Baron Von Munchenhausen Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 (edited) I have a real problem with the sheer number of contractors in the Romeo Plant. How can union leadership justify having at least three outside companies working in the plant? We have Barton Malow, and MAG with office trailers in the parking lot and they have been there for YEARS! These contractors are removing, retooling and installing new and old machinery. I understand having roofing contractors in the plant but to have outside people perform work our skilled tradesmen and women can do is absurd! Most of the current tradesmen are working 5 days 40 hours. Can we not bid competitively? Who is checking on the contractor bids to make sure they don't lowball the bid and then come back and resubmit due to "unforseen issues"? Nobody seems to care here because it has been part of the norm for so long. Does this go on at other plants? Edited July 7, 2009 by Baron Von Munchenhausen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpc655 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I have a real problem with the sheer number of contractors in the Romeo Plant. How can union leadership justify having at least three outside companies working in the plant? We have Barton Malow, and MAG with office trailers in the parking lot and they have been there for YEARS! These contractors are removing, retooling and installing new and old machinery. I understand having roofing contractors in the plant but to have outside people perform work our skilled tradesmen and women can do is absurd! Most of the current tradesmen are working 5 days 40 hours. Can we not bid competitively? Who is checking on the contractor bids to make sure they don't lowball the bid and then come back and resubmit due to "unforseen issues"? Nobody seems to care here because it has been part of the norm for so long. Does this go on at other plants? Machine companies generally won't warranty their machines if not installed by their own personnel. There's a lot of new equipment being installed for 6.2 (and some was subsequently removed due to drop in capacity). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
228electrician Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Machine companies generally won't warranty their machines if not installed by their own personnel. There's a lot of new equipment being installed for 6.2 (and some was subsequently removed due to drop in capacity). wrong, its agreed upon when the bid goes up for machinery, i am at sterling and we have mag machines and installing them now, and mag people are there for support only, sterling fab shop is doing 100% of the work, we have also taken a bunch of millwrights from the gen at the now closed utica plant to assist with the installs since we have so much work in the line of installs and upgrades that we needed more to keep overtime down. We at sterling, have, and always will, do 100% of our installs, demo's, concrete, cause thats what we do and the union fights tooth and nail to keep it that way, and with these big projects we have been doing, they all are under budget and beat any bid that an outside company has made. We do have a few walbridge guys in house, but that is management and not performing any work, so if management is ok that their job is being outsourced, so be it, maybe they will outsource the plant manager's position also, we need it. We could do with less of these corporate guys running in circles and checking off lists and getting in the way, and their new C to C to C system is BS, and their checklist are off the wall and causes us to have to do work out of order and do alot of temp stuff so they can check off a box on their list, then go back later to redo the work the right way, these guys are idiots and we have done this job for years and don't need these guys getting in the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VDTRANSMAN Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 We could do with less of these corporate guys running in circles and checking off lists and getting in the way, and their new C to C to C system is BS, and their checklist are off the wall and causes us to have to do work out of order and do alot of temp stuff so they can check off a box on their list, then go back later to redo the work the right way, these guys are idiots and we have done this job for years and don't need these guys getting in the way. You guys getting to play with all the C2C fencing inside of fencing and hang your tag on the fencing before entering shit. Good old Walbridge Aldinger. How up to date and accurate are the prints you guys are being given? How many times you have to relocate equiptment due to inaccurate and/or outdated prints that have been revised in an office somewhere but never made it to the floor? Wait till you see how much extra material is ordered that ford has to pay a surcharge on then has to pay a restocking fee to send it back. I feel your pain brother. They are truely a bunch idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
228electrician Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 You guys getting to play with all the C2C fencing inside of fencing and hang your tag on the fencing before entering shit. Good old Walbridge Aldinger. How up to date and accurate are the prints you guys are being given? How many times you have to relocate equiptment due to inaccurate and/or outdated prints that have been revised in an office somewhere but never made it to the floor? Wait till you see how much extra material is ordered that ford has to pay a surcharge on then has to pay a restocking fee to send it back. I feel your pain brother. They are truely a bunch idiots. they were so out of order and stupid, they had the electricians pipe a service to the machine before the millwrights had the machine anchored, the electricians told them but they said it was next on the check list and had to be done right this minute, than they had to lower it an inch and move it to the east 2 inches to match the gantry and than wonder why the pipe was not plum, idiots!