Cut hours?

[Rufus]

Any body else experiencing cut hours with USIC?

[sprayandpray]

My Sup has said he's not going to play the OT game - we get all of the hours we need. I have heard another group is limited to 5 hrs (ot) per week. We used to send them help - not anymore!

[blownoutboots]

USIC is going to do what they have to pay off their loans, and like any good business people, they know that labor is the biggest cost...

[blownoutboots]

BTW SprayandPray, isn't your bonus and his tied to OT?

[shovelhead]

USIC is going to do what they have to pay off their loans, and like any good business people, they know that labor is the biggest cost...
...and that a LOT of their veteran locators rely on the overtime as part of the deal. And in the Midwest you need this to offset the "part - time" hours that we have to deal with in the winter. Or right now if you're in my part of Chicago... guess I need a part - time job to augment.....

[blownoutboots]

You always need to remember that the company is going to need to make some profit. They are not in business to worry about our personal finances, and I know that because I had my own business and sold it years ago.

[RoadMap]

I have been hearing rumors that USIC is getting some people together to go to Huston. But us in the midwest do not get to go. We can only work 40! Anybody heard anything about that?

[TBONE]

Not yet give it time the winter season is coming :this:

[shovelhead]

You always need to remember that the company is going to need to make some profit. They are not in business to worry about our personal finances, and I know that because I had my own business and sold it years ago.Understood. That's why it's called "capitalism". It's one of the pillars of our society, and it's one of the reasons why the USA is the country it is, for better or worse...

You always need to remember that you shouldn't expect to see a serious profit almost immediately after revamping your business model. It does happen in some businesses, but you aren't going to do a 180 degree spin like USIC, and expect to be crapping through silk drawers in 90 days. This is the same tired shit that lousy executives bang out when they "rebuild for a better tomorrow", or some other tired tag line to get everyone fired up to take that hill. Cost cutting was expected. This is just more than many techs thought would happen, and it's happened very fast.

They are not in business to worry about my personal finances, they just have blown major smoke up our collective asses about their game plan both immediately after the merger and long term. It wasn't too long ago that Craig and Big Mike were talking about " You won't notice any changes around here" and other words to that affect.

And as the test market for the new USIC, I think we are qualified to state that without a doubt, there are many changes afoot.

- Rookies getting a pay raise ( some are getting nearly 2 bucks..), while the veterans that have been holding things together get zip, zero, nada? We have three and four year vets making 25 cents more than the rookies they are mentoring / babysitting. Some are making LESS MONEY!!!!

When the management asks " What can we do to retain our seasoned quality techs", this is NOT the first thing I'd offer up. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot...

- Overtime is an endangered species in greater Chicago? Some genius figured that most of us would gladly give up 80 hrs. in OT per month in exchange for $400. Someone forgot that most of us who've been here for a while:

- Know how to count.

- Are very good at keeping track of our hrs. / money.

Brilliant.

- We still have very few meetsites, and getting supplies is frustratingly difficult. I shouldn't have to raid a completed worksite for flags, should I? I shouldn't have to buy batteries for myself and most of the rest of the crew, should I?

- No game plan for the end of the season. Nothing. At least nothing our management would like to discuss. Given the fact that once again, there is NO leadership on a local level, let's just assume:

- Most of us WILL NOT have even close to a 40 hr. paycheck most weeks this winter.

- Many of us will have to get PART TIME JOBS to augment the sub 40 hr. paychecks that WILL NOT pay our bills.

- And they've already gone on record saying they are going to hire AFTER the dig season. Let me get this straight. You're going to have a TRAINEE in class for about 40 hrs. a week , but you're going to tell me to go home early? OR, you're going to tell me to "take a personal day"?

Again, how is this supposed to HELP THE COMPANY RETAIN QUALIFIED, QUALITY TECHNICIANS?

Anyone?

[USIC1]

I have been hearing rumors that USIC is getting some people together to go to Huston. But us in the midwest do not get to go. We can only work 40! Anybody heard anything about that?

Im already on the short list to go... so s none of you huskers and prairie dogs out there in the mid west try an douse my chances of stuffin my pockets...


:hammer:

[sprayandpray]

BTW SprayandPray, isn't your bonus and his tied to OT?

That's right, but like my previous post, I'm making $2500.00 per month in OT -I don't need their piddly little old $400. Besides, we have about twice the amount of tickets that we can get done - every ticket I do the rest of the week will already be late.

