Talk about Bartlett

[Already Gone]

Unc, I almost always agree with you, but maybe you should have considered whether the short-term expedience of working Diablo was worth damaging your relationship with Bartlett.

My guess is a booming HellYeah it was! 

But the truth remains that you ditched them for Diablo, and were willing to pay the price for doing that.  So, don't complain that you actually had to pay it.

We can't have it both ways, bro.

[UncaBuffalo]

Unc, I almost always agree with you, but maybe you should have considered whether the short-term expedience of working Diablo was worth damaging your relationship with Bartlett.

My guess is a booming HellYeah it was! 

But the truth remains that you ditched them for Diablo, and were willing to pay the price for doing that.  So, don't complain that you actually had to pay it.

We can't have it both ways, bro.

Actually, it wasn't 'short-term expedience' to work Diablo.  Bartlett staffed us in there in 1992...as I recall, they got around $1000/head 'finder's fee'.  I guess in my view, Bartlett is the one that made the monetary decision that it was okay to send 'Bartlett-Blue-Through-And-Through' into Diablo-Land, so they shouldn't hold it against me that I kept going...?

Just in case you don't buy that, let's do the math:  Union-Scale X More-Outages-Than-I've-Worked-Anywhere-Else =  (booming)HellYeah!   So you were right...I wouldn't change it for all the Bartlett outages I can eat! 

[thenukeman]

Yes we all got to make the decision best for us.  But we should not cry if a loyal true blue Bartlett gets first dibs on all Bartlett Jobs because they stayed loyal and continue to do what Bartlett wants.  I respect Anyone to include Bartlett who will help the Loyal people out first.

[hamsamich]

some of us "non-true-blue" people don't cry (some do).  we can also just see things how they are.  i can understand why bartlett plays that game with utilities (not submitting the resume of the utilities preferred tech because he didn't do what bartlett wanted). maybe it is the "better business decision".  but I think if the client is ultimately the final customer, and you don't give the customer what they want, or try not to in an underhanded way, things may change.  and it is just truly unprofessional to lie to people about the staffing situation just because you don't want to admit reality.  hey, tell me you're not submitting my name because I didn't do what was best for barttlet.  or just say "we are considering others at this point and may eventually submit your resume."  I don't understand why that is so hard instead of making something up like "we are only staffing with returnees right now".  I already knew people who were going to the outage who weren't returnees, so this was obviously a lie.  C'mon now, don't you true-blues believe this happens?  You don't have to bad-mouth bartlett, just don't get on here and state the opposite when you have no idea how it is on the other side of the coin.

and as far as diablo goes, for those of us who only want to work a few months a year, it is the best gig going to maximize money and minimize months on the road.  i've never had a problem getting a job after working there, although I don't have as much choice as true-bluers.  that is ok.

[Already Gone]

You are 100% correct.
It is not professional to lie, either to a customer or an employee.
It is not necessarily the case, though, that anyone has lied just because an outage was staffed without inviting all the returnees.
It would take a lot of unnecessary effort to do what most people suspect that the office is doing.
More likely, the recruiter stacked a pile of resumes together for some outage and submitted them.  When they are approved, they probably don't get sent out again to other outages happening at the same time.
In the current climate, Bartlett et. al. have to package outages in a way that ensures all the bases are covered.  So, a lot of names submitted to the plant where you thought you were going are the names of techs who are going there directly from another job.
So, you can't go to Clinton after having been there for 8 straight outages.  Why?  Because it was staffed with the people who worked Byron or LaSalle right before.  There is no subterfuge there.  It is simple resource management.  A recruiter had to staff both jobs.  The are scheduled in sequence.  It is simple.  The customer buys off on it, the techs agree to it.
Then, along comes someone who can't understand why his name isn't on the list for Clinton, although he flat-out refused to do Byron, Dresden, LaSalle, Braidwood, and Quad Cities.  No, nobody lied to him or to Exelon.  They just put together a staff of techs who could do all the jobs in order and he wasn't one of them.
You really have to stretch the imagination to think that someone in the office is trying to reward or punish you.  They, like anybody else, just want to do their jobs with as little effort as possible.  If you can staff two, or three, or four outages in a row with one list, it saves you a lot of work.  Once we can see that, it is easier for us to understand why things are the way they are and it is easier for us to get with the program, so to speak.

