Questions about cerrano and 'watchman'????

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MommC

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What duties would a cerrano normally perform and what pay would he receive for said duties???

Same question regarding watchman.....
Also would watchman be armed or not???

I've been deliberately vague because I'd like to see the varieties of reponses.

We're presently considering renumeration and duties of cerrano and /or watchman for our condo complex so all replies welcome!
 
M

Mirador

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MommC said:
What duties would a cerrano normally perform and what pay would he receive for said duties???

Same question regarding watchman.....
Also would watchman be armed or not???

I've been deliberately vague because I'd like to see the varieties of reponses.

We're presently considering renumeration and duties of cerrano and /or watchman for our condo complex so all replies welcome!
Click to expand...


Sereno (not 'cerrano')


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M

MrMike

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Main duty would be to sit in a little white chair with a machete in one hand and sleep.

Optionally, he could hide in a little guard house and sleep.

Or, he could operate one of those little metal bar access points between naps, but may leave it open when it's time to...sleep.

Minimum wage is standard for watchies.
 
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KateP

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Excelent description. Others also have shotguns which sometimes accidentally go off when they change shifts. All very entertaining! Usually these people are either middle-aged men that can't find other jobs, or if they're young might have a shady past or worked in the army and got discharged. People usually don't chose this type of job if they have another option...
 
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MommC

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Then let me add groundskeeper/maintenance man to the equation!

If the 'sereno' (pardon my Italian) was more of a 'groundskeeper/maintenance man for a condo with a pool what duties would be expected and what pay range would be paid.

Also hours of work and time off........

Thanks!
 
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Ken

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Our night watchman hasn't slept for many months. We ordered a Watchman Clock from the US and installed some key stations. Now our watchman spends the night going from key station to key station. At each station he puts the key in the clock and turns it, marking a paper insert in the clock with the time and number of the key station. Each morning the Administrator checks the clock expecting to find a black line indicating that the watchman has been making his rounds. If there are gaps, she knows the watchman wasn't sleeping. The watchman knows this, and so far there have been no gaps.
 
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MommC

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Perhaps that would be a good idea for a larger property than ours.
We did have a night watchman who mainly slept. He's no longer here and hasn't been for several years.
What we do have is a groundskeeper/maintenance man who is paid byweekly for his 'day' job.
He also has a well appointed house where he lives with his wife in return for his 'night' duties as watchman (which mainly consists of making sure the gates are locked before he goes to sleep at night.)
A problem has arisen recently whereby one of the owners when returning home from work one night (2AM) found the lock to his condo wasn't functioning. He called the sereno/maintenance man for help and the man/s wife answered the door and said her husband was sleeping and wasn't going to come help.
Now it is possible he wasn't there or maybe he really was sleeping.....either way, it was not acceptable so the condo is contemplating replacing him.
They would like an idea of what a gardner/maintenance man should be doing and what his pay rate should be and also what a night watchman should be doing and what his pay rate should be.....

Any responses????
 
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MrMike

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I think that it may not be exactly legal to have someone employed 24/7 like that. I'm not an expert but you may want to check on this.

I am still tinking minimum wage on this job, but maybe if it's 24/7 you should add them up and pay 3 minimum wages.
 
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MommC

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Actually MrMike....he doesn't work 24/7. He has one day a week off and works (supposedly)4 hrs in the morning with a 3 hr. 'break' then 4 hours afternoon. Night duties entail locking the gates front & back (10 minute job) and responding if any of the owners have a problem with plumbing or electrical.
Oh yes....he also starts the generator and flips the switches if the power goes out between 7 PM and 11PM (which has happened 2x since Dec).
 
G

gardito

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Ken said:
Our night watchman hasn't slept for many months. We ordered a Watchman Clock from the US and installed some key stations. Now our watchman spends the night going from key station to key station. At each station he puts the key in the clock and turns it, marking a paper insert in the clock with the time and number of the key station. Each morning the Administrator checks the clock expecting to find a black line indicating that the watchman has been making his rounds. If there are gaps, she knows the watchman wasn't sleeping. The watchman knows this, and so far there have been no gaps.
Click to expand...


Hope YOUR watchman doesn't read this ...

Easily bypassed! Time the stations on your round, then collect they keys. Next round insert the keys at the appropiate times. Last round, place all keys back...;) Devious minds at work....

E.
 
H

HOWMAR

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gardito said:
Hope YOUR watchman doesn't read this ...

Easily bypassed! Time the stations on your round, then collect they keys. Next round insert the keys at the appropiate times. Last round, place all keys back...;) Devious minds at work....

E.
Click to expand...
Gee, I guess it would never dawn on somebody to chain the keys to the different stations. Oh right, the watchman cuts the chains every night and then replaces the keys with a new chain.;)
 
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gardito

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That's what screwdrivers are for :cheeky: , but then I guess you spot-weld yours right ??

E.
 
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sweetdbt

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gardito said:
Hope YOUR watchman doesn't read this ...

Easily bypassed! Time the stations on your round, then collect they keys. Next round insert the keys at the appropiate times. Last round, place all keys back...;) Devious minds at work....

E.
Click to expand...

Where this type of clock is used the keys usually are firmly secured on a chain or cable at each station, so they cannot be "collected".
 
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canadian bob

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Hi MomC! Be very aware ... If you hire a Sereno "off the street" and give him a gun that you own..... and someone tries to break in, and he shoots him.... You will be in deep s..t.....and may spend time in the pokey. On the other hand, if you use the services of a "Watchee Man Service" and the same event occurs (with their gun, you will not be responsible for anything and the man will be returned to the usually remote village he was hired from.) Canadian Bob.
 
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Ken

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sweetdbt said:
Where this type of clock is used the keys usually are firmly secured on a chain or cable at each station, so they cannot be "collected".
Click to expand...

Correct. Each key is attached by a chain.

This system has worked very well for us. Previously there were frequent complaints from residents returning in the night about the watchman sleeping. We were firing and hiring on a regular basis due to these complaints. We don't hear them any more.

Of course it isn't just the clock, it is also the person we have as a watchman. We went through several "watchman" before we found one who was very willing to use the clock.

PS: I'd be willing to bet quite a bit that if you could take the keys to some hidey hole and spend the night faking making rounds that you wouldn't get away with it for even one night. Making the rounds is what helps keep the watchman awake.
 
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MommC

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OK...so can we get back to my questions now....?????
Somebody out there must have a gardener AND a 'sereno' who can answer my questions......
 
M

MrMike

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I know I already said this but since nobody else is replying...

I still think it's minimum wage, but you could try paying about 30-50% more than that and then not taking any nonsense from anyone.

You will probably have to cycle through a few employees before you find the right one, your best bet is to fire them when in doubt, especially if they do something unnacceptable to in the first few months of employment.

Most if the time just like little kids with a new teacher/babysitter they will try to push the rules right away and see what they can get away with, you have to be able to spot this and nip that stuff in the bud before you owe termination pay.
 
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