Furlough Friday

avenger79

Lieutenant Commander
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May 5, 2008
Messages
1,791
like the rest of you my stuff is paid for and there is money in the bank. now

I got the "what are your hours, make sure you don't leave early, and maybe you could put in a few extra hours now and than" speech. a while ago. The one I really like is when they know you have something important at home and come up just when you are about to leave and say "before you leave could you"? I tell them maybe the young guys can do that I am out for the day.

I do not live to work, I work to live. if a job means I can't spend time with my family or doing what I enjoy than I don't need that job.
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,287
welcome to tomorrow.


I've used the exact same line about Home Depot plumbing department. I figure I have enough experience with s..t flowing downhill...
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
welcome to tomorrow.


I've used the exact same line about Home Depot plumbing department. I figure I have enough experience with s..t flowing downhill...

Then you know when payday is, what the boss is and to not bight your fingernails...
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
I as well was never out of work from the age of 14 until I took my early pension at 45. After I got out I took a job at a local golf course that had not yet opened for minimum wage, my accountant lost it on me. I enjoyed the day, fresh air, no Union to deal with and no Health and Safety committee to deal with nor any executives asking why to everything. I lasted until I mentioned to my GM, who's claim to fame was that he was an assistant manager at a Men's clothing store. I warned him that someone was going to get hurt and he would be responsible. Young kids trying to unjam golf balls in the washer with a stick, kids told to drive Gators with zero training, bad brakes, no back up horns, the list goes on. So he tells me to go ahead and do what was needed to comply with legislation. I suggested we sit down and talk with the owners first as my price as a H&S consultant would be $150.00. he asked with disbelief "A day?!!!", "no stupid an hour" I held off the stupid noun, much less than engineering firms were charging. Long story short the young owner told him to do it and with no help from me The owner and I agreed I would help guide him and he wouldn't forget that as a favour. However that GM was on my case each and every hour thereafter and threatened to write me up for not cleaning the washrooms one morning, they had a janitorial service for the Clubhouse.. Regardless of what I agreed to with the owner, and I later told him why I finally I handed him my name tag and told him he could save money if he hired someone named John. I stepped to the customer side of the counter and told him I wanted to book a T time. I had never quit a job in my life but sure wanted to more than a few times I tell ya'. It felt great. I highly recommend it. Apparently he lasted a few months and was let go and I got a call to replace him. I had agreed by then to take a job with The Ministry of Labour and the pay the Golf course offered was ridiculously low. The only positive was it was seasonal and one could collect poggie over the Winter thus the low pay. One of my 1st inspections was at the very same Golf Course. You should have seen the look on the owners faces when I came in unannounced. I didn't fine them because they were trying and I worked with the new GM to get their house in order.

Everyone should quit a job once for all the other times you wanted to pack it in over 30 years.
 
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redneck joe

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Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,287
Then you know when payday is, what the boss is and to not bight your fingernails...

my company has a program called 'surplusing' essentially a few times per year to meet budget targets the affected department they rank everyone and you get let go, with 60 days to find a new job. I was just in Denver, with my boss who is from ATL so I was suspicious...and a bit hopeful. I can't get fired for cause, yet, and my package would be $45k or so. Not as good as DIRECTV....that would have been pushing $70k. Wife got the top rating avail this year and she makes more money that me so I think we are good for a bit.
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
I have enough banked to last a couple of years and damn, I am tempted. About 20 years ago my Dad went through the same emotions and I didn't get it then. I sure as heck do now.

I cut myself shaving yesterday and my upper lip bleed for 6 hours. I had to email 3 people that I was leaving the office to get a styptic pencil. They probably thought I was headed to office max.
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
Messages
12,967
One of the first things I did when I started working was to build up a savings account with at least 6 months pay to act as a buffer if let go. In 1994 I was offered a package, and was going to take, and go back to university. However there were some runours that I was to be pressured by the managers to take it. When I heard that, I said "I'm staying, This is called fun". I managed to get several managers terminated(boy did that feel good). Over the years it grew to about 9 years pay. With that and other investments, I was going to retire in the fall of 2016, but a couple of weeks before Xmas 2015, a buyout was offered and I was offered 1 1/2 yrs pay. Since I was able to take an unreduced pension, I left so quick that if anyone blinked they wouldn't have seen it, they would have seen the dust cloud of my departure. Now I still have 1 3/4 years to wait for my Canada Pension to start.
 

avenger79

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 5, 2008
Messages
1,791
funny I am called a job hopper by many. every 2-5 years I decide it is time to go elsewhere. I like change and I feel no loyalty to a company etc. I did that when I was younger and got surprised by a layoff. that won't happen again.
 

jimmbo

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
12,967
I never had any loyalty to my employer, they didn't have any, and still have no loyalty their non management staff. They treat the K9 seducing Puppy Pounding Executives like diamonds, and the managers like gold, but the workers, the ones who actually work, are treated similar to the way a leaf gets treated by a leaf blower.
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
I'm known by my Brother as suitcase Jake. I've been back at this company for almost 10 Years. New Manager wants to know when you, well clean up in the bathroom. I'm about to pack it up.

