How we work is changing, and even construction worker culture has been overhauled from being loose and wild to professional and rigid.

When builder Steven Sousamlis, 28, started his apprenticeship 10 years ago, the way he was treated was so unhinged he wasn’t even sure if he should repeat it.

“I got abused all the time,” he told news.com.au.



“I’m not sure if I should say this, you probably can’t write it, but I got called like a dumb c**t even worse than that …. just every name under the sun,” he said.

A decade later, he said that kind of treatment just wouldn’t “fly now,” at least not on bigger construction sites.

“I think there’s been a big and needed change in tradie [construction worker] culture,” he said.

When he started, he had to be “mentally strong” to survive the culture and learn how to “back” himself.

It wasn’t just about learning how to do the job, it was also about learning how to succeed when people were actively working against you.

Sousamlis said that, despite the horrible treatment he endured, it did teach him “resilience,” but he is glad Gen Zers don’t have to put up with it.

“As much as I hated it. It made me the person I am today,” he said.

“No one is going to put up with that crap now. It isn’t good for your self-esteem and hounding a kid isn’t going to get you the results you want.”

Now, if he saw someone talking badly to another person on site, he’d immediately call it out and never treat someone he works with this way.

“You want to build a good work culture. Once you abuse someone, they aren’t going to want to work for you or go the extra mile for you,” he said.

Former construction worker Charlie Trewin has also noticed the cultural shift. He now works as a manager at Apprenticeships Are Us in Western Australia.

Trewin is off the tools now, but he has noticed that there’s far less mucking around on construction sites.

“It used to be common for practical jokes that were passed down through the years, which has changed now and the culture is focused around a more safety-conscious and focused environment,” he said.

“For example filling someone’s work boots with expander foam. You just wouldn’t get away with that now.”

He said the days of getting on the beers with the boys during work-time have also ended.

“Having a cheeky beer on a Friday afternoon in the workshop, which is now not acceptable,” he said.

“The culture used to be a louder and rowdier group who would want to leave school and get stuck into working.”

The former construction worker said that the change has been good and made work “safer” for workers but it isn’t as exciting.


Cliffs:

Yeah my friend is a 5th year Union apprentice and even he said when he started they used to roast him daily but HR started cracking down on language so his foreman got reprimanded lol. I think every industry is getting pussified, not just officels.

C u n t is still very much a part of the vocab on my sites

Granted I’ve only been in construction for a decade so not sure what it was like 40 years ago, but the sites I’m on lately have all been very politically incorrect

tradies even getting soft

cant even call your work mate a dumb kunt anymore

Damn tradies got it rough and taking Ls every which way

Can't say kunts in the job site
Have to learn Spanish or Portuguese to communicate with co-workers and keep your job
Need to pee? Go use the portapotty they brought over. Be careful it smells real fcking bad and the beaner before you left his diarrhea front and center

Funny story. So I started working as a tradie recently just for fun. Anyways I showed this article to the fellow tradesman and they started having a discussion

One of them proposed that they should do something similar. "Which word?" was the question on everyone's mind. To my surprise a burly looking heterosexual white male blurted out "Trump". There was a moment of silence as everyone processed his statement and gathered their thoughts

"Yeah, we're with Kamala" exclaimed one rough looking lad with a cross tattoo. The others started spontaneously chanting her name and celebrating, with the exception of one frustrated fellow wearing MAGA hat who screamed "n*gger" and slammed down his muffin

Definitely a vibe change around here

Even had she chosen to use this tactic as a campaign ploy it would still obtain votes. She is extremely attractive and I know I would personally view and gladly accept a mailed copy. Her attractiveness will suit her in office as her womanly curves will distract many a man during important political discussions while she cruises to the end of her goal. I would not be surprised and yet would be envious to know she used those attributes I'm so fond of to achieve her political gain. I can't help but wish I had pursued a career in politics in order to have an opportunity to gain carnal knowledge of the VP and soon to be President.

Aside from being so beautiful, she's a genius and the most prepared candidate in decades

A strong black woman who can relate to the people, what a candidate!

Amen brutha. I was over at my foster mom's apartment today helping with some errands. She lives in a very urban city of a very blue state. After picking up her social security check we went to one of the nearby Whole Foods. It’s the kind of place that hipsters, vegans, legit pink pussy hat wearers and trust fund kids go to unwind with a wheat grass onions latte.

Former President Trump was on the TV and the local social worker said to his public administrator buddy (gay lovers since the aids epidemic), “You know what? He wasn't so bad. Inflation was low, the border was secure, and we didn't see any new wars. I can’t believe I’m saying this but Ol’ Mar-a-lago Don’s got my vote this year.”

I looked around and all I saw were heads nodding in agreement. I heard a few calls of “Yas Queen” and “poggers" from the twitch streamers around me. Even saw the lonely blue haired cat lady smile and raise her orange tabby with a hand nitted Maga hat.

union tradies have always been soft ass pussies. we still smoke weed and drink and nobody is gonna tell me different cause im second in command when my uncle isnt there and we still do great work. if we didnt we wouldnt be in business for 45 years. pussy ass union ph@ggots.nobody can hear you when we got the radio on anyway

The craziest part is….behind the scenes those professionals aren't even professional. Professionalism is some bs, it's laughable. Rumors still get spread. Women flirting with dudes.

Women ruined everything.

Pretty suspicious story, sounds like #fake news

Cool story, I was at Trader Joe's, took my nail gun out, screamed SMACK PISS KOONTZ

then i saw another tradie, pointing a sawed off shotgun right at my head

i said "oops i pissed", walked out of store and i'm still alive, and free

the meaning i took from this is haha jakes on yo mama

So what’s the word? Fgt? Monica? Koont? Jack?


Lol @ tradies srs


What else is new?

Feast upon the C word here

Don't be a rat ya fkn kunt

I don't even know what about this annoys me so much but I hate them

Id say its not horrible, horrible.. but its still pretty bad

Lots of dudes seem to think its their therapy. Also depends om whether theres leadership overseeing them, which like 90% of time theyre not

I will say i have yet to see a fight break out.. i have been on sites where there were supposedly fights right before i got there tho..

Some dude told me hes seen a foreman get on someone and then that guy going and getting a machete and coming after the foreman…

I mean similarly… this is how some guys eat

"“As much as I hated it. It made me the person I am today,” he said."

lol

I work in blue collar industry in Australia, so lets be honest, if tradies could act professionally, not do beers and coke on worksites, get their **** together, not be uncouth, they wouldnt be doing what they are doing, they'd be white collar in some office doing some cushy overpaid job

We need a major global war to make men MEN again.

ill take making my own jobsite doing what i want than some pussy ph@ggot sitting on their ass alll day. i make twice as much too. and not all of us are like that.its a stupid stereotype. you guys are confusing laborer with tradie.most tradies are actually educated and make good money and dont eat and drink from 711