Who's the Best?

[HeadRat]

Vote and explain please.

[diablo]

Okay here is my :2cents
Any one of these companies could be great to work for or a nightmare to work for depending on the management. I've seen the same company go
from one extreme to the other, all because of the management on the site. J.A. Jones is a prime example, I know that there are several of us who have worked with Jones and loved it, and now we have worked on another job with Jones and hate it. The only way that I could rate a company a good company is if they learn from there mistakes and listen to their workers that have experience with overseas work and supply them with the tools that they are asking for, but this is something that is not happening anymore.

[dan4th]

I agree with Diablo, the head offices of the companies are so far removed from the jobsites that they really don't know what is happening except what the management on site tells them, and we know how onesided they are. Its not neccessarily which company, but which management group per job.

[roadhard]

Adtech went bankrupt and are no longer around....

[HeadRat]

are the rumors true that they had problems in England with missappropriations of funds sending them to bankruptcy.

[roadhard]

At one time Adtech was a good outfit to work for, Ful perdiem,Good pay, But a few years ago The owner Dick Wietzel blew the England Project money on only god knows what, Couldnt pay for material or make payroll So alot of guys walked away from Adtech. Soon after they went under, Bout 6 mos ago......

[shanebo]

Diablo and Dan4th hit the nail on the head.....it totally depends on the management team on site.

Mr.4th, tell everyone at the Z I said hello. :cheers

[mexfishguide]

Depends on the local site manager, regardless of the company.

I like Jones and I also like the outfit I am with now a Turkish co, ERG
out of Ankara.

I may be prejudice as I am the Manager and the only non Turk on the site most of the time.

The JA Jones-project manager, when I was in Kazakhstan treated me as good as I have ever been treated, well the office folks in N.C. did too. :wtf

Experienced people managers will make the job or break it.

Take Care
Mexfishguide :cheers :blahslap

[alky]

Having completed six years and several projects for Perini, I feel that they are the most honest and up front people that I have had the pleasure to have worked for. They look out for their people and take extra attention to the living conditions.
Just like others tho, some jobs are baqdly managed and poorly equiped with tools and materials. Thats where older hands come in and help clean up the mess.
No one will ever get rich and retire to the Bahamas, but the satisfaction of working with othewr professional tradesmen and seeing a project come out of the dirt to the fklag waving at the completion without major problems is rewarding.
Lets fasce it guys--we are the ones that set the standards on a project, we are the professionals that the companies keep coming back to for assistance.
As far as the "contracts" go--We are adult enough to seek out the work being offered, and we are old enough to read and understand the work agreements being offered--If you have problems with the money--b enefits--per dium or whatever bring them up before you sign on tjhe dotted line. Read and understand the offer before you sign and then demand tha5t the company live up to its end.

[drifter]

Don't know much about Perini, but I agree 1000% on the other things you said, Chet. Well put: "Don't read your contract on the plane ride to the job." :cheers

[Gabriele]

I worked for one company on an embassy project and I had a great time, learning what goes on with such a project and getting in tune with the way things are.

I also worked for a contractor to the army and saw some piss poor things going on, with them "hiding" managers from the parent companies on the island and then denying accompanied status to those who held supervisor positions. Even the government folks said this, so we'll see if they are granted an extension of the contract or not.

I do agree that how the local project managers are determines whether the experience is good or not.

[Megga Watt]

Diablo hit on the head, I have worked for JA Jones on a couple power plants in the Marshall's and they were great jobs.:cheers Then I hear from other people that they wouldn't work for them ever again. :AR15 :wtf
Two things come into play personal preference and management, one can be just as big a headache as the other but I have found that management or shall I say mismanagement is and always will be the biggest problem (Zachry):banghead :moon

[TheJester]

It's to bad that this pull shows it as being true and not just something I think, that JA Jones was the best to work for. "WAS" being that bad part of story. Good company, to bad FLUOR ran them into the damn ground and screwed them all up.

