not sure if i should but....

**badger44** · July 17th, 2008, 03:21 PM

I cannot keep silent any longer. This is from my pov (the wife's) Crappy pay, (especially for how much it costs to live around here) crappier insurance, misguidance, outdated equipment and miscommunication aside - the USIC gig isn't a bad one. Winter's suck here in IL so work was minimal this winter and personally, would have hubby transfer to another USIC location somewhere warmer and work all year in a heartbeat but I digress.

Riddle me this batman - if you are supposed to escelate HP locates and/or have questions about a locate, how can your supervisor - one from a delivery company who has never located a day in his life - possibly help you? Does anyone at corporate look at a map and have any idea where people live in relation to where they are relocating people to different areas? Case in point - say you live in Hicksville and BFE is a 30 minute drive. You've been happily locating in Hicksville, you know the area, truly like your supervisor and don't want a new one and you think things are good. Boom, you are now going to locate in BFE which is a whole different ballgame, will have to waste time figuring out where things are AND you have to start locating phone which your training consisted of ONE DAY in the classroom listening to a trainer talk. Never mind that Jack and Joe LIVE in BFE and guess where they're going to start locating??? Yep, they're going to Hicksville...WTF??? Gas prices must no longer be an issue since routing has gone down the tubes.

Whew.....glad I got that off my chest. Perhaps I'll go kick the dog and yell and my kids and I'll feel even better...(just kidding...about the dog:ban

**LadyLeatherneck** · July 17th, 2008, 04:20 PM

Hey badger44. It's good to have another spouse aboard to give our side of this dramatic escapade. Please keep the posts coming! I would like to know I'm not the only family member who is out here voicing my opinion. And trust me, the heat ain't all its cracked up to be either!

**sprayandpray** · July 17th, 2008, 07:36 PM

Badger, if ya'll want warmer climes, we (USIC)are expanding in the N Tx area - just picked up a large electric contract. Of course, I don't believe they would let anyone out of the Chicago area at this time.

**yahoo** · July 17th, 2008, 08:14 PM

welcome to louisiana????? we have the perfect climate to work year around...........badger hope the days are better for you and your spouse....Godspeed to better days......

**badger44** · July 17th, 2008, 09:54 PM

I'm definitely a small town southern girl at heart....grew up in a town with 3500 people with one stop light, although i've heard recently we have two stoplights...woo hoo. Call me crazy but I would move us to another southern/southwest state in a heartbeat. If you're going to move, you might as well move big!!

**tammanye** · July 19th, 2008, 04:36 PM

Trust me I know where you are coming from- I just love those days that hubby calls me and says he has one more ticket and he will be home in 30 min, then calls back and says he got hit with 3 emergency tickets out of his area an hour away and has no idea when he will be home. I too would move back down south in a heartbeat,but both of our mothers are here and ill. Today we had planned to run errands and maybe spend a little quality time with the kiddos-hahahaha He went from point A (10 min away) to point B (his new area an hour to hour 15 away) to point c 30 min away back to another 10 min away ticket to back to his new area an hour away. I guess the company must have invested heavily in oil futures to waste that much gas. but hey a 10 dollar gift card from the company is a great perk now he can go buy to cans of bug spray !! I personally think these guys shold be making alot more money, or at least a dangerous duty bonus when they have to locate along a major highway or busy road.

**LadyLeatherneck** · July 19th, 2008, 06:16 PM

I agree with you tammanye! And I can totally relate to everything you said!

**tammanye** · July 19th, 2008, 06:42 PM

well its Saturday an hubby was told he only had to work until 10 am its now quarter to five and he is just finishing up then taking pictures. I wonder what the birth rate is among locators lol it can't be very high thats for sure!

**Redhead** · July 19th, 2008, 06:50 PM

Whew, Girls! (and guys)

I found CableVine when looking up info on SM&P merger. Followed for awhile as did not want to embarrass my husband. I've learned alot from following you all...however...

Yes, the hours can be crappy,to say the least. However, when you are older and your job has moved to Mexico, you are glad to work. My husband has freedom, a cell phone and truck we don't pay for and good insurance. He also does not have to drive to work. Like your husband, he never works in his area but, by golly, if I get lost anywhere in the tri county area, he knows how to get me home.

This job is an adventure for both of us. When he is at work 72+ hours,it is hard, when he is home, it is hard. Locating has grown our marriage as we look on the up side (whichis not always easy to do). My husband's team mates are sweet and hard working, I try to let them know that we appreciate them...I have made it my mission. And, if you are a person of faith, you pray for them and ask the best of them and forgive them when they can't/won't deliver.

