Union

[Cant Locate Shit / USIC]

There has to be away to get USIC to go union. USIC has of last week rasie the Insurnce rates for thier empolyees to almost double for the 2012 year.
It seems like every seven years this company sells out and the same people or person buys the same company over and over again. Need help how to get USIC to go union.

[orangeboots]

Around here its the IBEW or the CWA that seems most intersted in taking in contract locators You need to contact your local

[TBONE]

North Carolina is the only union state in USIC at this time and thats possibly on the outs

[TheCableVine]

There has to be away to get USIC to go union. USIC has of last week rasie the Insurnce rates for thier empolyees to almost double for the 2012 year.
It seems like every seven years this company sells out and the same people or person buys the same company over and over again. Need help how to get USIC to go union.

Much has been reported in the news, lately, about insurance rates going up for EVERYBODY. It isn't just USIC it's EVERYBODY. The new health care laws are designed to make companies opt out of insurance plans altogether. Obama wants to go to a single payer (Government health insurance) program. To do that he has to make it too expensive for companies to want to stay with private insurance.

Going union won't get you cheaper insurance.

The cost of health insurance for many Americans this year climbed more sharply than in previous years, outstripping any growth in workers’ wages and adding more uncertainty about the pace of rising medical costs.

New York Times

Health insurance premiums shot up 9 percent this year, nearly three times the rate of inflation and the most since 2005, a new study shows

This year, the annual premiums paid out for employer-sponsored programs topped $15,000, according to Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust, which conducts an annual health benefits survey.

ABC News

Health insurance costs continue to rise as President Obama’s healthcare overhaul begins to affect Americans’ insurance premiums, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET). Leaders in health policy analysis and communication, Kaiser and HRET found that annual family insurance premiums have spiked this year at a rate three times higher than in 2010, significantly outpacing wage increases and general inflation.

TheNewAmerican

Google results for Health Insurance on the rise

If you haven't noticed recently Unions are taking a hard hit from some States solely because Unions are bankrupting them. The old belief that going Union will set you up for life in a nice job with a fat paycheck and pension is dying. Simply because for many, it has set them up... and it has cost the rest of us greatly. And the rest of us are through getting hosed.

Unions are no good. They are a relic of a bygone era. They should be shut down and EVERYBODY should pay their own way. Not bargain for a sweet deal that gets your neighbors to pay for your health care and retirement, while your neighbors are struggling to feed their own children.

You want cheaper health care? Get rid of Obama in 2012.

[sprayandpray]

The trouble is with USIC, even if we get rid of Obama they would keep this new insurance because they are paying a lot less than before.

[4x4jw87]

there are pros and cons to union. with all of the bs in the last 2 years i think that people who was against it before would be more for it now. the hardest thing is communicating to everyone and getting an honest opinion. what its going to take is someone who has nothing to lose to get it for us. someone who is planning on leaving soon, that doesnt care to piss in the weeds and help us out before they leave. i have heard of guys getting canned at the mere mention of union, and what does that tell you, it scares the company of us to mention it let alone think about it. i know 90% of my crew is in approval for it, but its the other crews that you need to hop on board.

the thing you dont want is word to get out to one of managements pocket p*** about what is going on. there are laws against them canning you for talking about unionizing. but management already has f'ed up thoughts and will just use another excuse to can you.

[TheCableVine]

Unions and Contract Locating can not work. Think about it. If a union came in and demanded higher pay, more reasonable hours, and lower health insurance, what does that mean for a contract locating company that is already running on thin margins. It's time to dump the contract 'cause it is now too expensive. Contract locating is a very fluid industry. Contracts come and go. Locate companies get a contract and then lose it next year. Utilities decide they don't like USIC (or whomever) and go with ELM (or whomever).

IF USIC became union and they didn't dump the contract, then what happens when the contract comes up for bid again? USIC might just not try to retain the contract. Then what? You are potentially out of a job. The new company might be better, might be worse, might not higher you back. You never know. Either way, you are on the losing end of the deal.

We have one thread going about making USIC going union and then there is another thread about USIC planning to sell. How can you go union in a company that is selling off some or all of its operations?