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpc655 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 wrong, its agreed upon when the bid goes up for machinery, i am at sterling and we have mag machines and installing them now, and mag people are there for support only, sterling fab shop is doing 100% of the work, we have also taken a bunch of millwrights from the gen at the now closed utica plant to assist with the installs since we have so much work in the line of installs and upgrades that we needed more to keep overtime down. We at sterling, have, and always will, do 100% of our installs, demo's, concrete, cause thats what we do and the union fights tooth and nail to keep it that way, and with these big projects we have been doing, they all are under budget and beat any bid that an outside company has made. We do have a few walbridge guys in house, but that is management and not performing any work, so if management is ok that their job is being outsourced, so be it, maybe they will outsource the plant manager's position also, we need it. We could do with less of these corporate guys running in circles and checking off lists and getting in the way, and their new C to C to C system is BS, and their checklist are off the wall and causes us to have to do work out of order and do alot of temp stuff so they can check off a box on their list, then go back later to redo the work the right way, these guys are idiots and we have done this job for years and don't need these guys getting in the way. Yeah, depends on the plant, contractor and machine builder. Just thought maybe that was a reason, in my experience machine builders like to minimize the number of external people monkeying with their stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Fittswell Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 we have also taken a bunch of millwrights from the gen at the now closed utica plant to assist with the installs A bunch of us are from Chesterfield too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feegsit Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I have a real problem with the sheer number of contractors in the Romeo Plant. How can union leadership justify having at least three outside companies working in the plant? We have Barton Malow, and MAG with office trailers in the parking lot and they have been there for YEARS! These contractors are removing, retooling and installing new and old machinery. I understand having roofing contractors in the plant but to have outside people perform work our skilled tradesmen and women can do is absurd! Most of the current tradesmen are working 5 days 40 hours. Can we not bid competitively? Who is checking on the contractor bids to make sure they don't lowball the bid and then come back and resubmit due to "unforseen issues"? Nobody seems to care here because it has been part of the norm for so long. Does this go on at other plants? Like Terry McGuire ALWAYS used to say...."They can do that!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
228electrician Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Yeah, depends on the plant, contractor and machine builder. Just thought maybe that was a reason, in my experience machine builders like to minimize the number of external people monkeying with their stuff. just the oppisite, alot outsource the install to save money, and if something fails or goes wrong, the contracted installers get the blaim and have to foot the bill for repairs, and they also save money on manpower overhead by not having as many on the rolls. I worked for a contracter last summer installing machinery while on jsp, and the company that built the equipment (ABB) had a contracted rep watching every movement we made and if any one slipped or skipped a step, Our boss got a call and would get charged for any damage or scratches to the equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEagle Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 just the oppisite, alot outsource the install to save money, and if something fails or goes wrong, the contracted installers get the blaim and have to foot the bill for repairs, and they also save money on manpower overhead by not having as many on the rolls. I worked for a contracter last summer installing machinery while on jsp, and the company that built the equipment (ABB) had a contracted rep watching every movement we made and if any one slipped or skipped a step, Our boss got a call and would get charged for any damage or scratches to the equipment. This 228 elect should be our next skilled trades committeeman...please identify yourself and run for it when Kenn Gafa wins for Chairman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitter182 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 We have the wallbridge retards in house as well. We are doing most of the work, but they are there to be a pain in the ass. They look for anything to write a safty "concern". Wonder who got paid off to invite them in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baron Von Munchenhausen Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 It just frosts me to have their own mobile home trailers sitting in the parking lot. Also to walk in with about thirty of the contractors everyday is just ridiculous. If the union leadership wanted they could get them out within a couple months. Nobody seems to care. I have a engineer buddy that works for one of the contractors at a different location ask me " How come your Romeo millwrights can't do the rigging?" That's a good question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wixom22 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 It just frosts me to have their own mobile home trailers sitting in the parking lot. Also to walk in with about thirty of the contractors everyday is just ridiculous. If the union leadership wanted they could get them out within a couple months. Nobody seems to care. I have a engineer buddy that works for one of the contractors at a different location ask me " How come your Romeo millwrights can't do the rigging?" That's a good question! This kind of shit just burns my ass. I'm burning up weeks on ILO from a closed plant (Wixom) and they have guys in there doing work I should be doing. A few of my millwright friends where placed at Romeo on a temp posting. One of the first things they asked them was who has certs on high pressure pipe. They asked where are your welders, and the reply we don't have them. Well I got my 6G when I tested to get card as a UAW welder. This Bull shit of giving my work to others and outsiders should stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitter182 Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 This kind of shit just burns my ass. I'm burning up weeks on ILO from a closed plant (Wixom) and they have guys in there doing work I should be doing. A few of my millwright friends where placed at Romeo on a temp posting. One of the first things they asked them was who has certs on high pressure pipe. They asked where are your welders, and the reply we don't have them. Well I got my 6G when I tested to get card as a UAW welder. This Bull shit of giving my work to others and outsiders should stop. Shit we NEED you. We have one cert welder that i know of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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