Brunswick

[Mike L]

Yep, my huband got laid off Friday as well.  No warning...5 minutes before his shift ended.  Total of 3 weeks there.

[jjordan]

It aint your grand dads CP&L any more. They used the economic downturn to take away any and al perks we had. They send out newsletters and propaganda that the company is sound and won't reduce the dividend, and then go borrow $750 million yesterday! They quit feeding us, so I've had to picki it up for them. they've banished me to the dark side but we are eating well, and there has been plenty of ice cream. Remember wear your PPE everywhere!!!!

[Nuclear Renaissance]

You should write to your local news affiliate and let them know that your employer is using the economic downturn to eliminate free food from your $60K+ per year job.

[RRhoads]

yeah!
sounds like someone needs to get off the teet!

[Duke Nuker]

You should write to your local news affiliate and let them know that your employer is using the economic downturn to eliminate free food from your $60K+ per year job.

You guys are funny.......JJ makes that in the first 6 months of the year.

[jjordan]

Duke you are correct. Way more than that in 6 months. I used to invest in Ice Cream,. I stopped all of that for a while, and bought a Jag convertible instead. you guys don't have a clue. I've been feeding all of nightshift out of my own pocket since before the outage started, every day, because the company won't. We used to have a kickoff celebration to make the contractors feel welcome. no more! They used to give us shirts and trinkets, no more,We used to get meals a lot. No more. They used to buy gatorade and bottled water for heat stress. No more! etc,\.

[Smooth Operator]

Not even squenchers?

[RRhoads]

Duke you are correct. Way more thann that in 6 months. I used to invest in Ice Cream,. I stopped all of that for a while, and bought a Jag convertible instead. you guys don't have a clue. Iv'e been feeding all of nightshift out of my own pocket since before the outage started, every day, because the company won't. We used to have a kickoff celebration to make the contractors feel welcome. no more! They used to give us shirts and trinkets, no more,We used to get meals a lot. No more. They used to buy gatorade and bottled water for heat stress. No more! etc,\.

[Duke Nuker]

Duke you are correct. Way more than that in 6 months. I used to invest in Ice Cream,. I stopped all of that for a while, and bought a Jag convertible instead. you guys don't have a clue. I've been feeding all of nightshift out of my own pocket since before the outage started, every day, because the company won't. We used to have a kickoff celebration to make the contractors feel welcome. no more! They used to give us shirts and trinkets, no more,We used to get meals a lot. No more. They used to buy gatorade and bottled water for heat stress. No more! etc,\.

I am sure you know I have a clue.  We have been reduced to using napkins from a roll here.  Something about supporting a sister unit to "help them be successful".   Believe me, I miss the Ice Cream although my waistline doen't show it.  The only doughnuts we see anymore are the ones we bring in. (there is the waistline thing again)  Maybe the good part is that by the time the "recession" is over I will be skinny again. (HA) I guess I can't whine, though, the lines at those job fairs are getting longer and longer.

[jjordan]

Duke,
I feel your pain! I really didn't mean to sound like I was whining. I was just stating facts. I make good money, but I live at the plant!. So when they take things away that some folks take for granted, it upsets me. Once upon a time, I used to own a business, so I kind of understand that this was a business decision. I'm wondering if any of the other utilities are doing the same? We are already cutting back on the outage staffing, and are reducing the deconners hours. This has infuriated lots of hard working people, and now we have another large group of people that will never return here. Are these smart business decisions? I don't know, you tell me!

[Old HP]

JJ,

Some of us DO appreciate what you do. Some of us remember how we were treated and how things have digressed. It happens at a lot of plants. Those are the plants with low returnee ratios and they tend to have a downward trend on performance and schedules as well. Sadly the bean counters have yet to notice the end results of their "We Can do more with less and do it better than anyone else" mentality.

[Eightmile]

JJ, you know we love what you do for us!  And I hope some of those new-to-the-plant that have partaken in your generosity have shown some gratitude in return.  I'm glad I'm on nights this time, because this is the first time I've gotten to enjoy your cooking first-hand!

But besides feeding us, there are some of us around that appreciate what you house techs do for us - you've always been willing to share with us all the knowledge we need to help US help YOU.  We feel included in the family for the few brief weeks we are here, and THAT'S what will keep the majority of us coming back.

Ok, the ice cream helps a bit in that regard, too.   

Although, I must admit that I feel far safer knowing that I can always have a pair of gloves at my side.  That's certainly WELL worth the sacrifice of good hyrdation.  I wondered why heat stress was never mentioned during any of our inprocessing sessions... now I understand!  So when you wonder where the funds went for all the things that you've noticed are no longer there, just think about the sheer number of gloves we're supplying the workforce.  And if you care to get an idea of the number of gloves that get replaced, just walk through the feedwater heater rooms - I've been collecting an Orex toolbag full of gloves each week from each room.  Everyone insists on using the gloves they carry with them into the CA, at which point then they have to go get a new pair.  And the cycle continues... (and of course, I'm not saying gloves aren't a good thing to have with you, just that they've kind of gone about this the wrong way!)

[HydroDave63]

They used to buy gatorade and bottled water for heat stress.

How are they supplying drinking water per 29 CFR 1926.51 ?

[retired nuke]

How are they supplying drinking water per 29 CFR 1926.51 ?

1926 is the construction standard - most plants fall under the 1910 - industrial standard.

