Funny thing at work

[jimbo1096]

I have worked at the same job for 34 years. Through 5 mergers, and 4 hurricanes.
Last month I was advised the way I was to have my salary calculated would be changed to be in line with new company policy. Meaning part of my work and travel hours that were negotiated in my taking my present assignment were not be included in my compensation.
I refused to accept the conditions, and was asked to stay through the end of this month.
I agreed.
Today I had a manager show up unexpectedly to do a yearly employee evaluation, witch was Satisfactory, and would include a Merit increase in base pay of .92 USD per hr.
My pay raise starts the day after I resign.

 

[eveled]

Funny they feel its ok to renegotiate the deal, but would not allow you to renegotiate it.

Good luck on the next chapter of your life.

 

[Kevin]

Yes, good luck with the future; What is the industry you are in?

 

[CHEVYINLINE6]

I started working at my last job in 1981 and worked there for 32 years before getting laid off. I worked with over 200 different people during that time and out lasted everyone of them except the owner, so I guess I was doing my job. My former boss lost his business that he had started in the early 1950's because he refused to change with the times and kept hiring the wrong people to run his business while pizzing away his money on his hobby. As he got older he started treating people like crap and now his wonderful family is draining his bank account. LOL.

CHEVYINLINE6.

 

[gunzo]

Unless your going to starve or loose your home in the next few months over this, I'd hold my ground as well. Otherwise, I don't know your age, finances or your worth in your profession. But you refused so you must be OK.
But in a nutshell, 34 years on the job & they want to cut your pay?? I don't think so.

Good luck sir & I wish you all the best in this situation. Ya give them an inch & they want a mile.

 

[ronto]

When I was fired from a job I started my own business and worked much more harder and was much more happier.

 

[sceva]

Been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

If you can swing it move on and don't look back.

I worked my job past normal retirement until changes at work made it no longer "FUN" I retired; left with my head high proud of my accomplishments. I have not regretted for on minute hanging up my spurs.

 

[g5m]

When I was a kid there seemed to be a lot of loyalty to the employer by the employees and vice versa. Now, it seems to be mostly gone.

Best wishes, jimbo 1096!

 

[Cholo]

Good for you!

I wish I'd have learned this sooner in life as I was climbing the corporate ladder.

 

[Conman]

"Mergers" are never good for employees. They are going to lose something; pay or benefits one.

 

[pyth0n]

I have worked at the same job for 34 years. Through 5 mergers, and 4 hurricanes.
Last month I was advised the way I was to have my salary calculated would be changed to be in line with new company policy. Meaning part of my work and travel hours that were negotiated in my taking my present assignment were not be included in my compensation.
I refused to accept the conditions, and was asked to stay through the end of this month.
I agreed.
Today I had a manager show up unexpectedly to do a yearly employee evaluation, witch was Satisfactory, and would include a Merit increase in base pay of .92 USD per hr.
My pay raise starts the day after I resign.

Was retirement not an option?

 

[peachhead]

After 35 years with my company I was "downsized" last year. I took my retirement and now run my own business full time. I have NEVER been happier and less stressed than I am right now. To top it all off, officially I'm still getting paid until April.
Life is good!

 

[Watertender]

I had 30 years of public service as an Engineer. The last 10 were as Chief Engineer. I have a great pension for all the missed holidays and family and school functions. I am still working as an Engineer for a hospital and am well paid for it. I have 3 other jobs that I could have just for the asking because of my reputation and work ethic. I have no plans to retire until the cancer center I am dealing with tells me it's time. I could retire on full SSD but I enjoy my work. It's more important to me to be useful instead of feeling sorry for myself over having cancer for the last 11 and a half years.

 

[Dan in MI]

When I was a kid there seemed to be a lot of loyalty to the employer by the employees and vice versa. Now, it seems to be mostly gone.

Best wishes, jimbo 1096!

Early in my career a highly respected engineer was retiring. Someone commented on how much he'd be missed. One of the supervisors commented, "Do you really want to know how much anyone will be missed when they leave? Put your hand in a bucket of water. Now pull it out as fast as you can. The size of the hole you leave is how much you will be missed."

 

[jimbo1096]

To be honest, I was planning to retire from this job in the summer. I'm 75 and been with SS for ten years. I just like working, and I am in Facilities Maintenance where I have a varied list of things I'm responsible for. And the company supported me through three knee surgeries and a quad bypass (Mainly because of my immediate supervisor and Manager relationship). Recently changes in the upper management were charged with cutting cost so the trickle down effect affected me and one other engineer. I made my opinion known and was requested to hold my departure for a month. I'll have to find something to keep me busy. Maybe I'll get caught up with working on the old car and playing with my 5 mo. old great-great granddaughter. And of course more time on RugerForum. Just now I'll have to get a new computer!