Call me Jake Elder, but not late for dinner.
 

ezbtr

Commander
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
2,965
since my wreck at work 3-4 yrs ago, leg and back I learned! I'm medically retired, SAVE as much as you can, don't have debt, I sold my house for double after 4.5 years, moved to TX, I have great options that I planned out long ago. I'm 53, but MAY go back to work IF I want, no more stress(lost all that grey hair soon after) , missing time w/ family, etc. Life is good/nothing fancy but we are set. :)
 

Old Ironmaker

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Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
Sam you will be fine. I took my pension just after I turned 45. I took a massive hit, had I stayed 5 years it would have been 25% more, if 55 double. Believe me I haven't missed any meals and I didn't have any savings when I couldn't take another day in the place. I saw bankruptcy in the future and sure enough 2 years latter our version of Chapter 11. My wife now makes more than double that my pension and CPP is. I made double what she made 18 years ago. She is going to retire this year, we will be just fine. We will be moving anywhere that is outside 2 hours from Toronto, house prices where we have decided to go are 1/4 of what they are in the GTHNA, actually less,. (Greater Toronto Hamilton Niagara area.) Prices around here are insane. The 400K we put in the bank is going to help, a lot. You have the option of moving to 49 other states, maybe warmer than where you are with 12 months of boating!! If it wasn't for my health coverage here we would be in Mesa Arizona. We had a little place there up to 10 years ago. My pain was almost gone after a week of hot dry air there.

If anyone tells you "We are family" at work they are full of it. That's what our VP told me after I signed my papers to get me to stay. "How can you leave your family in a lurch when we need you most." Oh he almost brought me to tears I tell ya'.. If I don't share DNA with them they are not in my Family. After about a year my family members wouldn't return my calls.
 
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82rude

Rear Admiral
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
4,082
Started at Algoma Steel in 76 retired in 2012.Not wealthy by any means but the jobs in the steel industry were to say the least interesting.Did everything from working in a blast furnace to operating a 400 ton hot metal crane .One screwup with a hotmetal crane and dozens of people cease to exist!Ive had 3 knee replacements since age 45 and one of the younger employees asked me in 2010 or so when I was going to retire.My answer was when its to hard to do my job as group leader and when I hate coming here .Well 2012 was it!Didnt hurt that those that took retirement that year got a 25 grand bonus.Earned well over 100 grand that year and around 70 to 75 several years before.Retired at 54 and have never regretted it one iota.
 

redneck joe

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Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,287
......., but the workers, the ones who actually work, are treated similar to the way a leaf gets treated by a leaf blower.

at DIRECTV for the transitional period to ATT our Senior VP OPS (and many others) had money to spend on offers to keep employees thru the transition. He told my wife - 'hell I can run this place without all the VP's and Directors and the blowhards but I need people that know what they are doing to stay'. He offered all his money to lower level managers. It was lots of money. Lots.


I miss him......
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
82rude I almost took a job at The Soo after I left Stelco. Too cold. Great fishing but too darn cold. I didn't get set bonus but I did get 2 months paid leave and a month of salary put in a RRSP plus my 8 weeks vacation. I couldn't complain. My CPP bridge was $775.00 a month until age 65, if I make it that will be 20 years of a bridge. When the company sought bankruptcy protection all that changed. So if I stayed 2 more years that would have cost me 35 K.
 

sam60

Captain
Joined
May 21, 2011
Messages
3,189
I had to get a small box of vibration isolators to a customer in Furnace Creek, CA this morning. Nearly 200' below sea level but pretty dry. I then drove to Vegas so people could see that I showed up. I took all of the active job files and told that young lady that reports absenteeism, that I'll see ya when I feel like coming back.

Hey, don't forget to gas up before you head to a place like FC. I paid $4.47 a gallon for 10 bucks worth.
 
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bassman284

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
2,840
Sam you will be fine. I took my pension just after I turned 45. I took a massive hit, had I stayed 5 years it would have been 25% more, if 55 double. Believe me I haven't missed any meals and I didn't have any savings when I couldn't take another day in the place. I saw bankruptcy in the future and sure enough 2 years latter our version of Chapter 11. My wife now makes more than double that my pension and CPP is. I made double what she made 18 years ago. She is going to retire this year, we will be just fine. We will be moving anywhere that is outside 2 hours from Toronto, house prices where we have decided to go are 1/4 of what they are in the GTHNA, actually less,. (Greater Toronto Hamilton Niagara area.) Prices around here are insane. The 400K we put in the bank is going to help, a lot. You have the option of moving to 49 other states, maybe warmer than where you are with 12 months of boating!! If it wasn't for my health coverage here we would be in Mesa Arizona. We had a little place there up to 10 years ago. My pain was almost gone after a week of hot dry air there.

If anyone tells you "We are family" at work they are full of it. That's what our VP told me after I signed my papers to get me to stay. "How can you leave your family in a lurch when we need you most." Oh he almost brought me to tears I tell ya'.. If I don't share DNA with them they are not in my Family. After about a year my family members wouldn't return my calls.

The "We are family" thing made me think of an engineering manager we had in the early 90s. His favorite saying when somebody was complaining about not being appreciated was, "When you get that paycheck every two weeks it says "Paid In Full". No more, no less. You've been paid."
 

bassman284

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
2,840
I had to get a small box of vibration isolators to a customer in Furnace Creek, CA this morning. Nearly 200' below sea level but pretty dry. I then drove to Vegas so people could see that I showed up. I took all of the active job files and told that young lady that reports absenteeism, that I'll see ya when I feel like coming back.

Hey, don't forget to gas up before you head to a place like FC. I paid $4.47 a gallon for 10 bucks worth.

"Vibration isolators?" Hmm. Sounds naughty.
 
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