Tony Shelton
BS Detector, Esquire
Ok, I'm ready again to take my beating:
Here goes:
PWI has a huge readership in the industry. PWI has been the turning point of orgs, industry direction, BMP's etc because of the open participation of members of the forum.
I know there are some who don't like to post in any thread I'm in. Apparently I'm a little to abrasive. That doesn't bother me one bit if you don't want to post because you don't have anything to back up your lame "feelings" based ideas. For you guys - hit the road, our industry has no place for whiners who do everything based on who they like or who they don't like and make decisions based on that garbage.
On the other hand, I've been proven wrong at least once. (though it escapes my memory as to when ) and I am more than willing to hear both sides of any issue and am open to changing my mind.
With all that in mind - What do you want from the PWNA?
What about BMP's? Here's where I stand on the issue. I think the PWNA probably has the right motives and really wants to help the contractors. I also know that they want to provide certifications. It's also been proven over and over again that certifications eventually become "requirements" to be able to work in some jurisdictions. Mike H. claims that this is not the intention of the PWNA BOD and I believe that he believes that. However, I believe that JUST LIKE THE KEC industry, the certifications will soon become requirements and will serve to funnel all in the industry to the PWNA. I don't think this is some "grand scheme" by the PWNA, but I do believe it will become a by product of certifying contractors with "BMP's".
I'd be more comfortabel with the PWNA working on whatever "practices" they want for their certification, but avoid the term BMP's. Membership renewals will determine whether they have chosen the right path.
What do you guys think about this?
There's no reason to demonize the PWNA on the boards for going the way they are going. They are looking for ways to increase membership and I truly believe that, for the most part, they are interested in helping contractors. There will always be the few that are looking to advance their own businesses at the expense of everyone else, just like there is in any endeavor, but I don't think the org as a whole needs to be put in that box.
1) So what do we do?
Another suggestion I would have would be to turn the whole "BMP" argument on it's head and present our entire industry as the "answer" to environmental issues as opposed to the problem. I think the Ft Worth BMP's not only admit that we are part of the problem, but they do not capitalize on the fact that we are the solution.
2) What do you guys think about that an if you agree - how do we implement it?
What about to splitting ANY suggested practices into various geographical areas and segments of the industry? For example, if you are cleaning up biological waste from the hospital, you shouldn't have to follow the same practices as when you are washing down a sidewalk in front of Starbucks with nothing but hot water.
3) What are your thoughts on this?
National orgs can be good. But many times their own objectives cause problems for the very people who made them. One example is the "smell abatement" thread I started in the coil cleaning section of this forum. One member suggested that I join the dominant "duct cleaning" org. When I responded that I couldn't find any benefit in it - (and later discovered that one of the largest and few duct cleaning businesses locally I trust have relinquished their membership) the PWI member stated that eventually I might be "forced" to be certified just to do business. What do you guys think of that and how can we stand as a group to make sure this doesn't happen in our industry.
You guys who think that "licensing" is somehow going to stop "lowballers" need to think long and hard about which partner you want to be when you hop into bed with the local and state authorities. You might think that you have some "say so" in the arrangement because you are a "legitimate" contractor, but I will guarantee you that every industry that has EVER thought that is now living the life of the b*tch to the government and they are sticking it to the respective industries like there's no tomorrow in every single case. Do you know that your "safe R134 freon that you can buy at Pep Boys or Autozone is about to be outlawed? It's just another way for the government to Give to those who have "donated" to them. And if you think for one second that YOU are big enough to have that kind of influence alone, I invite you to go ahead and try it and make a fool of yourself.
4) So how do we steer the org in the direction that is best for our industry as a whole? Is it better to deal with lowballers who have no way to fight back or better to deal with the government who can shut down your livelihood?
I'm preparing my proposals regarding the PWNA BMP's. Can you help them make sure they are going in the right direction?
Here goes:
PWI has a huge readership in the industry. PWI has been the turning point of orgs, industry direction, BMP's etc because of the open participation of members of the forum.
I know there are some who don't like to post in any thread I'm in. Apparently I'm a little to abrasive. That doesn't bother me one bit if you don't want to post because you don't have anything to back up your lame "feelings" based ideas. For you guys - hit the road, our industry has no place for whiners who do everything based on who they like or who they don't like and make decisions based on that garbage.
On the other hand, I've been proven wrong at least once. (though it escapes my memory as to when ) and I am more than willing to hear both sides of any issue and am open to changing my mind.
With all that in mind - What do you want from the PWNA?
What about BMP's? Here's where I stand on the issue. I think the PWNA probably has the right motives and really wants to help the contractors. I also know that they want to provide certifications. It's also been proven over and over again that certifications eventually become "requirements" to be able to work in some jurisdictions. Mike H. claims that this is not the intention of the PWNA BOD and I believe that he believes that. However, I believe that JUST LIKE THE KEC industry, the certifications will soon become requirements and will serve to funnel all in the industry to the PWNA. I don't think this is some "grand scheme" by the PWNA, but I do believe it will become a by product of certifying contractors with "BMP's".
I'd be more comfortabel with the PWNA working on whatever "practices" they want for their certification, but avoid the term BMP's. Membership renewals will determine whether they have chosen the right path.
What do you guys think about this?
There's no reason to demonize the PWNA on the boards for going the way they are going. They are looking for ways to increase membership and I truly believe that, for the most part, they are interested in helping contractors. There will always be the few that are looking to advance their own businesses at the expense of everyone else, just like there is in any endeavor, but I don't think the org as a whole needs to be put in that box.
1) So what do we do?
Another suggestion I would have would be to turn the whole "BMP" argument on it's head and present our entire industry as the "answer" to environmental issues as opposed to the problem. I think the Ft Worth BMP's not only admit that we are part of the problem, but they do not capitalize on the fact that we are the solution.
2) What do you guys think about that an if you agree - how do we implement it?
What about to splitting ANY suggested practices into various geographical areas and segments of the industry? For example, if you are cleaning up biological waste from the hospital, you shouldn't have to follow the same practices as when you are washing down a sidewalk in front of Starbucks with nothing but hot water.
3) What are your thoughts on this?
National orgs can be good. But many times their own objectives cause problems for the very people who made them. One example is the "smell abatement" thread I started in the coil cleaning section of this forum. One member suggested that I join the dominant "duct cleaning" org. When I responded that I couldn't find any benefit in it - (and later discovered that one of the largest and few duct cleaning businesses locally I trust have relinquished their membership) the PWI member stated that eventually I might be "forced" to be certified just to do business. What do you guys think of that and how can we stand as a group to make sure this doesn't happen in our industry.
You guys who think that "licensing" is somehow going to stop "lowballers" need to think long and hard about which partner you want to be when you hop into bed with the local and state authorities. You might think that you have some "say so" in the arrangement because you are a "legitimate" contractor, but I will guarantee you that every industry that has EVER thought that is now living the life of the b*tch to the government and they are sticking it to the respective industries like there's no tomorrow in every single case. Do you know that your "safe R134 freon that you can buy at Pep Boys or Autozone is about to be outlawed? It's just another way for the government to Give to those who have "donated" to them. And if you think for one second that YOU are big enough to have that kind of influence alone, I invite you to go ahead and try it and make a fool of yourself.
4) So how do we steer the org in the direction that is best for our industry as a whole? Is it better to deal with lowballers who have no way to fight back or better to deal with the government who can shut down your livelihood?
I'm preparing my proposals regarding the PWNA BMP's. Can you help them make sure they are going in the right direction?