Rent-a-tech company improvements?

[vikingfan]

good thing there are still companies out there that provide rental cars and airline tickets to their employees it sure saves the mileage on my vehicle.

[Roll Tide]

I don't think it would work. Rent-a-techs are not like other disciplines (but maybe if over-the-road owner operator truckers collected unemployment 6 months out of the year...).

The freedoms of road techs are too contrary to the sacrifice and discipline in order to improve the general good of the work force...

I don't have a problem with Co-ops or with rent-a-techs, but I can't see them in the same picture.

[Cathy]

Do away with all district managers and personnel that don't generate ANY money for the company. Then they could pay the techs a decent wage and  could afford their own insurance.

Amen, couldn't have said it better. The thicker the management layer, the thinner the pay and benefits for the people actually generating the income.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

   "One of the major differences between Bartlett and our competitiors in the radiation safety field is the technical depth of our Home Office staff. For example, our Home Office staff includes three former radiation protection managers, members of ANSI committees, and representatives on various Nuclear Energy Institiute working task forces."  Bartlett Nuclear Inc. Chief Technical Officer

   

[SloGlo]

•   Inexpensive insurance that has insanely good coverage
•   Contribute to 401k
•   Travel pay that isn't capped, and pays hours of travel as well as miles at federal limits
•   Vacation time that is accrued weekly, and paid out as needed
•   Paid Holidays
•   All hours worked on holidays to be time and a half
•   Federal per diem rates that isn't lost on sick days
•   Paid sick days
•   $5/hr more for everyone

spoke like a tru rode hoar.  get alla bennies 'n take 'em wit cha!

[Mike McFarlin]

   "One of the major differences between Bartlett and our competitiors in the radiation safety field is the technical depth of our Home Office staff. For example, our Home Office staff includes three former radiation protection managers, members of ANSI committees, and representatives on various Nuclear Energy Institiute working task forces."  Bartlett Nuclear Inc. Chief Technical Officer

  

And they generate how much?

[ruth13]

I would be happier if the office staff had a little more communication skills instead of the technical skills...return calls to messages left on voice mail; replies to email's etc.  Know what I mean?

[Camella Black]

Well since it's the holiday season, how about:

1. A bonus
2. Gift cards or Incentives
3. A party or dinner that you don't have to pay to go to

[Rennhack]

3. A party or dinner that you don't have to pay to go to

Whats up with that?  I'm at Rowe and the Yankee Holiday party was that way, everyone had to pay their own way.  I just don't get that.

[Cathy]

How about more assistance/training for people who have problems with the NUF. I would think it would be in the rent-a-tech company's best interest. Something besides just sending a generic book to study on your own time. Maybe in tap into some of the 'technical depth' to come up with some tech friendly training programs 

[Camella Black]

Whats up with that?  I'm at Rowe and the Yankee Holiday party was that way, everyone had to pay their own way.  I just don't get that.

WOW, ya'll actually had a party?

I don't know, but it just seems to me that most of us have outgrown the old college days of everyone kicking in for a keg. LOL But to be honest we'd probably have more fun doing that than choking down food that we paid waaay too much for, drinks we can't afford and oh don't forget the discount hotel rooms that are often available. LOL

[RAD-GHOST]

That's a great list of improvements, but it is also an all inclusive list of what has been lost over the years! 

Maximizing their profits can only be accomplished by minimizing their expenses,(US)!  Kind of stange when you think about it, but they can't make a dime without us! 

I have one, How about a contract company that recognizes their staff as an asset, instead of a number on the white board!  At least put a name to the number!

RG.

[SloGlo]

Well since it's the holiday season, how about:
3. A party or dinner that you don't have to pay to go to

itz a freaking business!  dat poor h.r. director iz jist trieing two cut her losses, maybee git a little positive cash flo going.... she gotta half sum bullets to go intwo da meeting in january. 

not dat i know da h.r. director is female, don't get me rong.  i refer to alla office workers as skirts 'n don't look at'em as scots.   

[Camella Black]

itz a freaking business!  dat poor h.r. director iz jist trieing two cut her losses, maybee git a little positive cash flo going.... she gotta half sum bullets to go intwo da meeting in january. 

not dat i know da h.r. director is female, don't get me rong.  i refer to alla office workers as skirts 'n don't look at'em as scots.   

Yes it is a business, one that without its workers would be nothing. How is it that many companies have an "office" Holiday party and forget the poor working men or women who actually keep their job secure?

[Shawnee Man]

I still got my white bartlett jacket in my closet somewhere. I got that early in the 90s. Another tech asked how come I got a whilte one. I replied that I was offered white or blue. It hit the fan when his option was only blue. You cant win for losin!!

[SloGlo]

Yes it is a business, one that without its workers would be nothing. How is it that many companies have an "office" Holiday party and forget the poor working men or women who actually keep their job secure?

oh hail, i dunno.  maybe it goes back to the day of real industry, when office parties were for office workers 'n working stiffs payed fer der own shots 'n beers at da bar across da street phrum da mill 'n den dey went home.  eye meen, yinz look at pictures of da office parties of yore, wit secretaries smooching da boss, where are da lunch pails piled?  beside the topcoats?  i think knot. 
but iffen yer ideer of company improvement is a party, then you must be mighty satified wit yer position in life, huh?