[thenukeman]

I put in for 2 outages, I got 1 I wanted and 1 I did not want.  I at first was a little upset, but as always went by my 2 rules,  Rule 1 cool is the rule and 2 is do not forget rule 1.  The recruiter explained that I would make more money this way.   I figured it out and he was right, I made about 3000 dollars more in about 5 weeks of my second outage.  But I bet you have some hard heads that will get mad because they did not get what they wanted and wonder why they were picked on.  Bartlett is out to make money and if they can make more money with you and you make more money so much the better.  Another Blame it>. Blame it on the hard headed tech who can not see the forest for the trees!!!!  Blame it on Bartlett helping true blue people with common sense first!!!
Blame it below!!! LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYc875zkDxg

[hamsamich]

Bartlett told me the outage was only staffing returnees, but that wasn't true, because friends who I trusted were going, and they were not returnees.  No problem, just don't tell me you are only staffing returnees, because that is just not the case.  I ended up going to the outage anyway, that's why I say I am not crying, no harm was done to me.  I'm just talking about the mechanics of the whole process.  I mean what else do you call it?

[longbow55]

They call it doing business. Bartlett will look out for Bartlett, no matter who they step on. After several years of working for them and recruiting over a dozen professionals to come to work for them what did I get at the end of the project?  You guessed it Johnny, a kick to the curb and stuck with some medical bills I was promised would be covered. Then they find out I'm working for the competition and I can't get the time of day. They look out for Bartlett and I look out for me, it's an arrangement I can live with and have done quite well for myself.

Beercourt do please tell us who you work for so we can avoid that company. 

[NJ]

                   

[Already Gone]

Thanks M,
It's true.  The guys who work for us love it. 
Longbow, if you don't want to work for us, I won't force you to.  There is a long line of others awaiting their turn.  Don't worry about avoiding us.  It's not really like it is your choice anyway.

[RAD-GHOST]

BC, Obviously you hit a sore spot.....

I'm running with Marssim on this one, "A reasonable post until the last statement"!  Which, by the way, was drafted incorrectly!

US = ME and WE = I .........

Have a Great Day....RG..  

[gammaman30]

To all the crybabies

If you are a good tech and not a crybaby you will not have a problem going to any plant you want.(99% of the time)

I get so tired of these people talk about how they get mistreated or always having a problem with the office not submitting them to the plants they want to go.

Most of you guys are slugs that is lucky anybody will give you a job anyway.
Think about it. You are a returnee and you still can not get a slot? You call and they say we never saw your resume. HELLO What did you want them to say to you. WHEN YOU CALL THEM BUGGING THE SH-- OUT OF THEM. Of course they say they did not see your resume.

So get a clue and MAN UP. Stop crying!

[Content1]

How do you define a "slug" tech.  When asked to do a survey, they say, "I don't know how?"  For one, it does not take an Einstein to be a Rad tech.  Somehow, even this "slug" manages to travel across the country, shows up to work, forwards up to a $1000 out of their pocket to get the room, food, etc.  before the outage begins.  I say most "slugs" in our field are better than a lot of pro's in another.  Some are better, faster, or after 20 returns to the same place know the routine.  Even our lowest slug may  catch that unposted Hi rad area preventing an NRC fine.  If any one of us are such a "slug" the plants do not mince words and tells them so.   I am tired of all this infighting tech on tech, we should be united.  We do a hard job, work under difficult conditions, and sometimes are not rewarded with outages that allow us to survive.   Our obtaining work is everything to us and if we are being played around with we have a right to complain or we finally leave the field.

[Camella Black]

How do you define a "slug" tech.  When asked to do a survey, they say, "I don't know how?"  For one, it does not take an Einstein to be a Rad tech.  Somehow, even this "slug" manages to travel across the country, shows up to work, forwards up to a $1000 out of their pocket to get the room, food, etc.  before the outage begins.  I say most "slugs" in our field are better than a lot of pro's in another.  Some are better, faster, or after 20 returns to the same place know the routine.  Even our lowest slug may  catch that unposted Hi rad area preventing an NRC fine.  If any one of us are such a "slug" the plants do not mince words and tells them so.   I am tired of all this infighting tech on tech, we should be united.  We do a hard job, work under difficult conditions, and sometimes are not rewarded with outages that allow us to survive.   Our obtaining work is everything to us and if we are being played around with we have a right to complain or we finally leave the field.

Well stated and right on target. 

[thenukeman]

Some People deserve to be put on the bottom of the pile.  Most I see are justified in that position.  Bartlett will as a good business pick from the best and S*** can the rest when submitting for a outage and rightfully so, So if you are a bottom of the Barrell returnee>  My opinion you are worse than a rookie with no experience.  Bartlett should treat you as such especially if you have been bottom of the Barrel more than once, Second time or more I think Bartlett has to look at the tech as a bottom feeder and do their best not to place that tech anywhere to make the rest look of the techs look good, their company and utility look good.  I would try to place new juniors who want to work  before I place a professional bottom of the barrel senior.  And again,  Blame it on the bottom of the barrel more than once senior,   LOL Give me a rookie with a good senior to watch over him or her before a slug!!!  Get rid of all the slugs is what needs to be done!!!   LOL  BLAME IT>>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYc875zkDxg

[HydroDave63]

Some People deserve to be put on the bottom of the pile.  Most I see are justified in that position.  Bartlett will as a good business pick from the best and S*** can the rest when submitting for a outage and rightfully so, So if you are a bottom of the Barrell returnee>  My opinion you are worse than a rookie with no experience.  Bartlett should treat you as such especially if you have been bottom of the Barrel more than once, ...

