All field personnel (operators, engineers, and specialists) for USL wireline just had it "clarified" that if you have to take a sick day, you don't accrue days off. At home puking your guts out early in your hitch or, even better, taking care of your sick child? Go ahead and take that sick day. You'll just owe big blue some time at the back end of your hitch. Don't plan on your days off.
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Sick days? What's that? I've been puking out the wireline can with 100 degree fever and hacking up during an 18 hour job while my boss is texting me to catch the next well 5 miles up the road. If your boss gives you sick days, that's pretty awesome. You shouldn't complain when they enforce the whole, earn days off by working philosophy that is expressly written in your employee manual that you signed when you hired on.
I've been through many downturns as suggested by Retired SWS Wireline' post. I have worked different schedules to get through the downturns. When the rig count is low in North America, the price of Oil and Natural Gas is low, you cannot expect any company to keep operating the same way it did as when the pricing was in the $100's. It does not make good business sense. It is very simple, it is about net profitability: either increase sales coming in or decrease costs. There are no sales coming in with the rig count and pricing downwards, so costs have to decrease. The company is a 'for profit' company and not a 'non-profit' organization. Whether one agrees with the philosophy or direction of the upper management, it makes no difference. Schlumberger as all companies exist to make a profit. Is it unfortunate people are being laid off...yes. Does it suck...yes. Could it be handled better...yes. Does the 3/1 Schedule suck, yes. But cost cutting measures are needed in depressed times to keep talent. At the end of the day, the hard decisions have to be made. What would happen if the workers would 'stirke' and cripple the company as suggested? I as a former FSM, Ops Mgr, NA Mgr, would not consider the individuals contributing to the health of organization or promoting morale. Why would one take out vengeance on the organization unless one had something personal against a manager or wanted harm against other team members?
I learned a long time ago, Schlumberger's Sheave Wheels will always turn, with or without me. Don't let this eat your alive. Put things in perspective and be ready incase they do lay you off. Be interviewing, have your resumes updated, have an exit strategy.
I had one all the way up until I retired. I retired a couple years ago. Best thing I did.
Not to pop your bubble but.......That has been the policy since I hired on in 1977. Maybe some managers were not enforcing it in the good times. I retired in 2011 with over 20 yrs on a OH truck and the rest in CH, and that was always the policy. We did not accrue paid time off for sick days and if you were sick, you damn well better be real sick. We got off 3 days for our babies being born, family emergencies, and funerals.(That changed later on with new HR maternity leave policies) If you needed more time for travel, District Managers would always try to help out. If you missed job bonus from being gone, they were always good about helping out with extra jobs if you wanted to work your days off.
US Land Field engineers in 1977 worked an 11-3(if my memory is correct) schedule, and that normally was 12-2 when you were relieved in the field. Same for operators (DOT Drivers) working a 4-2 usually was a 5-1. The days off schedule got better when times got better. And I believe that jobs were saved because of it. Maybe this is the younger folks first REAL downturn, but this has all been done before and we lucky ones survived. Hang in there, keep a good attitude and I am hoping that you all survive this downturn. Sorry for the rant, first time to reply to one of these things(Please forgive any grammatical or spelling errors). Merry Christmas
OK now you're just whining. You DO have a job no?
It's true. That was tucked into the memo telling engineers they're going to a 3/1 schedule. Doesn't look like they were planning to announce this little clarification to operators...until they tried to take a sick day.