Someone’s professional skills should never be mocked.

The following story involves an electrician who was asked by his ex-wife to do a small job for her new husband.

The husband had previously insulted his trade and now expected unpaid work “just as a favor.”

So, he stood firm on fairness and disagreed with “free” work.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for refusing to do free work for my kids’ stepfather?

I’m an electrician and a union member. My ex and I share custody of our three kids.

Things are okay now, but the divorce last year was rough.

She remarried in August to a guy after dating for six months.

Let’s call him “Brad.”

Meet Brad…

Here is where the issue kind of starts.

A few weeks ago, Brad was at my daughter’s volleyball game.

He was saying stuff about how “real tradesmen don’t need to be in a union.”

He said this right in front of me, and I was wearing a shirt with my union logo on it.

He works in the trades, too, but just does small non-union IT/data network jobs.

I stayed calm and didn’t bite.

This man’s ex-wife called him and asked for a favor.

He is self-employed, and I know he barely makes a profit.

My license also allows me to do all of his kind of work at my pay rate.

This morning, my ex called me out of the blue.

She said a panel at one of Brad’s jobs needed some work and asked if I could “just swing by” to check it out.

She said, “You’d only need your tools for a few minutes, just a quick favor.

It’s not a big deal, and you would be technically working for Brad.”

An argument started.

So when my ex asked for a quick favor, I told her:

“I charge everyone the same rate, and per union rules, I can’t just do a side job.

It has to be done under my shop.”

She said, “You’re really gonna force this issue with my husband?”

I told her, “He can just have his own subcontractors or step up and pay me like everyone else does.”

He told her he doesn’t offer free labor to people who disrespect his job.

Now, she’s saying I’m being petty and creating tension.

She is claiming that I’m just making a stink because he lives with the kids.

I told her that professionalism isn’t petty. I don’t give free labor to people who disrespect my trade.

AITA for refusing to do free work for my ex’s husband, even though it might make things awkward for my co-parenting relationship?

Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s another honest opinion.

That’s a perfectly reasonable boundary, says this one.

Short and simple.

Finally, this person has a valid question.

You can’t insult a person and then ask for their help afterwards.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.