Duke Power..buys out Progress Energy

[topgroove]

From my expierence on a merger things take awhile for change. The first changes that can be expected is a streamline of support services. People in payrole, planning and support positions where a duplication exists are the first positions to be cut. Lineman positions should be safe but expect big work practice changes in a couple years.

[HIVOLTS]

Progress is so screwed up, I dont know why Duke would want the headache.

[lateagain]

From my expierence on a merger things take awhile for change. The first changes that can be expected is a streamline of support services. People in payrole, planning and support positions where a duplication exists are the first positions to be cut. Lineman positions should be safe but expect big work practice changes in a couple years.

What sort of work practice changes?

[topgroove]

We never went into stations and closed breakers or turned auto reclosers on or off before the merger. The thought of a one man crew would've seamed rediculous. The use of contractors exploded. Even the way work was planed changed. Used to be work was planed to keep each man in every barn busy all year. Now work is targeted to area's that have the most interuptions. On site reporting was introduced. Automated Vehicle locaters were installed on anything that moved. I could go on and on:(

[lateagain]

We never went into stations and closed breakers or turned auto reclosers on or off before the merger. The thought of a one man crew would've seamed rediculous. The use of contractors exploded. Even the way work was planed changed. Used to be work was planed to keep each man in every barn busy all year. Now work is targeted to area's that have the most interuptions. On site reporting was introduced. Automated Vehicle locaters were installed on anything that moved. I could go on and on:(

Sounds pretty similar to us now, definately not the old Florida Power I knew and loved. We still have one man shifts 24/7 but they're so restricted by OSHA I don't see them staying one man units. I don't think on site reporting would work down here, unless you're speaking of transmission/construction crews which they already report site specific and have for years. I think everyone has GPS in the vehicles now so its nothing new for us. We're actually going to be getting our daily work on the laptop in a few months.
I'm sure they'll find some other creative ways to aggravate us though, welcome to corporate America, right?

[topgroove]

Sounds pretty similar to us now, definately not the old Florida Power I knew and loved. We still have one man shifts 24/7 but they're so restricted by OSHA I don't see them staying one man units. I don't think on site reporting would work down here, unless you're speaking of transmission/construction crews which they already report site specific and have for years. I think everyone has GPS in the vehicles now so its nothing new for us. We're actually going to be getting our daily work on the laptop in a few months.
I'm sure they'll find some other creative ways to aggravate us though, welcome to corporate America, right?
Sounds like our utilities are very similar. Years ago utilities were thought of as stable investment options, Something to pad the portfolio. If you earned 4 or 5 percent that was considered good. Now Utility CEO's are pushing for 8 to 10 percent Return on investment. The easiest way to get there is cut labor cost and increase productivity. What my utility did was use the line crews as their core business workforce ( Electric service orders, maintence, pole replacement) and contract out most major feeder rebuilds. And some transmission. We got rid of all our in house tree trimmers and contract out all line clearence. If you still have janitors or clerks in your barns I'm thinking there gonna be gone in a couple years. Look for Duke to set up one customer service call center. That'll get rid of a couple hundred people.

[slimdalineman]

Sounds like our utilities are very similar. Years ago utilities were thought of as stable investment options, Something to pad the portfolio. If you earned 4 or 5 percent that was considered good. Now Utility CEO's are pushing for 8 to 10 percent Return on investment. The easiest way to get there is cut labor cost and increase productivity. What my utility did was use the line crews as their core business workforce ( Electric service orders, maintence, pole replacement) and contract out most major feeder rebuilds. And some transmission. We got rid of all our in house tree trimmers and contract out all line clearence. If you still have janitors or clerks in your barns I'm thinking there gonna be gone in a couple years. Look for Duke to set up one customer service call center. That'll get rid of a couple hundred people.

Sounds like we work for the same outfit...but I know we don't...

[lateagain]

topgroove, Progress has already done everything you describe. When I was young the work center I'm in now had 26 lineman and a matching number of helpers, we have 14 lineman now and can't keep apprentices in the line dept. They look around the company and get jobs in network, substation, or the plant, where they're not required to put in all the hours the line dept. has to.
I'm curious how this will play out seeing that we're in a contract year. Is there anyone around here from Duke that can chime in?

