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If I pick scrap from my workplace--from the dumpster or from the shop, should I give employer a cut?
My employer's shop is a mess and a bunch of stuff should be either scrapped or thrown out. I want to submit a bid to help organize and de-junk it, including paying employer a cut from the earnings at scrap yard.
I'd appreciate any wisdom if any of you are willing to share your opinions!
Thanks,
Square
You could give him a cut (10-15%) of the yard ticket if you feel generous, otherwise it'll cost him more in dumpster fee's if you don't get it.
You'd be doing the work and spending your gas, and price of scrap is down. That's worth something.
I agree with mech plus it will give you first dibs on future scrap jobs if things go smoothly.
I guess you could give them a cut if you wanted to but I don't. I work for a telecom company and a lot of my scrap comes out of our dumpster. They know I scrap and everyone has told me I can have the things they throw away but they keep a very clean warehouse and won't set the stuff aside for me. That's fine. I don't mind digging it out of the dumpster. I brought home about 1000 pounds of mid to high grade telephone systems last Thursday. I got lucky and was able to get them before they hit the dumpster.
It seems to me that a fair exchange would be for you to clean up the shop in exchange for their scrap. After all, you are doing them a favor.
Thanks for your input, guys.
I'll look at the shop some more so I can present a bid soon, and I'll try to post an update.
I truly appreciate the wisdom you've shared! Thank you!
[+]
This is my opinion only do as you see fit. First all scraping activities need to be done on your time or you owe the business(unles its a case of putting it in the dumpster or in the back of your pick up). Clean up of the shop on the employers dime. Under those conditions I think the scrap should be free to you. Mike
I wouldn't pay a percentage of what you get for the scrap.
If you do, they know how much money you get. That's a bad thing because then they can't see why they can't have ALL that money.
What they don't see is how much time you put into it. They think its just a matter of taking the scrap to the dealers and the hard part is spending all that money..
I do it on a 'split' and empasize that its 'my time that makes me the money, not the scrap metal itself'.
I put the ferrous aside and work up the nonferrous and sell that and that's my money. When I take the ferrous in, I just put it under their name and they can pick up their ca$h, or sort it into pellets and he can organise to get it picked up from my place.
That way his money isn't 'under my name' at the scrapyard.
Also, if he asks them at the yard, they can say that I have not sold any ferrous to them, but not the $ amount of my nonferrous.
So he knows I'm honest.
I am doing the same with another guy too. I am scrapping his pile of computers, printers, scanners, electrical equipment and stacking up all the ferrous for him. I get the rest, and some CRT TV's (just the ones with the thick degaussing cables...) and I have to get rid of the plastic.
In turn, he gets his yard space back and some free $$. Without shifting any CRTs......
Those are great ideas, 'Kiwi, I'll def take them into consideration.
I appreciate y'all's input. I'm definitely learning the need to keep it simple.
Thanks,
[+]
I would throw a number at the boss and then offer to clean up the mess off the clock. if you are digging it out of dumpster as long as you have permission, it's fair game. If you give a percentage of your profits then work should give an effort to do a "little" for you. Set aside certain stuff or whatever, never hurts to ask.
Update:
The right time hasn't presented itself where I feel I can talk to my boss about letting me clean and scrap the shop.
Good thing is he's caught on to the fact that I scrap, and I've demonstrated that I'm not going to take something that he says he wants. And, if I've made the mistake of putting something in my bucket or if he changes his mind and now he wants that item, I hand it back to him.
But he know's I've been picking up nails and scrap copper tubing, a brass toilet flange, plus some dumpster diving, and has even saved a couple little things for me.
Hopefully all this will lead to an actual project opening.
As always, I'm grateful that y'all have given your input, I'm learning lots every day.
Square [+]
It would be great if i could scrap all the waste where I work. I am at a large printing company. A big rolloff dumpster of paper every week or so and a tip dumpster of aluminum printing plates every month or so. The owner knows what paper and plates are worth. We are paid for that trash. The owner says it goes into a special account to pay for company lunches. But those are every two months. I think it pays for more than that.
Earlier this year he bought new computers for every office and to my surprise he agreed to let me scrap all the old towers.