.....they have good benefits too! I'm hearing once they get the training and some experience, they move on to folks like OTIS elevator or other private industry conveyance companies. This is a heavily unionized sub industry.
WMATA's elevator/escalator techs are under local 689, not the IUEC's local 10. The only techs that have left for private industry are those local 10 people that came to Metro than returned back to IUEC locals.
Got it, thanks for the correction.
Not sure where you are getting your information from. Mandatory overtime? Nope. Transferred to other job classification? Only when involved with promotion, ie, inspector, engineering, quality assurance. Understaffed, yup. Much like almost all other skilled trades. Dealing with an aging population, technicians are retiring (with a great pension plan). Entrance requirements are high, as should be for the required responsibility and the pay that can be earned.
Yeah, I imagine the mandatory OT was back when ELES was playing catch some years ago. Now everything is either outsourced or close to a state of good repair, that's probably died down tremendously. Even though I do know a few ELES guys that enjoyed the nighttime differential just for watching escalator contractors doing repairs....
Once again, where do you get this information? Make it up as you go along? Only "outsourced" work is either replacement or modernization of existing equipment, much like any other transportation company. Those people you say are standing around watching the contractors, those people are called inspectors. Required to ensure the work is done correctly and adhere to contract requirements. All maintenance, troubleshooting, service and repair is performed by in house technicians. The bulk of those technicians are graduates of the in house Apprenticeship. The great program I attempted to share with people that may be interested or have friends/relatives interested in a rewarding career. So much for story time.
MOST maintenance and service is performed in house, yes. However, take a gander at many of the contracts requirements you mention. You might catch thr part where many of the "newer" elevators and escalators have been turned over that ELES but ELES doesn't/can't perform the maintenance or you'll void your warranties. And once upon a time when ELES didn't have enough of their own inspectors, Superintendents would send trusted senior technicians to observe the work. Therefore, from a technicians perspective that work was pretty much standing and observing the work and/or opening up the pit or closets since contractors didn't often have free access to those areas. I pretty good first hand knowledge of how most of WMATA operates, only stories coming from here are the ones the reader implies incorrectly.....
As difficult it was to read, I will say that you are broadcasting very inaccurate information. I am not going to waste time arguing with an ill informed person. Like I said earlier, my post was to inform and encourage those interested in a good technical trade where you can build a future. Best of luck to those that apply. WMATA is a good company to work for.
I heard it has its ups and downs, though.
