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___ongo___gablogian t1_j1bou1d wrote

They get paid extremely well for their efforts in these scenarios

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Stoicdadman t1_j1bqptc wrote

Yes, but they still do it. I couldn't imagine missing a Christmas with my kids. I am always appreciative of those who do because they have chosen to serve in one form or another. In these situations, utility crews are just as important as any other emergency response, especially when it's going to drop to 15 deg after the storm passes.

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COLURER t1_j1bya7v wrote

I do not understand why you’re being downvoted for this

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CaptnProlapse t1_j1c39c0 wrote

There's a weird culture with this kind of shit.

They're missing Christmas with their families.

Yeah, but they're getting 45 dollars an hour to do it.

Oh, well, I guess seeing your daughter open her presents doesn't matter. You made a whole bunch of money.

No one willingly takes Christmas or Thanksgiving shifts. They get stuck working them.

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DKdeeks t1_j1cowlp wrote

Much more than $45 a hour

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follysurfer t1_j1d93bo wrote

No it’s no much more. My brother in law is a line man out there. They work incredibly hard and very long shifts.

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FitNefariousness5627 t1_j1dgkj3 wrote

45 an hour is our straight time. Storm duty is double time and holiday pay is double time plus holiday pay, so around 150.00 an hour. I retired from grid before peoples took over as a lineman here in RI.

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follysurfer t1_j1dj1fh wrote

That’s not true anymore. He gets 1.5 times for tomorrow abs double on Xmas.

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FitNefariousness5627 t1_j1e7733 wrote

So I guess the contract from 2021 that goes for 4 years is no longer the contract? He gets double time for Christmas plus the flat rate holiday pay and Christmas eve is a holiday as well. The UWUA took Christmas eve as a holiday while the steelworkers took the day after Thanksgiving. If he is not getting this he needs to get in touch with Phil. Any Sunday worked is 1.5 times and overtime on any Sunday is double time. If his rate is only 30 per hour he is not at the top of the rate or not a lineman

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follysurfer t1_j1eadpm wrote

Honestly don’t know. When you responded, I call him. He just said that it’s 1.5 today and sat and double on Xmas. He may be bullshitting me. But he’s usually straight up. Or maybe he just doesn’t pay that close attention. I do know he’s on duty because my sister is annoyed. Lol.

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FitNefariousness5627 t1_j1ecafy wrote

He is right but it is what he is getting paid for time "worked" he also gets the holiday pay of (8 hours straight time) that everyone else that is off today gets. I worked every Christmas and Thanksgiving for 20 years. I never got to wake up with my daughters on Christmas morning for 20 years, no matter how much you make missing those holidays with family is not worth it.

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Educational_Leg36 t1_j1dudx9 wrote

Not really. Not many were there actually sacrificing family time. Most of us willingly took holidays because pay is good

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j1dwtmq wrote

Plenty of people willing take holiday shifts. It's good money. Not everyone has kids or even family.

Also it's December 23rd right now. December 24th is not projected to have any inclement weather beyond being cold. I think we can maybe wait and see if anyone actually misses present opening before assuming that's a given?

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bunnybates t1_j1dey27 wrote

They're incredible people. They are willing to do a dangerous job. But, not everyone celebrates Christmas and / or has children.

I work as a server, and I remember when I used to work at a 24 breakfast restaurant, and these guys would come in. Most of them were from out of state. It was awesome to talk to them.

I always worked Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings because it was financially beneficial for me and my family. The current jobs I have now They're both closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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smokejaguar t1_j1cjlu7 wrote

>I couldn't imagine missing a Christmas with my kids.

I'm in that boat right now, and it suuuuuuuucks.

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Educational_Leg36 t1_j1dtujz wrote

Most of these guys are young and don't have kids. We had a couple of foreman and line men but most are just young regular arborists/laborers, especially the ones that traveled. The guys that are local just rotate, Christmas eve and half Christmas day and the other half was Christmas day and the 26th.

Also most of us who do sign up for winter ops don't care. I've done both plowing and tree cutting during holiday storms and nobody was making a sacrifice. Everyone was generally excited as the pay was too good to pass up. Again only a couple of guys who really wanted to go home and they did so after a few hours.

I kinda get why people think it's a huge sacrifice but again pay was good and anyone who was actually "sacrificing" actual bonding time with their families went home🤷‍♂️

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ReggeMtyouN t1_j1dcz6k wrote

As they should

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Ryfhoff t1_j1fbcm9 wrote

I agree. My brother is a lineman and he essentially risks his life almost on a daily basis. The phrase they use “it’s a pencil without an eraser”. He has seen some terrible things happen to his co workers and misses many nights with his family. As others as saying, they do get paid well for times likes this especially, and they should.

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