[retired nuke]

OK, the party for the RPs here was paid for, except the drinks. I was actually gonna go. But then management decided to tweak me for a minor slip of professionalism (i wrote a joke on a dose  card - non-QA record) and I realized that I didn't really wanna eat with them bastages anyway.
So I had a great family evening with my GF & all the kids - better company fer sure!!

As a house mouse, I would love to see the rentatechs be treated like Diablo does it - yer in the union, hired by the company, gets paid the same as house, hourly, travel, perdiem, etc.

Not gonna happen in Entergy.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannakah, Happy Kwanzaa, Joyful Winter Solstice, Peaceful Ramadan, may your inner Grinch grow a heart 7 sizes larger...

[Camella Black]

oh hail, i dunno.  maybe it goes back to the day of real industry, when office parties were for office workers 'n working stiffs payed fer der own shots 'n beers at da bar across da street phrum da mill 'n den dey went home.  eye meen, yinz look at pictures of da office parties of yore, wit secretaries smooching da boss, where are da lunch pails piled?  beside the topcoats?  i think knot. 
but iffen yer ideer of company improvement is a party, then you must be mighty satified wit yer position in life, huh?

Your missing the point, I am talking about good PR and interaction between management and their employees. I believe this is essential to running a successful business and I also believe that the lack of it is one of the reasons so many people are unhappy with many of the employers talked about on this site. The only reason I brought up the subject of a party is because of the holidays.

I can assure you that with more than 30 years of my family working in the nuclear industry that I am WELL aware of what is needed, from better pay, more benefits and certainly better job security to educational programs, longer and better outage schedules (come on you guys/the utilities lets work together on this one) to the building of new nuclear plants and last but not least a better plan for the storage of nuclear waste.

Now for your last comment about me being satisfied with my position in life... what more could a girl ask for?  I have a great husband of 27+ years, 3 wonderful children, the most beautiful granddaughter anyone could ask for and I just graduated from college at 48 with a BA in Psychology. To top it off I get to travel this wonderful country seeing places I never dreamed of and meeting new people. And to put icing on the cake, Mike allows me to be a moderator for this crazy but equally wonderful web site!

[jjordan]

Your missing the point, I am talking about good PR and interaction between management and their employees. I believe this is essential to running a successful business and I also believe that the lack of it is one of the reasons so many people are unhappy with many of the employers talked about on this site.

Last I checked at my utility, most if not all of the communication is written by a third party. Lets take a mutiple guess quiz here! (HP's will love this!)

Why is the communications at most major utilities between management and employees authored by a third party?
A. They really don't care about us. It's all part of the job.
B. They don't have a clue as to what the real problem is.
C. They aren't able to communicate effectively without a lot of help.
D. Thier Sr. management doesn't trust them either.
E  All of the above!

[biloxoi blues]

Do away with all district managers and personnel that don't generate ANY money for the company. Then they could pay the techs a decent wage and  could afford their own insurance.

If they put a travel cap on them maybe they wouldnt come out and give us a pep talk.  Starting to get a lot of chiefs around here.

[Brett LaVigne]

I'll second the direct deposit...or third or fourth (what ever its up to)

The only other thing would be to put a little less distance between us and the house techs.  If they are making $32/hour I would be ok if we were say at $28 - $30.  I have seen plants that are that close and some that are as much as $11/hr different.

I hear everyone about the insurance rates and other benefits but lets be realistic.  We work as temp. employees, take a look at the package you would get working for Addecco or Westaff or another temp. agency of your choice.  They just can't offer that sort of thing and stay competetive.  More and more there are opportunities for us to look for house jobs and the future looks even better.  If you want all of that stuff it is available in this industry, you just have to fight for one of these positions.

[Brett LaVigne]

Oh yea!  There is one thing...Trinkets, where are my freakin' trinkets.
I can't get a hat or shirt or jacket to save my freakin' life!  Since 1992 I have exactally one worn out hat that says Bartlett on it and I am pretty sure that it was used when I got it!

Hey Mr. Bartlett...Can I get some trinkets?

[SloGlo]

Oh yea!  There is one thing...Trinkets, where are my freakin' trinkets.
I can't get a hat or shirt or jacket to save my freakin' life!  Since 1992 I have exactally one worn out hat that says Bartlett on it and I am pretty sure that it was used when I got it!

Hey Mr. Bartlett...Can I get some trinkets?

eye tink da answer to dis question is in the post immediately proceeding ....
" They just can't offer that sort of thing and stay competetive. "
.... dat sorta thing.

[Atomic_Punk]

Oh yea!  There is one thing...Trinkets, where are my freakin' trinkets.
I can't get a hat or shirt or jacket to save my freakin' life!  Since 1992 I have exactally one worn out hat that says Bartlett on it and I am pretty sure that it was used when I got it!

Hey Mr. Bartlett...Can I get some trinkets?

You need to hit your site coordinator up for that stuff.  Most choose to give the goodies to the management and house techs only.  The cool ones hook the techs up too. ;^)

[Brett LaVigne]

eye tink da answer to dis question is in the post immediately proceeding ....
" They just can't offer that sort of thing and stay competetive. "
.... dat sorta thing.

Touché! 

Hell, I'd pay $5 for a decent hat!