USIC Pay Cuts for locator in NC

**locator_smbk** · February 4th, 2011, 10:02 AM

I have just heard from a source inside USIC that the "union" contract negotiations in NC have failed. It was told that the lawyers from USIC handed out their proposal and stated that the union contract did not matter anymore.

Per the company lawyers, locators in NC are paid 3.00 per hour too high and pay cuts are coming. Also, the old damage policy for NC is null and void. After 2 damages in a one year period, the locator will be sent home for 4 days without pay.

Also, as for pay raises, you will not get a raise unless YOUR supervisor and manager feel that you deserve a raise and have been damage free for the year and have met 100 percent of your "production goals". So fat chance of ever getting a raise ever agin if you work for USIC.

So all of you guys in NC and across the United States that think USIC is a great company to work for, you might want to get the vaseline ready and BOHICA (bend over, here it comes again).

**locator00566** · February 4th, 2011, 10:41 AM

Just another example for those wanting to work in the seventh circle of hell(USIC). All the hard work we do day after day, USIC rewards us with a pay cut. I have never seen a company treat their employees so bad. Morale is in the tank now, just wait until the pay cuts are put in place. Once the pay cuts are put in place, there will be a lot of people quiting USIC . IF you think pay cuts is where the misery will end, think again. Even worse things and policies are coming!!

I have been in the locating industry for over a decade now and USIC is by far the WORST locating firm out there.

Good Luck to all of you that are going through HELL with USIC

USIC = USUK

**locator007332** · February 4th, 2011, 02:52 PM

loss of Morale is happening all across the board,and if they start cutting pay across the board thats when the locators will say enough is enough.
USIC will lose their good employee's and they will lose their contracts

**big boots mcghee** · February 4th, 2011, 05:54 PM

Locators said enough is enough long ago.

**TheCableVine** · February 4th, 2011, 06:03 PM

You should inform them that you have been doing too much work for the pay you've been getting so you will be cutting back on the amount of work you will be doing.

I can't wait til I retire.

**jarhead** · February 4th, 2011, 06:56 PM

They have to pay for the St. Louis damage somehow and just wait for all the new policies that will come from that

**locator_smbk** · February 4th, 2011, 10:25 PM

What was the damage in St. Louis? I don't think I've heard of that one yet....

**Turk182** · February 4th, 2011, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by locator_smbk

What was the damage in St. Louis? I don't think I've heard of that one yet....

Mis-marked duct package, half a dozen cables cut including a couple big pulp cables. Similar to the hit in Champaign IL late last year that took out the 911 system and most of the town. The St. Louis hit didn't involve any cut fiber though.

**Bad Robot** · February 4th, 2011, 11:06 PM

You can't expect your people to take care of you if you're only concerned with the bottom line. In any business. That's proof that these goofs aren't in it for the long haul like you are, and that they couldn't care less about you as a human being. What more do you need to WAKE THE HELL UP!!!

**sprayandpray** · February 4th, 2011, 11:31 PM

Before I react to a story like this I would need to know what the Union rate of pay was to begin with and why the Union isn't striking. The last I heard was everyone was getting raises, based on th 4 Goals = Production, Damages, On-Time and Safety. This was to happen on or around April 1st.

**ProfessionalLocator** · February 5th, 2011, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

Before I react to a story like this I would need to know what the Union rate of pay was to begin with and why the Union isn't striking. The last I heard was everyone was getting raises, based on th 4 Goals = Production, Damages, On-Time and Safety. This was to happen on or around April 1st.

What they are doing is trying to break the union. A big part of this is the time of the year, they are trying to goad the locators into a strike when the ticket load is the lowest. there will always be some union people who will cross the picket line and they are counting on these people to get the work done while ticket volume is low.

What they need to do is work without a renewed contract until the load picks up and then strike for their wages and back pay for from the pay and benefit cuts to when the contract is renewed. The company figures they probably can withstand a strike right now but not when the load picks back up so they will try to force a strike at this time.

Wait, be patient and use the next several months to prepare, save every penny they can. Do not do a work slow down until the few days before a strike deadline. Expect them to go to the governor and say that they are a critical safety provider and ask that an injunction preventing the strike be granted. Be prepared to stand as a group in front of the governors mansion and say go ahead, put us in jail and the utilities will still not be marked and construction will be stopped statewide.

**Bad Robot** · February 5th, 2011, 09:04 AM

Yes Pro, it sure looks like union busting season is here again. If there is anything a private equity firm hates in this world, it's collective bargaining, or any other move by their workers to assert themselves in the face of adversity. USIC has already tipped it's hand early in the season by reneging on it's promise to assess and give raises/promotions at the first of the year to their techs, effectively pushing back to the second quarter. Now it's more "money saving" strategies like this one to squeeze their employees even further in 2011.

What I don't understand is this: What is it going to take for you guys as a group to say ENOUGH!? I don't mean the NC techs in specific, but company wide. You guys bust your asses, I see this every day. You guys try to do your best, I see that every day as well. These folks are EVIL PLAIN AND SIMPLE. There is no logical way to defend what they are doing. I am all for capitalism, and I'm about the most conservative working man you are ever going to find in the Midwest. But there is no defending this company or it's policies, because it beats down those who generate the revenue and by cutting corners so severely it is endangering the public at large.

**locator00566** · February 5th, 2011, 09:40 AM

The union in NC is only about 15% strong, which means they are not strong enough (in numbers) to fight back. Production WILL drop if pay cuts are put in place. You dip into our pockets we will dip into yours.

USIC = USUK

**ProfessionalLocator** · February 5th, 2011, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by locator00566

The union in NC is only about 15% strong, which means they are not strong enough (in numbers) to fight back. Production WILL drop if pay cuts are put in place. You dip into our pockets we will dip into yours.

USIC = USUK

When the employees decide that they are being cheated they do find way to get what they figure is theirs back. The first thing that is seen is lowered productivity. The most costly are the things that are not readily seen, the creation of overtime to make up for lost wages.Theft is another thing that hits these firms.

**ProfessionalLocator** · February 5th, 2011, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by locator00566

The union in NC is only about 15% strong, which means they are not strong enough (in numbers) to fight back. Production WILL drop if pay cuts are put in place. You dip into our pockets we will dip into yours.

USIC = USUK

15% strong now, wait for the pay cuts to sink in over a couple of months.