A USIC strike. Just thinking outloud....

**Isotopes** · May 16th, 2011, 10:59 PM

I know this is very extreme thinking. I only did thid job for the last 4 months (Put my notce in a day ago.) but it seems to me USIC locators are in the perfect position for a strike. If you could tweek just a few things it would be an amazing job. But there was just a little to much BS for me to stand.

One thing I noticed about this job is even the guys that have been doing it 10-20yrs+ at the very least act like they hate it. Every one that I met

How far fetched is the idea stike? Can anyone non union even pull something like that off?

**Dave72** · May 17th, 2011, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Isotopes

One thing I noticed about this job is even the guys that have been doing it 10-20yrs+ at the very least act like they hate it. Every one that I met

Talk is cheap..

How far fetched is the idea stike? Can anyone non union even pull something like that off?

I think its called quitting, followed by trespassing..

**Bad Robot** · May 17th, 2011, 07:39 AM

They would threaten to fire everyone, even thought they have no backup plan for something like this, of that I am certain. They would maybe try to import help from other areas, but each area is unique and you can't train or certify people to locate overnight. I have said it for years, if enough of their techs walked out in any area, they would be screwed. Can anyone imagine Com Ed or WE Energies reaction if there were no locates for two or three concecutive days? Man, I would take a few days off and set myself up a lawn chair and watch the fireworks!!

**Enjoythefall** · May 17th, 2011, 05:04 PM

The problem there is that nobody knows each other very well outside of your crew. There's no real way to organize a strike of more than 15 guys, and even then It would be hard. Plus how do you know the other guys are actually going to strike? People will say that they'll stand for something, and at the slightest threat of danger from the company just pick their yoke back up and trudge on. Then you've got the guys who'll tell you they'll strike but never intend to in the first place.

USIC would rather lose a couple contracts and work with what they've got than concede to anyone. That can be proven by some of the union negotiations they've recently done. I was talking to some guys who are in a unionized district working WITHOUT a union agreement. USIC just cut any extra expenditure out and refused to compromise in the slightest. Union can't strike because these guys are so geographically dispersed, so they just sit there are take it in the @55. What else could they do?

**4x4jw87** · June 11th, 2011, 06:03 PM

this sounds like a plan, even an everyone call in sick day.

**4x4jw87** · October 30th, 2011, 10:47 PM

this sounds even better right about now. with every video, every email. we all need to send something back that says from the truck of the people who make you the money. i dont know about everyone here, but my kids got a bigger pay increase on their allowance than i did my pay, thats bad. and doesnt seem like there is any more good news on the way.

**locator00566** · October 31st, 2011, 02:27 PM

Its only going to get worse...way worse!!! I warned everyone a year ago that this was about to go down but no one listened. I was told on here to stop complaining about USIC and just quit already. Now that things are coming to light of whats in store for the future, I would use this winter to plan for a career change if you are a USIC employee.

**4x4jw87** · October 31st, 2011, 09:31 PM

a wise man once told me, "this used to be a good company to work for (sm&p), used to be."

**Turk182** · October 31st, 2011, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by locator00566

Its only going to get worse...way worse!!! I warned everyone a year ago that this was about to go down but no one listened. I was told on here to stop complaining about USIC and just quit already. Now that things are coming to light of whats in store for the future, I would use this winter to plan for a career change if you are a USIC employee.

I did get out, last February, after I met the new DM for district 43.

This is where I work now.

**Reece** · October 31st, 2011, 10:52 PM

Just check you dashboard and you can see what direction they are going. It is now tickets per hour. Makes one wonder if piece work is going to be introduced? It would be the beginning of the end if it happens!!!!

**sprayandpray** · November 1st, 2011, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Reece

Just check you dashboard and you can see what direction they are going. It is now tickets per hour. Makes one wonder if piece work is going to be introduced? It would be the beginning of the end if it happens!!!!

Rumor is that this will change shortly to 'something more representative'. Possibly Locates per 8 hrs or broken down to locates per hour. It really doesn't matter how they measure our production, because they are going to do it regardless. I wish they would be Honest and go ahead and show '$$ per hour' so we would really know how much we were generating for them.

**yeswecan21** · November 1st, 2011, 01:23 PM

It might be easier to do with a union. Has anyone ever considered forming a Union at USIC. I know when it was SM&P people talked about it, but not sure why nothing ever happened.

**390** · November 1st, 2011, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by 4x4jw87

a wise man once told me, "this used to be a good company to work for (sm&p), used to be."

Adam Smith, an economist of the American past, has been quoted as saying, something like, capitalism should apply to most things, but not health care. Well, today it applies to health care, and imho, for the worse. And imho, should also not apply to the locate industry.
Solution? More regulation as to who should do the job, meaning better pay, more (qualified) people, fewer hours. A job much like the linepersons and gas techs' have. Good pay, fewer hours, two person locates, (ha ha-but doable), bottom line, no one makes a ton of money, and damages are almost non-existent, (should be the acheivable goal.) Throw the money at where it belongs, to the folks protecting the plant, keep the profit motive out.

**locator_smbk** · November 1st, 2011, 04:41 PM

With they way USIC is headed and as upset of some, if not most of the employees seem, where in the world are all of the people that used to be on this forum that praised USIC and loved the company? Perhaps those were the first to get laid off?

USIC, if the continue on the trend they are on, will get to experience the wrath of upset utility owners and upset locators. One thing management at USIC must realize, is that management DOES NOT make money, LABOR does. Without LABOR there is no need for MANAGEMENT!!

**4x4jw87** · November 1st, 2011, 08:49 PM

exactly. we make the money. now somebody will blow this up with another arguement saying if we make all of the money how will the company survive. that is a true statement. nobody is asking to make 100,000 because that is what we made the company, half is still a little much. but dont lie to our faces and say we arent making the company any money, we are barely surviving, we have to cut this and that to keep a job for you guys. ive heard of the numbers, we arent even shaking the cookie jar. honesty is key, sounds like we work for politicians and lawyers.