I'm currently installing a kitchen in Eastern Europe. Kinda ....

[woodbutcherbower]

So I'm two days into installing a fancy kitchen. Nothing unusual about that for me at all. It's also only a quarter-mile from home (literally a 2-minute drive) - so almost zero travel time. However;

The customer's Russian.
His wife's Ukrainian.
They have an adopted (orphaned) little girl who's Latvian.
And another one who's Serbian.
And another one who's Estonian.
And all of the other trade guys on the job (six of them) are from Lithuania.

Fantastic workers, and super, funny guys to be around. They're a total joy to work alongside, and there's an awful lot of laughter and good-natured fun-poking on this job.

Seven nationalities under one roof. The Lithuanians all call me 'Užsienietis' which means 'The Foreigner'  [big grin] I've tried my best to pick up a few words and phrases, but their language is derived from Sanskrit and is immensely difficult to pronounce. One of the guys has said that even Lithuanians have a hard time with it ........

People from Eastern Europe have a reputation in the UK for being incredibly hard workers - a reputation which is completely justified. Most UK companies are always delighted to offer jobs to people from countries such as Poland - because they'll work their socks off and be 100% reliable. These guys? They rock up at 7am and they don't leave until 9pm. They've completely gutted the house and taken it back to bare brick. They've drywalled everywhere, they've replastered it, they've replumbed it, they've rewired it, they've fitted a new heating system, and replaced all of the windows.

It's taken them a week. A WEEK. [eek] [eek] [eek] The quality of everything they've done is flawless.

 

[Ron B]

In today's crazy world, that was a very refreshing letter.

Thank you. 

 

[six-point socket II]

Know a few of these hard working people, always given me the least trouble/problems and they get it done before “others” could have even been bothered to send a quote or do a site inspection.

I hate generalization, but yeah, quite a few stellar experiences.

Kind regards,
Oliver 

 

[SoonerFan]

@woodbutcherblower I ventured into the General Friendly Chat are of FOG tonight for the first time in months.  Just read your post which I think is terrific.  Such a cool story.  Thanks for sharing.  Hope your next job is a two minute commute as well  [smile]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

How old are these guys? I hate to generalize too much, and I certainly don't know a thing about eastern European work ethic, but I know how it is here.

Great situation though, nonetheless. Oh, to be only that close to work. The company I work for started out less than 4 miles from my house. We had moved twice and both of them were a step further away. The first was nearly 8 miles, the second is now 20.

 

[mino]

...
People from Eastern Europe have a reputation in the UK for being incredibly hard workers - a reputation which is completely justified. Most UK companies are always delighted to offer jobs to people from countries such as Poland - because they'll work their socks off and be 100% reliable. These guys? They rock up at 7am and they don't leave until 9pm. They've completely gutted the house and taken it back to bare brick. They've drywalled everywhere, they've replastered it, they've replumbed it, they've rewired it, they've fitted a new heating system, and replaced all of the windows.

It's taken them a week. A WEEK. [eek] [eek] [eek] The quality of everything they've done is flawless.

Well, I would say this reputation is justified. In the UK context.

BUT. It is not really representative of how stuff works in Central nor Eastern Europe.

First, people who emigrate to "greener pastures" tend to be more enterpreneurial. So there is a heavy selection bias there.

Second, in the continental north we have real winters.
There is a concept of a "building season" which lasts about March/April to October/November. 90% of ALL the construction work needs to be completed in this period. Dec-Feb/March is effectively a "holiday" period for the construction industry.

Do note that, even Germany does *not* have a true continental climate. For that one needs to go at least to Poland in the North and Czech Republic in the South. More South and this again does not apply.

This means that "construction-oriented" people are used to work 12/6 during the 7-9 months of each year and take a prolonged "off" period each year for 3-5 months.

When such people move to frendlier climates, they bring their "weather-pushed" work culture into an environment which does not really have a concept of a "winter" as continental climate places do. When one combines this with the selection bias mentioned earlier this can create some seriously noticeable differences.

On the other side, here there is a general reputation of "UK-born people are horrible/incompetent at trades" that you will hear here from those who returned after some time in UK. This is again mostly selection bias as the more competent people had the tendency to go abroad in the first place and compare "locals" to themselves. Secondly, the UK had a very developed services sector for a century+ by now which results in most UK people not being (forced to be) familiar with basic home repair know-how. Common people do not realise the implications of these things and tend to mis-interpret their subjective experiences as "the UK folks are incompetent".

Both views being the perfect cases of authentic bits of experience interpretted out of their context.