Fast forward to 2015, at a plant where TheNorthKoreaMan is the Site Coordinator...

And told him he did not act right no food for you. 

[thenukeman]

HydroDave LOL, Karma for You,  No returnee status if you are a bum or Dum, Rookie Meat is more Sweet!! Yum  !! Than Dum or Bum returnee!!!  No Burn mee For A Scum Returnee.  I will cook my Rookie meat the way I like and if that burns me I will throw it in the fire and ask for another new hire.  So many Fire and new hire, we will keep only the ones that turn out Well, No burnt, No rare idiot. Problem solved!!

[Hasher]

I gotta say, I started in '88 working for PSESI and the Hammer at San Onofre.  I worked for a whack of companies and spanned 26 sites from commercial to DOD.  It would be incredibly niave to say I expected anything special from any of them since I openly pursued the best pay for the longest duration regardless of who signed the check. 

Looking back, all of them had ups, downs, perks and drawbacks.  We all knew Bartlett paid per diem up front when a lot of people didn't.  Yes, it was a few years before I actually showed up to any job WITH money.  Jerry was there with an interest free loan when ARC went under.  I received a call from a Bartlett VP once when a job had gone particularly well. 

I do not recall anything remotely close to that from any other "Body Farm" I had worked through.  I have had some amazing jobs with some very small companies however, for a company the size of Bartlett I never felt like I was taken for granted or disrespected.  Quite the opposite. 

I am now fat dumb and happy tucked away in the great white north now, but even this oppurtunity all started when Bartlett asked if I would be interested in a small contract working in Canada ten years ago.  Thanks Eric.  It changed my life.  Cheers to you Bud.

Beercourt, let me know what you are up to....  it may be that there are some oppurtunities to place some staters up here.  Nothing concrete, just buzz and I know you understand the unique challenges of CANDU.

[pappy]

To all the crybabies

If you are a good tech and not a crybaby you will not have a problem going to any plant you want.(99% of the time)

I get so tired of these people talk about how they get mistreated or always having a problem with the office not submitting them to the plants they want to go.

Most of you guys are slugs that is lucky anybody will give you a job anyway.
Think about it. You are a returnee and you still can not get a slot? You call and they say we never saw your resume. HELLO What did you want them to say to you. WHEN YOU CALL THEM BUGGING THE SH-- OUT OF THEM. Of course they say they did not see your resume.

So get a clue and MAN UP. Stop crying!

Ok, so what do you say about the house calling you and asking why you didn't get submitted when they thought you wanted to work an outage there? Or you feel arm twisted to go to an outage you don't want to go to, then are told your resume was not accepted, even we you are a former house tech that has returned a number of times. Then with less than 36hrs left to start date, asked to jump thru hoops to go? So NOW I am accepted?
I Have had better luck overall with Bartlett, and have a great gig with them now. However there are times I would rather chew on broken glass than deal with some people thru the office. And as far as not getting work when working for another company? I have had great luck when I needed to have a change getting back to work for Bartlett.
So what am I saying? It works both ways sometimes. Some people in the office will mis-inform you, intentional or not. Some of us (me included at times) can be grumpy old farts that are hard to deal with. That really want to go to a certain place, or have a real hard spot with a Site coordinator or site for what ever reason. Still comes down to us accepting or not and living with that decision. Then doing our job when there.
Having real problems? Call Eric. He may not really solve a problem, but I know first hand he will talk to you and will try to figure out what is going on. Some problems cannot be solved. That's called life, deal with it. I am just happy to still be alive & able to work, and at a site that has gone out of it's way to work with me as I finish recovering from my accident. I'm a little slower, but still going....

[Already Gone]

Cough!  Cough!
Man! A lot of smoke in here.

The question still is: Who wants to make money?

Best way to do that is to play the game - like it or not.

Sometimes, the old "didn't get your resume" happens to even the best techs who are very well liked at a plant.  There is a new business model in the nuke industry.  Even the best are going to have to play by the new rules.  It is going to be short outages, package deals, and going to places where you'd rather not go if you wan to maximize your income.

Hasher, I'd love to place a couple of techs in your neck of the woods.  You hear anything, let me know.  But this is Bartlett's thread, so let's discuss that by PM, OK?

Everyone else, keep your chin up.  Brighter days are coming.

