# Just had to fire a crew member!



## rcal (Jul 18, 2009)

I just had to sack a member of the crew, he was riding the flys from one floor to the other, (without any sort of harness) personally I would never allow this as I see it as dangerous, but for some reason he thought it was acceptable, 

I was wondering, is this acceptable? this would be the first time I've fired anyone, and I'm fairly sure I had grounds to do so, but it would be nice if I new for sure!


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## Les (Jul 18, 2009)

Is it acceptable? Absolutely not. Grounds for termination? Definitely. Have we all done similar things in our younger, dumber days? Probably. Will this be a valuable learning experience for him? I hope so!


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## cprted (Jul 18, 2009)

rcal said:


> I just had to sack a member of the crew, he was riding the flys from one floor to the other, (without any sort of harness) personally I would never allow this as I see it as dangerous, but for some reason he thought it was acceptable,


He was doing what-now????? :shock:

I don't want anyone who thinks that is safe working anywhere near me.


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## rcal (Jul 18, 2009)

Thankyou! It's nice to hear that standards in this industry aren't all going to pot, I just occasionally see things like this and worry sometimes, luckily he was a fairly new member of crew and won't be missed, 

it seems he was the only person doing it, I've been working in the industry for a number of years and seen some 'questionable' versions of H+S, but I don't think I've seen something this dangerous and down right stupid before, if a someone can't be trusted to look after themselves, how can they be trusted to work safely around others,


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## thatactorguy (Jul 18, 2009)

You had every right to fire him! Not only was he putting himself at risk, but others as well. Was anyone running the fly, or was he traveling on his own?

You probably saved the venue from a very large lawsuit...


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## Les (Jul 18, 2009)

thatactorguy said:


> You had every right to fire him! Not only was he putting himself at risk, but others as well. Was anyone running the fly, or was he traveling on his own?
> 
> You probably saved the venue from a very large lawsuit...




Yeah, honestly if someone else was running the fly, they would be subject to disciplinary action also.


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## rcal (Jul 18, 2009)

I was on the stage at the time and just looked up, I'm not sure if they're was someone else involved but I'll look into it, some of our flys are automated so it's possible he was the only person involved, 

I think a staff meeting might be in order, I'll have to work on my angry/disappointed face


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## Les (Jul 18, 2009)

I think a staff meeting is a great idea. Who knows how many people have seem him do this and thought you didn't care or something. Good luck with that angry/disappointed face!


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## sp010123 (Jul 29, 2009)

Riding the flys!? If he's in Hong Kong (which has a very small theatre community), he'd be banned from ANY shows ever after and all the venue technicians, SMs, flysmen will be telling his story to young crews as a 'dun do it' example.


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## ship (Aug 4, 2009)

Never fun to fire someone, had this guy that on a radial arm saw kept attempting by way of safety standards trying to cut his fingers off, much less a recent useless guy that was "hourly" and wouldn't get more than that in as per Christian he was, "honest days work." Didn't fire the guy that mis-plugged feeder cable = how do you without noticing, install a femal brass on male boot or the reverse? He is useful in while costing us hundreds of dollars to correct it out of getting stuff done in a timely way even if he has to slow down and pay attention to what he is doing. The one that don't care even if "honest Christian" about amount of work done verses being hourly was new for me in having to go like the guy that kept attempting to cut off his fingers thru no fault' persay of his own, just was not capable or learning other methods instructed.

Firing is never fun. At times it's used as an example by those more remote from the management of the labor than you it would seem as with I, but at times just it's necessary.

Onto the Management and life safety end in why in part you were given that responsibility. Feel bad for a while than be over it in being for the best as per your job as anyone else would or should not have done you find yourself having to do.


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## ship (Aug 5, 2009)

Two more potentially up for firing leaving me with one assistant. Can I not go home sick without them being bad is if children? Talking back to a department manager in a non-professional way and or in that guy in going home due to it, the next person also being not so nice to that manager that "told" on someone in also not being correct with the management. Got a phone call while in bed today about my boys. Shop Stewert won't fire them without out of respect for me talking with me first. Instead we have a quandray as to what to do with both of them - the instangator that has miswird stuff and his buddy that once he went home sick for the day got pissed off and also was not in a corporate way, nice to a department manager or our system of primary goal in getting stuff out the door. In getting that call at home about what my boys were up to I considered it as if high school in the boys I supervise not advancing beyond such a emotional level. 

Beyond today what was added to it later in speaking out where not appropriate this much less at this point twelve sets of cam-loc plugs that either hand the wrong brass inside a boot or the wrong sex in doing tailsl as a set. The boys it would seem cut corners and lie to me at times about following safety or inspection standards for cable they produce for me. A L6-15 cable blows up a bunch of gear by way of mis-wiring on the same show as per on the same show a set of tails is made wrong and requires rush shipping $$$ of turn arounds means a problem on my part. This both in supervision and training of them. I didn't need as much training but I read on my own, what training to those that are my right arm it would seem is insufficient at this point in often me being busy with other things and not properly supervising or training. I don't expect those that work for instead of do what I do for a career to just get it with personal study and or instruction and I did fail in properly training and supervising them and or just focus of them on project.

In the end my whole department is in flux in saving or firing most. While it in part is reflective of those within the department not advancing beyond say a high school way of how one copes with situations now in a corporate way, or by way of my insufficient training and supervision, and their own lack of taking their ideal job they could retire with to hart in advancing with it and staying focused on it verses some conversation about women or world of warcraft, in some way it would seem my guys are not focused in providing proper gear they were hired for. In part lying to me in asking if gear was tested, and in major part my problem in being too busy to supervise their instructon and production work properly.

Something mentioned tonight about falling on the sword for my guys fault but the end, thes are the guys I trained or sub-let instruction of them on, and supervise. What they produce that ain't correct in me allowing it is my fault. Granted I'm busy doing other stuff and I allow them with more freedom in supervision than other departments.

In the end what happens with them is in part my fault in making them the talking back to a department manager or making gear wrong crew they are now.

That's me.

In the above person that couldn't be trained to use a radial arm saw properly that was also me in not being able to properly train him and in the end while firing him.. at least saving his fingers. With the other guys I admit insufficient leadership of them and warrant perhaps needing another leader in my department over them as the solution beyond firing one or both of them. Skilled labor is much more difficult to fire and consider than unskilled box pushers.

One of two didn't seem understand what it takes to make a set of tails for feeder cable. That's a fault on my part and intrusting those chaged with training him such a concept. This plus amongst two of them that don't quite get it that is not just job and fun as if high school, what you guys are doing risk life and limb, much less over the past few months has cost a lot of money given raises for you so as to provide for your families better.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Aug 18, 2009)

0_0
Was he doing it for fun or just to get around the stage?

If it was for fun I would fire him as you did. (Although I just work in a high school, as a student )

If it was for getting around I would give him some kind of demotion/duct pay. And a warning and a long long lecture. 

Like thatactorguy said, you probably saved your theatre a lot of money.


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