Working Class People in the Heat

[Michael G.]

I read where people refuse to work these days.

Let's all step back and give a big thanks for all those people who make
a living in this scorching heat that service us all. :thumbup:

Delivery people
AC service people
Lawn care
Road workers
Roofers
Baggage handlers at the airports
Line men
Repair men of all kind.

If you see one, please offer them a bottle of cold water. :BigApplause:

[buster21]

Well said!

[ThirdOfFive]

Ditto.

[Michael 61]

Yep, I am very grateful to all those folks who work outside in the summer to offer much needed services - a HUGE Thank You!!

[rustyp]

Let's not forget the golf ambassadors and pickle ball monitors that maintain the water coolers.

[I'm Popeye!]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash...

[rjm1cc]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash...

Some job could be moved from the day to the night.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Some job could be moved from the day to the night.

Sure. You can put up with that noise when you're sleeping, and pay double-time for the privilege. They get paid extra for working at night.

They start very early in the morning, I'm just glad they don't get to our house til the afternoon. I can do the last minute kitty-litter scoop-out after my first cup of coffee and hubby reads the morning's paper, before I have to get the trash out to the curb. No worries about the birds ripping the trash open during the night.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash...

The guys who come to our neighborhood are awesome. I was taking a walk one day and waved to them - I continued my walk, turned to another street, and they came from the other direction - I waved at them again. I turned again, they came up behind me several minutes later and the guy on the back waved to me - we kept running into each other for around 40 minutes, and by the last time, we were just chuckling at each other.

[jamorela]

I read where people refuse to work these days.

Let's all step back and give a big thanks for all those people who make
a living in this scorching heat that service us all. :thumbup:

Delivery people
AC service people
Lawn care
Road workers
Roofers
Baggage handlers at the airports
Line men
Repair men of all kind.

If you see one, please offer them a bottle of cold water. :BigApplause:

I hand out Gatorade to many including the trash people.

[La lamy]

Agreed OP. I hear roofers are spared the midday heat, but generally, outdoor work in Florida's summer is a feat. :bigbow:

[bowlingal]

rustyp....there is no such thing as pickleball monitors. They are recreation center employees, whose job it is to regularly check the outside courts ( pools included), and the nearest village pools as well as monitor the inside lobby desk, and rooms to be set up for activities. I know this because I was an RA ( recreation assistant).

[daniel200]

I was really surprised to learn recently that UPS trucks have no air conditioning and only fans. I would think that in some places it must be terribly hot. After their recent contract negotiations they will begin to purchase new trucks with AC next year.


UPS drivers on track to get air-conditioned trucks for the first time (https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/ups-drivers-track-get-air-conditioned-trucks-first-time-ever-rcna88460)

[JGibson]

It's not really that hot here when you lived in Arizona for awhile. Most outside work starts at 5am and stops at noon in Arizona during the summer.
So anytime I start to complain about the heat I think of Arizona and their above 100 degree weather and don't tell me it's a dry heat because a oven has dry heat also.

[Bay Kid]

I was really surprised to learn recently that UPS trucks have no air conditioning and only fans. I would think that in some places it must be terribly hot. After their recent contract negotiations they will begin to purchase new trucks with AC next year.


UPS drivers on track to get air-conditioned trucks for the first time (https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/ups-drivers-track-get-air-conditioned-trucks-first-time-ever-rcna88460)

They are in and out so often ac won't do much good.

I always offer bottled water to workers at my home. Amazing how often they take me up on the offer.

[I'm Popeye!]

Some job could be moved from the day to the night.

Are you kidding? DO YOU want people to complain about the noise after their 9 PM bedtime...

[gworton]

Amen...there are some really hard working people here..say thank you when they do a good job!

[Djean1981]

True.

[Villagesgal]

Don't forget all the Utility workers, wastewater, water,and the like without them working in the heat you couldnt6flush your toilet or have water to drink coming out of your faucet.

[I'm Popeye!]

Don't forget a bottle of water for those that walk their nice little doggy onto your grass in 100-degree heat.. :D

[Two Bills]

Our binmen are among the fittest workers around.
They run from house to house.
Not allowed to hang on back of truck in UK.
They are athletes. No 'chubby' would survive.

Mind you, we don't see 90f+ very often!

[I'm Popeye!]

Our binmen are among the fittest workers around.


Read post 6, The American workers version... ;)

[Snowbug]

I read where people refuse to work these days.

Let's all step back and give a big thanks for all those people who make
a living in this scorching heat that service us all. :thumbup:

Delivery people
AC service people
Lawn care
Road workers
Roofers
Baggage handlers at the airports
Line men
Repair men of all kind.

If you see one, please offer them a bottle of cold water. :BigApplause:
I agree! I was a Letter Carrier in Indiana and delivered mail in 95+ heat several times, but always wondered how the carriers in Florida could take it week after week. It was worse than the cold of winter, for sure. Several great people would give me a cold drink along my route and it was really appreciated.

[Two Bills]

Read post 6, The American workers version... ;)

The proper title in UK is Refuse Collectors, and in some districts Waste Disposal Operatives.
Majority of people call them Dustman, or Binmen.
The local Councils gave all workers upgraded job titles to make them feel better about the lousy pay.
Where my brother lives in Australia, they call them Dusty Bins, and they collect at night, and must be off the roads by 7am.

