construction laborer

laborer

construction laboratory technician

crane operator

construction foreman

Koppers Railroad Structures

When I started here they were more family friendly. They paid lunches and window time which is the time it takes to drive to and from the jobsite. Also if we were moving job sites and it was a day before my vacation the would just let me go home now they won't. Also they make me go to la training class every 6 months which is supposed to be paid for but it's not makes me miss out on a week's worth of good hours for classroom time and I have to pay for the room. They fired all the lazies in the office which made the ones who knew what to do quit so new management doesn't know what's going on. They promised a $50 raise in perdiam this year still haven't seen it. Also I was promised a percentage drop in my 401 havent got it. When your highered on they say your pay will go up 15 cents every 6 months at least that's what they told me havent got it in 2 years. When you want to go on vacation they make you file it a month in advance and your not guaranteed to get approved because they cant have 2 people on the same crew gone at the same time so who files first wins it makes it hard if your trying to make it home for your kids special event because you don't always now those a month a head of time. They will higher anyone without a record. I had a guy who couldn't read another that did the same thing every day for 2 months and still asked me how to do it. Also had one that didn't know basic math and could not read a tape measure. Then you got the know it alls that don't know anything they will get you killed because they don't follow safety protocols not tieing off walking in front the boom not wearing hard hats and always dropping stuff from up top so they know you wont send them up again and just plain lazy.

Welcome to the good old boys club.  Management is very poor and quick to throw people under the bus and punish them for perceived mistakes.  Promotions are based off who you know and if you are a part of the in crowd.  They would give the job to their buddy than post the job on the company site.  Sometimes they would even pretend to interview other people but everyone knew it was a joke because the person already had the job.  Management is good at doing the same thing each year and being surprised when the same mistakes were made.  Management would even laugh about their mistakes like it was no big deal when they would lose money on a job or if they lost a customer.  The last few years they have alienated more and more customers and are now suffering for it.  Management is not qualified for their positions and this shows with a lack of leadership and business sense.  In the past 2 years 25% of the office personal has left for better opportunities.  When good employees leave they don't try to keep them and replace them with more of their friends who are not qualified to do the job.  The future does not look good for this company and morale is extremely low.  More departures are expected within the next year as all the good employees are leaving before the ship sinks.  Buyer beware with this company.

Over the past few years Koppers has spent a lot of time and money changing culture starting with safety.  Koppers has a Zero Harm program that involves all levels of employees working together.  Koppers has also done a great job managing their way through COVID (paying employees to stay home/at the hotel if they have symptoms).  With the type of work Koppers does Work/Life balance is a challenge.  This is another area Koppers is working to correct with a travel assistance program and altered workweeks option.  This program allows help to get home or help travel a spouse and kids out to visit.  Koppers has (I feel) one of the best benefits programs compared to similar companies.  I have worked at Koppers over 10 years and have raised 4 kids (2 on the road with my wife). I started as a laborer and have worked into a management position. At Koppers, when properly used and communicated the backing from management and HR is great.   

I started at Koppers Railroad Structures formally known as Osmoses Railroad Services bought out during my tenure their.  

I loved working their under my first supervisor and a special crew we shared a bond together.  The downfall was red tape, chemicals, and how my boss on the site handled himself as a professional.  An example, of how business malpractice cases are filed.  

However, and most importantly it was and is a fun environment full of rewarding work done by a family on the road.   Traveling from Wisconsin to Montana and back to Georgia, the south diversity changed my life to this day.   I am blessed I had that opportunity along with gaining friendship of co workers.

Working and making the rail roads safe at the time felt like my calling.  The money is amazing, the hours were long, the politics were their at every job, however if I had a chance again I would take it to save up money and move on to open my own business.

This Co. proved to have a venomous attitude towards its employees. One had to be extra vigilant to receiving pay congruent to time put in( never seemed to jive always 1/4 -12 hr off in favour of the Co. Employees legitiment concerns were, more often than not, met with indifference, if not retribution. Not a pleasant environment at all, in fact down right toxic. Men that work away from their families with no per diem for food!!??? Unheard of! But not @ Koppers. 
Koppers does not back their employee to any degree. They will tell you are doing an "Outstanding" job & still throw you to the wolves. Managers, on the other hand are held to another standard entirely. The can pile into the rear of a vehicle with their tuck, cause $3500 in damage with no consequence. Hypocrisy.

This company is scam. They do not pay for your flights back & forth. They only give 700 a week per diem which is way too low & is not enough to cover the cost of the hotel. If you plan on staying somewhere cheaper to try to pocket any of your per diem you are not allowed too they pick where you stay & have no choice in the matter. They do NOT pay well enough for the amount of travel at all. They expect you to pay for your lodging when you come back from a flex week & you will not be reimbursed. I had multiple checks only be 700-800 dollars which is unacceptable for the work & the sacrifice of the travel. They also do not provide enough work trucks for the crews so you are constantly needing rides & stuck in your hotel rooms. This company is all around a joke to work for. If you plan on traveling for work find a company that is actually going to pay you well & pay for your flights back & forth. 

If you like construction jobs and working outside this is the job for you.  Especially if you like being on the road most of the year: meaning you are a work gypsy, always traveling.   They will train you in railroad bridge construction.  And you will learn getting hands-on experience in all parts of railroad bridge construction.   Best part of the job are the places you get to work at are awesome.  You will work from heights, over water, in cramped spaces, from boats, scaffolding, ladders, and all kinds of weather.  Warning:. High turnover rate.  Pay is ok, but you will be gone from family and friends.   You do get per diem, but will stay in some pretty low budget hotels.  

This company is a last resort for anyone looking for a job. You're away from home 50 weeks out of the year working hard and in dangerous situations living out of motel rooms with 2 or more guys.  Most of the field employees have less than a year of experience because of the high turn over rate which is almost 100% in a typical year.
  Management isn't looking out for your best interests.  They only care about covering their butt and the bottom line.  If you get hurt on the job and need too much time to recover, they'll eventually fire you.  Management never admits it's mistakes and buries everything under the rug.
  If I were you I'd look elsewhere or try to get aa job in an office.

Company has a literal turn around of 100% you work HARD no matter the conditions outside rain snow blistering heat. Company doesn’t care about their workers and if you want to have a social life or a life at all do NOT work here you’re on the road 24/7 taking time off is looked down upon like you’re leaving your crew high and dry. It has a sense of family with whatever crew you’re on but as soon as you get remotely close to anyone on your crew and comfortable they move you to a completely different crew LOL. The work itself is extremely hard so if you aren’t a hard worker like EXTREMELY hard worker do not even try you’ll lose money being out there. 

You make decent money but money isn't everything. The work/life balance is non-existent. Say goodbye to any social life you have. Depending on which crew you go to it may be like your working with family or it may feel like a prison sentence. Alot of work with very little man power. Its worth trying but not a career for the long haul. PM's and the Management division has its ups and downs. Seems like alot of broken promises lately. Worst part is being confined to your terrible motel room in rural areas on the weekends, for 48-50 weeks..

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Construction laborer 46 salaries reported	$24.20 per hour
Laborer 1 salary reported	$24.00 per hour
Construction laboratory technician 7 salaries reported	$24.20 per hour
Crane operator 1 salary reported	$87,500 per year
Construction foreman 3 salaries reported	$100,000 per year

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