re: What do plant operators do? And how much do they really make?

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What is your deal with operators?

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Nothing actually. I just troll the perpetually offended that live outside of reality. I couldn't care less about them, but they all lie and refuse to admit any of the drawbacks of the job so I try to make them mad.

Unless a miracle happens and I become a pro golfer, there is no such thing as an "awesome" job out there. I hate getting up and going to work. And if it was not being an operator, I'm sure I'd find something to bitch about to be in a much better schedule. It's like the old saying, for every beautiful woman you see out there, somebody is tired of fricking her. Same thing with that "awesome" job. As far as I'm concerned, if the pay and benefits are great, I'm happy (and so are the wife and kids).

lsu777,

You have the best posts with this thread.

As a process operator at PPG Industries I worked eight hour shifts from 1976 to 1994 and twelve hour shifts from 1994 until retirement.

The normal rotation was flawed becasue it went from evenings>days>to graveyards. Overtime typically was four hours by splitting shifts resulting in sleep deprivation.

It took a lot of effort by a very few to get a twelve-hour shift trial period.

The company tried could not comprehend the fact that each rotation will pay 240 hours in a six week period. ( 6 x 40) = (2 x 48 + 4 x36). The IAM union fought a twelve hour shift notion because "orgainzed labor fought for many years to establish an eight hour workday. Some maintenance workers feared that they would have a permanent or rotating night schedule.

Each area was given a six month trial period. The first area to try it objectections were 1. we have too much time off and do not save enough money 2. Overtime is a twelve hour period.

Eventually it was accepted by all of the departments.

PPG Industries was able to save substantially because absenteeism was dramatically reduced.

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Epic Cajun

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you seem really invested in this argument


i guess it's a good thing that there are people willing to give up holidays and work shift work, or we wouldn't have doctors, police, prisons, and .....plant operators


if people weren't willing to do it, i guess they would start paying 50+ per hour and the costs of a lot of goods would go up

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Respectfully, I disagree with this. Engineers do not possess the ability to stop fricking with stuff. Which oftentimes is exactly what is needed.

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LOL people that get one of the highest paying 4 year degrees with some of the most rigorous course work can't do the job of some baw that turns a wrench starting at 18.

Eta: I down voted your post.

Did this thread just go Operators vs. Engineers?!

frick. YES.

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Respectfully, I disagree with this. Engineers do not possess the ability to stop fricking with stuff. Which oftentimes is exactly what is needed.

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Because you have been dealing with dumbass engineers. Just like some operators are dumb as hell, some engineers are too. Or you cant understand that there are more efficient ways and productions vs cost is not were it needs to be.

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Because you have been dealing with dumbass engineers. Just like some operators are dumb as hell, some engineers are too. Or you cant understand that there are more efficient ways and productions vs cost is not were it needs to be.

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Again, respectfully disagree. I have actually found the worse the engineer the better they were at an operations mindset.

I think it is just a mindset. Driven engineer vs process focused operation. Especially true when optimizing processes or testing unit limits.

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Is it, though? I guess if you only value money, it might be a good job for 90% of the population. But, I'd rather a job making 80k and working M-F 40 hours a week, than a job making 120k working shift work and overtime. I might value flexibility more than most though.

In my line of work, I could work travel consulting and double my pay, but I'd rather be home than on the road M-TH. There are plenty of people who do it, it's just not for me.

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I guess you missed the whole stats I posted about the median salary with a BS being 59k in Louisiana or it being 59k across the US for those with a bachelor's degree regardless of years of experience.

Most aren't making 80k period, not even close. And btw most operators, aren't operators for more than 10-15 years before they get a chance to move up if they are worth a shite. Some don't take it and like shift work but many do.

And I get the whole traveling thing. I could do the same as you and yea it's not for me either, but have some perspective. Most aren't touching what an operator makes no matter how many years experience nor if they travel. Especially without a professional degree.

Some of y'all need to step outside your bubble.


And damn it this better not turn into an engeers vs operators thread.

Then you haven't dealt with good engineers. A good engineer should be able to do an operators job with 3 months training, maybe not everything but a damn good amount. Scene it happen many times on strikes. A good engineer should also understand business, which sadly is a very very rare commodity especially with the chemical engineers I have met.