[TheCableVine]

If you haven't noticed I am VERY ANTI-UNION. But, since this is a website for locators and some of you want to go union, if you want to start a thread here on organizing or whatever you need to do to communicate with your fellow USIC'ers, then go for it. I will keep my nose out of it.

[mikeinnella]

bad part is if we were to go union, you would have initiation fees and weekly fees, on top af medical and taxes. we still would have to pay money out of our already dwindling paychecks....

[Bad Robot]

Unions and Contract Locating can not work. Think about it. If a union came in and demanded higher pay, more reasonable hours, and lower health insurance, what does that mean for a contract locating company that is already running on thin margins. It's time to dump the contract 'cause it is now too expensive. Contract locating is a very fluid industry. Contracts come and go. Locate companies get a contract and then lose it next year. Utilities decide they don't like USIC (or whomever) and go with ELM (or whomever).

IF USIC became union and they didn't dump the contract, then what happens when the contract comes up for bid again? USIC might just not try to retain the contract. Then what? You are potentially out of a job. The new company might be better, might be worse, might not higher you back. You never know. Either way, you are on the losing end of the deal.

We have one thread going about making USIC going union and then there is another thread about USIC planning to sell. How can you go union in a company that is selling off some or all of its operations?

I see your point Steve, but if you could see for yourself how bad it is in the Midwest for these guys I know you would understand the organizing talk. They really do not have any other options other than quitting. I wouldn't last more than a day or two over there. It's criminal.

[Mke]

Bad Robot, its really the industry itself. Right now the changes might be happening right now in the midwest, but those changes usually take place, either after or before in other areas. I Was hired on with certain benefits waved infront of my face. With in the first year those benefits disappeared.

Steve hit the nail right on the head when he stated that contract locating and unions can not co-exist in the same industry. I understand their are exceptions to this, but the exceptions do not negate the rule. The reason for this is not just corporate greed. Its not "the man" trying to keep us down. It is solely the abuse of the contract locating industry. Its the belief that Company A can sweep in and grab a contract and charge very little in the hopes of changing the terms of the contract or the gaining of other contracts in the area and sodomizing those contracts. These laters don't happen. so the company is stuck charging 7-14 bucks a locate. With this, there is no driving profit. There is only the hope of a profit.

Anyone who sees the bottom line of locating contracts and all that is included in the contract knows there is no locating "ENRON" going on. Sure some managers get paid more than they are worth, and most locators are paid less then they are worth, but that is typically at the hands of the local management, not the Company CEO.

As for Unionizing, Good Luck. As for the old saying, "Careful of what you wish for, you might just get it."

I was with a company that the workers were trying to unionize. The owner of the company laid it out perfectly. He stated... "I have no problems with the idea of you guys unionizing and getting better wages and benefits. Just know that I bid this contract on the terms that you were hired on, and if the union demands me to pay more, I will oblige. Unfortunately the contract will become non-profitable and I will refuse to re-bid come next negotiations which are in 6mo. Upon that time it will go out to bid again, and my competitor will get the contract. I will gladly offer you guys a job in areas we have contracts now, but the closest one is 3hrs away. "

That was strait from the boss, and don't think any other company would look at it differently.

All I'm saying is tread carefully.

Mke

[4x4jw87]

everyone one on here has good points. i myself realize the pros and cons of union/non union, ive had a union job before. but just a bad robot was saying, there is really no other options. the only fight that we have is to organize, my opinion. there is not a whole lot else that we can loose. and if usic falls, somebody else will have to pick it back up. i know that sounds horrible, but my thoughts is that it is reality. and maybe the company who picks it back up with realize the mistakes the giant made and run things right, quality over quantity.

what other options do we have, that do not include organizing?

[Bad Robot]

Bad Robot, its really the industry itself. Right now the changes might be happening right now in the midwest, but those changes usually take place, either after or before in other areas. I Was hired on with certain benefits waved infront of my face. With in the first year those benefits disappeared.

