point beach and bechtel

[samson]

Has anyone else had as horrible an experience working for bechtel at PB as I have?  I have worked for Bechtel in the past and never enjoyed it but this go round has been something else.  There was just as much management as there was skilled workers.  Except the workers got "furloughed" for two weeks in between phases of the job while Becon, er, uh, excuse me, Bechtel's management just continued to show up every day.  They must have had a lot to do considering all the craft was furloughed.  I came to Point Beach to work the long upgrade, which got pushed back right after I got here, I have worked here in the past and will come back again but never for Bechtel.  I, and my co workers where allowed in the plant without plant training.  When we questioned this we where just told we would get it later, later, later.  Management had no working knowledge of  Passport and made no attempt to understand it.  People where coming and going in and out of the tanks with no passport , hard copy (written) or computer authorization.  We all got the message though when someone had asked about how a procedure hadn't been followed correctly.  The person was pulled aside and "written up" threatened no less with never being allowed back in a nuke.  "We have the ability, you know...."  Just keep your mouth shut or we'll crush you.  Count me out.  If this company wants to do the job with only management there they are on the right track.  I honestly lost money on this job.

[RDTroja]

Has anyone else had as horrible an experience working for bechtel at PB as I have?  I have worked for Bechtel in the past and never enjoyed it but this go round has been something else.  There was just as much management as there was skilled workers.  Except the workers got "furloughed" for two weeks in between phases of the job while Becon, er, uh, excuse me, Bechtel's management just continued to show up every day.  They must have had a lot to do considering all the craft was furloughed.  I came to Point Beach to work the long upgrade, which got pushed back right after I got here, I have worked here in the past and will come back again but never for Bechtel.  I, and my co workers where allowed in the plant without plant training.  When we questioned this we where just told we would get it later, later, later.  Management had no working knowledge of  Passport and made no attempt to understand it.  People where coming and going in and out of the tanks with no passport , hard copy (written) or computer authorization.  We all got the message though when someone had asked about how a procedure hadn't been followed correctly.  The person was pulled aside and "written up" threatened no less with never being allowed back in a nuke.  "We have the ability, you know...."  Just keep your mouth shut or we'll crush you.  Count me out.  If this company wants to do the job with only management there they are on the right track.  I honestly lost money on this job.

I believe the quote should be "Son, you'll never work in this industry again." I can still hear it echoing in the background from oh, 30 or 35 years ago. Funny, but I never saw it stick once.

If you were treated like that over procedure violations and didn't go to the NRC about it then shame on you.

[stormgoalie]

I can remember asking a Bechtel manager about fines etc. that they seem to get on a fairly consistant basis and was told verbatim "We factor fines into our bids so we expect them."  Nothing like a company that knows it is breaking the rules and accounts for them in their budgeting.....

[samson]

That's really unfortunate.  There is a better way to do things.  Lots of other company are successful and they operate whithin the confines of the law and ethically.