As we continually strive to be the “contractor of choice” we understand that it is the contributions you make to our company day-in and day-out that will get us there. To reach our goal we need your engagement and feedback. The Loop is an employee feedback program that makes it convenient for you to share suggestions, ask questions, or confidentially report an issue. Depending on what type of information you have to share, call or click on the appropriate link below.
Confidential Matters
|
Questions or Suggestions
|
Check back here for answers to questions and responses to suggestions that we feel would be beneficial to post for all employees to see.
Question submitted 4/26/12
I'm a fairly new employee with miler and was just wondering how much longer before the company store reopens, i noticed it said april but april is almost over and i dont want to keep wearing another company logo on the job, i would like to get some miller clothes.
Answer:
Our vendor has promised to have the store site up and running on April 30. We will test it and provided everything is working properly we will make the link available shortly after. So sorry for the delay, we just wanted to make sure everything will be perfect.
Question submitted 1/21/12
Why are the bonus checks becoming a problem to get? I liked it when we got them at the end of the year better. We knew when we was getting them and there wasnt an issue.Now we haven't gotten decembers as of yet 1-21-12 ???
Answer:
In 2011 the safety bonus structure was reformatted to make it more effective. The distribution frequency was increased from once a year to four times annually. With this change, the overall bonus amount for the year was increased as well (greater than 40% in some areas). We cannot calculate bonuses until the quarter is over, therefore each quarterly payout will be delivered at the end of the following month (The final payout will occur after the results for the year are complete). Please find the payout schedule below:
Quarter 1= April
Quarter 2= July
Quarter 3= October
Quarter 4= January
Question submitted 1/1/12
Over the duration of a few years your hard hat starts to become worn and so does the Miller Pipeline logo. I happen to take care of my hard hat and take pride in wearing it, with my union stickers and so on. My question is this: Can Miller have stickers produced that will emulate the logo on our hard hats, so that when our logos become worn and scratched, when can cover it up with a fresh-looking logo. To take pride in your work, you must also be able to take pride in your company.
I also have another item for discussion. This is an idea directed towards the equipment dept. There always seems to be a problem with the light pigtails on our trailers, in that most of the time employees unhook a trailer and just drop the pigtail on the ground, which causes problems. Especially now that it is winter time. And that reason it not always that culprit, sometimes it is because an employee has just wrapped it around the tongue or left it hanging while they are dragging it around the job, say on a renewal. I understand that this is not what employees should be doing, but let's face it, we know that this happens all the time. So, my idea is to have a female 6-pin dummy plug installed on the tongue somewhere so that when you unhook your trailer you can unplug your lights and plug them directly into that dummy plug. Effectively eliminating the risk of that plug getting drug on the ground, laying in the dirt, icing inside the pins, and getting damaged. And the same concept goes for glad-hands on our drill rigs. Just weld on a set of dummy hands and you will have a safe place to fasten and store your airlines. I understand that this seems like a lot of time and money to do this to every trailer in our fleet. But I would be more than happy to further this idea into some plans and drawings, and if approved, perform these changes to a few of the trailers in my area. And then see if it works well and obtain some feedback from employees, then go from there. Just an idea, "To be the best, we must be one step ahead of the rest" Looking forward to hearing a response.
Answer:
Great ideas! Yes, we can have logo stickers for hard hats made. Production time for stickers is roughly two weeks, so look to see something posted on the hub about available stickers by the end of February.
The suggestion for the trailer plug holder makes a lot of sense too. We will review this idea and maybe add to our trailer inspection checklist in the future. Thank you so much!
Question submitted 11/13/11
What HAPPEND TO THE COMPANY STORE. I don't see stuff like Carhartt jackets or any nice long-sleeved shirts that you can choose color. What happened to the SAFETY shirts! It's cold now.
Answer:
Carhartt options will be up by the end of the week. Please note that Carhartt items take longer to process so your order will take longer than the typical 2 week time frame (2-4 weeks). As for long-sleeved shirts, we do have several options in the store currently including long-sleeved button-up shirts, t-shirts, denim shirts, fleece pullovers, sweatshirts and windshirts. If there is another type of long-sleeve shirt you have in mind specifically, let us know and we will add it to the store.