Sorry about the soapbox. This job gave us lemons, we made lemonade.

**Goldenboy** · July 19th, 2008, 07:56 PM

I never really understood why some companies always move people around. If you keep locators in an area and don't move them around they learn their area. You can pull up to a locate and know exactly what's joint and what's separate. The production and damage ratios would not be an issue if people were just left alone and not moved around.

**badger44** · July 20th, 2008, 08:00 PM

I totally agree. Hubby just logged on to his tix for his new area tomorrow. Of course, he's got tickets that are the farthest point from our house that still emcompasses his new area. On the upside, he met the new supervisor which he says is a totally cool guy, and he likes. But all this travel time to get to his first ticket will cut into his work hours, not to mention that he really has no idea where anything is. Add to that he has to start locating phone. <big sigh> But we're hoping for the best.

He's a little paranoid as USIC now seems very top heavy as far as the number of locators vs. the area and how many tix can actually be run. He's heard they're going to start weeding people out. Just hope it's not us. Got a few personal housing issues going on (fi you get my drift) and all this change on top of it just isn't what I need right now.

Way past 5:00 here so time to self medicate

we'll see what tomorrow brings

**badger44** · July 20th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by sprayandpray

Badger, if ya'll want warmer climes, we (USIC)are expanding in the N Tx area - just picked up a large electric contract. Of course, I don't believe they would let anyone out of the Chicago area at this time.

Texas is my dream...got family there and would dearly love to be near them. I"m sure you've heard of Chicago winters....gray skies, snow, temp w/ wind chill can be 30 below. Not conducive to locating as no one is working.

But alas, I don't think they - the powers that be - will let us go from here. Ya'll know that IL is now the model for the entire company. Just follow our lead boys

**Wingfoot** · July 20th, 2008, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by badger44

USIC now seems very top heavy as far as the number of locators vs. the area and how many tix can actually be run. He's heard they're going to start weeding people out. Just hope it's not us. Got a few personal housing issues going on (fi you get my drift) and all this change on top of it just isn't what I need right now.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

badger44 - Welcome Aboard! I like your avatar.

There is a cleansing going on right now, but it is the white collars getting cleansed. They probably can become locators if they choose, but I am not aware of any takers.

Locators are not going to be purged simply to get the head count down. All hubby has to do is follow the Flash Card training program and nobody will ask him to leave.

Good locators take time to develop. If hubby is wanting to make this job work, he needs to find a senior locator for a mentor close to his new area. Someone he can bond to quickly and blindly trust. His supervisor would be a poor mentor choice. Sups will always make him do the job "by the book" to cover his (the sup's) butt. Most sups can't locate their ass with both hands anyway! The vets are plentiful and he should be able to find a good mentor soon.

The first 6 months in his new area will be the toughest and he will need you to be understanding and supportive. (I have been blessed with such a wife.) The next 6 months will be easier, but not easy. I have been slinging paint for 11 years and I still learn something new all the time.

**big boots mcghee** · July 20th, 2008, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by badger44

Does anyone at corporate look at a map and have any idea where people live in relation to where they are relocating people to different areas? Case in point - say you live in Hicksville and BFE is a 30 minute drive. You've been happily locating in Hicksville, you know the area, truly like your supervisor and don't want a new one and you think things are good. Boom, you are now going to locate in BFE which is a whole different ballgame, will have to waste time figuring out where things are AND you have to start locating phone which your training consisted of ONE DAY in the classroom listening to a trainer talk. Never mind that Jack and Joe LIVE in BFE and guess where they're going to start locating??? Yep, they're going to Hicksville...WTF??? Gas prices must no longer be an issue since routing has gone down the tubes.

So we just realigned all of the areas again. To answer your question, no, no one from corporate has any idea about any of this stuff. If they did they would likely quit because of the sheer stupidity of some of the people working under them. Seriously, some things just leave us gasping and searching for explanations. As an example of the aformentioned stupidity, one of the guys that lives in Yorkville and has spent the past couple of years locating in Yorkville has been sent to locate in Plainfield (about 30 minutes away). At the same time, two locators that live in Plainfield have been relocated to Yorkville to cover the route vacated by the guy that lives in Yorkville. WTF!!??? Gas prices are high, time in this industry is very valuable, and we have locators criss crossing areas for no reason? Maybe they can give each other a high five when they drive by each other in the morning.

**GODFATHER** · July 21st, 2008, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by tammanye

well its Saturday an hubby was told he only had to work until 10 am its now quarter to five and he is just finishing up then taking pictures. I wonder what the birth rate is among locators lol it can't be very high thats for sure!

Dunno but i have now been divorcedtwice and this job is partly to blame....