[Trbl639]

Might make it hard to negotiate.....if things , as far as takeover of control goes fast.......but maybe it will allow the NC and SC parts of PE to Unionize/organize............I can't remember if Duke is Union or not, but think it is....

if things move real fast Duke might hurt ya, as far as getting a decent contract........got a cousin by marriage that's a Tman for PE in Longwood, by Orlando, and I think he says yall have a pretty good contract now..........

Look for more Pike on the property..Duke Loves them, unless they've had a falling out.......

[Pinco]

Duke Energy is alot like Progress in many ways it sounds like. The number of lineman there has dwindled over the years but that was the norm almost everywhere. Now that utilites have found themselves with more lineman reaching retirement age they'be began to scramble to hire guys to replace them. Duke has been hiring new lineman for the last several years and is about to hire again in the next month or so. Pike crews are still on the yards and probably always will be. They tend to work a second shift mostly and do alot of underground stuff. The on call guys still get plenty of OT most weeks but it varies. Oh, and Duke IS union for those that want to know.

[Trbl639]

Pe Florida is, but PE in the Carolinas isn't.....maybe they will be!!

I understand PE will be a Wholly owned Subsidiary of Duke, and will keep the PE Logo on their Equiptment and the existing CEO of PE will still be the CEO..........

[Pinco]

My understanding is that it will remain PE until the merger is complete. Then the logos etc..will change over. The merger is not expected to be finalized til years end at best. That is assumming it actually goes through.

[kingnai]

When companies merge does that open up the ability to bid jobs in different states?

We (progress energy florida) can't bd a job in the carolina's because they are not union.

Anyone with any first hand knowledge with both area's being union?

Thanks
-Ian

[unclejd]

If Duke comes in and makes the changes that need to be made, this will work out great. I don't know how it is is Florida, but the Carolinas side of Progress Energy is in trouble. In the Northern region, you have managers that do not have a clue what goes on from day to day. You have Distribution Field Supervisors, that never set foot in the field, but are in charge of evaluating your performance. You have DFSs that sweep major safety violations under the rug and out of sight, yet will drop the hammer on minor incidents, because they don't like a certain employee. We have seen DFSs following workers, stop a 1/4 mile behind them and watch from a distance to try and catch you doing something wrong. Some just spend the day watching the computer and tracking your every move. Stop for 15 minutes to grab a bite and you get phone calls wanting to know whats going on. For years PGN-Carolinas has fought to keep the union out....I believe it is time for my peers to sit down and see what the union can offer us. We need change and if our managers will not listen, what else can we do.

[Highplains Drifter]

If Duke comes in and makes the changes that need to be made, this will work out great. I don't know how it is is Florida, but the Carolinas side of Progress Energy is in trouble. In the Northern region, you have managers that do not have a clue what goes on from day to day. You have Distribution Field Supervisors, that never set foot in the field, but are in charge of evaluating your performance. You have DFSs that sweep major safety violations under the rug and out of sight, yet will drop the hammer on minor incidents, because they don't like a certain employee. We have seen DFSs following workers, stop a 1/4 mile behind them and watch from a distance to try and catch you doing something wrong. Some just spend the day watching the computer and tracking your every move. Stop for 15 minutes to grab a bite and you get phone calls wanting to know whats going on. For years PGN-Carolinas has fought to keep the union out....I believe it is time for my peers to sit down and see what the union can offer us. We need change and if our managers will not listen, what else can we do.




Go for it!!!! Good Luck!!!

[hotrod218]

unclejd, go back up north. i don't think pec will ever vote in a union!!!! If you have supervisors sweeping, you can report just as good as they can. hey you may even save a life, yours possibly!!!

[unclejd]

good one hotrod, just because someone says union, you assume they are a Yankee. Well, I am a southern man to the core. And although some don't want a union, it never hurts to hear what people have to offer. I have reported supervisors for safety rule violations and nothing happens. My life is safe because I do not tolerate unsafe behavior around the crew. So you can continue to be a PGN clone and continue thinking they support you, but I have been doing this long enough to know you are just another number in their system.