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Home My WebLink About2000-02-02 Agenda Packet - Board (8) TDPUD STAFF REPORT January 28, 2000 To: Board of Directors From: Bob Quinn, Electric Superintendent Subject: lineman Vacancies AGENDA # 6 This department is currently operating short handed, as we have been unable to fill a vacancy for journeyman lineman. This shortage of manpower is the result of two District employees leaving us for utilities elsewhere and compounded by a long-term employee being off due to a serious illness. We have advertised for replacements in major cities throughout the western United States, in trade magazines, and on the Internet at various sites. We have done this several times and to date, we have been unable to fill the vacant positions. This past month we had seventeen applications for the position. Seventeen individuals were invited to test and interview for two positions. Three persons arrived for the testing. Of the three candidates, two were offered positions and both individuals declined the offer. Previous to this most recent recruiting attempt, the same scenario occurred. Positions were offered and declined. Why are individuals applying and then refusing job offers? During the oral interview, which follows the written and practical tests, candidates have the opportunity to ask questions of us concerning their employment at the District. Questions regarding retirement benefits, salary, moving expenses, hiring bonuses, etc. continually arise. After this last hiring process both individuals stated they could not afford to live here with what the District was offering. Our number one candidate's wife is a retirement specialist for a major financial firm and had concems in that area. Previously, candidates declined for the same reasons as well as other utilities offered moving expenses plus hiring bonuses. Housing costs here are escalating beyond reason for the working person. Example: a new 2400 sq. ft. home in Sparks, Nevada is in the neighborhood of$170,000. Here we would pay near$350,000. Finding an individual(s) is hard enough but with the number of crews we have, finding an individual that will "fit in"complicates matters that much more. We do not have the luxury other utilities have in transferring problems to other crews in an attempt to match personalities. Hence, we make every attempt to offer positions to those individuals we feel would be viable members of the TDPUD family. What is the answer? Salary adjustments reflecting the high cost of living in the area? Hiring bonuses? Moving expenses? l would like the Board's input on possible solutions. Perhaps we keep searching for qualified journeymen with what we currently have to offer. Perhaps we establish an apprentice program. Perhaps we do both or, perhaps there are other solutions available to which l am unaware. I look forward to your suggestions and direction. Advertised in the following cities: • Anchorage, Alaska • Seattle, Washington • Portland, Oregon • San Francisco • Sacramento • Reno • Los Angeles Advertised on the Internet at Lineman.com Advertised in the NWPPA and APPA bulletin Area does not speak for itself any longer. We are fast becoming(along with neighboring Lake Tahoe communities) the"Aspen" of the Sierra's. The high cost of housing $70 - $80 sq.ft vs $150- $160 sq ft. Gasoline $1.35 gal vs $1.70 gal. Services Aspen utilities provide housing for on-call personnel Cannot compete for personnel with utilities who: • Pay moving expenses • Pay signing bonuses of up to $10,000 • Have higher hourly pay (cannot compare to SPPCo any longer due to the lower cost of living in SPPCo's service territory. SPPCo's North and South shore areas have the same problem we have in getting qualified personnel. We should compare with entities like Santa Clara, etc.) • Offer area pay for high cost of living areas (hourly wage+ monthly amount) • Offer better retirement plans, ie: 55 yrs of age vs 65, 5-10 yr vestment vs 20 yrs • Offer short term disability plans • Offer 401k plans, stock options a We are short 2 individuals at the present time. It has been brought to my attention another lineman will, in all likelihood, be leaving in the near fixture for points north. Another may very well be leaving for a neighboring utility to the west. This department cannot fully meet the needs of our customers with 50% of its field force. Possible solutions: • Continue the recruitment process in hopes an applicant will accept our offer • Continue the recruitment process relaxing our standards for qualified personnel • Attempt to get individuals out of the union hiring hall on temporary basis (we currently have a temp however we went through 70+linemen to get 1 individual) • Adjust our wage/benefit package to induce highly qualified individuals to apply and accept employment at the District • Continue the recruitment process and at the same time initiate an apprentice program • Contract all work out and utilize existing staff for service crew work only. (This has proven to be ineffective at other utilities with a decrease in customer service, customer satisfaction, and more expensive to the District)