Fluor gets one KIB :kib:

[#9 Klein]

I am surprised to see BLHI not make the list! I voted other. I know some guys out there were not happy with there experience with them and about the French connection etc... But these guys are major players and OBO digs em.They go after the tough projects and it's not always glamorous locations but they have their shit together when it comes to tools, parts and information sharing .There team leader is Chuck Bohne in the Dubai office and he is a strait shooter (Carpenter in the early years)I am sure I will catch some shit for backing them but we all must respect each others opinions. Take Lome for example: 3 guys in a 5 bdrm house with a private chef we payed lunch at home time to chill 24/ 7 transportation 2.5 days a month vacation with 2 weeks payed after six months( fishing on the nile landing triple digit fresh water fish for six days) two weeks after 12 months round trip home( layed up on Patong Beach Phuket Thailand diving, fishing,girls girls girls) private foot lockers with needed goods secure no questions asked,weekend parties at the pool and local talent police yourself deep sea fishing trips on Sunday were common and the Bills were bitin' For the sparkies only 3/4 - 1 -2-4 inch no half and quarter size bullshit pipe- benders and threaders all over battery everything less cords you need it if they dont have they WILL get itThey have a good future at this game and will continue to get work till this plays out.The commaradary between mngt and hands is unusuall if you want to be a part of team this is one way to go-- I left there thinking the grass was greener and found out how wrong I was.True I have not worked with Greenway before of Spectrum Elec but I have been with 5 on the list 3 who rated up there and still stick to my guns.If you want to stay employed and quit flying resumes every 8 or 10 months they deserve a look.. Ok enough said let me have it

[HeadRat]

Harbert Added and vote transfered :cheers

[Bamakobiker]

$40/hr., worked 5 -12's & a 10 on Saturdays, every Sunday off but if you wanted the Sunday, too, at the same rate, you could have it (not many takers on that), plus $258/day per diem, and stayed in a room or cottage of your own in one of the most beautiful places on the planet that you'll ever have the pleasure of getting to, (Cape Town) plus the exchange rate to the American dollar had you living like a king, not to mention the project manager took personal excellent care of you when you first got in, ensuring you had a good arrival and were set with your place to stay & your ride to work. Morrison International, hands down best gig of my life and the others that were there are reading this & saying YEAH, MAN!!, they were great to us, better than some of us, not all, were to them. Best p.m. I ever worked for, made you want to do your best when someone looks out for you that well.
Halliburton/KBR in Houston treated you like cattle for the slaughter while you processed. Things were getting better in Iraq but they had some of the worst screwups on a job I've ever seen anywhere, out of the Houston area, bone heads that deserved to be on the unemployment line but my management wouldn't let me send them as the foreman in charge (they had it coming: sleeping on the job, under the influence of alcohol, no call-no show, or just showing up stupid), talk about frustrating. And when you try to tell someone about it, they'll yank you out of your job so fast your head will spin (which is call whistleblower retalliation, just ask the Inspector Generals office that investigated them). In Kabul you had the fat man running the show that didn't care how his guys had to live, as long as he was comfortable. Doesn't work like that. Especially for what little money they were paying, in a combat zone living in a prison/man camp.
Caddell hires screamers, from project managers on down to craftsmen, people that like to yell & cuss; completely unprofessional and non-productive. Then they like to have these "working foremen", guys that must be misplaced from the Peace Corps or something because they're doing the work, half-assed as it may be, without getting paid, kind of like volunteer work. What dumb asses, that company was getting rich off of the work that all were doing and should have been paying foremen to coordinate work between the trades because some trades people don't have to answer to fellow trades workers, so they don't cooperate at all. Pay was good enough but not when you're putting up with assholes, made you hate to go to work everyday. Some of us evidently DIDN'T go to work everyday, one I know personally that just hated it bad enough after a bout of illness that he stayed in his hotel room for 6 days after being sick for 4 days. Its called stress, Hank, and you need to listen to your people when they tell you that things ain't right, instead of suspending & firing them. They had some good people working for them but some guys just needed a little R&R on a regular basis & Caddell likes to write contracts that completely leave R&R out = don't do it, everbody needs that break time and there's no such thing as "short term" on their projects. Their management pukes got their R&R for holidays and on a schedule but would come back & crack the whip like slave drivers and give you hell if you wanted just a couple hrs. off the clock, not paid. Its called a JOB, not jail.
Zachry is doing a good job, regardless of all the bad press about the Managua job that this site posted before. All I can say is that if it was screwed up before, the screwups must be gone now. I've worked at the same locations as these guys before with other contractors, have known guys that have put in quite a few yrs. with them and they must have been happy to stay all that time. Ain't the best pay in the world but being treated like a professional, liking the people you work with, & working with skilled craftsmen all of them (for the most part, you always have one or 2 on a job that leave you wondering), but a happy crew overall doing a good job goes a long ways to making you like the work. Excellent, top notch treatment during processing in San Antonio, and a cool place to visit for the 1st time.
Have to agree with the previous posts about being the local management's credit or discredit as to how each jobsite goes, but if its not going good & you can't get help out of a corporate office, it falls firmly on the company's reputation & management. The top management are the ones picking the project management.:blahslap :nono: :moon :cheers

