I had high hopes for a lasting career when I first started at Ultra, especially with it being a union position. I was hugely mistaken, and quickly found it was a blackhole for any enthusiasm.
The majority of the non-salaried employees are all nearing retirement age with a "my way or the highway" mentality. This would be bearable if they didn't form cliques and live off the high school drama that is rampant in this building. We seriously had a floor meeting about not wiping poop on the stalls in the women's bathroom, or clogging the toilets out of petty revenge against the custodian. Others will constantly sabotage your work in order to make theirs look better, and management is so far separated from the production that they don't see, understand or care about the interpersonal issues happening under their noses. The long time employees see any actual form of work ethic as a direct threat and will throw you under the bus to keep anything meaningful from actually happening at this company.
Actual talent has been abandoning ship at an alarming rate. The week I left, several other people from several departments also packed up and left. I see Ultra is having job fairs to gather some labor back, but don't get fooled, it isn't growing pains. It's incompetence.
Be prepared to spend many hours staring at the walls because the project is held up for millionth time and any changes have to go through several understaffed departments before any movement can happen. With the amount of red tape, I'm surprised if anything gets out the door. I worked here over a year and didn't see a single thing ship.
The union positions seem good on the outside, however the union will not do a thing for you. Anything good you have seen from unions, throw it out the window. The union president doesn't care about you, your problems or much anything really. Doesn't even know the handbook, so don't ask for clarification.
Speaking of which here's some neat facts about what they DONT tell you.
- Cost of living raises are ~2% per year. Inflation last year was 5.6%, so be prepared to make less money every year.
- Two weeks vacation after a year. This is forced to be taken in the middle of the summer due to the two week production shutdown. You gain your next vacation bump after SEVEN years. Yes, seven.
- Raises are done by "levels" based on vague requirements. Management will never give you these levels, even if you meet the requirements. The union won't fight for you.
- Union contracts are done every 2 or so years, and become less lucrative every time they are negotiated. The majority of employees have been there 10+ years, so every contract they will slowly phase out benefits for those there under 10 years. The older crowd doesn't care because it doesn't effect them, allowing the newer employees to lose money, vacation time, etc.
