CDZ Overworked...

I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?
This is where unions are crap. Bet you aren’t compensated any more for cleaning up others slack.
 
Yup, I know...been there...done that! And it never ended until I left the company.

The problem is that I’m a specialist at this point. Not too many companies are fighting over folks who have almost 20 years in utility engineering/operations but don’t have an Engineering degree (preferably a Masters) or Operations Department experience.

My job is the go-between for those two groups. We make sure the Engineerd don’t kill the linemen and thst the Kinemen build things the correct way.

Even if another utility company was looking, most don’t have anywhere near the package I get now.
 
This is where unions are crap. Bet you aren’t compensated any more for cleaning up others slack.

They’re not crap, but they DO fall down on certain things. When we started adding Professional Depsrtments (Engineering, Maps, Relay, etc...) to the Union 13 years ago, we knew this would probably happen, but the alternative was far worse.
 
Last edited:
This is where unions are crap. Bet you aren’t compensated any more for cleaning up others slack.

They’re not crap, but they DO fall down on certain things. When we started adding Professional Depsrtments (Engineering, Maps, Relay, etc...) to the Union 13 years ago, we knew this would probably happen, but the alternative was far worse.
Do you hear yourself...
 
That's the union, under performance is tolerated and excelling performance is not recognized. If you can't be promoted, you should ask for a raise and/or bonus.


That's a union shop for you. If there's no money in working harder, screw them. Join the slackers and teach your boss and your stupid union company a lesson.

Under perform for the same pay.
It's the Union way.

You're too good for them. You've spoiled them. Make them pay more for less. Show up on time. Do your job and only your job. BARELY finish your work and go home.
 
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?
Now you're aware
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?

Now you know just one of the problems brought on by unrestrained unions. The eventual outcome can be seen by taking a quick trip to Detroit. Soon the company is on its ass as is the workforce and the entire community.
 
How much longer until you retire? Six years? It sounds like you have to move up to a higher position, retire, or find another place to work. Is there any job within the company you can transfer to?

Whst is this “retire” you talk about. They’re gonna carry me out feet-first. I’m only 46 anyway. Good pension - at 65.

I’m essentially topped out in the Department. Senior Tech is a bid (not progression) job, and I’ve d as breadth told them I don’t want it when the next guy retires in 2/3 years. I’m a worker not a bureaucrat; and that job is almost totally bureaucracy and analysis.

Not likely to find anywhere with the salary and benefits with my limited education (A of S in CADD). Anywhere I go in the Union, I lose Seniority and pay. Management, I cap my pension.

So I’m essentially stuck.

It's that thing people do in the movies. They retire.

I'm sorry. I wish I could have been more helpful.
 
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?

Having dealt with the electrical field and unions, my question would be, if this level of substandard work from other departments is acceptable to the company from other emoyees, then why should I continue to keep doing a more complete, better, more thorough job for the same money they are paid?

After all, most unions WANT you to fit in and not make other people's work look bad!
 
Having read this branch, I’d say stop doing the work to clean up the messes of others. Apparently, competence isn’t a prerequisite for compensation and employment.

I fire people who aren’t competent.

Unions suck.
 
Write down your work on one side of a paper.
Write down all the other people's work that you do on the other side of the paper.
Do it for a month and then hand it to your supervisor, and ask him what is fair about it. Perhaps he will lighten your workload by insisting that the others step it up.
 
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?
Ask them for an assistant are a whole bunch more money.

Same but a Instrument tech.........moving job to job finishing them and fixing their screw ups...........I can relate.
 
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?
There really isn’t one. The normal rule is that twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of the work. In a union shop, you can’t force low performers to boost their performance. About the only advice I can give you is to keep non-service affecting work in your pocket. That way you always have a project to justify not doing other people’s work.
I had a similar boss once, when I’d work in another techs area, and found a job where I needed more time or help, she’d go to the assigned tech who naturally said he wouldn’t need the time or help. I eventually started telling her to give the jobs to him if he could do then so easily. That ended that.
 
The best of a bad lot of choices is to either reduce your job performance to match your coworkers, or accept that you will have to continue carrying them. The only thing you can control is yourself. Your boss is definitely screwing you rather than make the effort to make the slackers perform. As long as you carry the department he has no incentive to make others perform to standard.
 
I’m at something of a loss relative to an issue at work. I work in an engineering-related department of a large electric utility company. We’re a Unionized department of 10 employees. 8 of us inOver a trio of Technician Classifications, and 2 in the more bureaucracy-related Senior role.

Each of us 8 techs covers the work for a specific geographic region. I’ve worked 4 of the regions over time, but have spent probably 16 of my 19 years covering Central. I keep my area as up to date as possible. Not everyone else does the same. Which brings us to my problem...

I am constantly inheriting incomplete or untouched work from other districts because I’m caught up and other people aren’t. I don’t mind helping out occasionally, but this is a constant issue and the work I tend to inherit is generally the most unpleasant work in those areas.

The Company has the right to assign work, so I can’t refuse the work and the Union can’t file a grievance. I’ve talked to our Supervisor, who I really like, about it numerous times. He’s always telling me how much he appreciates me picking up the slack, teaching other Techs better ways to do their jobs, and keeping my area clean. That’s great but it doesn’t help my stress level over having to clean up other people’s messes.

I have my quarterly 1-on-1 meeting with my Supervisor on Thursday. Any ideas on how to approach this topic thst might get better results?
It will change when you find another job.
 
Sorry for the position you are placed in. Have a relative in a different field than yours in exactly the same place. As laws that protect workers have eroded in the name of profit. This big mess ( the virus taking the lead) all I can say is if nothing is happening to those who are not doing their job, NO reason why you should over work your self. just do the best you can & blow off the rest.
 

Forum List

Back
Top