Connecticut Yankee

[Rennhack]

Talk About: Connecticut Yankee

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Rate Connecticut Yankee

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Connecticut Yankee

[Rad_Toy]

Back in the day, you could not have worked at a nicer place.
To bad they shut down their best runner.........

[alphadude]

ohh its a darker tale than we all imagine... best runner..nice illusion..

[Wolfen]

I was there in '78/'79 when they had the Karen Silkwood Memorial Core.  Any one remember "piggy-back beta"?  Don't remember anything about it that would conjure up an image of "best runner".

[SloGlo]

To bad they shut down their best runner.........

doesn't say much about the rest of their fleet, now does it?

[Chelios]

The reactor vessel embarked today for a 10 day voyage to South Carolina. It was originally scheduled to go in 2000, so it is only 3 years late. There is still 3 years of work scheduled working 4 10s. Work is scheduled for most fridays and some saturdays, so there is overtime for those who want it. Fuel movement will start in early '04, and will continue for ?18 months?. The containment will be gutted by the end of ?04? and most buildings will be gone in 04 or 05. It is steady, mundane work, but you can stay for a year if you want and then move on without losing per diem. good luck!

[Rennhack]

The reactor vessel embarked today for a 10 day voyage to South Carolina. It was originally scheduled to go in 2000, so it is only 3 years late. There is still 3 years of work scheduled working 4 10s. Work is scheduled for most fridays and some saturdays, so there is overtime for those who want it. Fuel movement will start in early '04, and will continue for ?18 months?. The containment will be gutted by the end of ?04? and most buildings will be gone in 04 or 05. It is steady, mundane work, but you can stay for a year if you want and then move on without losing per diem. good luck!

That was probably 'sensitive' information, and probably shouldn't have been posted until after the fact.

[RAD-GHOST]

A Major Accomplishment Achieved in the D&D Project!

Word has it, new site management is trying to put the train back on the tracks!  Hopefully they will get a chance to review the RP department, and determine why so many techs cycle through the place and why so many refuse to return!  

As strange as this may sound, Rad Protection will become the driving force behind all decommissioning activities!  Imagine that, everybody will be supporting the RP department!  Therefore it would be beneficial to have a staff of Technicians!  I don't think that goal could be accomplished today!    

The present RP management is fast becomming aware of their past performance issues.  Although they originally thought that the number of available technicians was endless, they are definitly finding the opposite is true!  The antiquated philosophy of Shame and Blame, died in the past decade, but seems to be the mission statement of the present management!  Besides the mentality of management, look at the other benefits, creative wage & PD packages, seasonal wage adjustments, bone-us packages, double secret commitments, nepotism advancement opportunities and the list goes on!  

Hopefully the new site managers will get the opportunity to see the list of the many technicians who were once there, why they left and why they refuse to return!  I believe a simple review will identify the main problem!  Removing this problem will add an additional Milestone to the project and a boost to moral for the RP department!  Not to mention the added benefit, of the many technicians who would place CY back on their list, of places to work!

Shared resources will not work!  Sometimes it just isn't worth the money, that's my opinion!  The attempts to sweeten the pot with Per Diem and exchanging techs between sites will not solve the problem!  It is only a matter of time before the hand full of techs, who have not been to CY, will circulate through the site!  It is then that they will learn their mistake!  There is one humorous aspect to this issue.  When I mention CY, I always hear one common name associated with it, followed by a horror story!  When that specific name is mentioned, I just hear the horror stories!  All the stories are followed with, " I won't go there "!

In all fairness, to the many members of the Connecticut Yankee RP staff!  The number of quality members, far out weight the problems, or should I say problem!  I have worked with many of you, for many years in the past!  Lots of good techs!  Change is coming and Change is good!