[Gabriele]

My only construction project for the state department was with Zachry and it was a good experience for me. I had worked on Kwaj for KRS, who took over from Raetheon in 2003. I would have stayed except I could not get accompanied status even though I had two techs working for me that did. KRS started to cut back on many things, due to cutbacks in budgets due to supporting the army in Iraq and Afganistan. Costs were going up at the stores, people were bailing, people were being laid off, after some had been there for 30 or more years, wages being cut, medical plans rising and when the army told KRS to fix this, what did KRS do, they required new employees to sign two year contracts instead of one year contracts. What the hell is going on, my Lucent retirement package is being eroded away and the government doesn't seem to care (even the union CWA gave their blesing to allow Lucent to start charging for medical coverage to retired bargained for employees), how do major company's get away with this stuff. I turned down an offer to go to Quito, because the start date for me was pushed out three times and knowing the portion I would do would or could expect to be completed by September/October with no other project they would use me after that. I found a good company here, Harris Corporation, and have two firm offers for jobs here in the states.

[ol pard]

I had heard for almost 20 years that Bechtel was hands down the sorriest company to work for. That was until I went to work for them in Moscow in 1991. That was the smoothest, best run job I had ever been on. The project manager was a pipe fitter and all of the managers under him were crafts people. We all lived in the same hotel with no preferential treatment for the management. That job certainly had warts but the fact that all of the management had come up through the ranks gave it a feel that I haven't experienced since. And guess what. The wheels fell off that truck when the pipe fitter completed his contract and went home. He was replaced by a civil engineer who had spent his career in an office and had zero people skills. Go figure.

Adtech went the same route that IDC did back in the '90s. They had contracts for a series of projects spread out over a number of years. For whatever reason, things started going wrong early in the process and the money for the next project was used to pay current one. Ponzi schemes all end the same way. I was the guy left holding the bag in Prague in '98 when IDC finally bit the dust. I got a letter of thanks from the embassy for a job well done but was told by IDC that they were sorry but they didn't have any money and the couldn't pay me. I tried for several years through all the avenues I could think of but never got a cent of the close to $5000 they owed me. I was working for Adtech in Athens on the job before London and could see the handwriting on the wall. I declined their offer to go to London and possibly saved myself more grief.

The fact that IDC and Adtech screwed up their finances doesn't make them bad people. Bob Drudick ran IDC and was one of the finest human beings I've ever met or hope to meet. There are a lot of parts and pieces to these overseas puzzles and a lot of things have to go right to make a job go smoothly. We have to keep our eyes open and look out for the warning signs that a company is getting in trouble. It is also our responsibility to look forward on these jobs and try to help management anticipate problems. The success or failure of the jobs rests at least partly in our laps and is a reflection on us and our skills. Every project is a different game and as has already been said here, the difference is who's running it.

[Junior]

Hey BamakoBiker, I'm actually on R&R right now... still with Caddell. Just 'cuz Bamako wasn't the typical union job you're used to working, don't blast the company. I have nothing bad to say about my experiences with Caddell and would sign another contract tomorrow. Sucks you didn't have the sack to stick around Bamako and collect that fat bonus you had coming to you.. Sucks even more you burned two other guys by talking them into following you. Misplaced anger will get you nowhere, my friend. The exact amount of money they owed you was in the bank account on time, everytime. Maybe we'll start a new thread for you titled ":Whining 'Cuz the World Owes Me Something..."

