cls and sm and p merger

**tammanye** · June 25th, 2008, 09:33 PM

Can anyone tell how this is supposed to be a merger if sm and p gets paid for travel to training both to and from. And CLS was refused the travel pay? Is anyone else having these troubles in either company? My husband has worked 3 weeks straight (including Sundays) with no break most days are 14 hours. Last night he was taken to the E.R. with chest pains,the diagnosed him with exhaustion. When he asked is supervisor if he could take the day off to rest,he was basically told to suck it up. Today his schedule was waking up at 4 am had to make sure 25 tickets were done by 12, so he could drive 3 hours to the training. Training ends at 9 pm and he has to turn around and drive 3 more hours back home. So he can repeat the same routine until saturday (work then training) with Sunday being the last day of training. Does anyone see a problem with this or am I just over reacting? Why didnt they wait to do the traing when tickets got slow (fall and winter?) Or make a better schedule for this training without killing these guys? 4 out sixteen guys have quit this week because of the pressure. Is anyone else going through this problem? I am trying to keep my husbands spirits up and support him,but this schedule has me worried to death. He just got out of the military and is no stranger to hard and long work hours,but this is just crazy wo treats their employees like this?

**sprayandpray** · June 25th, 2008, 10:22 PM

Since we drive company vehicles for work I wonder if the NTSB or DOT has any say over us and the hours we work? It might be worth the trouble to check into this tammanye.

**big boots mcghee** · June 25th, 2008, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by tammanye

Can anyone tell how this is supposed to be a merger if sm and p gets paid for travel to training both to and from. And CLS was refused the travel pay? Is anyone else having these troubles in either company? My husband has worked 3 weeks straight (including Sundays) with no break most days are 14 hours. Last night he was taken to the E.R. with chest pains,the diagnosed him with exhaustion. When he asked is supervisor if he could take the day off to rest,he was basically told to suck it up. Today his schedule was waking up at 4 am had to make sure 25 tickets were done by 12, so he could drive 3 hours to the training. Training ends at 9 pm and he has to turn around and drive 3 more hours back home. So he can repeat the same routine until saturday (work then training) with Sunday being the last day of training. Does anyone see a problem with this or am I just over reacting? Why didnt they wait to do the traing when tickets got slow (fall and winter?) Or make a better schedule for this training without killing these guys? 4 out sixteen guys have quit this week because of the pressure. Is anyone else going through this problem? I am trying to keep my husbands spirits up and support him,but this schedule has me worried to death. He just got out of the military and is no stranger to hard and long work hours,but this is just crazy wo treats their employees like this?

Welcome to working for the world's largest locating company!

1) SM&P employees did not get paid to drive to training. Some may have due to long distance driving in some cases, but the majority of SM&P employees did not get paid drive time.

2) If I were ever denied a day off after working three weeks straight AND medical proof that I NEEDED a day off my supervisor would need a day off to tend to his concussion.

3) I'd suggest to your husband that safety needs to come first. However he needs to adjust things so that he gets home safe would be up to him, but to be on the road that late and that much is not worth doing it unsafely, regardless how much work there is to be done.

Like I said, welcome to the world's largest locating company, one that's full of piss poor communication, dogshit planning, and mistreated slaves, err, employees. You pose a lot of the same questions we all have these last few months, and being that we're the low men on the totem pole we do not receive the actual answers. We just maintain the lifeblood that is this wonderful organization. We do this because we enjoy the work. We keep doing it for this employer because some of us actually think things will get better, despite constant evidence to the contrary. Either way, do what you gotta to keep your husband's spirits high. Heck, at the very least get him on this forum to vent. It sounds like he needs it!

**Goldenboy** · June 25th, 2008, 10:26 PM

Maybe you could speak with the doctor and get a doctors excuse for the exhaustion. Just a couple days off to recoop and start all over again.

I just can't believe any supervisor wouldn't give a guy a day off after 3 weeks and all the training included.

**PowerSweep** · June 26th, 2008, 03:00 PM

I would have to say I am very surprised that any supervisor would demand a locator to continue to drive after the locator says the following words, "I am exhausted and no longer feel safe behind the wheel of a vehicle."
If your husband has a notification from his doctor that he needs to take time off due to health issues, he needs to abide by what the doctor has ordered.
Any company that values their employees would see the value in giving a valuable asset a short period of time to take care of their health versus a long term health problem or death.