[SloGlo]

A Major Accomplishment Achieved in the D&D Project!
 Besides the mentality of management, look at the other benefits, creative wage & PD packages, seasonal wage adjustments, bone-us packages, double secret commitments, nepotism advancement opportunities and the list goes on!  

rad-ghost... kin ya puts some numbers up on this?  seeing as how i'm always looking for different areas, 'n would hate to get caught up in a problem.  no need fer the nepotism.... woodent apply to me anyway,but the creativity, double secret commitments (iffen yinze kin, without causing harm to yerself or any loved ones), bone-us, etc. would be appreciated.

[RAD-GHOST]

I'll try, but it's a hard thing to do!  I can't tell you how many wage packages exist today, there are many!  Being friend or family of the coordinator, will usually get you in at the high rate.

Hourly Wages:  Local and non local rates also apply.  We all know that if you get Per Diem, you don't need to make as much in wages!  The difference is usually about $6.00 to $8.00 per hour!

Seasonal Adjustments:  They have created an Outage Season Wage Adjustment!  Which by the way, seems to have a lot of adjustment associated with it!  During outage staffing periods, dates of their choosing, they raise and lower your hourly rate and Per Diem.  

Bone-us:  I hear they have them, some even said they received them, but there are a long list of conditions attached.  In the past, the main condition was to stay one year to receive it!  Today, they are asking for a three month commitment, I wonder how that equates to an annual bone-us?  A very small carrot, on a very long stick!

Secret, Secret Commitments:  The fact that you show up, establishes the fact that you commited to stay!  In a relativly short time period you will find that the Coordinator has the privelage to adjust that time, to what ever she wants!  Family is exempt from this condition, some friends also!  So, lets say you wish to leave the site after your original commitment?  Remember it is subject to change, at the coordinators option!  I remember these famous words, " Bruce Bartlett doesn't run this site, I do!  You don't work for Bruce Bartlett, you work for ME"!  A Direct Quote, immediately following a phone conversation with Bruce, requesting me to go to another site, while sitting in her office! I was in tears laughing, she didn't like that!

[SloGlo]

rad-ghost.... many thanks, not only for the info but the grins too.  glad to hear the plants and their contracting minions haven't changed all that much.  have a merriest of christmases.

[Chelios]

Back to you Michael D. The information that I posted was not sensitive. CY announced the RPV departure and the TV stations were on the spot. The demo schedule is public info. The RPV is now at its final resting place. RIP.

[SloGlo]

chelios,  i'm wit ya on dis.... as a matter of fact, it had been posted on the sloglo's nuke news thread.  arrival story is on the new thread.  feel free to post stories there, 'k?

[IBENNUKED]

As with most sights it has a lot to do with (1) Did you have a good place to stay at a fair price? (2) Did you like the people you were forced to associate with? I was lucky both for me were OK.

[Camella Black]

If anyone has a favorite hang out, place to shop, or local information for this area please post it here.

[RAD-GHOST]

Back in the news, or still in the news?  Techs, Techs and more Techs!  It would be a surprising, to see if there is still a pool of  willing techs to pick from!  Think you hate it now, wait till you have a go around with the dung maiden!  Hopefully the new MY management will get a chance to see how many techs circulated through the place and how many vow never to return!  Most for the same reason!  How is it the techs are considered locals after a year,  but some people manage to fall under some exemption for 5+ years!  Maybe it's those Florida Tags!  Who Knows? 

[fueldryer]

I think part of theproblems among the HP's is that they cannot make a decision on their own.They need to contact supervision and let them make the call.If you put a person in a lead roll,at least let them do their job..Must be JT"s power trip...   Other then that,CY's a different kinda place.

[techtoolong]

I HAVE FRIENDS THAT WORK AT CY AND IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE ANYTHING IS BEING DONE TO MAKE WORKING THERE A DECENT EXPERIENCE. ALOT OF NEW MANAGEMENT HAS ARRIVED ON SITE... NONE OF IT IN THE RP DEPARTMENT. BY READING BARTLETT"S LASTEST JOB POSTING MADE YESTERDAY IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. AFTER ALL IT STARTS OUT "ONCE AGAIN WE ARE ASKING FOR TECHS AT CY"

[RAD-GHOST]

Funny how the job posting reads!  Sounds like the staffing company has reached it's max frustration level!  Then again, they are probably tired of hearing the words, " HELL NO!". 