Question submitted 10/29/11
When do we think we might see winter shirts on the company store?
ANSWER:
Currently the store offers sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts and a variety of outerwear for the winter season. If you have something specific you would like to see added, just let us know and we will add it to the store.
Question submitted 6/27/2011:
WHY is there no safety Shirts on the new company store? also i thought Miller was going to come up with new ideas to put on the Safety Shirts.
Answer:
Glad you asked! Actually, the green safety shirts we had in the old company store will be available online by the end of the week for $4.00. The new shirts are in the process of being designed and will hopefully be available within the next month. We incorporated a little bit from each slogan submitted, so thank you to everyone who participated!
Question submitted 6/24/2011
Why do people bring their children into the work place for more than a visit. It's annoying, distracting, un-professional and it can't be productive for the parent. Children should be at home or in school, not in the work place. What is Miller's policy on this?
Answer:
At Miller Pipeline we try to support our employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance the best we can. We respect that sometimes it may be necessary to bring a child to work, and welcome employees to do so. If a situation gets out of hand it will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
Any idea when the company store will be back up and running?
Question submitted 5/16/11
Answer:
Soon! We have partnered with a new vendor to offer a bigger and better selection. The new site should be up by next monday.
Submitted 5/5/11
I would like to share this quote that makes good leaders.
"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." John F. Kennedy
-James B. Belvin Jr. VA Beach,Virginia
Question submitted 4/27/11
In the last safety newsletter, a breakdown of the new safety incentive was given. This seems like a great idea. I was, however, curious about other employees in the Miller family. Say for instance, mechanics or office personnel. Will their incentives be handled in the same manner, or will they continue to receive a check close to Christmas?
Answer:
It has not yet been decided if individuals who receive a discretionary bonus not tied to company performance (i.e. some office personnel) will continue to receive their bonus at Christmas or if it will be distributed with the rest of the bonus checks in the new year. A decision will be made in the next couple of months and we will make sure to communicate it as soon as we have the information.
Suggestion submitted 4/27/11
I think this product from EMP would be a great cost savings for Miller Pipeline. I have pasted the product description below:
Oil Mate™ is an advanced oil management system for diesel engines that significantly extends oil change intervals and filter life in order to decrease downtime and lengthen an engine's life span. It is an automatic oil exchange system for any diesel engine - it changes oil while the engine is running! The Oil Mate™ system removes a small amount of used engine oil and blends it with diesel fuel to be burned during combustion. The used oil is then replaced with an equal amount of fresh oil from a make-up tank, extending oil and filter use. Oil Mate™ outperforms every competitor on the market and operates within emissions guidelines.
Features & Benefits:
- 525,000 miles / 4,000 hours between oil changes
- 100,000 miles / 1,000 hours between filter changes
- Easy installation
- Enhanced engine protection
- Converts used oil into productive energy
- Minimizes waste handling and disposal costs
Response:
Thank you for thinking of us and taking the time to recommend this product. Currently we sell our used oil to others who refine it and that has been working well for us. We are however, always looking for ways to improve and will do some investigation to compare the benefits of this product to the benefits our current process. Thanks!
Suggestion submitted 4/22/11
The T-Shirts we have for Saftey are nice, but i think we should make some more. I have some ideas like, " Choosing Saftey is Choosing LIFE" or "Saftey is what we LIVE 4" and "Saftey is our#1 GOAL" Also i think our empoylees would be more Safe if we give them something to strive for, like a Safety Award to hang on there wall. I know you are surpose to do your job and be safe,but if you give someone a goal to shoot for,then they will give you more than a 100 percent."Take PRIDE in your JOB"
Thank You, James B. Belvin Jr. Foreman.
Response:
Thanks James. Your suggestion combined with the one below promopted us to design a custom safety t-shirt. Please see the response to the question below. We will make sure to take your slogan suggestions into account!
