'My team's not a bunch of maintenance men': Trade worker defies contractors orders to shovel snow and packs up 'everything on the site'

Snow days are a lot of fun when you're a kid, but less so as an adult. As a kid, you may get to skip school and spend all day building snowmen and sledding down snowy hills with your friends. But as an adult, a snowy day means you'll have to shovel out your car and head to work on slippery roads. 

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Author image for Remy Millisky Remy Millisky
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  • This person, u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn, shared what happened when their grandfather encountered a snowy issue of his own. As a trade worker, this guy was used to installing HVAC systems, and in this case, he was working at a mall with a team of people. However, a contractor at the site seemed to fundamentally understand what this guy's job really was. In the same way you wouldn't go to a lawyer and tell they'd better rake all the leaves in front of the local courthouse, you wouldn't tell a sheet metal worker to shovel snow all day at his job… right? 

    Check out this excellent tale of malicious compliance below, as well as a few remarks from commenters. Next up, this hotel receptionist was really tired of guests coming in and saying, "Well, at every other hotel, they do this," so they made a list of common questions about "every other hotel."

  • 01
    Font - "Not gonna shovel snow? Then get off my site" "okay!" S OC Not my story, but my grandfather worked in the sheet metal trade, so secondhand account. He was in charge of several qualified men for this mall build. This contract was bidded for the HVAC install, nothing else as far as gramps was concerned; he can be extremely stubborn when it comes to that.
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
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  • 02
    Font - The story takes place during the winter where it snowed "like a sunuvab". With all the supplies unloaded at the job site, work was about ready to begin. This is where Contractor comes into the picture. This high-and-mighty man thought he had say over the whole yard.
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
  • 03
    Font - Contractor: "there's enough snow shovels for you and your men." Gramps: "My team's not a bunch of maintenance men. We're here to do one thing and one thing only."
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
  • 04
    Font - Contractor: "Well, my entire team shovels snow. If you're not gonna be a part of the team, then you can get off the job site!" Gramps: "Okay!" With that, Gramps calls back to his shop and has them bring out the largest truck they have. With that, him and his team loaded up everything on the site. All the while, Contractor is losing his s
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
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  • 05
    Font - Later, they all had a meeting in which Gramps asks the question to the boss: "what was our bid for? Were we to set sheet metal and HVAC or were we supposed to shovel snow?" And was promptly answered with affirmation to the former.
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
  • 06
    Font - They didn't get in trouble and didn't get booted off the contract, but this act of malicious compliance definitely made it a struggle and fights between Contractor and Gramps throughout the remainder of the build.
    via u/Hammer_Unto_Dawn
  • 07
    Font - CapitalistCarter If a GC tried that on me (electrician), on a job I bid, I'd be less nice than that. Job sites are not generally known for the calmest personalities anyway, but scrow over my bid while pretending I'm your employee? Yeah, not gonna happen. I've met arrogant GCs before, but that stunt would be beyond any I've met.
    via u/CapitalistCarter
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  • 08
    Font - mateo_rules My crew was told to help clear the site so we could work "concrete polishing" In all our contracts all working areas must be clear and broom swept prior to us even getting out of our trucks 8 hour flight semi truck with equipment ready to be unloaded and the Lowe's still has every F trade everywhere no workable space I would have settled for 10thousand square feet to work with but nope major contracting firm you are a s contracting firm
    via u/mateo_rules
  • 09
    Font - VulfSki Good on him. F people like that. I hope in the future he added surchages into the contract for work unrelated to what is contracted. Like for example extra work not stated in contract is $100/hr for each worker or something like that.
    via u/VulfSki
  • 10
    Font - Donald Trurnp Missed a chance to offer a change order: "Shovel snow; $50/hr/square foot or fraction thereof cleared of snow"
    via u/DonaId Trurnp
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workplace-stories work stories malicious compliance snow work malicious-compliance-reddit snowing workplace snowy contractor shovel Grandpa
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