[TheJester]

...I'll take Juniors back in ANY fight and I see what brewing. If you were in Bamako, I've heard this story about you and the two other goof balls at least 10 times.
Let me ask your "union" self something. Did you get a contract from these HORRIBLE contractors? Did you READ the damn thing and sign it? Then what is the reason for bitching. Not only that, I'm good friends with the guy that told you to just STAY HOME and NOT get paid after you decided that you would just take a day off or EMAIL that you were not coming in, or that you had left early.
Here's the deal. You just go ahead and take off whatever time you need, not paid, and WE'LL all just work harder, you DOLT.
Cry me a FREAKING river. "whhhhaaaa, they wanted us to work 60+ hours a week without over time" Huh? And what exactly were you paying in TAXES on that money? NOTHING!!! It's called a 330 and if you had ANY fucking clue of history in this business, you would see that there was once a guy name Fischer that got us this PRIVELAGE (did I get that right, Junior?) There is a trade off, you work straight time and you DON'T pay taxes, or you PAY TAXES and you get over time, which will then LOWER your hourly rate to compensate for this.
Go ahead, do it, I know you will, I know you want to, I can see you typing it already "I can make just as much if not MORE money working at home, in the states" Well, dumbass, there is a plane leaving EVERY DAY from where ever the hell it is you are at, so go fucking do it and leave it to the professionals to complete this project.
Speaking of completing projects, I just completed a Stella and need to start a new project.

[mexfishguide]

When this poll first came out, available, I voted JA Jones! People were giving jones hell, about everything, but now that they are gone, hind sight is now telling you, hmm they were not so bad afterall.

Jay Fuss is back on the road first Kuwait then the so. pacific. Fluor fires gynn after giving him several billion dollars worth of work? It took years to build JA Jones and only a short time to tear it down.

I am an ol Bechtel hand and thought for many years they were the best in the world, but I believe now jones had them beat. In the last say 4 years the gig I had in Turkey last year was the best I ever had bar none, it was a short gig but what a dandy.....:wtf

As far as Harbert do not blame the frenchie for all the bad things, I can talk to him bot Wilky the hr guy, is only interested in how long will you stay, I've spent time in his office going round and round with him. They want you to commit too say 3 years but we will gove you a 1 year contract
( at will employee ). Well Tim will you guantee me 3 years work no matter what? NOO!!! Well how can I guarantee you 3 years.

Yes I am a little bitter.

Take care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[Junior]

PRIVELAGE

So glad I got to this one before some random plumber could bust your balls...

P...R...I...V...I...L...E...G...E...

That's the second time I've had to spellcheck the hell out of myself to make sure it doesn't blow up in my face. For some reason, Microsoft Word doesn't recognize the word "spellcheck"....hmmm....

[LAID BACK SPARKY]

I don,t believe it would be fair for me to put my two cents into this poll! the bros who have been working for these contractors should make this decision.This will be my one and only gig! going back to the old "MAIL BOX CHECK" front porch waiting project, if the better half can,t find her Honey dew list

[Megga Watt]

:wtf Common dude That is just rude and uncalled for:nono: :wtf

Our pictures are better hands down :rockwoot:

If you were a subcriber then you could find out :moon

[drifter]

:wtf :banhim

[The Wild Rover]

Imagine living your life attacking other websites w/ spam...looosers. I got it.

[k2dukes]

I worked with jones on the Roi Naumr project and on the embassy in Zagreb, and I really like working for them. my :2cents

[Pops]

I worked for Jones on 3 embassy projects, I liked ALL the electrical sups, but most the office people kinda sucked or really blew. Couple of the PM's stunk and one was not so bad...had problems with my pay on 2 sites, no problems on the third, as a matter of fact they fixed my pay problems with the previous job! That was due to the electrical sup stepping in for me. I would gladly work for any of those sups from the land of Cleve! They talk funny but they seem to pretty much be all good guys. I know some of them moved over to Zachry but never worked over there for them. These guys: notably a couple of johns and a jimmy, if you are around, good day to ya!

A company is only as good as its' people.

[canes65]

My experience with a few of these companies.

J.A.Jones-Of all the companies the actual "work" was good electrical super was good and had no problems at the jobsite,on the other hand they did a piss-poor job of taking care of their workers i.e.-living conditions,how can you house personnel in a Russian run hotel that are working on an NEC,I guess at $15/night anything is possible

Adtech-At one point this was the company to work for good rate of pay and "full" perdiem,summer of 2003 someone decided that full perdiem was "too much" i resigned a month later. As for Adtech it was all downhill from there.