Question submitted 4/14/11
I think we should make some new t-shirts that say "safety is to live." Just an idea
Answer:
Great idea! In fact, it inspired us to design a custom safety t-shirt. Over the next couple of weeks we will be collecting safety slogan suggestions from employees to be printed on the back of a t-shirt. We will then select a handfull of quotes and develop a design. The design will be shared with employees who will then be given the option to place an order. If you have a suggestion, please enter it below.
Question submitted 4/14/11
I think we should put mirrors on the back of the van trucks so you can see what is behind you. I know someone should be standing there watching you back up, but in some cases you don't have that option. The mirrors I'm talking about are like the one's that are on the UPS trucks
Answer:
Thank you for taking the time to submit your suggestion. We have actually received this suggestion before, but after careful evaluation decided not to put it into effect. The length of the van (especially when pulling an air compressor) combined with the convex shape of the mirror does not result in much of an improved view. Additionally, in our line of business it is very likely that the mirrors would get snagged on tree limbs. In a nutshell, the benefit that would be received from this type of mirror installation would not outweigh the time and resources it would take to make it happen.
Safe backing-up is important at Miller and for this reason we have a backing-up policy in place: (1) Do not park where you have to back-in (2) If backing-in cannot be avoided use a spotter (3) If you must back-in and no spotter is available get out of the vehicle and walk around back to inspect the space before backing in. We feel following this protocol is the best strategy to avoid backing accidents.
Question submitted 4/1/11
There have been some issues lately with the placement of chains, binders, etc. We are not allowed to keep them in our cab, and sometimes the tongue of a trailer is not covered. Are there plans to put side-mounted toolboxes on the dump trucks that can be locked and keep them protected. I regularly spray my binders and it is a real pain for them immediately rust after a single rain.
Answer:
Our focus has been to have chain storage on our trailers. We have installed lids or purchased many trailers with stroage in the past two years. At this time we do not have plans to install under bed tool boxes on the dump trucks, but if you have a specific need please call fleet manager Lenny Green at 317-695-4331.
Question submitted 3/23/11
I know that we do not allow weapons in miller trucks, what if we could team up with gun education business and go through a safety course for people to have them with us. Our crews work in some bad areas all around this country and i think they need some sort of way to protect themselves.
Answer:
The safety of our employees is a priority at Miller Pipeline. Many of the contracts we have with our customers specifically prohibit firearms on the right of way. If you are in a dangerous area where you feel unsafe, please notify supervision and security can be provided.
Question submitted 12/27/10
What is the basis for allowing an employee to stay at a hotel for work purposes? Is there a mileage perameter that dictates whether one employee stays and one drives to and from home?
Answer:
Ensuring safety of our employees is a top priority at Miller Pipeline. Traveling extreme distances is not only taxing on the driver, but increases chances of a vehicle accident. For safety sake, we prefer to spend money on a hotel room rather than have an employee drive an extreme distance. We don’t have a specific mileage requirement; that decision is made by the regional Manager or Vice President.
Question submitted 12/27/10
Im thinking about Relocating too and around The Green Bay Wisconsin area,does Miller have a shop or do any work around there where I can Transfer or Work around the area?
Answer:
Currently Miller does not have a facility located in Green Bay Wisconsin nor are we performing any work in that area. However, our geographic footprint does cover most of the eastern half of the United States. You are encouraged to periodically check the Miller Hub for updated job posting and new facilities.
Quetions submitted 12/10
There has been some recent inquiry about what is and what isn’t an OSHA recordable because it is tied to year-end compensation. Here is a brief explanation of what a recordable is:
Defining “Recordable”
A “recordable injury” is a work-related injury that involves any of the following:
- Medical treatment beyond first aid is prescribed by a physician (see list below).
- Work restrictions are prescribed by a physician.
- The employee loses consciousness for any amount of time.
- The injury is considered to be “significant”, such as a fractured/broken bone, punctured eardrum, or chronic irreversible disease.
- Hearing loss of 10 decibels or more is diagnosed in one or both ears.
- Exceptions to the Rule
If any of the following circumstances apply, the injury may not be recordable:
There is enough substantial evidence to suggest fraud.