[ThirdOfFive]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash...
Agreed. I "remember" them every December with a rather nice tip to show my appreciation. Three Hispanic guys who are a hoot! Great senses of humor, especially the older guy who drives the truck. I encounter them every so often on their route or when I am doing yard work and always get a wave and greeting from them.

It really doesn't take much though: I do a lot of walking and encounter many work crews at various places in TV. They always get a wave and smile. They ALWAYS respond, though sometimes looking a bit surprised at first.

[huge-pigeons]

My take on this: if people don’t like their job in any working condition, they have a choice to do something about it instead of the government making mandates. Is the government going to do the same thing when the temps get to 20 below 0 in areas?

Would you like jumping in septic tanks to clean them when it’s 50 degrees? How about cleaning the pig stalls, horse stalls when the temperature was ideal? How about cleaning the portable potties when it is 60 outside? Would any of these jobs be easy to do in perfect weather? NO!
All of the people everybody mentioned above would hate doing their job when it’s 20-30 degrees below 0 too.
I remember visiting Mexico in December when it was 93 degrees, I was in shorts and a t-shirt, most of the locals had sweater or light jackets on.
Take more or little longer breaks to beat the weather or learn a new trade.

[Rodneysblue]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash...

We have cold water waiting for them and all delivery folks. We also drop off a case of water to the Orange Blossom Fire Station when ever we buy a case for ourselves.

[djplong]

I read where people refuse to work these days.

Let's all step back and give a big thanks for all those people who make
a living in this scorching heat that service us all. :thumbup:


First, I certainly agree with the 'thumbs up' you're giving to the people working in this heat.

But "people refuse to work"? Job growth and low unemployment puts that statement out for the misconception it is.

Example: My daughter left a job she liked that had been made intolerable by her boss (the owner) who was a self-centered, misogynistic, arrogant micro-manager. Her new job in that field was at nearly twice the salary with extra benefits and a track to becoming a general manager.

Of those two employers, guess which one is complaining that people don't want to work anymore - and guess who would pick that up and promote it? (Hint: People with a vested interest in keeping wages low)

[sdifede313@aol.com]

I allways imagined how great it would be to work outdoors, having spent over thirty years at a desk. But hey, we all do what we have too.

[frostola]

Amen!

[ThirdOfFive]

///

[ThirdOfFive]

The proper title in UK is Refuse Collectors, and in some districts Waste Disposal Operatives.
Majority of people call them Dustman, or Binmen.
The local Councils gave all workers upgraded job titles to make them feel better about the lousy pay.
Where my brother lives in Australia, they call them Dusty Bins, and they collect at night, and must be off the roads by 7am.
An aside...I much enjoy reading posts such as this, that point out differences in language and culture, especially as concerns England, America, and the rest of the English-speaking world. As Winston Churchill once so sagely observed; "England and America are two peoples separated by a common language". Same could be said about Australia, and (to a point) even Canada. I had no idea what binmen were, and was going to ask.

We're planning a trip to the UK in summer 2025. I think I'll have to get one of those little books that translates key words and phrases into American English.

[ThirdOfFive]

I allways imagined how great it would be to work outdoors, having spent over thirty years at a desk. But hey, we all do what we have too.
Heh. "The grass is always greener..."

Despite my subsequent education and career, I spent my days as a young(er) buck logging in Northern Minnesota. Hard work, and logging equipment is notorious for breaking down. But after all is said and done, having experience on both sides of that particular fence and looking back from the perspective of a comfortable retirement, I think, had I been able to make a good living out of it, I'd still be swinging a chainsaw and charging through the brush on mechanical monsters.

There is a lot to be said for having the freedom to curse at the top of your lungs whenever the urge strikes. The trees and squirrels don't seem to care.

[fishon]

For the most part working outside year round sucks.
When the weather is hot it sucks.
When the weather is cold it sucks.
When it rains or snows it sucks and when the weather is nice the job sucks.
I hope the pay is good.

[kcrazorbackfan]

I was out working in the yard one day last week and a UPS driver stopped to deliver a package; his clothes were as soaked as mine was; gave him a bottle of water and a Gatorade; was very appreciative.

[brianherlihy]

Don't forget Waste Management "Sanitation" guys, picking up our trash. one guy all day. i am so glad to see him . it would smell real bad

[Michael G.]

I was out working in the yard one day last week and a UPS driver stopped to deliver a package; his clothes were as soaked as mine was; gave him a bottle of water and a Gatorade; was very appreciative.

Well done kcrazorbackfan :coolsmiley:

[Two Bills]

An aside...I much enjoy reading posts such as this, that point out differences in language and culture, especially as concerns England, America, and the rest of the English-speaking world. As Winston Churchill once so sagely observed; "England and America are two peoples separated by a common language". Same could be said about Australia, and (to a point) even Canada. I had no idea what binmen were, and was going to ask.

We're planning a trip to the UK in summer 2025. I think I'll have to get one of those little books that translates key words and phrases into American English.

You would be better off learning Urdu, Hindi or Arabic if you are staying in major cities.
English is mainly a second language in those places.