Talk about Bartlett

[Marlin]

I personnally have not had good experiences with Bartlett, but to be honest compared to the many companies that I did work for (that no longer exist) Bartlett was better run, with the exception of NUMANCO and we know that story. I have to agree with everyone else that it is difficult to gauge average when the only large company doing HP staff augmentation is Bartlett.

[radgal]

How about comparing them to any company, not just contract worker supplier?  I've had other jobs besides HP contract work and Bartlett is definetely above average out there.

[PWHoppe]

Very good point radgal, "house mouse" jobs are not always what they seem to be. I think it would be a good source of discussion for those who have worked both sides of the fence.

[Rennhack]

How can Big Blue be "Above Average" when they dominate the market? Wouldn't that make them "Average" by definition? I evaluated them in comparison to companies that are now gone (or swallowed).

They only dominate a small portion of the market.  Specifically the "United States Commercial Power Plant Health Physics Technician". 

1. They don't dominate ALL professions at commercial power plants
2. They don't dominate ANY profession at non-commercial nuclear facilities like DOE.
     (The last number I heard was 5% of RCT's at DOE sites, and growing.)
3.  And they have almost no presence outside of the USA.

[Atomic_Punk]

Back in the early '90s, I had a lot of problems that stemmed from a SC (who was total waste of oxygen).
Once he was extracted from the situation, no more problems. One's that weren't solved anyway.
I've got to say, Bartlett's treated me very well, for the most part.

[Rennhack]

What does this have to do with the price of tea in china?  Brue has nothing to do with the company anymore.

I think your question should be it's own topic in the "Expose yourself" area.

[feathersmoke]

i thought butch was a a$$ at first but then i gained respect for him and i know i would work for him again

LOL........at first?  Ever heard the expression:  1st impression is usally correct...I'm afraid in this case it is true...

[Rennhack]

"What pile are you in?" is not about the company, it is about "what pile they are in".  That is what the 'expose yourself' area is for, talking about ones self.

This thread is about the company. 

As you see, it was never moved.

[Mike McFarlin]

Seems like every job there is a situation that arise that cause hard feelings. The communications between employer and employee need to be cleared before the job ever starts. My 2 cents worth... 

[RNN]

Well I can only comment on the last few years about working for Bartlett when they took over the contract at my site.

1. They pay weekly
2. Never late with the paycheck
3. If I have had an issue with a paycheck the home office has fixed it/told me I'm wrong in a very timely manner

So from those 3 points I'm happy with working for Bartlett

RNN

[Dream Tar Heel]

Average, I guess................espically since they seem to be a major part of my future at the moment.

Come on Atlantic!

[Nuclear Hooker]

Hey there Industry Event,
Haven't talked to you or the other TVA bunch in quite a while. 
I feel compelled to say some things about this wage issue.  Yeah it was great to get a 4 dollar per hour rate hike.....back in 2002....but then in 05 they re-did the contract, and guess what they kept it the same for locals, and dropped it for travelers BUT started paying Per Diem.....WHOOPIE!!!!!!  So, in essance we haven't gotten a raise in over 4 years.  I really wanted to go there and work this fall, but it's Financial Suicide.  I can BRING home more on 60's at the northern plants than I can working 72's at the house.  By about 250 more per week.  And that's just on 60's NOT 72's.
I'm glad ya'll get per diem for the SGRP....but is that really Good Enough??  What happens after the outage??  Back to the same B.S. rules to try to make a decent living while being away from family and friends. 
Watts Bar is one of my FAVORITE places to work, but it's not worth giving up that amount of $$.

The old saying is true "You get what you pay for"  and Watts Bar will see the "BLUE" light special that they will be  given....if you smell what I'm steppin in!!!

Later,
Hooker

[Surveyors_mato]

Hooker said;Watts Bar is one of my FAVORITE places to work, but it's not worth giving up that amount of $$.

The old saying is true "You get what you pay for"  and Watts Bar will see the "BLUE" light special that they will be  given....if you smell what I'm steppin in!!!

  Sad too is that for local people with no other means of looking after the kids. TVA has us by the short ones and they know it. We can't just go on the road and leave the kids at home ....and many of us don't have family to take up the slack.what do you do?

[RRhoads]

There are ALWAYS options...if you choose not to excercise them...that's your choice.
Peach Bottom treats all contractors (locals & road techs) like crap & wonder why they have a low returnee rate...was my home plant for a long time & only worked there once!
Whether it's low pay or crappy conditions you ALWAYS have the option of not working there or in that system.

[Surveyors_mato]

You know, it just occured to me that Watts Bar isn't the problem...........Tva isn't the problem...............We don't work for them we work for Big Blue.and before.Numanco...........so Maybe the problem is Bartlett is the one who doesn't care........I mean they get paid and it doesn't matter to the at all if techs are happy as long as they work.....come on..........It is about the money....our's and Bartletts.....So as always if a person doesn't want to work a place, no problem for B.....someone will...............What would things really be like if Our company stepped up to the plate and said...............'Hey plant's..........We need more money for our techs.?................Whoa that's a new thought......okay, okay, I'm awake.............dang! what a dream I jusyt had.

