I had to read this twice because the audacity is absolutely mind-blowing. An electrician refuses free work for his kids’ stepfather after the man publicly insulted union workers. However, the stepfather still had the nerve to ask for free electrical help through his wife.
When an Electrician Refuses Free Work: The Backstory
Meet our protagonist – a union electrician who shares custody of three kids with his ex-wife. The divorce was rough last year, but things seemed to be settling down. Meanwhile, his ex-wife remarried in August to “Brad” after only six months of dating.
Brad works in IT and data networking as a self-employed contractor. However, he barely makes a profit according to our electrician. Furthermore, the electrician’s license actually allows him to do Brad’s type of work at his own higher pay rate.
The Free Work Incident That Started It All
At his daughter’s volleyball game, Brad made snide comments about “real tradesmen” not needing unions. He said this directly in front of the electrician, who was wearing his union logo shirt. Nevertheless, our hero stayed calm and didn’t take the bait.
A few weeks later, the ex-wife called asking for a “quick favor.” She wanted the electrician to swing by one of Brad’s job sites to check out a panel. Moreover, she emphasized it would only take a few minutes with his tools.
The electrician explained he charges everyone the same rate. Additionally, union rules require all work to go through his shop. When the ex-wife pushed back, he told her Brad could hire his own subcontractors or pay like everyone else.
She accused him of being petty and creating tension. However, he stood firm, explaining that professionalism isn’t petty and he doesn’t give free labor to people who disrespect his trade.
What Reddit Said
Most people said the electrician was absolutely right to refuse. Furthermore, they pointed out the hypocrisy of insulting union workers then begging for union help.
Some pointed out that Brad should have called directly instead of sending his wife to beg. In addition, many noted this showed Brad wasn’t a “real man” by his own standards.
A few suggested this was clearly about respect, not money. Moreover, several union members chimed in supporting the decision to follow proper procedures.
Many commenters were incredulous about the audacity. As a result, they praised the electrician for maintaining professional boundaries despite family pressure.
The Verdict
Overall verdict: The electrician is definitely NTA (Not the Asshole). You can’t insult someone’s profession then expect free work from that same person. This story perfectly shows why maintaining professional boundaries matters, even when an electrician refuses free work for family situations. For more workplace drama, check out our work drama and AITA stories collections.
From r/AmItheAsshole (4,496 upvotes)