Surely they know you can’t advertise for a “man” when recruiting? Or is it me?

[Panningforfish]

Is it me? I know the construction industry is very male dominant, but have I missed something and they are now allowed to advertise for a “man” to do a role. Have I misunderstood?

Spotted a van on my way into work this morning. It had a sticker on the back with a phone number stating “Experienced mastic man required”. Put me in a total grump driving in. I know man is a shorter word than person. But seriously! Checked out the company tonight and yup, same lovely wording on their Facebook page.

www.facebook.com/Nationwide-Sealants-839099189627731/

Anyone got any advice on how to challenge/educate them on this?

On a local FB page someone was advertising a receptionist job and a man commented to say he was interested, whereupon the employer replied to say ‘sorry, it’s a job for a woman’. I was taken aback and posted to point out this was illegal, but they replied again, repeating that they only wanted to employ a woman in the role. Was pretty shocking… I should really have looked into reporting them tbh.

It's just the word surely, like postman! Of course a women can still do the job, often better😉

I work in heavy engineering and construction. I'm just finishing a £1Bn project and I can say that almost no women were involved in the construction. It's hard dirty horrible work.

However the highly skilled engineering and design work was done MOSTLY by women.

There is improving equality in the industry at the high end, but women aren't interested in the dirty end.

I don't think waging war over petty semantics will have any impact. But fill your boots if it makes you feel better about an industry you likely know nothing about.

Is anyone else singing mastic man to the tune of matchstalk men?

@piglet81

On a local FB page someone was advertising a receptionist job and a man commented to say he was interested, whereupon the employer replied to say ‘sorry, it’s a job for a woman’. I was taken aback and posted to point out this was illegal, but they replied again, repeating that they only wanted to employ a woman in the role. Was pretty shocking… I should really have looked into reporting them tbh.

Yes you should fucking hell.

Women receptionist only is sexist and shit for men and women both.

And illegal to advertise.

Yet strangely in the jobs I've had in super-fancy skyscrapers with lots of different companies spread over the ridiculous number of floors. And in the ones I've gone to as a guest.

The main reception for the building. Apart from 1 or 2 men on reception desk (not security).

All on building reception have been young -youngish , v attractive women, with uncannily identical hairstyles, and similar make-up. Wearing uniforms involving v tight pencil skirt and v high heels.

It's so weird! Such a coincidence.

I often ponder this when waiting to see them to get into seminars etc, in a crowd of men in suits.

Really puzzling. Maybe men just don't want reception jobs. Can't think of another reason.

(Sorry sidetrack but fuxake the times in situations where the automatic provision of eye candy for the corporate chaps is obvious, I mean it's just all over the place and unnoticed it's so standard. In certain locations).

[quote ImperfectTents]Is anyone else singing mastic man to the tune of matchstalk men?

[/quote] Lolol wasn't but am now and will be for a week!

@SpamIAm

Mastic Man does seem to be the common term for an individual carrying out this role. Not ideal obviously, but sounds like he's used the standard term for that role rather than he's specifically wanting to recruit a man.

Yeah, I was going to say the same. I know it's bad that the ad isn't gender neutral, but it's a well known term for the role.

OP seems to have legged it understandably.

The idea of seeing a local van likely given sticker on van = recruitment drive. So almost certainly one man band or v small local company.

And being so angered by wording that with one Google she would have found (as I did( that this is totally standard term (yes also mastic person, sealant applicator etc).

And to think not hmm illegal I'll drop a few words on a msg on Facebook that they will probably ignore but want to do something.

But to think right i need to educate/ challenge them?!

IE be arsey. Realistically they ignore or say thanks for letting us know or simply if feel arsey approach just sod off.

Then what?
Police?
Trade body?
Badmouth all over internet?

Just can't understand this one.

And I will merrily say to post about mildly sexist t-shirt in Asda Huff puff etc.
Cos big chain.

This? Nope. What hope to achieve?
Can't see any mastic women being put off applying!

I think it's fine to want things to change but that requires a lot more than complaining about the wording on a job advert in an industry you know nothing about. It's just not the right approach

Nah, not legged it, just been busy with Christmas stuff and clearly way too busy to google if it’s a common term/trade shorthand whatever!

Interesting that so many of you don’t find it offensive. My first sentence on this thread was literally “Is it me?”. Turns out the majority of you think it is. To me it’s an example of the subtle underlying sexism that is out there, like the baby formula advert that showed the girl baby being a ballerina and the boy baby being a scientist. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40644865

Can I be arsed to actually challenge the company probably not. Do I believe it’s right. No.

Don’t be so bloody daft! It’s just the name of the job! Like being a Leadman on a film set- a woman can be a lead man it doesn’t mean anything.

Do you want the job op? Or are you just being offended because you can? Pretty sure if there was a female trained and capable and she applied… she’d be given the role should she be better than a man who applied. Construction bloody love having some women on site! So sick of people getting offended about things that don’t involve them!

@Panningforfish

Is it me? I know the construction industry is very male dominant, but have I missed something and they are now allowed to advertise for a “man” to do a role. Have I misunderstood?

Spotted a van on my way into work this morning. It had a sticker on the back with a phone number stating “Experienced mastic man required”. Put me in a total grump driving in. I know man is a shorter word than person. But seriously! Checked out the company tonight and yup, same lovely wording on their Facebook page.

www.facebook.com/Nationwide-Sealants-839099189627731/

Anyone got any advice on how to challenge/educate them on this?

