Off-topic: Real class

A friend of mine just came out of a meeting where he works, they were basically told no raises for anyone this year and no Christmas bonuses. Then they all get an e-mail asking for $30 for the company president's Christmas gift.

WTF.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

well as crappy as that is, with the economy the way it is I am grateful to be employed.....

Scrooge would be proud.

That just plain sucks.
I worked for a company like that once.
We all got the annual staff meeting, and got told no raises etc....because
times were tough, yet all the managers got their yearly performance bonus.

I figured that if they had that much loyalty to their staff, then the staff
should have that much loyalty to them.
First chance I got at a position with another company I was gone.

My "bonus" was a unsealed sack of brownie ingredients. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

That is just poor timing. If you makes you feel any better I haven't gotten a raise in two years. I have to work on the side to make "extra".

I don't give presents to co-workers or supervisors; I think it's too likely to lead to bad feelings if gifts aren't equitable or if someone gets preferential treatment based on a more generous gift. I don't know if it's illegal to solicit contributions for supervisor gifts, but at the very least, it seems fundamentally unethical. He'll probably not want to "rock the boat" though; as the saying goes, "The nail that sticks up gets pounded down."

Post deleted by kuanomar

I would print off that email, walk into the bosses office and tell him off.

The gall these HR departments have just astounds me,.

Normally, but this particular guy kind of likes to rock the boat a little, I doubt very much that he will dump any money in that pool. I certainly wouldn't, and I agree with your policy on gift giving at work.

As rotten as that is, it's still better than getting "pink slips"! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

LOL! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif" alt="" />

that's crazy! I had to laugh at their gall! "slap n beg"!
now I'm thinking of the movie "clueless" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

bologna.

That really sucks. Sounds like a really good company to work for <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Big biz is so @#$%^& greedy.
Glad I'm in a unon w/contract.

They did the same thing at the school where I teach to the support staff. Then the email went out for the prince and his asst's--no thanks. I like them but mine will be going for card to the custodians and secretaries.

Well- maybe a great time to just be thankful to have a job. I learned long ago that I didn't like working for others and started my own biz. BTW- I made [censored] sure my people with children DID get very nice bonus checks this year. I also made sure that I said " Thank You" to each and every single person that works " with" and " for" me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. I am Thankful to have them <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />.

Ord, that is what makes me still have faith in mankind.

Oh my, that just doesn't seem right! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

Obviously anyone should be happy to have a job right now, but just because an employer can treat employees the way they want in these times, doesn't mean they should. Unfortunately a lot of employers just see it as leverage, which is why I suspect this crisis was kickstarted with a lot of talk and bs from big business in the first place, as an excuse to downsize and offshore.

I'm happy to see there are employers like you in the world still, honor and pride is not totally dead. In fact, this forum seems to attract an abnormal percentage of honorable people. All hail the dogs of the yard! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Amen to that M/D!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I suspect you are correct about the downsizing. Most folks cannot figure out how the stock market is going upward with all this going on. I can tell you EXACTLY how this is happening. They are taking profits by stealing from the workers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbdn.gif" alt="" />. The excuse is that they are going to make us compete with third world countries in this manner. In other words- less pay- more hours-very little benefits for the workers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />. Now- the large stock holders pad their pockets. That is the bad news. The good news is business like myself and Busse- take great care of their people and we are the backbone of this country <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />!! hang in there guys- and by all means ENJOY the holiday season <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. This trend will pass <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> !!

The last place I worked at had some real winners in charge too. One of the final straws for me was hearing from a co-worker that the family in charge told her that she would not even be considered for a raise for a least another three years because she was working on getting a green card (she has a visa btw). She just finished double master's degrees in business and accounting.

These same people pirated most of their software, including Adobe CS etc, buying access for a single computer then using it on 10 or so. They each (a husband and wife are CEO and CFO and their son is president) own multiple expensive cars and purchased several in the nine months I worked there. They stole design from where ever they could, and tell others that 'oh there is no way we could reproduce such an object of beauty' then gaining permission to photograph the object then they proceed to send the design oversees to have it made is low cost resins. They have the nerve to have ichthys ("Jesus fishes") on their cars but give generously to their church and present themselves as 'good Christians' to their circles of friends. The CEO made sure to buy a policeman's union sticker and then announced to the staff that he is now allowed to speed and drive anyway he wants.

