A B757 Captain reported that ramp personnel often do not follow standard Company pushback operating procedures nor secure dangerous goods as per the FAR's.

Narrative

We were cleared for pushback and the tug driver could not give me the SOP calls for pushback. I called Operations and got a supervisor out and she did not know the SOP either. She called her lead in and he did not know the SOP either! He got mad at me and quit talking. I finally got Operations to send someone who knew the procedures for a safe push. We are pounded and pounded at training on doing the SOP's so nobody gets hurt and yet the last three weeks all of a sudden nobody knows them. I keep explaining what they are and why they are so important; but most of the rampers don't seem to care. On 13 of my last 16 flights the tug drivers were unable to convey to me the SOP; even though in some cases it was on a printed card in the tug. I don't know where the terrific breakdown is occurring; but as long as it is in my Flight Operations manual; I'm going to keep demanding that they do it correctly so nobody gets hurt or killed. Also I had dangerous goods that were not secured again. The box was laying loose in the cargo hold. I have been submitting reports for several months on this issue; yet nothing seems to be getting fixed. This problem is occurring all over our system. Neither ramp people nor supervisors seem to know dangerous goods have to be secured per our manuals and FAR's. In this case; I had them put it behind the net pinned against the loading system. This was a faster fix than taking it off the aircraft. Because I am responsible for the safety of the flight; I check the dangerous goods are secure. The new dangerous goods notification sometimes comes so late that it is hard to get an on time departure if it has to be secured.