Entergy is Picky

My dad is a lineman for Entergy of Arkansas. He has been doing this kind of work for close to twice my age. He first started as a lineman in southern Texas in the '80's. The most advanced piece of equipment was a truck full of sub-par tools. He literally climbed poles and put his life in danger every day for barely more than minimum wage. He knows (nearly) everything there is to know about everything that is related to his work.

Coming to Arkansas in 2000, he had to make major adjustments. For one thing, there are bucket trucks here. A truck that climbs for you?! Wow! Had it not been for all his prior experience, he would have had to start a "greenhorn." He had to learn all the company's procedures and techniques and the "proper" ways of completing the tasks he was assigned. No problem.

Recently, there was a problem. He had to go clean up and replace a damaged line, which would cause him to deepen the rut he walks every day. Arriving at the sight, he saw that the line was lying across the street. As most people know, live power lines are feisty. They will shake and spark and sputter all over the place until the juice runs dry. This massive snake was dead. So Dad began to remove the line from the street. This is the part where he begins to "get dumped on."

He did not check to make sure the line was dead before he began maintenance, which is against company policy. "I'm not an idiot, son, I know if a line is live and I know that that one wasn't," Entergy found out about this "ignorance and stupidity" and forced unpaid leave on him.

During this "break," he began to make his case, going back to the sight, reliving everything and recording it. His hearing came up and he made his case. The company's only argument was, "It was against company policy," which is to say they knew he was right but because he did not do things by the book, he got demoted and, in his own words, screwed.

Sometimes Goliath falls on David. Who wins then?