Pros
This is one of those dream jobs you hear of, but can never find. A lot of day's, most of the guys don't really have anything to do so we just try to stay out of sight or try to look busy like we are on our way somewhere to do something. We do keep hiring new guys for some reason and I used to feel bad when someone was supposed to shadow me around the shop to learn the place and I would have to tell them there was nothing to do so they just had to walk around and look busy. We have all gotten used to that so it isn't bad. The nice thing is overtime is basically unlimited even when there isn't anything going on. Many of us go in early to relax and enjoy our breakfast and coffee, and stay late whenever we like just to hang out for the overtime, which really is nice low pressure, and starting in the mid to upper $30 range we make more than production workers that have been here 15 to 20 years, you just need to negotiate a little. Also there are opportunities to advance, one guy will tell you how he would really do nothing every day and still got multiple raises in a year and promoted to his brothers job where he gets a desk to sit at, relax, and really do nothing comfortably now. Another guy was promoted from sorting nuts, bolts, and other miscellaneous shop hardware to being in charge of following the incompetent manager around and having bad attitude because he's more important than everyone else now. There is zero leadership/supervision. The guy currently "in charge" of the department is more concerned about finding issues with employees in other departments to get them in trouble and try to make himself "look good" instead of trying to lead and help support our development. It's no wonder that some techs are talking about leaving as soon as they get their schooling paid for.
Cons
Incompetent supervision/management. Although their ignorance does work in our favor.