About half of their staff quit or was fired during the nine months I worked there. The did not rehire anyone. The HR director put in her letter of resignation, which the CFO refused to accept but kept anyway. The next time the director disagreed with the CFO, the CFO pulled out the letter and said, "I am now accepting this letter and you have already had two weeks since you gave it to me."

You nailed it with this line.

It is amazing how somethings never change

The good news is that we do not have to be that way and can share the best of the holiday season with the ones we love...oh heck even the ones we just like
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Dan

I spent more on office gifts than I got in bonuses.

here here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

We have a great Sheriff here. And NOT just because I went to school with him. In school he was kind, well lets just say rough around the edges! Since he has taken office (now in his 2nd term) he has stated that he DOES NOT want any christmas present(s) from the people who work here. He said he does not get anything for us therefore we should not get anything for him. Oh, and if you NEED time off for something, legitimate reason, it's done.

Sounds like the job my wife just quit. People kept leaving because the family who owns the place are nuts. They didn't rehire, just kept pushing jobs onto the people already there without giving raises. My wife was expected to be the receptionist while having been hired as a purchaser, and expected to do both jobs for the same money in the same amount of time.

I'm sick of the lack of responsibility of employers, just because they don't have to answer to anyone. What really cracks me up is how they keep laying off their main consumers to move jobs abroad. Who is going to end up buying their junk?

I was hired as an assistant. The guy I was to assist quit within a week and a half. I was then responsible for most of his job also with no raise and the boss not liking my work because it was not exactly like the other guy did. After the six month 'probationary period' was up I asked for a review and a raise. This was at eight months. Their reply was to extend the probationary period even longer for my nerve at asking. I am told this is the situation the HR director quit over.

When the economy turns around, people with portable skills we leave companies like that

excellent insight. i hope you are right.

I've seen it happen under our former owners.
Part of the reason I am going for my designation, and believe me after 25 years with the same company it was a hard desion

Wow! That is some nerve. No raises but want $30 for the boss.

I work for the government so I dont ever expect a Christmas bonus. My department just had a little party where we played dirty santa and had a pot luck dinner. It was cool.

We have a big get together every year that is "on the clock" where we draw names for prizes and it is catered. Doesnt cost us a dime. My first line supervisor buys every one in his department a gift, all the same thing like a soft sided brief case or something of the like.

I guess I work for a pretty good place. I could complain, but after hearing some of you guys, I would feel bad about complaining.

guys/gals, in these BS times, there are industries where you can make money.

- death (funeral homes, etc)
- garbage
- plumbing
- electrical
- transport

and as much as it makes me want to vomit: "carbon credits" < i recently got paid $500 to plant some trees on a guys lawn, and issued him a wall certificate so he could brag to his rich buddies about what he did. People buy this "carbon" stuff <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

something to keep in mind

Looking at the "What did you go to college for?" thread over on BFs it seems that, at this point in time, a college degree is what a high school diploma used to be, a piece of paper everyone wanted to see before that person was considered. It seems the best deals in employment are the skilled workers, carpenters, plumbers, and auto technicians. I wish schools would stop the inane focus on making everyone go to college and open up another side to allow those who want to be skilled workers get their certifications. Many of these would allow the person to be hired much quicker and they then to pay pretty weel, much better than either my wife or I made as High School Teachers.

I agree that that sucks...Some folks have no class.

On another note...It is easy to blame the corporations and their elite but I believe a lot of what is happening in these companies is brought on by our government. The USA has the second highest tax rate for corporations in the world. This, coupled with unions and all the other crap big brother throws out there causes many companies to move elsewhere, cut costs, downsize, etc.. Sad, but true.

Exactly, what do we make here in the USA anymore? It seems like most of our manufacturing has moved abroad (Take Crucible Steel for example, they are bankrupt and failed and we will be buying most of our steel from other countries like Japan and China) and the service industry isn't far behind. We must face it...we are in an enormous amount of debt (and only getting deeper into it) and we are owned by China. What a sad situation we have gotten ourselves into.

Merry Christmas! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pretty crappy, but not as bad as my last job...





And it paid peanuts!

One of the areas the USA is tops, currently at least, is in the heath care industry. Much of the recent advances in medical technology and pharmaceuticals are originate here.

Yeah well, they're about to take care of that also. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

JavaDog: My Dr. Just wears rubber gloves (but I caught him smiling once) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

I think it is more (politically) correctly states as, "...they're about to 'fix' that also".