It occurred at home and was not aggravated at work.
It occurred while commuting to or from work.
It occurred while performing a personal task (e.g. lunch, running errand, etc).
The injury was caused by a non-occupational illness (e.g. diabetic blackout, seizure, etc).
Restrictions only affect job duties that are performed less than weekly.
The day of the injury is the only lost time prescribed.
The injury is an aggravation of a previous MPC injury that never healed.
Question submitted 10/21/10
With the gas company that we work for, and like most I'm sure, they require us to put cones and wheel chocks out everytime we leave our vehicles. This is great for the tool vans and pick-ups, but what about the dump trucks? According to the d.o.t I dont think they would like us carrying cones and wheel chocks in the cab in case of an accident. I dont think that putting them in the bed is a good idea either since there is no safe way to get up in. What about a small tool box like the f450 dump beds have and also this could hold chains and boomers which in most cases like in our area any one dump truck could hook up to any tag-along without fear of not having the correct number of chains and boomers. then possibly put a rod underneath the bed to slide your cones on with a locking device to secure them
Answer:
Great suggestion! Next week we are pulling a committee together to discuss your idea. After the meeting an updated response will be posted, so make sure to check back soon.
UPDATED POST: We are interested in talking with you about your idea further. Please call Casey Clark at 317-295-6406.
Question submitted 10/20/10
Is it possible to get "Miller" Jackets through the company store? If not, can we buy a jacket and send it in for embroidery?
Answer:
Yes and yes. Carhart jackets are available thought the company store now. In the next couple of days additional outerwear optins will be added. If you purchase a new jacket on your own and would like it embroidered with our logo, call Janet at 317-784-3777 ext 333. For $5.00 plus the cost of shipping she can process your request.
Question submitted 8/1/10
What is the stance on payment for missing work due to jury duty?
Answer:
Miller Pipeline understands that employees have a civic responsibility to participate in our judicial system. In recognition of this obligation, Miller Pipeline will approve unpaid time off for employees who are summoned for jury service. Unpaid time off is defined as time off without pay of wages unless otherwise required to do so due to a collective bargaining agreement.
To be approved for time off for jury service, employees are required to provide written verification from the respective court that substantiates the reason for the absence. Because this is considered an upaid absence, employees may substitute any accrued paid time off that is available to them (i.e. vacation- if applicable).
If you have any questions regarding the policy, please feel free to contact our HR Director,Mark Bender at ext 160.
Question submitted 6/20/10
What are the rules and who is eligible for per diem? Are truck drivers under different rules ? I made a trip from greenville sc to birmingham ala picked up truck and drove to Indy then next morning then back to birmingham. When I asked about per diem I was told I was not eligible for it because I have a open cc. There seems to be different rules but none are printed that I know of. I can live with company policies, I don't mind doing my share but I don't like being on the short end either
Answer:
The management of each area takes into account a number of factors such as whether or not people are using company vehicles to travel, labor agreements, availability of work, structure of the contract, and travel distance when making the determination. In most all cases, Miller provides hotel reimbursement if travel away is required.
Question submitted 5/27/10
My crew was nominated for a Performance excellance award in the first quarter. When will we receive the certificate and the copy of the letter regarding the nomination?
Answer:
All Performance Excellence nominees should receive their award packet within 2 weeks of the nomination being submitted. If you have not received yours, please call Kim Lyon at 293-0278 ext 166.
Question submitted 2/23/10
I noticed at the company store that there are no shirts in TALL sizes. Can this be added for any of the shirts?
Answer:
Yes! We noticed that too. Actually, there are many items going into the company store for spring which offer tall sizing options. Be on the lookout for new polos, denim shirts, button ups and t-shirts all offering the extended sizes coming soon. Thank you for your suggestion!
Question submitted 1/20/10
I was wondering when Miller plans on mailing W2's out to the employees?
Answer:
W2's will go out next week. They will be post marked no later than January 29.
Question submitted 12/09
I was just wondering just were can we go as an employee?? Is there anything out in the west? Say for instance Arizona?
