Furlough Friday

Redfred1

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
629
When your job starts to affect your attitude; health; and starts to work on your home life; its time for a change! I worked for a major Retail company (Five letters:starts with S). It was a good place to work; money; benefits; etc. You were paid on your quality of work. Then things slowly started to change with my last 10 years with them. Their quality of merchandise; service; and training went down fast. You weren't considered an employee; you became an "associate" with a number. They started bringing in "Wheels" who thought they knew everything; hiring "90 day trained ITT schooled". (They had Techs that could dianoise a repair on the phone; order a part then go home. They didn't last long.

They had a word called "vested". After you had been there 20 yrs. you were vested. You played by the old rules; most new rules weren't suppose to affect you. They kept going down;down;down. My last 5 yrs. with them was pathetic.

I went and had a physical exam (one I hadn't had in years). I needed to have an operation on a vein; and it would take 2-3 months to recuperate. With my vacation time; sick days; and LTD; I didn't work my last 5 months. put in for my package; got approved; and sat on my B**t. My last day with them was 12-31-99. Haven't looked back

You talk about being a greeter at Walmart. I work part time in the Spring and Christmas doing assembly. Pay is decent; pick your hours; being a Vet is a plus.
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,200
When your job starts to affect your attitude; health; and starts to work on your home life; its time for a change!

my change was to adapt to the new paradigm of the culture I was thrust into; I only half ass it and match other peoples efforts. I feel really kinda slimy for that but until someone, somewhere, can get me into liking work and have the passion that I used to I wont do it. And not because I want to cruise it out but because it all seems so pointless.

I need a purpose.
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
my change was to adapt to the new paradigm of the culture I was thrust into; I only half *** it and match other peoples efforts. I feel really kinda slimy for that but until someone, somewhere, can get me into liking work and have the passion that I used to I wont do it. And not because I want to cruise it out but because it all seems so pointless.

I need a purpose.

My two favorite jobs were a dishwasher when I lied about my age and a shop foreman for a large mechanical contractor. I don't like today's work world. Too much chest pounding and competition between young and older. Like you Joe I would like to feel really good about my efforts.
 

avenger79

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
1,791
so now it has changed from "I gotta haul vibrators to I delivered rubbers"?.....LOL
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
Started at Algoma Steel in 76 retired in 2012.
You're one of those guys...lol
Most, if not all of the guys I worked with when I first got into the business in 78 have long since retired. A couple of guys here and there are now "consulting" but that's about it.

Did a lot of work on the 166 plate mill and DSCP Hot strip mill at Algoma.
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
My wife of 36 years said should't you quit before you get fired?
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
My wife of 36 years said should't you quit before you get fired?

No. If you quit, no unemployment. If you are canned, most times you can collect. And the company pays the bennies or part of it.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Unemployment benefits are available in all 50 states mandated by the Fed. Gov. I've collected in two at-will states. Basically at-will only means you work at their pleasure and can be terminated without cause.

Quitting kills unemployment payments and being fired for gross misconduct can as well. That's the purpose of the write-ups - To build a case to argue against paying their share of unemployment.
 

avenger79

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
1,791
you quitting is what they want. gets them off the hook in many ways. they get to hire someone cheaper to do your job. they don't have to pay unemployment. they don't look bad for firing an employee.

if you are miserable at work you should absolutely quit but not until you have a new position.

once you are out of work the amount of pay you can command goes down considerably. you always want to bargain while things are in your favor.
 

Redfred1

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
629
Talk about write ups. One I will never forget was " speeding in a school zone." They were right; I probably did. Only problem it was in june; school was out I was forced to signit or face termination. I did; Under my name I added "under duress". Then I made a copy of it; made my own file.

Got tell this true story. Management threw a Big meeting; (must show); gave a free breakfast; over 400 people showed. The CEO got up on the stage and said " How would everyone in this room like a $500 Christmas Bonus"? Some clapped ' some with other comments. The catch was we had to make a 10% profit over the last year. They would keep us informed .
1st month;13%. 2nd month 11% 3rd month 12%. Etc; Etc; Etc. Up pops November. We were told that we did not make our goal; but we would not get the bonus by Christmas (Something they were trying to fix). We got the bonus! Got it in April; it went in as income and was taxed. Talk about a morale booster!!
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
Here in Ontario when an employer makes your life Hell because they don't have just cause to fire you but want you out it is called "Constructive dismissal." Not that hard to prove either if done right at the employees end, like seeing a Dr. as soon as they try to make you do 4 jobs or tell you that you now are going to work shifts and weekends after 22 years on the same schedule for example because they won't hire fresh meat. There must be a paper trail. If you quit here no unemployment and zero severance pay no mater how good it might feel to quit. I could go on for pages but won't bore you with anymore of my tales.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,944
Talk about write ups. One I will never forget was " speeding in a school zone." They were right; I probably did.

The Reprobates that I used to work for are giving a day off for a photo radar ticket, plus expect you to pay the ticket as well. It is hard to fight the tickets as the registered owner is the only one who can plead "not guilty" to it. The company then accesses the GPS records of the vehicle and starts going through it for speed infractions, and comparing it to the employee's time reporting. If the time sheet and GPS records have more than a 5 minute discrepancy, there is an investigative meeting with Security and the employee is then accused of time theft. They keep the GPS records for at least 5 years. Strange thing is the Gold Bricking management, never get hauled on to the carpet, no matter how many tickets or accidents they have. Being a Union Steward, I had many battles with the moron managers. One called me a **** Disturber in front of his subordinates, I simply asked him if he was feeling disturbed and walked away. He was choked at me for several years about that. Another made a comment about a person's weight at a Company dinner. I waited till he was surrounded by his peers, and superiors and told him that the person could go on a diet and become thinner, but that he, would still be a Jackass. I got a lot of atta boys that day!
 
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