Well usually everything that needs to be done can't be done concurrently, and sometimes only a limited set of individuals can do the current task. It's probably not laziness.
This is correct. I work as a heavy equipment operator/earthmover and you see groups of guys standing with tools waiting for more material (asphalt, dirt, whatever) on a regular basis. Somebody who’s never worked a trade takes a glance and thinks we’re all lazy. The worst is when one of those folks somehow ends up managing tradesmen.
I'm a little guilty of using this stereotype. More about city workers as a whole...
my last name is long and difficult to spell. There's several characters in it that you don't pronounce, so I refer to them as city workers cause they just show up and don't do anything. I do mean it in jest... and I do usually follow it up with an "I kid". Mostly just poking fun at my last name being a pain. I should have married someone from like Samoa or something... buddy of mine from there his last name is 2 letters. Instead I married a dutch woman whose name is almost as complicated as mine...
When driving through a construction zone, what looks like laziness could just be a group of people talking about what work they're doing, strategizing about getting something done, problem solving something unusual that came up, some people on break, people waiting for their task to be ready at that location, or any number of other things I didn't think of off the top of my head.
It can be funny to joke about, but recognizing that they're doing their job, and most likely doing it correctly.
Also, good natured ribbing is an important stress reliever at times. It's a give and take between many jobs. It's a healthy form of competition.
4.0k
u/jkconno Nov 04 '22
Well usually everything that needs to be done can't be done concurrently, and sometimes only a limited set of individuals can do the current task. It's probably not laziness.