Answer:
Our operations basically cover the eastern half of the United States with Texas and Oklahoma being the most Western part of our region. If you are interested in transferring, let your supervisor know or contact our HR Director Mark Bender at 317-293-0278 ext 160.
Question submitted 12/09
In one of the links is an article about training.... I was wondering just were do we go for that? Some of the training consists of nothing but do it this way or you don’t have a job, because you don’t get it the first time. If you are so dedicated on this, then actually there will be some sort of this going on. Training should be were it is right? This is my question.
Answer:
It is difficult to answer the first part of your question without knowing which link you are referencing specifically. We can however, address Miller’s position on training. At Miller Pipeline recruiting and retaining an abundant, top-quality workforce is an essential piece of our company strategy; and providing training is an important part of reaching that goal.
Miller Pipeline ensures that our employees are well-educated and prepared to perform the technical functions of their jobs by providing multiple Operator Qualification (OQ) modules, and various safety-related courses (i.e. Excavation Competent Person, Confined Space Entry, Smith Driver Training, Directional Drilling Safety, Fire Extinguisher Operation, Asbestos Awareness, Scaffolding Competent Person, etc). In addition to these formal training programs, we also meet quarterly to discuss various operational issues and publish information monthly for all employees to review, all in an effort to keep our workforce educated. Because of the industry we are in, performing job tasks in a particular fashion is very important for your safety and the safety of others. This is why Miller Pipeline puts such an emphasis on training.
In addition, work is underway to get orientation material and other training programs online. In the near future, we will have training options available online which will allow employees to complete them at their convenience, and at their own pace. Hands-on training and evaluation takes place in designated training rooms across the country. In areas that do not yet have a designated area, it is likely that in the future we will explore building training rooms at those locations as well.
If there are other training topics you think would be beneficial for us to offer, please let us know.
Question submitted 12/09
I would like to voice a concern. I know for sure a lot of tool vans in Ohio are over weight. Why do those vans have to carry everything? Those tool vans have been turned into oversized warehouses. And that should be a safety concern in itself.
Answer:
You are not the first person to voice this concern. However, while our tool vans are heavy vehicles, they have been designed to safely carry the weight as long as extra tools/materials are not accumulated. Our vans are plated to carry 16,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight and all of them have been fitted with extra load capacity springs in the front and rear. Many of our crews do multiple types of work, increasing the need for a larger variety of tools, but they should not exceed this amount if they do not allow extra fittings, parts, tools, buckets, chains, etc to build up over time. This is one reason why we push housekeeping in our vans so heavily. Please do your part by constantly cleaning and removing any non-used and extra items from our vans to ensure more efficient, clean and safe vehicles to work out of.
New legislation passed in 2010 holds both Miller Pipeline and our employees personally accountable for driver and vehicle violations. If you have a vehicle (as above) that is plated for 16,000 pounds and your vehicle weight ever exceeds 16,000 pounds, it is DOT violation. If this is the case you should report the problem and not drive the vehicle. Miller Pipeline Corporation believes that it is very important to place safe drivers, vehicles, and equipment on our nation’s highways. Let’s work together and make eliminating driver and vehicle violations a priority in 2010.
Question submitted 11/25/09
I have a question for all of the laborers out there who show outstanding work ethic and dedication to Miller Pipeline. How can we strive to move forward in the "Miller" family? Plus some of us can do anything that is asked of us and sometimes more! I am not speaking for myself alone, but for a select few who are more than willing and ready to move up and excel in our career at Miller Pipeline. Thanks any feedback will be helpful.
Answer:
Excellent submission! Miller Pipeline takes great pride in promoting from within whenever possible. In fact, many of Miller's current executives started out in the field as laborers. Employees who are interested in furthering their careers with Miller Pipeline are encouraged to take the following steps:
Continue to demonstrate outstanding work ethic and dedication
Communicate the desire to further their career with Miller with their superintendent or manager
Take advantage of the tuition reimbursement program if possible to sharpen their skills
Anyone who is interested in advancing their career with Miller Pipeline and would like to discuss the action steps to take should talk with their superintendent/manager or call Mark Bender, HR Director at (317) 293-0217 ext. 160.
