Ok, you've seen all the other reports... Let me add some new examples.
ACI came into North Carolina just before Christmas 2009. My first morning of working for them, we we're scheduled to get a snow storm. Knowing the area, upon seeing my route I informed the new supervisor that he was sending me to an area that was 45 miles in the opposite direction from where I lived. (making it a total of 90 miles back to my house). I also informed him that the area would not be accessable in the 2 wheel drive vehicles they supplied. His reply was that he was from Michigan and the trucks worked fine in the snow up there. Needless to say, me and another tech did manage to get 1 job done by 12:00 at which time there was already 12 inches of snow.
We then called dispatch and refused to do any other jobs that we we're going home. My supervisor called me and tried to tell me to keep working, I told him where to put his job if he didn't like it that it was too dangerous to keep working. A few minutes later dispatch called me back and informed me that the rest of the customers had rescheduled because they said it was too dangerous to reach their houses.
Had John Cox (the idiot new supervisor from Michigan) listened to me, i probably could have gotten a few jobs done due to the direction the storm came from.
Now I had the wonderful job of trying to get home. For some reason the 2 wheel drive vehicles ACI supplied us don't seem to do well in the snow of North Cariolina. Hmm, could it be THE MOUNTAINS? It took me over 5 hours to get within 20 miles of my house, through complete white outs that the snow plows couldn't even drive through. (And this was on an Interstate Highway!)
Then I can't go any further. 3 Jack-knifed 18 wheelers on the jast big mountain. I end up having to pay $139.00 for a hotel room. After I get the room, John Cox finally returns my many calls, and all he has to ask is if the truck is ok. After I say yes, he hangs up on me.
It took 4 weeks to get reimbursed for the hotel!
I had been a supervisor for a previous cable contractor, and can easily say that ACI screws/doesn't care about their employees.
Everyone already knows the way the pay for employees is figured, which is not too bad in reality. But when they route you where your jobs are 45 minutes to an hour drive between each, then you can't make any money.
John Cox took over routing for an area he has no clue to this day where anything is.
They are so messed up that one Sunday I showed up at 7:00 am like I was supposed to, and by 8:00 the only people there was me and the warehouse manager. I had to call and wake up the supervisor on call. I then looked to see the people that were missing, 1 had quit 2 weeks earlier, 1 had been fired a week before, and 2 were known that they didn't work Sundays. So it was just me, and the jobs were not routed yet. So instead of sitting and waiting, I used my username and password from when I was a supervisor to route myself. I then went out and did 8 out of the 10 jobs I routed myself.
The biggest complaint is how the company treats employees that have been injured on the job. ACI had more on the job injuries in the first 3 months, that the other company I worked for had in 2 years. This happens when you push your employees to the point of exhaustion.
I personally had a previous injury which I had had surgery for and was released after a long time of physical therapy. I was doing fine until I started working for ACI, I let John Cox know that I was starting to have bad pain from having to carry the ladder up mountainous areas so much, and I needed to be routed in an area where the terrain was more flat. This was all a waste of breath. Needless to say, one day after 11 hours of carrying a 28 ft ladder up and dow steep inclines, my shoulder went out on me. I was in intense pain. I called in for help, and was told to finish the job, and then call my supervisor back.
I finished the job about 7:00 pm then called my supervisor, who asked me if I didn't mind waiting until the next day to see a doctor. I went off!!! We were at the hospital until after midnight, but at least I got something for the pain. They sent me to see a surgeon. Luckily I didn't retear my rotator cuff, but I did injure it.
The surgeon put me in physical therapy with weight restrictions for work. Upon showing the restrictions to John Cox, I was informed that ACI doesn't have light duty.
I know every facet of every job a cable contracting company does. From the computer systems that dispatch uses, to inventory control. I could be used in so many ways, but instead I got to sit on my butt at home! Then after 30 days they send me a termination letter!
And I'm not the only person they did this to. One employee broke his leg in multiple places on the job..- LAID OFF! Another with a back injury..- LAID OFF. Another who can barely move his hand... Denied Workmans Comp, denied Short term disability (which he paid for). Hasn't had a check in a month and a half. Stuck with the doctor bills and Physical Therapy bills.
As far as the work goes, ACI brought in a bunch of floaters from Michigan to help with the workload. We were told by these guys that they we're getting $15.00/hr PLUS paid for the jobs they did! Ok! What made things worse, they got the areas that were easy and all the jobs were close together. You would think they had it good enough? NO! They did crap work and then John Cox would send us to fix their work but we didn't get paid for it.
As of today, i'm still waiting for the rest of my pay. And no word on my health insurance.
Yes this company really cares for their employees... Nottttt!!!
0 comments