Where Have they all gone?

[gonzo69]

know how you feel i used to work on odin machines ,had soon late nights due to major breakdowns,pay was lousy for hrs we had to do ,but one thing i liked was the respect you got from league bowlers when you were able to fix a machine in the quickest time if front end called about a problem with a machine i would be there straight away.I was always there helping out front end as well those were the days of great fun

 

[jimcross]

Well, Phluff,

That's obviously a lot of nonsense. That's what it was like in the early '60s, when it all started here. It couldn't possibly be like that now, in these enlightened times !

Just looked at the previous post by gonzo69. None of you have lived until youv'e worked on Odin machines.

 

[kitkat23]

I'm the only girl in our centre thats employed at both front and back ends. we have 1 tech and everyone makes damn sure that he stays out the back cause thats where he is needed. only time he comes up the front is to oil the lanes in the arvo, n drag them in the morning. we front house staff make sure that the approaches/players area is clean ball returns r working etc. our AMF express lane cleaner gave out on monday, got it back today and i went and did the lanes as our tech was busy doing other work. I even went and changed a light bulb in the toilets, i dont care cause its as much my job to keep the centre running as it is his. honestly what is wrong with people knowing more than 1 area (cafe, front of house, maintenance etc)
so this is my thanks from a predominately front of house staff member to all the techs out there. if people like you hadnt showed me what you do to keep things running i would be one of those dear girls Phluff mentioned that would have to get the mechanic to show me where the "on" button to the photocopier was...(and thank god im not!!!)

 

[Little Weed]

Although I am fully qualified as an "old fart" these days, I have always been a member of the "girls can do anything" club.

BUT......the person working the kitchen/snack bar should really have a food handling certificate, and generally anybody working with machines has the required safety certificate - all this for Workplace Health & Safety requirements and insurance too.

AND..... (in my work experience for Slater & Gordon in the past, I have seen many claims by workers who were "allowed" to handle machinery in kitchens and workshops, had an accident, and claimed megabucks from employers.

So while I admire your work ethic and willingness to give anything a go, make sure you have adequate public liability insurance etc. Even the best qualified people get tired, lose concentration and loose fingers - imagine your wedding day without the fingers on your left hand!!!

 

[mackeb]

"Where have all the Experienced mechanics on both 82-70s and A to A-2s gone in Western Australia. Im a young and upcoming mechanic from Perth and ive had to travel to USA to get the training needed to get better at my job."

Ashley mate, we're all working here at Joondalup ;-) Between us we have something like 90 odd years of experience to draw on and we've all worked for Fairlanes ;-)

Brett

 

[Carl D]

Hi, Brett.

Yep, we're all at Joondalup.

And loving it...

I still miss my Brunswick A's and A2's just a little though.

 

[mackeb]

Hey Carl,

How everything go for the skins at Joondalup go?

I assume everything went up and down with little or no issues(hopefully)?

 

[Carl D]

Yep, no problems today, Brett.

Everyone had a good time. I'm guessing Peter may post the results in the WA section later.

Was pretty quiet apart from the 14 lanes the tournament was using.

 

[Gary]

Why do a job that pays crap? and is hard work

 

[gonzo69]

2 reasons why- one they enjoy the job ,the other it may be the only job that there is

 

[scooba11]

Ashley mate, we're all working here at Joondalup ;-)


you really shoul watch what you are saying on here might piss some people off eg all the other techs that work there f***ing arse off and dont have the privalge of having xli that do everything for them self

stephen carter

 

[mackeb]

Come on Stephen, you of all people should know better. Besides, the only thing the XLi upgrade does is make coffee and toast. You need to go Brunswick if you want muffins or cakes though...

 

[Phluff]

Actually there are a couple of upgraded Brunswick models.... the GS-XJD which makes a nice frozen Jack & coke in summer and the GS-XXX which ummmm makes nightshifts more interesting

 

[Rusty]

Well its just simple you get treated like crap eventually they will leave like me, i got ask to come back by the regionel manager, i said you wouldn't me enough. his reply we pay better now ha ha! they would give me about 50k a year, i earn 20k more then that now and i have a company phone and van. can a bowl bet that no way!!!!! i agree with nearly every comment on the topic

 

[scooba11]

well another one has bitten the dust i finshed up last week reasons being not the money or not the love off the job but .................................................................................................................. the guy sitting behind the desk the one that calls himself the manager the one who expects everything out of you but dosent pay you over time the one that is more worried about a dripping tap then the machines going up and down or that a lane isnt scoring right or is it the regional tech who should be well and truely up to speed with 82-70s and scoring issues right wrong its hard to respect a regional facility manager when you no more than him and he comes to you and ask you to fix his problems mmm lets ponder that for a minute
you regional me facility mananger how the f**k dose that work
we wernt allowed to change a c1 pin 110 volts but he lets me install 240 volt power points for our new lcd moninters again lets ponder that one

i could go on for ages but hay we all no where this is going
good luck to the rest of you guys we are a dying breed

 

[Troyza]

It's funny you say that scooba, I'm finishing up this week too. I've been working as an 82-30 tech for the last 4 years, 2 of which were on my own (the other head tech upped & left for a better paying job) running 14 machines.. it was very hard, & it's been nothing but frustrating for me. I did love it, & sometimes I still do. My boss helped out quite a bit when he had a chance. But there really is no future from this career. Maybe if the job paid ALOT more, people would bother learning & getting into it. Dying breed indeed.