Did you really think they were only inviting applications from men?

Yes, the wording could be better; yes Googling did bring up one company looking for "mastic man/ mastic women" and a few looking for "mastic applicators/ operatives" but "educate them" sounds very like the language adopted by other groups and generally frowned on here.

[quote ImperfectTents]Is anyone else singing mastic man to the tune of matchstalk men?

[/quote] I was really, really trying not to derail by asking if the first question at the interview was "do you have any mastic cats and dogs?" So glad it wasn't just me.

I'll bet my house that the OP doesn't even work in a technical role.

@KimikosNightmare apologies if my use of the word educate was not the best wording. Not sure what you mean by “other groups” though?

@EightWheelGirl Nope, I definitely don’t work in a technical role. I have however spent many years reading plans and specifications, working with technical officers and contractors to create adaptations and extensions etc for clients with disabilities. I know random building regs relating to stairs and ramps eg minimum gradient 1:12 or 1:15 if self propelling wheelchairs with flat platforms minimum of 1.5m, upstands, rails etc. I get frustrated at contractors who decide to go off plan because they know better than me and do random shit, eg stick some of the left over contrast tiles on the wall in a pattern when they are there to provide a strong visual contrast to identify areas, eg showers/toilet for a blind client or decide it’s too difficult to make a level access shower and stick a raised tray in. So, I’m probably overly grumpy (although I do work with some absolutely amazing contractors too) about the building trade.

If you don’t think that we should challenge stereotypes and try to make employment more inclusive that’s fine, this is my perception of the world. If your experience is different then I’m really glad about that. No sarcasm intended.

Lets be honest - mastic person or mastic applicator doesnt really have the same ring to it.

To me its just like 'man with van' - not that I am expecting a man but its just a phrase I would search for if I was after a person with a van.

I am personally not offended and wouldnt be put off applying if I was a mastic lady.

Nope, I definitely don’t work in a technical role. I have however spent many years reading plans and specifications, working with technical officers and contractors to create adaptations and extensions etc for clients with disabilities. I know random building regs relating to stairs and ramps eg minimum gradient 1:12 or 1:15 if self propelling wheelchairs with flat platforms minimum of 1.5m, upstands, rails etc. I get frustrated at contractors who decide to go off plan because they know better than me and do random shit, eg stick some of the left over contrast tiles on the wall in a pattern when they are there to provide a strong visual contrast to identify areas, eg showers/toilet for a blind client or decide it’s too difficult to make a level access shower and stick a raised tray in. So, I’m probably overly grumpy (although I do work with some absolutely amazing contractors too) about the building trade.

Oh yes we can agree on this. I find it hard to believe someone with 30-40years experience doesn't know the standard gradient of a level surface to facilitate adequate drainage whilst still being relatively flat but there we go. I think its 'them testing you' scenario and just point them to the relevant clause in the NBS.

Very few female tradesmen work in the construction industry, managers, supervisors, architects, engineers, planners there are quite a few. The reason is that most women cannot fit the work routine easily, travel to work at 7.30, don’t finish until 5pm 5 days a week, not many want that routine or the usually poor working conditions.
I do know a couple of female decorators who work the hours that suits them for private customers, the advert should have been worded “Mastic Application Technician” but that’s a bit complicated for some.

@Crazykatie yeah, mastic application technician, would have required a mahoosive sticker and would probably have stuck the van doors together!
Just realised that I thought it was a good idea to marry a dickhead joiner, so clearly I have no skills in judgement of the construction industry!
Happy to concede that I’m being an unnecessary grumpy stroppy arse.

It's a post from April. How hard did you have to look to find it!!??

There's a point there but I'm not sure it's one worth hanging yourself out for. In reality, there probably aren't any mastic women and if there are I suppose they're used to the term. I don't think it's a destination career for anyone.

Yep, Mastic cats & dogs here too...

That's kind of my point too. What's the point in trying to be gender inclusive when there literally aren't any mastic women and no women are interested. I wasn't being snarky to the OP, but it's just that very few of the women talking about getting more women into construction etc actually want to put on the boots themselves.

[quote ImperfectTents]Is anyone else singing mastic man to the tune of matchstalk men?

[/quote] No, but I am singing Plastic Man by The Kinks.

@MeredithGreyishblue

It's a post from April. How hard did you have to look to find it!!??

There's a point there but I'm not sure it's one worth hanging yourself out for. In reality, there probably aren't any mastic women and if there are I suppose they're used to the term. I don't think it's a destination career for anyone.

Yep, Mastic cats & dogs here too...

Sticker on back of van as I drove into work on Friday, (when neither of my face to face clients turned up, so I could have worked from home and spent an extra hour in bed. Gits.) mental note of company, company name into google on my phone at lunchtime when studiously avoiding writing up my morning notes, first result up - Facebook page. Yup, fantastically exciting day, can you tell? Maybe I should consider a career change in the new year…

Have you never noticed the 'workmen in road' signs? I've never seen anything but men working to be fair.

On the motorway it says "Workforce in Road" these days.
And those signs where they show photos of "actual workers" in hi viz to remind you they are real people - some of them are women.
Though I don't think I've ever seen an actual woman working on a motorway.