1910.141 briefly describes that sanitation facilities must be present, and what needs to be there to qualify. HAving water available outside the RCA, in cafeteria, water fountains, portable coolers (with separate drinking cups) is sufficient in most instances. http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9790

Situations such as a SGRP, where the SGRP group is using separate facilities than the ones available in the plant may fall under 1926.51. We did at PB1 with SGT.

[number41]

Yes, we are providing drinking water in the form of water fountains.   I'm sure this will anger alot of people, but this thread really does show how spoiled we are.  I can't believe we are lamenting the fact that we don't get free ice cream anymore!  Makes me feel like I'm on WestPac again!

[roadhp]

I don't know what West Pac you were on...mine consisted of several days out of port eating mystery meat and reconstituted potatoes with bug juice.  The situation here isn't as bad as all that, but the caring attitude is gone, and is replaced by the attitude of, "we are all in a bad situation and just have to deal with it".  Or at least that is my opinion.  There are no ALARA incentives for the craft, not that I ever beleived that has worked anywhere without most of the craft making things up to get into the drawings.  The treatment of the techs can be summed up by the attitude of one House Mouse who blamed a tech for leaving them short handed in order to make a start date already agreed to before she was accepted here.

[Old HP]

If you pay them well they will come.
If you treat them well they will stay.
If you fail either of the above they will leave ASAP.
It is not a complicated formula.....

[Mike McFarlin]

Duke you are correct. Way more than that in 6 months. I used to invest in Ice Cream,. I stopped all of that for a while, and bought a Jag convertible instead. you guys don't have a clue. I've been feeding all of nightshift out of my own pocket since before the outage started, every day, because the company won't. We used to have a kickoff celebration to make the contractors feel welcome. no more! They used to give us shirts and trinkets, no more,We used to get meals a lot. No more. They used to buy gatorade and bottled water for heat stress. No more! etc,\.

JJ, the ice cream was the outage and everyone did appreciate it!

[Eightmile]

The situation here isn't as bad as all that, but the caring attitude is gone, and is replaced by the attitude of, "we are all in a bad situation and just have to deal with it".

I wouldn't say it was gone altogether, or completely replaced... the caring attitude is still alive and well in many (if not all) of the house techs and a few of the management.  It's very easy to find that "family" feeling, even amongst the frequent-returnee-craft and house craft.  However, in a number of instances, it seems they've replaced rational thought with a bull-in-the-china-shop mentality.

As an aside, I can attest to the fact that it's a very bad feeling to be told (at first) that a returnee slot isn't open for you because they are bringing in Exelon techs.  At the time, the recruiter mumbled something about SGRP and MG, but attested that he didn't really know the reason... it took a week to get things straightened out and get my name on the list, but once I got to Brunswick I got the scoop.  And from what I infer, the utility (unless it was upper-upper nosebleed level mgmt) wasn't really involved in that decision.

[spongerob27]

I think that might be a little unfair. They cut out a bunch of jobs at Brunswick. That is a upper management decision. We returnees fell through the cracks. In the long run B did the right thing an unconfirmed them and got the returnees in like they should. I know some people must be really upset now but it was still the right thing to do.

[number41]

Well, I work in Ops (thanks JJ!!!) and regardless of how unfortunate the situation might be for some people, I appreciate the people that are here.  I've spent quite a few hours in the Drywell, and the techs working the bullpen are awesome.  If they don't come back next year, I will be disappointed.  Actually, every HP that I've worked with this year has been great.  Anyway, glad to have everyone here that we do.  Hopefully the economy and the situation in general will look up and we can get some other good techs back next outage.

[MickeeMickee]

     I was at the outage, and can say that I was treated better there than anywhere else I've ever been (except it's a close tie with Comanche Peak).  I thought management treated us (contract RP) very well.  The money spent on gloves was ridiculous, but that wasn't mandated by RP management....they had to play along.
     I would gladly come back any time they would have me.  I started working in the nuke world there 26 years ago and wish I had never left.
     Also, Carol O' is a pretty special person.....she worked really hard to get where she is and she deserves an even higher position in the Dept.

[jjordan]

Rediculous! I'll say. I have it from a good authority that since we've addopted the new safety policy, (Feb 23) we have spent $108,000.00 on gloves alone. Such a waste. The Ear plugs are just as bad. We have to wear them everywhere, even in very quiet places. i think that is a hazard in its self. I constantly use my hearing all over the plant, and they're robbing me of a very important sense. Why do you think we have alarmsall over the place? It's so bad we lost a very excellent Safety Rep. (Mike Johnson) he didn't want to have to deal with this nonsense. All because INPO eluded to the slight increase in injuries. Probably not really any increase, but we're reporting more of the minor ones we used to let go. Because management told us to!

[Bonds 25]

So....how long before one of these plants throw the bullsh*t flag on these ridiculous INPO suggestions?  I think INPO has WAY too much power already.  Its been 8 years since I worked Brunswick and I very much enjoyed my stay, sorry to hear about your troubles.

["E"]

I like that! It's true too. I've had a very good outage at Brunswick and still consider it my favorite plant. And yes John Jordan! I appreciate all your efforts in feeding me. Job well Done!!! Also, thanks for the Chocolate Mink Chip, you're the best!

If you pay them well they will come.
If you treat them well they will stay.
If you fail either of the above they will leave ASAP.
It is not a complicated formula.....