7 Workers vs. The Mean Boss-man

I got paid today for the work that I’ve been doing since Wednesday of last week, so since the job is over, I can freely write about it.

I HATED the job because all of the workers were stubborn and I was looked upon as the “MEAN BOSSMAN/ CHIEF DOODYHEAD.” The job entailed that we re-paint an entire school and then carpet the 2nd and 3rd floors. A carpet company was hired to carpet the 2nd and 3rd floors and 5 painters and 7 temporary laborers were hired to paint the rest of the school. Our deadline was Tuesday, August 31, but everyone was trying to make the job last as long as possible to get more money. This is what got me mad and the wrath of Geremy had to be laid down.

The hardest day (and the day with the most yelling) was Tuesday–deadline day. I dropped everyone off early in the morning and told them that they had to get the job done by 6pm. I left and came back to the at 12pm to check-up on things, but there was nothing to check-up on because NO WORK WAS BEING DONE!!

The 2 supervisors went to the Chinese food store to get food, the 7 temp. workers were in the basement talking about God-knows-what in their native language and there were only 2 people working. I told all of the laborers that I was going to deduct $10 from their salary for wasting my time and they all smiled and said “bien” because they couldn’t speak or understand English….or that’s what they wanted me to think.

I left and returned at 6pm to pay the temp workers for their work for the day. Even though they were working hard when I arrived there, it didn’t make up for the fact that they wasted 1 hour of my time earlier, so instead of the $110 that they were supposed to get, I paid them all $100.

Worker # 1: ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS?!?!? WHERE’S MY TEN DOLLARS?!

Me: I kept the ten dollars for the one hour that you guys didn’t work!

Worker # 2: We don’t care! Give us our $10

Me:I told all of you that I was keeping $10. Unless you all want to go back in there and work 1 more hour, that’s all that you’re gonna get!

4 of the guys said “okay, we understand.. thanks” and they walked to the bus stop to go home, while 3 guys stood there and continued to argue

Worker # 3: We worked very hard! It’s only $10! Give it to us!!

Me: If it’s only $10, then forget abou…..WAIT!! I THOUGHT YOU GUYS ONLY SPOKE SPANISH?!??

Workers # 1-3:: Uhhhh… Si

Me: Bye.

At that point, I went inside, made sure that everything was going well and then I left.

Even though the money was very, very nice, I probably won’t ever volunteer to oversee another project of this magnitude. I hope that there’s a business course in school to teach me how to handle a boisterous gang of 7 temp workers.