When your job/company goes sour

[randym431]

So for 15+ years things have been the same-o. We have two shifts in the dept. One shift of 8 hours x 5 days a week, and another of three 12-hour days a week. The 12x3 people are paid for 40 hours even though its only actually 36. Time cards are manually filled out. So two weeks ago they install this rinky dink time card program on all pc's. You log-in, then log-out on the pc timecard program. It looks like some shareware thing someone downloaded from zdnet or someplace. Then, last week, they add that everyone have to also log-out for two 15 min breaks and one 30-min break. And the worse, everyone has to extend their work days by 30 min. In this dept, no one actually takes a break, even the 12 hour people. You cant. Too many things come up, and you can not just log-out on break and go away for 15 or 30 min. For much longer than I have been there, you just eat at the desk, have your chips or drink at the desk, its the way its always been. And we are use to it.
So now the company cops an attitude. Must use the pc timecard system. Must work 30 min longer every day. Must login-out for breaks and lunch.
Then, this week we hear they are installing cameras to "watch over us". They say its for security issues, like 9/11 security issues, they claim.
I guess this is why labor unions were established. You can’t trust companies not to, at some point, take total advantage of their hard working trusted workers.

Another sore spot for me, this place has a fleet of cars, vans and trucks. Some 1500 in their use. But... last fall they now want employees to use THEIR own personal cars for company use. That is, to transport tapes, boxes of forms, cases and whatever from one building location to another, some 5 miles away. No, they say, we can not supply a company car or van use this use. You HAVE to use your own personal car. Pack it up, and away you go. They pay mileage, but it doesn’t add up to much. And this is "their" one sided decision. For me, if I am to use my own car for company business, I want more than just mileage. I want a flat rate, like $10 a round trip, between the two business locations. No... they call the shots in telling us how we will use our personal property for their use.
Oh, for fun I asked a while back to use a company truck or van for a few hours one time only, to move some furniture. Guess what their answer to that was?
But… they CAN tell you to use your property for their use.
 
I ask about insurance. Mine may not cover if I use my car for business purposes.
Not to worry they say.
We cover you for this use. But, do they? No one has ever tested it.
Yes, I think its time to take advantage SS disability, if I could. Or stir up a little heat by looking into unionizing, if that would help?

I'm now just waiting for them to want to install cameras at my home, so they can keep an eye on me. No, I wouldnt put it past them...

[mjmel]

As I read it, it's not that bad. You guys got comfy with the "same-o" for years and now changes are being implemented and it's normal to complain since everyone was happy with the time cards being filled out manually. I dare say, maybe there was some "unproductive" time grabbed here and there and the company streamlined it so that no more add-ons could be possible. Now you have to log-in/log-out for breaks yet company time is increase by 30 minutes to offset breaks--so that ample time for job tasks offsets break times provided. It just doesn't come off as an injustice to me. It's so much a common and familiar move, regarding managements' role, to tighten the belt and implement measures to curb nonproductivity. It's basics of business management. It's smart business management.
All in all, it's not so bad. I bet even though there are many vocalizations you will see no one walking away from their job.

Noteworthy: Unions may bring change(s) you like and union dues and compromises you don't like. Double-edged sword.

edit: grammar

[randym431]

You're so right. My rant was more so from hearing my co workers rant. Those rants can get to you. I rant more for them, then me, actually. I just default back on my Wal-Mart theory. No matter how bad you feel you job is, it could be worse. You could work for Wal-Mart. I have a friend who does, and once a week I listen to 2 hours of rants about their policy.
True also, people do not like change...period. Especially after 15-20 years of same-o.
I mean, as I brought up with my co workers, if we all walked in today anew, to apply for their job, would the policy of clocking in-out, cameras and all be a deal breaker? I doubt it.
See, I can see both sides of an issue. And in a weird homo erotic slave-master kinda a way, I might like the crackdown.
( I have GOT to stop visiting these forums right after taking my sustiva)  

[ACinKC]

When your job/company goes sour...

[budndallastx]

The question is whether you are Exempt or Non-Exempt.

For non-exempt employees, if the company is expecting your to clock out for breaks and lunch then take the time for yourself.  If they still expect you to work during this time, casually remind them of the Walmart lawsuit when they tried to have people work but failed to pay them for this time. 

If you're exempt, then you're basically screwed.

It's always a good time to reconsider your options and possibly use the changes as motivation to change jobs.

[Jean-Yves]

For the part about using your own vehicle... check out what it can do for you come tax time. You may be pleasantly surprised by a large extra sum of cash come refund time.
Jean-Yves

[randym431]

"What a difference a day makes", as they say.
They had a meeting with us yesterday (Thurs night, I work nights), and it seems all these changes were recommendations from an “external audit", of the company.
The new changes were part of their recommendations. And its something that has been ongoing (this external audit) since shortly after 9/11.
The company has spent millions on enacting their recommendations, really!
So the latest news from last nights meeting is, we are getting MORE vacation time. Seems, in this audit, they compared this company to others in the State.
We fell short, not only in benefits, but pay scale span. So for now, we get "personal days" added to the package. For me, this means I go from 4 weeks to 5 of over all vacation time, as of April 1 2007. ( I’ve been there for 15 years, I should add) And the pay scale for the dept has also been raised, after it was compared to "other" similar companies. So when review time comes around, looks like more $$$ just in that change alone for everyone in the dept.

As for the cameras, seems we are getting our own credit card processing system in-house. Currently it is handled by a third party, outside the company. We were told, as part of the required security, the cameras are necessary in any areas pertaining to mainframe computers.Thats us...  They are talking extremely HIGH security!

As one co-worker added, "I hope I don’t have to pee in a cup everyday before coming to work now". 

And it turns out, in a rare display of management emotion, they were just as pissed with some of these changes (i.e. timecard login, cameras) as we employees were. (No doubt benefit changes too, but they didn’t admit that one.)

If they would just have been open and explained some of this before hand, we would have bypassed a lot of bitching and grief...Oh well.

I also found out this company, that employs some 700 people at our headquarters and some 5000+ over 8 States, has been having problems getting and keeping good workers. Thus the reason this “external audit" recommended these changes to pay and benefits. That was news to me. Especially getting and keeping new people in high tech areas, they have been having a hard time. Drawing in new people and keeping the ones they already have was something they had to address.
Soooo, I guess I jumped the bitching gun here. You can ignore this whole thread.     Oh well, never mind....

PS. Using my own car is still a sore spot with me, however.