One common thread I've found with all the techs, who have circulated through the site, which is a large number!  None have a kind word for one particular manager, ALWAYS the SAME NAME!  They all agree, removal of this person , would solve 99% of the HP department problems!  Isn't it strange how so many disgruntled techs circulated through CY?  Hopefully the new MY managers will review the past stat's, which will identify the real problem, not the Facade this person is trying to sell!  Hundreds of bad techs, one Top Notch Manager...RIIIIIGHT!  I, for one, will never consider CY an employment opportunity, so long as this person is still working on site, in any capacity!

I've heard the, " It's getting better story", but I, like many, am not buying the Bull.  So long as this particular person is there, a lot of techs will not consider the site an opportunity! 

To any manager that reviews this posting.  You can listen to all the stories on why techs don't go to CY, (Weather, environmental conditions, money, expenses and whatever)!  My list is rather short, always one particular name, which I consider 99% of the problem!  Good Luck on the Quest for Techs, their's hundreds sitting at the house right now, not working!

[dosetek]

Again we have the angry radghost. If you really knew what was going on you would know that management has requested more HP's due to the work load, to add to the 60+ techs here now. I'm not saying it is the best place in the world to work, but we all know there are people that aren't happy no matter where they are working. And you are considered local, as far as perdiem is concerned, anywhere after 1 year. If you're not getting it to begin with then guess it doesn't matter now, does it? 

[Eric_Bartlett]

Hmmmmm....Well Rad-Ghost once again I feel I have to step forward and address some concerns posted by an upset tech.  First off, as far as a tech being considered local after a year of employment - talk to the IRS.  As far as your statement "some manage  to fall under some exemption for 5+years" - to put it bluntly - it aint happen'n - anyone >1yr is off diem, now you can shout all you want that I'm lying, but I can tell you that no matter who it is our financial people won't let diem go longer than 1 yr due to the IRS rules and regulations.  Now as far as the other issue I'll address - it has been hinted that we (BNI/CY) cannot retain tech's on site, that there is a high turnover - since I've been the recruiter in charge of stafing CY for the last few years I can say the turnover is no higher than that of any other long term DOE or D&D site.  Yes, since the turn of the year I have advertised quite often re:needing more HP techs, but then again we have also increased the staff in the past year from a little less than 50 total people to approx. 90, kinda dampens the whole "pool of willing techs" theory - wouldn't ya say?  Obviously you as an individual have some issues with CY & BNI Site Management and probably other misc. things and you certainly have a right to voice your opinions re:those issues, its just that before you go and make allegations or inuendos you might want to get your facts straight.  One last thing if you have issues that are obviously unresolved I'd be more than happy to talk to you one on one (confidentially) to address them.  Afterall I have nothing against criticism as long as those doing the criticizing know what they are talking about and can back up thier allegations.  Well, I've said my piece, take it or leave it.  Good luck and have a prosperous year.

Eric Bartlett

[dosetek]

Loved the post Eric. Karma to you

[rabbit]

There will always be opinions on every job site good and bad.  Radghost, you've made your opinions known to all.  Let that be enough.  I've had my share of frustration at CY but I won't let that keep me from going back.  If I let all the people and the problems I've had keep me from going back to a site, then I'd be unemployed.  As far as one person being 99% of the problems at CY then you should know who you can talk to about the important issues.  I for one know of a supervisor that I absolutely could not take a problem to.  Hopefully that has changed.  If it hasn't, then I know exactly who I can turn to.  Sometimes getting issues resolved takes awhile.  I know more now about mgmt there than the first day I worked there.  That's what's helping me to keep things in perspective.  How a job turns out doesn't depend on who you work with (although it doesn't hurt) it's how you deal with the situations.

To all out there,  HAVE A GREAT SUMMER where ever you are!!