keyspan and volunteer work

ed wallace

I took a job at Keyspan energy out of Burlington Ma. yesterday was fired this morning for being on my on phone locating parts for a no pay job at a church guess their no compete clause includes not making any money

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Dave Bush

Well, that's got to be a record.

Sorry about the job, but it doesn't sound like a real dandy place to work...

One strike and you're out????

Boston Boiler

ED

Was that Burlington job from a job fair in August for anyone with a MA oil burner license and 3 years exper.?
I forget where I saw it advertised but it was on something like monster.com or Bostonworks. Good starting pay and Bennies but whats the deal? Why are they looking for Oil Techs? These are the guys that just about give away free gas conversions aren't they?

BB

ed wallace

keyspan

keyspan hires oil burner techs because oil guys know control wiring where plumbers do not

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Firedragon_4

Amen to that!

Ask Timmie about that one!

ScottMP

showing their true colors

I have come to have little respect for this company.

I have heard customers remark that Keyspan claims to have the very best techs and then dosn't respond or sends out someone with no experience.

Here they have a tech with years of experience and let him go for having a concience ?

Large company with a big name and No Soul.

Scott



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ernie_3

one side of

the story, does not equal a DIAlogue. Enough disapraging
replies on Keyspan, please. I've found them to be ethical,
competent, and skilled. When one schedules an appointment for personal business on company time, is this acceptable?
I was told that sidework is " a tripwire for termination."
Can an employer be more definitive than that? Does a soldier in combat get a second chance when he hits a tripwire? When a person accepts a position, and understands the responsibility, should an employer change their position with a hiree in the first thirty minutes of
employment? I submit that we're not getting the full story. Volunteer work notwithstanding, rules are rules.

Robert O'Connor_6

I'll take

Ed's side of the story. He's been around these boards a long time.

Volunteer work is not side work.

Regards

Robert

ME

jackchips_2

Not taking sides

but Ernie has a valid point. Many of the employers on this site have said they have certain offenses that an employee does that would warrant "instant" firing.

What does the policy say? Is volunteer work for a potential customer still moonlighting?

Hard for anyone to make an objective decision when only one to the parties is participating in the discussion.

I do sympathize with Ed. It does seem like the death penalty for a misdemeanor.

ed wallace

keyspan

ok this is from the keyspan conflict of interest information it is quoted verbatim No employee shall conduct any activities or business related to an after hours job second job, or outside business, during the hours that the employee works at the company

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Firedragon_4

And that is pretty much a

standard in most big shops and ALL Union businesses, FACT!

ed wallace

keyspan

> standard in most big shops and ALL Union

> businesses, FACT!



funny how they never mentioned it in the ethics training

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Firedragon_4

When I ran a Union shop in Boston

the first thing I did after hiring a guy was to give him a copy of 'the current contract' told him to read it and if he didn't like his own Union's rules not to come on board.

I had a boss in 1972 do that to me and I was always impressed, so I copied him, he was much smarter than me.

ernie_3

Hey Robert

what if that volunteer work was done on company time? Whether it be the phone call to schedule the job or the actual work? You'd accept one of your employees scheduling
on company time?

ernie_3

Scott

you mentioned a "big co. w' no soul". News flash, the company is run by people.I admit that I'm not privy to the full story, but permit me some observations. I've known Ed and can vouch for him as being an excellent tech, hence, Keyspan hired him. I also know the srvc. mngr who made the infamous decision. I spoke w' him yesterday, and he was agonizing over his decision. He knew that he was losing a good guy. This hurt him physically, due to our work load and emotionally, cuz he's human. To say we have no soul is casting aspersions where they are not warranted.

Robert O'Connor_6

I think

it would be more about the use of a phone. What is the policy on that? If he didn't violate the phone policy then it shouldn't be an issue.

He said he was on the phone. Actual working at the volunteer job site was not an issue

Really doesn't matter. They fired him. It's their right. This won't help them attract good people. - That much is sure.

Ernie didn't you just start there too? Aren't you concerned you could be let go without a warning?


Regards

Robert

ME

ed wallace

keyspan

Ernie i have no idea how many companies you have worked for but in most companies you get warnings before being fired even the infamous ma bell treated employess better then i got treated

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Firedragon_4

On that point you're right ED,

even the Teamsters require at least three warnings, one oral, two written. I think the manager jumped too soon, JMO, maybe trying to appease someone above??

I wouldn't want to work for a company that purfuct, I sure ain't. Where is the humanity in such a quick decision? Bottom line is they lose a good tech and they are too hard to find.

I know a lot of guys who have gone to work for Keyspan and they all seem happy, but these guys knew how to play the 'system' beforehand.

Ed made the mistake of being honest and trying to be a good guy, well in this day and age they finish last, FACT!