[nukedog]

Bartlett is going to do what ever the Company wants. That's good business! Take it or leave it that's the way it is! If you are tried of working for the MAN then start your own business. nobody is stopping you. Hey Bruce did it! Quite whinning about the situation and do something about it. After all you said the locals have to work the plants, I say no they don't. In fact if the plants had only the locals to count on they could staff.

[Dream Tar Heel]

"After all you said the locals have to work the plants, I say no they don't. In fact if the plants had only the locals to count on they could staff".

You are correct, the locals DON'T have to work these plants like WBN. but some do because it is what they want to do.

So I dont see the problem, if you want to be there, go, shut up do the job and be happy.

If you dont want to be there, your not, so what are you slobbering about.

The only difference in these 2 statments, if you we told one thing by WBN or Big Blue, and then they changed the rules, then you have all the right to holler all the way home, if that is where you chose to go. Cause they really dont care about you, your fooling yourself if you think they do.

So again, I hope all the travelers stay home and then the locals can work a 7 month SGRP!

And WBN could not staff thier outage with just locals, Locals dont get per diem >60 miles, they dont have that many hillbillies around there!

[TENN-1]

Easy on the Hillbilly stuff, there's no reason to drag my family into this chicken fight.

[Dream Tar Heel]

Sorry about that Jed.

[Eric_Bartlett]

What would things really be like if Our company stepped up to the plate and said...............'Hey plant's..........We need more money for our techs.?................Whoa that's a new thought......okay, okay, I'm awake.............dang! what a dream I jusyt had.

Once again someone had to write something that would catch my attention and drag me into the same old converstation thats been go'n on since the dawn of the road tech industry...
I've said it before and i'll say it again - the more we pay, the more we can bill, the more we can bill, the more we make, the more we make, the more we can pay...and so on, on so on - it doesnt serve either the technician or the vendor company (in my case Bartlett) to pay low.  Every season we hit our clients up on pay increases, diem increases, bonuses, travel increases, etc - on the one hand some take our advice and raise the incentives, on the other hand others look to see what thier "neighbors" are paying and say "why should we go higher, our neighbor is pay'n X amount so will we."  So forgive me if i take offense to the comment "...if Our company stepped up to the plate..." Wether or not you want to acknowledge it we, Bartlett, have stepped up to the plate in the past, are doing so now and will be doing so in the future.  There ya go, you got me on another rant. 

Have a safe holiday weekend,
Eric Bartlett

[Dream Tar Heel]

Question Eric, if you have a moment. Isn't it very easy to say you (as a company) are doing everything you can, every season............when in truth, while you have 90% of the Nuclear Power Plant contracts, and no reasonable competition, you really dont have to do anything, just say that you are.

And since this is the WBN thread, here is a WBN question. How does a junior HP who lives 73 miles from WBN get classified as a local?

I understand everything can't be perfect, but we are all people doing a job to take care of our families. And go to work when we are supposed to, do the job we are expected to do (sometimes better than the seniors in charge of us), and yet the same rules dont apply to everyone, equally? Very confusing, espically when people like yourself say you are doing everything you can, but someone still finds a way to single out and squeeze a "little guy".

And I am not talking about myself, I have hair.

Just my thoughts.....

Thanks, and Have a Wonderful Weekend also!

[Dream Tar Heel]

The following quote is not based in reality, as Atlantic has taken a bigger bite then you must think.

[/quote]

It's based in the reality that Big Blue is the dominant contractor and Atlantic is just snacking on what Big Blue is letting slip through their fingers. Atlantic is no where close to Numanco status, but I do hope they get there, everyone needs an arch rival.

So in closing, I want that "big bite" to be of the choking status, not the snacking kind.

[illegalsmile]

My understanding (or misunderstanding) of the economics of the contracts is that they are mostly awarded to the low bidder. Also, the companies make their money as per centage of the total billing. Therefore, the more they can bill, the more they make...... and the more they can pay. Competition for the contracts means "who can bid lowest and still staff?" That is not going to be a good thing for us field mice. Whether it's Bartlett, Atlantic or Roadscum Nuclear, LLC, the lowest bidder is most likely to get the contract and most likely to pay the least. The only ones who will benefit from this competition are the utilities.

[SloGlo]

now eye no ware alla da power whiners are...  der are daze i thank doz who look out fer me.  yinz hafa good thyme.  eye yam sure i'll link up wit ya sooer err later.

[Hefty]

pssssst.....Eric......
You never answered Dream Tarheel's question: Why would Bartlett, while they're "doing everything they can, in every season", not allow a junior the same benefits (per diem) you allow everyone else?  Or is it true that Jrs don't eat as much, drive as much, or spend as much on food and lodging as seniors?  Have you guys ever thought that you may need those juniors one day as the seniors dwindle away?