you how to handle it, and the easiest thing may be to find another job, but you are entitled to a safe work environment, which your company is not providing at this time. You can take legal steps here if you wish, consult your local Dept of Labor branch.

N.C. Department of Labor

Filing a Whistleblower or Retaliation Claim - North Carolina

Keep in mind that NC is a state that has relatively little protection against summary firing, but the second link should give you some help.

i worked in a very strict environment in south houston. super long work dsys for months on end., The guys would find ways to mess with each other. it was mostly fun and games...but one fella thought it was funny to walk by peoples cars and push the side mirrors out of position. i politely asked him not to touch my vehicle. ever. bmw mirrors are $600 plus. that afternoon i had both my mirrors pushed out of position.

ok...now its serious. the next day i went and "dirtied" his super clean new chevy truck. and boy was he pissed. i said ok ok..calm down. ill have someone come by and clean it for you tommorrow. the next day he gave
me his key "for the guy that was coming to clean it"


the same guy who just happened to be towing it to the north side of the woodlands, for a FULL wash, wax, shampoo, and undercarriage treatment.


that carwash cost him about 500 bucks. to this day i dont think he's touched anyone elses mirrors


be the fng. but dont be a pussy

Thank you all! We don't work on Saturday and Sunday so I will take all of the advice that I have gotten and take it to mind! It does not make for an easy work day to say the least. I do want to learn and grow as I am new to being a machinist and am fresh out of school. It always hard to learn when some guy wants to be a butt hole and not teach you something you have never done or seen before. Thank you again!

and if all that doesn't work, put a little high spot blue on the bridge of their glasses.

as to someone telling you to do it wrong...... surely you have a boss/ foreman...... question every method and find someone you can trust....doublecheck before you act.

sometimes the best lesson of apprecticeship is learning what not to do.

and start locking your toolbox.

Disclaimer: I'm not in management I'm a hourly employee, just one of the heard.

You're the new guy and a apprentice to boot so some fun a games you'll have to put up with for a little bit. Be a good sport but have a limit to what you will put up with or you'll eat shit forever.

Do not let them walk on you. Stick up for yourself because management will not get involved.

It may take you threatening to knock someone's dick in the dirt to get the point across that I won't be pushed around. Some people that is all they will understand.

Brent

I know that some from the northern tier of states do not know the difference between the two, but there is a great deal of difference between North and South Carolina. Perpetrators of pranks like these have been frightened and/or injured when the hazee has had enough of the treatment. Regards, Clark

I would look for another place to work if talking to the boss doesn't help. I worked for the man at 8 or so shops before becoming self employed, and I NEVER have seen anyone try to sabotage an apprentice's job. I have seen higher experienced people try to sabotage each other fighting over trying to get a raise and or promotion. I have also seen poor treatment of a new guy if he looks to be highly skilled and ambitious, the long term employees who do the bare minimum don't want to be shown up.

Get a different job, if this type of stuff is going on, this is part of the shop culture. That's not the type of place where you are going to learn to be a top notch guy.

Granted if it's just stuff like "get me a left handed crescent wrench" that's one thing, but it sounds like it's a bit more then that.

If these guys are ok with parts getting messed up "to teach the apprentice a lesson" they damn well aren't professionals.

Rule of thumb, if you are working with the type of people that you have to lock your toolbox up tight every night, it ain't a good place to be working.

If you can find some other place to go ,,,,, RUN , , , ,. I went from doing tool & die work/ fabricating to working in a hydraulic shop full of gorillas and people they dragged in off the street stood in front of a lathe and showed them just enough to make it go.I do my best to teach proper tool use and setups , speeds feeds and maintenance . Ive been bullied lied to constantly belittled and even fired. 3 fellow employees have made blatant attempts to get me fired. And now they have the management convinced that im the problem. They use the words Common denominator , This is the only place ive ever worked that ignoring the jokesters and bullies hasn't stopped them. Be careful when pointing out bullying , have 100% proof positive . or they will turn it around and make it your fault. I pointed out to a foreman that one of the gorillas was constantly crashing into the lathe chuck , "YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR JOB AND WHAT YOUR DOING AND NOT ABOUT HIM " and nothing was done. I have nowhere with in an hours drive that isn't a Poohole worse than where I am now. So like I said RUN if you have anywhere else you can go.