**AULupstate** · June 26th, 2008, 07:12 PM

LAWYER UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No joke, Medical professional diagnosed exhaustion, which could leed to worse things, oh yeah, make the calls!!!!! These people think they can run their employees to almost death and get away with it because of the Like it or Leave it mentality.
Poor timing all the way around for a training endevour of this magnitude. The work keeps pooring in like it or not. The work still has to get done. The time frame for this is worthless. I see alot of OJT coming from people who were too friggin tired to learn anything at these training sessions.

**PowerSweep** · June 26th, 2008, 07:32 PM

Part of the problem with things now a days are people are so quick to "Lawyer up". Companies have to spend so much money on defending themselves in litigation, they spend less on things like: salaries, benifits, morale boosting items.

Most times it takes communicating your concerns to the right people in the right way.
In this case, I would bring my concerns to the HR manager along with the documentation from my doctor.

Sometimes, a manager can get so caught up in results, that they forget the human side of this industry. Many managers like this can be shown the light with some serious conversations from their people. When this fails and you don't feel that you are getting what you need from that manager, take advantage of the open door policies that most companies have. Let that manager know that you would like to speak with their supervisor.

**USIC1** · June 26th, 2008, 07:56 PM

When will everyone see your just a manpower grunt???

Why would they promise anyone a golden egg???

Its just like fast food... If we expect more this ladder doesnt go there and you need to move on....

I do it for a paycheck some freedom and for being to dumb, lazy, and old, to move on...

Like they say in the 12 step programs- "keep it simple stupid"...

**shovelhead** · June 26th, 2008, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by PowerSweep

Part of the problem with things now a days are people are so quick to "Lawyer up". Companies have to spend so much money on defending themselves in litigation, they spend less on things like: salaries, benifits, morale boosting items.

Most times it takes communicating your concerns to the right people in the right way.
In this case, I would bring my concerns to the HR manager along with the documentation from my doctor.

Sometimes, a manager can get so caught up in results, that they forget the human side of this industry. Many managers like this can be shown the light with some serious conversations from their people. When this fails and you don't feel that you are getting what you need from that manager, take advantage of the open door policies that most companies have. Let that manager know that you would like to speak with their supervisor.

Great points friend, but once again, let's put a locators spin on things...

Under NO circumstances is any locator who is suffering from a medical diagnosis of exhaustion legally obligated to go back to work. Just get that out of your mind right now. Legally, the company has NO leg to stand on here, and they know it. When your husband is cleared to work by his doctor, he can contact his supervisor and go back.

And serious conversations with supervisors, DM's or anyone else who's job it is to drill your man into the ground like a screw, that crap isn't going to amount to a hill of beans IMHO...

The ONLY people who will be straight with you folks about this biz are the locators.

Oh, and get a lawyer on this. NOW.

**yahoo** · June 26th, 2008, 09:33 PM

i don't think a lawyer will help in this matter at hand!!!!!!!!! a miracle is what you need and i'm afraid it may come in a way you least expect......rest is something i just do....no one has to tell me when that time comes ..our bodies just shut down!!!!! i call my best work buddy or buddies...and tell him i'm sorry ahead of time and take off the days necessary to recooperate....then go back to work.....this is my opinion only!!! this is what i have done in the past.....my comp. did not fire me or even write me up or anything like that...when i came back to work ,,,,,it was just """back to work"""

**USIC1** · June 26th, 2008, 09:50 PM

Is this like the hot box in "A bridge to Far"???

Except ours is dodging flies in a hot porta-stinky while trying to pee...

**USIC1** · June 26th, 2008, 09:51 PM

Is this like the hot box in "A bridge to Far"???

Except ours is dodging flies in a hot porta-stinky while trying to pee...

To much of that can really break U down and need a few days off...I spose...

**malosuenos** · June 26th, 2008, 10:01 PM

Listen if he's got a Docs note the Supe can't say anything trust me, it's illegal and no locating company wants to deal with a lawsuit in this economy right now. If he's still being harassed climb the ladder........ Supe, DM, Regional, just tell him to be strong in his decision. Nobody listens, lawyer time. I'm wondering whats gonna happen when we have our startup next month with 80% current employees needing training. As if this merger wasn't enough fun!

**AULupstate** · June 26th, 2008, 10:08 PM

There was no 'hot box' in 'A Bridge to Far'. It was Alec Guiness in 'Bridge Over the River Kwi'

**Dracula** · June 26th, 2008, 11:35 PM

I can only hope this is a single event and that it was a supervisors stupidity, and not what this new merger is going to be like going forward from here. I keep trying to be positive about it, but seriously everything is pointing in the direction that no one that has a say about anything gives a rats ass about the locators.