 

[Rusty]

well another one has bitten the dust i finshed up last week reasons being not the money or not the love off the job but .................................................................................................................. the guy sitting behind the desk the one that calls himself the manager the one who expects everything out of you but dosent pay you over time the one that is more worried about a dripping tap then the machines going up and down or that a lane isnt scoring right or is it the regional tech who should be well and truely up to speed with 82-70s and scoring issues right wrong its hard to respect a regional facility manager when you no more than him and he comes to you and ask you to fix his problems mmm lets ponder that for a minute
you regional me facility mananger how the f**k dose that work
we wernt allowed to change a c1 pin 110 volts but he lets me install 240 volt power points for our new lcd moninters again lets ponder that one

i could go on for ages but hay we all no where this is going
good luck to the rest of you guys we are a dying breed

so another ex amf empolyee ha.
whats new about the fat lazy manager sitting behind the desk telling you that the machines don't matter till they break down and break down again..
and once that happens you get your back side kick for that but don't bring up the fact they wanted you to fix up all the other crap first cause that wouldn't of happened.. they just don't know what goes on down the back they think we just sit around playing with ourselves..

 

[Tommy]

want to learn how? Simple...

1. Climb into the pit of a pinsetter, ensuring the sweep is down
2. Begin cleaning with a solvent based cleaner such as "Brunswick Automatic Pinsetter Cleaner".
3. Breath heavily as you work.
4. Ask some friendly locals to bowl balls into the sweep when your back is turned for extra supprise.
5. Have the helpful front counter staff page you and ask you to come up the front.
6. Climb out of the machine, make your way up the front and show the front counter staff where the "On" button on the photocopier is.
7. Go back to your machine and climb back in and continue cleaning.
8. Repeat steps 5 - 7 four or five times.
9. Finish cleaning and return to workshop.
10. Trip over rubbish the casual tech forgot to take out, bang your hand on the bench because you're high from the solvent fumes and all depth perception has gone, grab your smokes and head outside into the rain because you're not allowed to smoke down back anymore.
11. Finish the shift only 3 hrs after you're ment to be at home, grunt bye to the snotty cafe girl who earns the same as you yet still cant work out how to take her own rubbish out, drive home fighting the urge to get out at the lights and beat up the guy in front of you who thinks 40 is a good speed in a 70 zone and have yourself a nice pint of Jack daniels with a dash of coke for colouring.

Take this every day for 19 days, chuck in a couple of school groups and a birthday party for 40 5 yr olds who think sliding on the lanes is fun, and then you too can rant with the best of them

And don't forget, when you tell people you work in a bowling centre and they say "Oh that must be so much fun! You get to bowl all the time!!" you have to get a slightly psychopathic look in your eye, rub your hands together and just say "yes....fun...so much fun......love children....so nice...." The odd eye twitch works well too!

Man, feels like I'm at work. Is it sick that I actually enjoy this?

 

[techlongtime]

{rant}

I would have to agree with all the other "experienced tech's" and say that it all comes down to poor wages and under appreciation.

I have been a tech all up for about eleven years now ( I'm now 32 ) and I can hold my own on GS-10's, A's A2's and 82-70's. I use to be able to drill balls to but due to an absence from the industry for the past 5 years, the drilling patterns now exceed my care factor.

I am currently working in a centre and I would have to say that while the pays have increased slightly since before my "I'm never working in a bowling centre again" episode, its still not enough to keep me in the position for much longer. Quite frankly, I am only still working in the industry because I can fully comprehend how hard it is to find techs that have a clue. My current manager is by far one of the best centre managers that I have ever met and with him having a Tech background, he understands the crap we have to deal with. I have even learned more of the electrical stuff since working with him.

The centre's last Head Tech left because the wages were better for an adult apprentice than the head tech spot was paying. YES .. an apprentice wage is better. General cleaners outside of the grasp of the "entertainment sector" award earn minimum of $21.00p/h, How is it fair that we as techs get less than this even though we are cleaners, machine techs, electrians, fitters and turners and fallboy's for bowlers when they bowl like crap.

Ok Ok ... so alot of people are probably thinking " So why did you come back " ... well the short version is that my marriage went to shit and it is dead simple for an experienced tech to get a job ANYWHERE because so many centre's just cant keep staff. So here i am working in the bowling industry again.

Now, I'm in a position to say "Hey, you have no more experienced tech's and a HUGE MONTH OF TOURNAMENTS coming up. Unless you pay me more, I'm walking away". But I don't do it because:

a) its unethical
b) cause I'm not a prick.

Its not the centres that need punishing, it the governing body that says how much a Tech gets paid .. so to AMF or Goldpin and all the other major players, you will have issues keeping GREAT TECHS because the wages still aren't equal to the skilled work that we do.

To all those people that don't take the time out to thank their tech's for the good work they do, just think how much more work you will need to do after they leave.

To the rest of you, see you at the HOLT and ATBSO tournaments in Townsville. I'll be the under appreciated, undervalued and often whinged about guy in the blue pants and shirt that runs around endlessly to make sure that your bowling experience is fun and uneventful.

Clint Bradley
{/rant}

 

[Schmicko]

Well said mate, like you Clint I've been in the game 15+ years and have had opportunities to get out and do other things, but for some strange reason I love this game, and enjoy the task of making 60+ year old pinsetters run like new (far more difficult than it sounds) I've recently moved from Vic working on brand spankers to qld working on some of the oldest machines in the country, and loving it..
I took a fair paycut to leave, as I was one of the few techs around actually getting paid for what I was worth.. But it's not about the money, I was smart enough to invest it when I had it.

So hard to find a tech that, wants to learn, wants to stay, wants to work nights, weekends, and stupidly long hours.. And let's not forget loves to clean but every so often one comes along .. And here we are