BobWrites

Joe turned to Harry. "I see we got a new guy on the job today."

"Yeah," Harry answered. "Ed told me he’s new in the union. We’ll have to show him the ropes."

Joe called out, "Hey kid! What’s your name?"

"Freddy, sir."came the reply as Freddy hoisted a pack of roofing tiles and prepared to haul them to the roof.

"You goin’ to a fire?"

"What do you mean sir?"

" Slow down. You’re ruinin’ the job."

Freddy put down the tiles and looked at Joe. "Huh?" he asked.

"Siddown a secon’ kid an I’ll tell ya what’s what."

Freddy and Joe sat as Harry joined them.

Joe began, " It don’t pay to work too fast. We want this job to last."

"Why?" asked Freddy. "There’s plenty of work ahead."

"Yeah. But unless the job gets behind schedule the bosses don’t free up the O.T."

"O.T.?"

"Yeah, kid. Overtime. Overtime. The whole point of the job is to pull as much O.T. as possible."

Now Harry broke in. "O.T. kid. It’s time and a half on weekdays and double time on weekends and holidays. That’s what this job is all about."

Freddy shook his head. "I didn’t know."

"Well now you know, so slow down. Remember kid, its American union workers like us that make this country great."

Joe slapped Freddy on the back. "C’mon kid. It’s time for our coffee break."