Question submitted 11/20/09
Instead of using safety tickets for gift certificates to win, is it possible to gain credit for the Miller Pipeline online store with the tickets instead?
Answer:
Great suggestion! The safety team discussed the idea at their last meeting and everyone liked it a lot. Currently the specifics of how the program could be administered are being explored. It would take a considerable amount of effort to get it up and running, but it is being seriously considered.
Question submitted 11/13/09
I was wondering what dollar amount a Forman can spend on needed tools and safety equipment before needing supervisor approve? We are given a hard time when we need something, we are asked “Do know how much that costs, or that’s expensive, those comments are discouraging to company morale. Is there a policy on this issue?
Answer:
We certainly want to make sure all our crews are outfitted with the proper tools and any needed safety supplies. We don’t have a standard policy regarding spending limits on those particular items, as the cost of needed tools and supplies can vary significantly, based on the size of the project, number of the people on the crew and the location of the work. We expect the supervisors to approve all purchases made by the foremen via credit cards. The present economic conditions may be causing supervisors to watch expenses closely, as our customers are certainly doing the same thing. If you feel your supervisor is unreasonable in approving needed tools, feel free to contact the next higher level of management or on safety supplies, please contact Kevin Beswick directly.
Question submitted 10/30/09
People are smoking in the offices and they are not supposed to. The smoking policy on the website is outdated.
Answer:
We appreciate this issue being brought to our attention. It is the intention of Miller Pipeline to provide a healthy office work environment for all employees. For this reason, smoking is prohibited in all of our facilities and restricted to designated areas only. The human resources department periodically reviews and updates policies and procedures to assure their relevance in the daily operations at Miller Pipeline. We will review and update the smoking policy.
Question submitted 10/22/09
Is it possible to receive safety stats & accident info as it happens on my home computer? Being able to read these & print them out to keep in a file may trigger a flashback or trigger a reminder to double check something or someone before somebody outside of the company finds it (i.e. roadside inspection). I don’t have access to a company computer or have a phone that receives email.
Answer:
Great question! When accidents occur, our risk manager, Mark Benson, sends out an email with the information and he also records it into a spreadsheet. Until we received your request, the spreadsheet was updated once a month and uploaded to the web. After receiving your request we have decided to update preventables and OSHA recordables on a daily basis. You can view the accident info at anytime by logging in to the Miller Hub. Just go to "safety", "incident information" and click "2009 preventables and OSHA recordables" to pull up the spreadsheet.
As for safety stats, they are calculated on a monthly basis and published in the safety newsletter as well as in the company newsletter, In the Trenches. Both newsletters can be accessed online at any time.
Question submitted 10/20/09
I am wondering how crews are decided to go to different cities and towns to work. For awhile there was going to be a job in Bedford, IN BSCI replacement until there found out it was coated steel- but the crew that got assigned to this job was from Franklin even though there are many crews from Bedford and around that area. Also there is a job in Bloomington and a crew from out of town working there also and many of the crews from Bedford would be twenty minutes away. So my main question is why can’t we keep crews close to home if it is possible?
Answer:
Our preference is to have employees work closer to home. Working close to home creates a better working environment for all employees, requires less fuel, reduces wear and tear on the trucks, lessens the probability of vehicle accidents, etc. However given our line of work, there are a variety of reasons that a close-to-home work arrangement isn’t always possible.
Short-term projects
When short-term projects pop-up, it is too hard to rearrange crews to do a one-time job. As a rule if the projected work is long-term, we try to move crews around.
Gas company requests
For example, Foreman “A” worked an hour from his house for several years and the customer loves his performance and will not allow us to move him out of their town. The opposite can be true as well. In certain cases a customer can request that we do not send certain crews to their area.
Crew ability
For example, leak crew foreman lives in town “A”, but works in town “B”. A big steel job comes along in town “A”, but we can’t put foreman “A” there because of experience. The same could be true for a laborer on the crew. We might need all really experienced employees on a specific crew, but have less experienced employees living in the town where the work is.