Steve hit the nail right on the head when he stated that contract locating and unions can not co-exist in the same industry. I understand their are exceptions to this, but the exceptions do not negate the rule. The reason for this is not just corporate greed. Its not "the man" trying to keep us down. It is solely the abuse of the contract locating industry. Its the belief that Company A can sweep in and grab a contract and charge very little in the hopes of changing the terms of the contract or the gaining of other contracts in the area and sodomizing those contracts. These laters don't happen. so the company is stuck charging 7-14 bucks a locate. With this, there is no driving profit. There is only the hope of a profit.

Anyone who sees the bottom line of locating contracts and all that is included in the contract knows there is no locating "ENRON" going on. Sure some managers get paid more than they are worth, and most locators are paid less then they are worth, but that is typically at the hands of the local management, not the Company CEO.

As for Unionizing, Good Luck. As for the old saying, "Careful of what you wish for, you might just get it."

I was with a company that the workers were trying to unionize. The owner of the company laid it out perfectly. He stated... "I have no problems with the idea of you guys unionizing and getting better wages and benefits. Just know that I bid this contract on the terms that you were hired on, and if the union demands me to pay more, I will oblige. Unfortunately the contract will become non-profitable and I will refuse to re-bid come next negotiations which are in 6mo. Upon that time it will go out to bid again, and my competitor will get the contract. I will gladly offer you guys a job in areas we have contracts now, but the closest one is 3hrs away. "

That was strait from the boss, and don't think any other company would look at it differently.

All I'm saying is tread carefully.

Mke

Great post Mke, and I would expect nothing less from you as you have seen as much or more than any of us. And as for Steve's take, again great post, and he understands this situation better than most. I am most concerned here with how terrible the situation is workwise for these guys/gals , and the safety of the public. I don't expect any union to rush in and save the day for anyone in this day and age, and you are both correct in stating that the constraints that the contract locating companies work under dictates that the workforce is going to get shafted. I just cannot believe how low this has sunk in the past few years over here. Everyone is angry...contractors, other locators, homeowners, etc. The work is not getting done the way it was even just a short time ago. More than anything, I cannot escape the feeling that someone is going to have to pay for all of this shortsightedness on the contract locating end with their life.

[390]

That's the way it too often happens with things. Something eventually happens after all the warning signs were there. Someone getting killed because of the f'd up way that locates are dealt with these days. The worst words are, 'it's too late.'
I think the locate industry problem is a metaphor/example for the problem in the USA in general. Too little regulation. Yes I said the R word.
And, to go a little further and maybe tick off some of you fine folks, and families, who have given so much of yourselves through your military service, which I respect,
I will say that the USA needs a good dose of socialist capitalism. That means for example, a (real) progressive income tax. Also health care that is run like the 'socialist' countries in Europe. What a concept, to be a human being, and live in a country that is supposedly the leader of the free world, and be able to access decent health care. And then throw in some real representative government-proportional representation, like here in Germany and France, and England...This would mean that the mighty Constitution would have to be ammended, but it's been done many times before, and the Founding Fathers might well approve given what's going down these days. Then, get some real gun reform. Pretty nice living here where almost no one has a gun. Oh, and by the way, I don't expect any time soon for any of these governments that have these hard anti gun laws, to be taking over and becoming dictators over their citizens. In fact, people like knowing there aren't guns all over the place. (Yea, I know, they kill each other with knives here. But come on, you can't take out a bunch with a kitchen knife.)
When I was an activist, I sometimes heard, 'well if you don't like it here, why don't you just move somewhere else?' Well, I did, And I have to say it ain't so bad. And if I didn't give a crap about the USA, (and my kids living there), I wouldn't be tuning in to this discussion, or care about the folks I used to know, and the ones still in the field. But I do, and I think it is about time that the average Joe starts rattling some cages.
Seems to me that the world is a pretty tense place these days. The USA could still pull it out and be one of the strong world leaders that the world community has come to know and respect. But looking at the situation from this side of the pond, ya'll ain't gonna do it by ignoring climate change, allowing the divide between rich and poor to continue, and putting up with stupid talking political candidates. The time will come when it comes to a head, it's just a question of when.
If you think your job is great, super. If you are tired of the crap, do something. I don't know if that means union, but organize somehow. If you do, they-management-may listen. If you don't it may be to late.

[390]

Meant to say, it may be TOO late. Dig?