IDC-Good company back in the day,but you can't wait for a materials shipment for 16 weeks while keeping people(20) on a jobsite,paying them salary and perdiem while they have nothing to do,after this it was just a matter of time,hell i went 5 weeks without pay or perdiem in Hanoi.

Morrison Knudsen/Washington Group-Another good company,but after a re-organization and name change,they just seemed to step back from Embassy work,maybe it was the 15 months they went over on a certain Africa job.

Zachary Parsons-Moscow "nuff said"


Perini-Did a lot of sub work for them,they don't have the greatest engineers to say the least,their pay is adequate,but they do take care of their peoplei.e.-housing and incidentals,hell they had a damn mansion in Africa.


Brown&Root-did a couple of jobs for them,had to cut my own deal pay-wise,good benefits company and average pay,They will always have work IMO but one could find better.


Morrison-Another good paying company,classic case of supervisory mis-management,Mt.Weather and the now notorious Albania come to mind.


I have left out a few companies because i don't want to hurt their feelings since they post here,bottom line is that-If you can go on a job and go to work, come home have a couple of beers with a female friend and not think about using the back-end of your plane tickect,then you are probably working for a decent company especially if you don't have any pay problems.

[dsnider]

Rat Pack - Why don't you post the websites of the these companies? I never knew there was this many "clearance" contractors. I tried to google them but some didn't come up. :cheers

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

[HeadRat]

Rat Pack - Why don't you post the websites of the these companies? Go to the Company Contacts, and there is even more listed along with the contacts.

[paganviking]

the worst job with the worst company beats no job with no company

[Pops]

Nope, you can concentrate on finding another job easier if you are not up to your ears in pigshit, or whatever.

[Drewskie]

all i have to say is that the ten of yall who voted for cadell or zachry :wtf yall must be upper management people because my experience in beijing was a prime example of piss poor planning on their part. that job was so messed up wow to many supers and gfs had their head up there ass way to dam long!

[Boomer]

I am surprised to see BLHI not make the list! I voted other. I know some guys out there were not happy with there experience with them and about the French connection etc... But these guys are major players and OBO digs em.They go after the tough projects and it's not always glamorous locations but they have their shit together when it comes to tools, parts and information sharing .There team leader is Chuck Bohne in the Dubai office and he is a strait shooter (Carpenter in the early years)I am sure I will catch some shit for backing them but we all must respect each others opinions. Take Lome for example: 3 guys in a 5 bdrm house with a private chef we payed lunch at home time to chill 24/ 7 transportation 2.5 days a month vacation with 2 weeks payed after six months( fishing on the nile landing triple digit fresh water fish for six days) two weeks after 12 months round trip home( layed up on Patong Beach Phuket Thailand diving, fishing,girls girls girls) private foot lockers with needed goods secure no questions asked,weekend parties at the pool and local talent police yourself deep sea fishing trips on Sunday were common and the Bills were bitin' For the sparkies only 3/4 - 1 -2-4 inch no half and quarter size bullshit pipe- benders and threaders all over battery everything less cords you need it if they dont have they WILL get itThey have a good future at this game and will continue to get work till this plays out.The commaradary between mngt and hands is unusuall if you want to be a part of team this is one way to go-- I left there thinking the grass was greener and found out how wrong I was.True I have not worked with Greenway before of Spectrum Elec but I have been with 5 on the list 3 who rated up there and still stick to my guns.If you want to stay employed and quit flying resumes every 8 or 10 months they deserve a look.. Ok enough said let me have it

BH was excellent the 5 years 3 countrys I worked for them Chuck B
was just a Carpenter foreman then But a Good Guy I would Guess he
Is a Good V.P.

I know several at that Company and You will be treated FAIR

If you work they will PAY I always had pleanty of money to spend

not counting wages And once Alf Hill even paid for a trip for Wife

and it was Not in contract Then he picked up the tab for a trip wife

and I took Not in contract.

So to Finish I say if you do a GOOD Job for them Harbert will take care of you.

C BONE if your on here PM me.


Sorry cant find Spell check

[wolffmann_007]

Harbert because they have all the Embassies. If you want to work work for them. But as I say dont work for less than you are worth:cheers

[Sasquatch]

some of these companies have bellied up. I don't think any of them are too good.