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The original was posted on /r/antiwork by /u/TheSeag on 2024-06-17 08:18:00+00:00.

So I work as a self-employed central heating engineer (plumber) in England. Last month I landed a big contract in a new building site with over 300 houses going up. It’s a mix of terrace houses for around 150-170k, semi-detached for 220k and the big 4/5 bed detached houses for around 400k. So a range of work load, I put in a price for works and that was accepted. For those who don’t know price work means for each thing I do I get paid X amount. So I get a fixed fee for installing the toilet, shower, radiator pipe work etc

Being on a price means if I don’t work I dont earn, but if I get stuck in I can earn good money. I’m good at my job and I only take a 20 minute lunch breaks and bring a homemade lunch, I eat then get back to work. If you’re familiar with site work, most builders get to site for 8 take 30 minutes at 10am then an hour at 12 then another 30 minutes at 2pm, then leave at 4/5pm. I personally would rather skip all that and get home earlier. So I end up leaving at 3pm sometimes 2pm and if I’m ahead and have had a good money pot I sometimes just don’t bother going in on Friday. My way means I can get a house fully first fixed in usually 3/4 days (all pipework run to everything) so usual get a full first fix done and usually a 2nd started. So each week I put in a invoice of my works and get a steady income.

There is 3 other plumbing firms on the site and they’re usually taking 5-7 days for a first fix as they love a tea break on top of the other ones. Well if U know about the building trade once a first fix is installed, then the other trades (carpenters, electricians, plasterers etc) have to then do their bits before we can install the 2nd fix (toilets, showers, boilers etc) so I’ve been there a little over a month and have completed 6 first fixes. In comparison one firm has only down 2.

So obviously this is costing the company I’m working for a fair wedge of money as they have to pay out each week and clearly they see the others dragging their feet. Yet rather than being happy the work is getting done, I get subtle digs of “If you don’t slow down we’ll run out of money/ work lol” because the houses aren’t selling and these companies rely on selling one to build 2. I’ve explained I want to get in, get my job done to a good standard and go home. I then carried on and basically ignored these digs thinking them as banter.

Well last week I got called into the office and told that rather than continue with my agreed price work, they want to move me over to day pay. I have nothing else on as I had his penciled in for the foreseeable future. They basically said either take the day rate or leave. They made the excuse the other firms were on day rates and they want everyone on the same pay type for book keeping and to be “fair” usual BS. So I had no choice as I’m self employed they also made it clear they want a full day out of me and no more leaving at 2/3pm. Well, I thought about it after the meeting and I figured the reason is that paying me £200 a day is better than the 2k+ a week they were having to pay. I guessed they thought that my work ethic would continue when forced to stay till 4 and earn way less.

So I did what any reasonable man would do, I got to site at 8, I took my break at 10:30 I had an hour at 12 and another tea break at 2. Since I was now stopping every 2 hours I lost momentum and unfortunately I was more lethargic which meant my work load took a hit, last week I didn’t managed 1 first fix, going to need an extra day or 2 to finish.

My suspicions were confirmed this morning when the boss came and spoke to me and asked if I was ok, saying it seems my output has slowed right down. How I usually get a first fix a week and now I’m into the 2nd week. I told him the truth, I’m not going to bust my ass working for less money than I was on and that we agreed upon when I signed up. He didn’t say much, just sort of agreed and tried to be nice and all that.

I’m fully expecting some backlash but frankly they changed the goal posts and I already have another couple jobs I can jump too. So we’ll see what happens in the next few days.

TL:DR I work as a self-employed tradesman, ona massive site, on a price earning good money with each completed work load. Only for the boss to change me to a day rate at a significantly lower weekly pay packet and expect me to keep up the same output and hard work and not slow down and take my authorised breaks.