[member=75780]woodbutcherbower[/member] big thanks for the comments.
Made me feel warm at heart for a bit. It is always a pleasure to hear there are sane people still around. Given all the "Russians Latvians and Ukrainians are at each other throats" hate propaganda around.

 

[Cheese]

Second, in the continental north we have real winters.
There is a concept of a "building season" which lasts about March/April to October/November. 90% of ALL the construction work needs to be completed in this period. Dec-Feb/March is effectively a "holiday" period for the construction industry.

Interesting, that's exactly the same timeframe considered to be the building season in most of Minnesota and the upper mid-west. If it isn't completed by November something...it won't be touched again until March something.

And thanks Kevin for the positive comments on craftspeople that are ethnically different, we have our own group of Mexicans/Latinos that work hard and put in long hours to support the construction trade and just want to earn an honest living. Some go back to Texas...some go back to Mexico...and some winter-over in Minnesota.  [huh]  During the construction season they're on the job by 6:30 AM and still on the job at 8:30 PM everyday and sometimes even all weekend. Godspeed to them...  [smile]

 

[mino]

Sounds about right ... there was a reason I avoided "East/West" and said "continental". It is the climate which "makes" people's work culture. By necessity.

An Italian raised (professionally) in Minessota (or Poland, or Russia) in construction sector (or agriculture) would acquire the exact same work ethic. If did not, would not make it in the business.

Over here it is taken "for granted" that construction is a hard work occupation and it was that way for millenia. So folks which do not have it in them do not even apply.

In turn, the "forced holiday" period is what enables people to actually work like this. That "season" tempo is simply not sustainable year-round. So it is natural that in the "nicer" climates even people in the agriculture and construction sectors tend to have a more "balanced" work culture. It is a must to not kill themselves off within a couple years.

ADD:
Incidentally, this also works well for migrating workers in the today's connected world. When your family is 2000+ miles away, it is practical to work your #&@ off for 1/2 year to be with your family the "holiday" part of the year. Having a climate that actually enforces this helps a lot. Good luck trying to convince an employer in Italy/Florida/etc. to work for them for half a year, then have you "dissappear" for the other half. Your value for them is automatically reduced. Do that in Poland (or Saskatchewan) and they will cheer you on ..
And it continues ... try to have employees work 12/6 in Spain or Italy. The Labor regulatory body will ensure fast you do not try that again. If you still have a business left ..

 

[woodferret]

When such people move to frendlier climates, they bring their "weather-pushed" work culture into an environment which does not really have a concept of a "winter" as continental climate places do. When one combines this with the selection bias mentioned earlier this can create some seriously noticeable differences.

You forgot also being powered by salo instead of donuts and coffee.  That lasts far better   /s

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words. I wasn't intending to make any sort of international comment, other than to heap deserved praise on a bunch of guys who were great in every conceivable respect. It was quite the privilege to be the only Englishman there - I'd been recommended to the customer by the trade-only kitchen supplier which is always flattering, given the fact that the supplier probably has another 20-30 local joiners to choose from.

[member=61254]mino[/member] Very interesting points - I had no idea about the 'construction season' but it makes perfect sense now that you explained it. Same goes for what [member=44099]Cheese[/member] said about the mid-west. I was in the Twin Cities in winter time six (seven?) years ago, and the cold was absolutely brutal. It was impressive, however, to see how local government dealt with it - snow-blower trucks, graders, Caterpillar shovels and bucket loaders - they're just totally geared up for it and take it completely in their stride. Over here, a few flakes of snow and the whole country shuts down  [sad] 

Two postscripts to the story;

1 I immediately 'clicked' with one of the Lithuanian guys named Nerijus and we've already established a solid friendship over a few beers. He's invited me over to his country next February to attend his daughter's wedding. What an honour.

2 Having enjoyed the 2-minute daily commute, my current job involves a 100-mile round trip every day, and it's going to last six weeks. Can't win 'em all.

Thanks again to everyone who responded.
Kevin

 

[slavi.yordanov]

Being from Eastern Europe, let me give you another perspective.

At 21 I went to US for 4 months on a Work and Travel program. I was able to take back $7000, while a daily salary in my country was about $10/day (entry level job, 2013)

Trust me, you’ll be extremely motivated to work for $8/hr, if you were making $10/day last summer.

I was working at 2-3 jobs (not construction) for the most part. We were happy to work 12hr shifts even without overtime pay.

So that’s what really created my work ethic.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jimbo51]

For replacing my storm doors, big store sent a Ukrainian crew.  The interesting part came when a fellow used the claw on his hammer as a chisel to trim a 2x4. Rough carpentry for sure.

In the book about building his house, Norm Abrams noted that New Englang roofers worked 8 months and then collected unemployment for 4 months