USIC BUYING CONSOLIDATED in Illinois

**Locatingart** · July 12th, 2011, 02:13 AM

In talking with my brother at Consolidated locating. USIC staff was at Consolidated IT dept at the corperate office checking out how their do their dispacthing and on-call systems so their can bring the system together. Illinois will be totally located by USIC with upwards to 600 locator ComEd Nicor Verizon, Frontier, MedCom, Comcast, sewer in peora, water ,sewer, street, signals, Nicor Gas, Amern power, and Ameren Gas, State Farm Fiper in Bloominton, Macload Fiper , Corn Belt Electric, AT&T, ECT. IBEW local 51 is very upset to here the news that USIC is doing Watch and Protect Program Ameren HP gas Mains. Ameren pays USIC Union hourly pay scale to USIC but the locator does not see that money. The traning is poor and with no safety to the locator for this new program. 95% of the locator have not seen a pay raise in at least three years USIC. The turn over rate is three to one at USIC In IL Try to keep your heads up. We have been working 6 days a week Lots of damages

**Bad Robot** · July 12th, 2011, 07:02 AM

Wonderful. Now the whole state gets to feel the love. Not following you on this " Watch and Protect". Is that a backup system that sends a representative out to oversee a dig, like what Nicor has in Northern IL?

**Throttle jockey** · July 12th, 2011, 08:37 PM

What needs to happen is to talk to the Rep. in your district. Like I have, he in turn has talked to other members in the house and they are not happy with seeing what is going to happen. They are wanting a "UNION" or third party in Illinois to help regulate the locate company "USIC", "CUS".
They feel the " W and P" is a joke. And feel this should only be done by Ameren, etc. personel. Not a third party. More is to happen with this subject.

**JACKnBORE** · July 12th, 2011, 08:38 PM

USIC locators with a crash course in gas locating where given the credentials to go out and double check what paint and flags CUS put on the ground and then work with the contractor digging around high pressure lines making sure they don't scuff it up. As understaffed as CUS is, they didn't want any part of being at a contractors mercy waiting for them to dig around a pipe. So now USIC has their foot in the door and time will tell whether they can stay on a "watch and protect" (what noble words) and then go do their regular tickets that are piling up on them. If those lines are so important, I think the locator or the gas company can dig them up for the excavator.

**mmm_paint** · July 14th, 2011, 04:50 PM

Any idea when this is suppose to take place? I work with Conolidated people all the time and nobody has mentioned anything about this. I find it funny that USIC is doing the whole W&P deal and making a crap load of money but the locator won't see an extra dime for standing around those big mains while the contractor is working...Good Luck with that!

**locator24** · July 14th, 2011, 10:30 PM

Everyone has to remember that this change is not going to be easy. As everyone who has been through this before, It takes time to get things right. And for all of you that are upset with the USIC policies, isnt it odd that they are visiting CUS to find out how we operate? I am hoping that they decide to use the CUS policies because they are using the old school strategy. No babysitters. You get your locates done and have no damages you are left alone. And if they do stay with that then so goes all the worthless supervisors everyone is complaining about and hopefully incomes one that actually cares about our day to day struggles. Nobody jump ship yet...lol. It will all work out