If you find yourself in a difficult out-of town arrangement, we encourage you to talk to your supervisor about it. He will make an effort to accommodate your needs to the best of his ability depending upon what options are available.
Question submitted 10/1/09
Has there been any thought to changing the year-end bonus structure? It seems to be structured toward foreman & supervision. Why are mechanics & fab workers not classified the same as foreman? WE work to maintain equipment & vehicles just as hard as the foreman work to maintain their crews & job integrity. Sometimes it seems we have more standards than crews & foreman- DOT insp. equipment standards, responsibility for new crew start ups moving equipment for crews in town, out of town, yard & building maintenance.
Answer:
Thank you for your thoughts and questions regarding our compensation structure and incentive plans. We have always tried to share our success with our employees. In 1995, we created an annual incentive plan (AIP) to provide motivation and reinforcement for business performance, individual contributions, values, attitudes and behaviors that are needed to sustain growth and provide best in class performance. Over the years, we believe that this program has helped us accomplish these goals.
We are glad to see your interest in improving your responsibilities and compensation with Miller. We encourage you to make your supervisor understand your desire to increase your responsibilities and pursue a managerial role with our company.
The success of our company cannot be achieved without all of the employees at Miller. At years' end, we have continued to provide some discretionary compensation to our employees based upon individual performance. We feel that it is important to recognize all of our employee through these programs and hope that 2009 will be no different. We are glad that we can continue this practice in a time where most companies have eliminated all of their bonus programs and discretionary compensation.
Question submitted 10/1/09
How is it decided which crews who work out of town from their home base get per diem & who doesn’t?
Answer:
The management of each area takes into account a number of factors such as whether or not people are using company vehicles to travel, labor agreements, availability of work, structure of the contract, and travel distance when making the determination. In most all cases, Miller provides hotel reimbursement if travel away is required. The executive team is currently reviewing how per diem is applied and any modifications made during the review will be implemented in 2010.
Question submitted 8/26/09
We offer "safety green" tee shirts on our website, what about "class 2" safety tee shirts? Also, winter will be here soon, has there been any consideration of offering "class 2" jackets/coats as well?
Answer:
After researching the ‘class 2’ safety garment options available we discovered that most all of them are made of 100% polyester. In the event of a fire polyester will melt to the skin. Due to the fact that we work around live gas, we cannot safely sell safety attire made of this product. We looked into having custom ‘class 2’ safety gear sprayed with a flame retardant so we could offer it in the store, but the cost quickly escalated to an unreasonable amount. We will keep your suggestion in mind and if an acceptable product should become available at a reasonable price we will make sure to add it to the store.
Question submitted 6/25/09
Can the On the Spot awards be used for subcontractors working for Miller Pipeline?
Answer:
At this time, the Performance Excellence Program is for recognizing the outstanding achievements of Miller Pipeline employees only. However, we encourage you to send your compliments to a representative in their company, so that they may be recognized should they have a similar type program. As always we thank you for your interest in wanting to bring attention to those who go above and beyond.
Question submitted 5/13/09
Can you add rain gear to the company store?
Answer:
Excellent idea! We have contacted the vendor that supplies the merchandise for our store and asked them to find a raincoat. Once they provide us with a sample and we agree on a price we plan to add it as an option to the store. Thanks for your suggestion.
Question submitted 4/6/09
I am concerned with our approach toward safety. We have had some success and it is due to a lot of attitude changes and hard work by our employees and our safety department. My concern is that we are being overwhelmed by safety and compliance issues and barely have time to absorb one before more come our way. We have always preached safety first and quality second but I am concerned that with all the safety games and incentives we are starting to tilt the balance of the overall job requirements. Do we reward our employees for making a good fusion weld or doing an excellent job of wrapping the pipe? Safety should not be compromised but our overall balance should be stressed as well. If we had a quality control department who would win the battle to dominate an employees thought process? They both need to go hand in hand and you cannot teach most first graders to read at a fourth grade level. Please consider all of our employees and the balance when we constantly bombard them with OQ issues, different safety regulations, driving practices and so forth. I am all for safety and for our company getting better at it but I can feel the pulse of our employees and it is becoming overwhelming for a lot of them.