[gammaman30]

Ok, so what do you say about the house calling you and asking why you didn't get submitted when they thought you wanted to work an outage there? Or you feel arm twisted to go to an outage you don't want to go to, then are told your resume was not accepted, even we you are a former house tech that has returned a number of times. Then with less than 36hrs left to start date, asked to jump thru hoops to go? So NOW I am accepted?
I Have had better luck overall with Bartlett, and have a great gig with them now. However there are times I would rather chew on broken glass than deal with some people thru the office. And as far as not getting work when working for another company? I have had great luck when I needed to have a change getting back to work for Bartlett.
So what am I saying? It works both ways sometimes. Some people in the office will mis-inform you, intentional or not. Some of us (me included at times) can be grumpy old farts that are hard to deal with. That really want to go to a certain place, or have a real hard spot with a Site coordinator or site for what ever reason. Still comes down to us accepting or not and living with that decision. Then doing our job when there.
Having real problems? Call Eric. He may not really solve a problem, but I know first hand he will talk to you and will try to figure out what is going on. Some problems cannot be solved. That's called life, deal with it. I am just happy to still be alive & able to work, and at a site that has gone out of it's way to work with me as I finish recovering from my accident. I'm a little slower, but still going....

Pappy,

Are you Crying? It really did not sound like you were crying! It sounds like you do not have problem with getting a job you want. Its not a perfect system in the home office but how many times you hear a tech complain about how unfair it is and he/she is always looking for a reason to stop a job so they will not have to cover it. the same person usually in the break room when most others are working or relieving you late all the time.

The point is at times the office will make a mistake and not submitt someone but if you do not get excepted back to a plant you are a returnee then you might be the problem not Bartlett!

I work with a lot of good techs and I do not hear them complain about not getting into a job they want! (99%) of time.
If you do not work Bartlett all the time why get upset when you do not get the job you want and a "true blue" Bartlett tech gets it instead. All I know is Bartlett been good to me so I will work for them until they give me a reason not to.

I want to give a shout out to the drywell tech at Columbia some of the best techs I have worked with!
You Know they have to be if they are working there.

[pappy]

G-man,
   Not crying, just a little vent. But the point is we can still decide to take it or leave it. I have passed on some situations & paid short term for it. But I still get work. We still have recruiters or site coordinators that will misinform u for whatever reason, lack of proper info or just playing by the framework they are stuck with. Or just a jerk. Hard to tell the difference sometimes. Right now we make the final decision to show up for Bartlett, or any other company. And we still have the right to pass working at certain places or with certain people. Tough on the wallet sometimes, but we make our decisions & live with them.
   I like where I am now, happy not to have to hunt work all the time. But still see & hear both sides. And wonder when (not if) I will have to deal with the staffing process again. I think all of us, office & techs, have a LOT of heartburn from the process. And I don't believe there is really a cure for that part of it....

[Smart People]

HydroDave LOL, Karma for You,  No returnee status if you are a bum or Dum, Rookie Meat is more Sweet!! Yum  !! Than Dum or Bum returnee!!!  No Burn mee For A Scum Returnee.  I will cook my Rookie meat the way I like and if that burns me I will throw it in the fire and ask for another new hire.  So many Fire and new hire, we will keep only the ones that turn out Well, No burnt, No rare idiot. Problem solved!!

DUM DUM bring me GUM GUM?

Sorry, Just saw "Night at the Museum"

Personally I have very few issues with old Blue. I usually have a good idea where i'm going with them. Checks are usually right and on time (the most important issue of all in my opinion). Even if i don't get exactly what I want, I still find myself in a good situation(usually). Some times I've been told that an outage is staffed and i know i can make some calls and still get in. Sometimes I do, Sometimes I don't.

[thenukeman]

Dum Dum Bring me Gum Gum, Yes My 6 year old son has this head in his Happy meal.  Insert card and it says Dum Dum Bring me Gum Gum.   

I think Bartlett and other contractors need to get this head  to say DUM DUM you get no Gum Gum and give it to their techs that fail the NUF, DOE core and Drug tests.  Also  have a note saying no mileage, no diem, no money for failing your obligation. If you wonder why insert your card in your head that we are giving you in your going away package. 

DUM DUM you get no Gum Gum,  Hilarious!!!!!  I bet people would really man up not to get the DUM DUM head!!! LOL  This should be in all prejob papers before people get onsite so they know the  consequenses and throw a blame it on someone!!! 

Blame it see below!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYc875zkDxg

Man word gets out on the DUM DUM head and I bet you would have a big drop in failures when it is coupled with no diem, no mileage and money!!!

[thenukeman]

Dum Dum Gum Gum you tube,

Then there should be a letter stating you failed your self,  You failed the Company giving you a Job,  and you failed your fellow tech who could have gotten a job here but you bumped him, and the techs left behind because they have to pull your dead weight, so no Diem, No mileage and good riddance.  Hopefully one day you will man or woman up!!!