[RoadMap]

That's right, but like my previous post, I'm making $2500.00 per month in OT -I don't need their piddly little old $400. Besides, we have about twice the amount of tickets that we can get done - every ticket I do the rest of the week will already be late.

Spray that is my point! We were told we could not go to Houston. And can not get over 40 hours per week. But have lots of past due tickets. They told us that we had to work harder to get the past dues cleaned up but not to work over 40! Huh? What? How?

[blownoutboots]

That's why your OT will go away

[Trent3342]

I have been hearing rumors that USIC is getting some people together to go to Huston. But us in the midwest do not get to go. We can only work 40! Anybody heard anything about that?
who locates the Electric and Gas in Houston? Is it CenterPoint for both?

[scap]

Where I'm at, basically as long as you're busting ass and have good production when tickets are coming, our sups have promised to take care of us in the winter. And the guys they know who are fckin off and goin home early, are gonna get 35-40 hr workweeks come November.

[yahoo]

what is rufus being moderated for??????

[badger44]

I have to agree w/Shovelhead re: the chicago market. Screw getting a part time job to augment the SM&P non existent hours for the winter, hubby will have to another full time, a part time and try to locate in order to make it this winter around here. And why or why would they hire anyone AFTER dig season? Not enough work here for us but for the Naperville tix to plant trees and shrubs or, not making this up, a ticket to lay mulch. God help us!

[flagsrme]

We sent people to Texas for two week. Last couple days we been working ot, But today they told us to go home after 8 hr. because we have to much ot for the pay week. And by the way it looks like we are work the weekend????

[blownoutboots]

You can always move south :)

[Rufus]

The last couple of weeks has been an experience for most of our district. The asked us to work the weekend, and of course we fell for it thinking we might get some OT! Well that was short lived. After most of us worked the weekend and was away from our families, they made us go home early during the week. I do not know about you but my family is not home during the week during work hours. What a croc!

[Lucky219]

Part of the reason for the cut in OT is the sup's will get a $500/month bonus for cutting the OT. They have to do some other things with safety and something else. This will encourage more hiring for sure. Nothing about production yet. What Sup is going to send his guys to help out another crew when it makes his OT go up? Nothing like fostering team work.

[yahoo]

no cut hours here in la??? we are trying to keep people working this way straight time and overtime!!!!!!!!!!!

[sprayandpray]

We sent people to Texas for two week. Last couple days we been working ot, But today they told us to go home after 8 hr. because we have to much ot for the pay week. And by the way it looks like we are work the weekend????

Hey Flags, where are you working in Texas? I came home tonite with about 75 tickets - we've got so much work here in DFW we could use about 10 extra people a day.

[flagsrme]

We sent locators to DFW (1) and Midland(5) from my area. The one that is DFW said there are our locators from different areas down there. I recieved the news today I will be going to Galveston Monday. They told me I will be living at the red cross shelter. yippee

[Wingfoot]

To all USIC locators - Happy Dayz Are Here Again! Steve Baker - the S of SM&P - has come to the rescue! Mike Stayton, president and CEO of USIC, has asked Steve to join his reconstruction team, and Steve is taking his accepted challenge seriously! Under the direction of Mike Stayton, whatever Steve Baker wants, USIC gets! It's not going to change for the better overnight, (stubborn, selfish, narrow-minded, dead-weight middle management types will be hard to change overnight) but Steve will either change them or change them! Happy Dayz Are 'Soon' Again!

[USIC1]

They cant even fix the inefficiency of the computer software do you think they could figure out management tweaks???


:ecomcity: :popcorn:

[RoadMap]

Don't worry Baker can fix it. These stupid managers in the past like JT, RR, JK, have a rude awakening coming. Baker does not like managers who make trouble for locators just because they can. He will stand up for any locator that does his job. But the flip side is if you screw up alot you are gone. Baker will be good for this company. The utility companies know him and respect him. We will probably get contracts that before we never had a chance to get. Just watch and do your job the best you can!

[yahoo]

i'm happy for you guys with usic.......Godspeed to ya.... hey usic1 maybe you will get your job back and things will be finally the ways things are supposed to be!!!! or maybe you'll still be driving ?????

[USIC1]

I want to go down there to Houston and get in on some of that rebuild work...


$$$$$$$$....

If they would get that hourly rate instead of ticket rate straightened out with the gas company...