Answer:
You are right! Our success in safety, growth, and performance is due to attitude and the hard work of all of our employees. Please remember, our job performance is only truly measured by our customer. Our customers choose Miller because we have proven that our employees can successfully mange safety, quality and total customer satisfaction. We continue to strive to be the best in our industry and we believe these qualities differentiate the best from mediocrity.
We find ourselves in a competitive market during tough economic times. Every business today finds itself dealing with more regulation and higher standards. While this may leave some feeling overwhelmed, reducing our safety effort is not the best answer. We believe a quality job can be performed safely. Our focus is to invest in tools and technology to drive efficiencies in our company. Our goal is to eliminate waste, or lost time, on things that don’t bring value to our customers, employees and community. Identifying aspects of our jobs that we can make more efficient will improve productivity while allowing us more time to focus on safety and the quality of our work.
We value your input and encourage you to get involved in the initiatives that we have currently active in our company. Thank you for your comments and concerns.
Question submitted 4/1/09
With the amount of hours that the fab and maintenance shop work has there been any thought of sick days?
Answer:
When evaluating compensation packages we consider positions in maintenance and fabrication to be similar to those in our field workforce. Currently employees in the field do not receive paid time off; therefore paid time is not included in the benefits package for our maintenance and fabrication employees. If an employee must miss work due to illness and prefers to receive compensation for the day(s) missed, he/she may opt to use vacation time. For more information contact our HR Director, Mark Bender at (317) 293-0278 ext 160.
Question submitted 3/10/09
I have a question related to our HRA. I filled out the mandatory health evaluation today. Has there been any thought to offering miller employees a discount to join a national/regional health and fitness center. This could go a long way in promoting healthy living.
Answer:
Great idea! Our HR department has explored this option before, and because of our wide geographic footprint the answer is not a simple one.
The challenge:
Most national chains are actually independent franchises which operate autonomously; therefore, we can’t make one phone call to a given health club to obtain a discount at all of their locations. To further complicate the issue, a company must agree to program participant minimums before a corporate discount is granted.
What you can do:
Call the health club you are interested in joining and ask them for their corporate discount guidelines. Once you find out the minimum number of members necessary to qualify, see if there is enough interest from your co-workers to meet the minimum. If there is, obtain the necessary paperwork from the gym and call Mark Bender at (317) 293-0217 ext. 160.
Question submitted 11/10/08
I have a lot of outerwear that is in good condition. The only problem is that most of it is from other companies I have worked for. Can Miller provide a "patch" that employees can purchase so that we can place it over an existing logo or stitching? This way we can show our continued support for Miller.
Answer:
We appreciate you thinking about ways to show your support! Unfortunately, with the current agreement that we have with our company store vendor we can’t make patches available to employees at this time. Each garment ordered from the company store has our logo individually stitched on it from scratch at the time the order is placed. We will strive to keep a variety of quality, affordable logo merchandise available through our store website. Thanks again for your submission.
Question submitted 9/5/08
I would like to know what "On the Spot" is. I see familiar names, but not sure what they did. This is in reference to this website. I'm pleased the website finally got a facelift, it was long overdue. The site is great! Keep up the good work! ...Kris
Answer:
Good question. The On the Spot Award was designed as a vehicle for customers, supervisors, the public and fellow co-workers to express appreciation to our employees as a part of our Performance Excellence Program. If someone goes above and beyond to get a project done or satisfy a customer, recognize them for it. You can nominate any employee for outstanding work at any time during the year. Names listed on the One the Spot page are employees who have been recognized for going above and beyond. Nominees receive a copy of the nomination, a certificate signed by the president and a Performance Excellence t-shirt.
Perhaps we should also list on the website why they were recognized? Let us know what you think. Forms are available from your local office, or under forms on our employee website, click here to submit a nomination.