 

[RSIno1]

........ I made my opinion known and was requested to hold my departure for a month. ..........

And the new corporate America would have told you Friday not to come in on Monday. Loyalty is no longer a 2 way street.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I retired at 61 from my job of 33 years (downsizing) with the gas company and collected a nice cash bonus and pension. I then started collecting SS at 62. I am now 71 and have no regrets about it.

 

[Watertender]

I just went to a promotion party where I was Chief Engineer and was asked if I wanted to return to work there with no jeopardy to my pension. They are so short of help that they can get a waiver to hire me as essential staff. It boggles my mind that there are such good jobs out there and nobody wants them. 40 years ago I would have been ecstatic to have a job like that. I guess nobody wants to get their hands dirty anymore.

 

[Ligase]

My wise 93 year old neighbor, Miss Ruth, likes to tell me "you do and you do and you do...and the moment you stop doing...you're a son of a Rosie O'Donnell". Its her way of reminding me not to work too much as it won't be appreciated as much as it should, and to take care of my health.

 

[pyth0n]

To be honest, I was planning to retire from this job in the summer. I'm 75 and been with SS for ten years. I just like working, and I am in Facilities Maintenance where I have a varied list of things I'm responsible for. And the company supported me through three knee surgeries and a quad bypass (Mainly because of my immediate supervisor and Manager relationship). Recently changes in the upper management were charged with cutting cost so the trickle down effect affected me and one other engineer. I made my opinion known and was requested to hold my departure for a month. I'll have to find something to keep me busy. Maybe I'll get caught up with working on the old car and playing with my 5 mo. old great-great granddaughter. And of course more time on RugerForum. Just now I'll have to get a new computer!

So you will get your retirement?

 

[sceva]

When I was a kid there seemed to be a lot of loyalty to the employer by the employees and vice versa. Now, it seems to be mostly gone.

Best wishes, jimbo 1096!

That is how it used to be. Now the employees are just a number. When the owner of the company I retired from was still alive and taking a large hand in running it; he knew everyone by name. If he or other management then told you something you could take it to the bank; a verbal and a handshake was enough. Even the Union rank and file respected him. As he got older and took less hand on running the company the professional managers came in (read MBA types), forced the remaining family out and promptly started making it totally impersonal.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

Job losses due to downsizing, outsourcing, etc. gutted middle America beginning in the mid 1980s and continuing thereafter. This issue was THE hot button that Trump pushed in order to win the 2016 election.

This time, job losses will be due to companies' implementation of robotics and artificial intelligence (R/AI) - technologies championed and pushed by Silicon Valley-types. Perhaps a solution would be for middle America to form its own independent economy as protection against the R/AI threats.

Portions of the service economy are insulated from R/IA. Karma would be served if middle America's service providers exacted the same pain from the R/AI crowd as they are on middle America.

Just in the construction sector, there are Homebuilding/reconstruction/remodeling, electrical wiring/electricians, plumbing installation/repair, roofing/roof repair, etc. Those are services/skills that are relatively insulated from R/AI encroachment. Excluding new car manufacturing, the rest of the automotive industry is another insulated sector.

What I'd give to see a green/pink-hair whine about his/her/its plumbing being backed up, and then have to pay through the nose for human being to fix the problem. Karma.

 

[g5m]

Just for clarification, when I said "When I was a kid..." well, that kid was a LONG time ago!

 

[Watertender]

My wife's family runs a large farm started by her grandparents in 1924. The 2nd generation started taking over in 1950 and were involved into the early 2000's. Her grandfather died in early 1960's and never got to see how large their enterprise has gotten. The family is still heavily involved in the business with the 3rd and some of the 4th generation owning and operating the various operations in a 7 way partnership. They have over 300 employees but have hired some professional management and human resources people to handle those parts of the business. I was asked to work for them when I retired from my job as Chief Engineer. I would have been a Machinery Repairman / Millwright for their conveyor systems and packing operations but I declined the offer. I do and have helped them with problems at times as I enjoy all sorts of mechanical things. Sadly many of the 4th and 5th generations do not want to be involved with the operation but want the benefits of the proceeds. At the present time they have over 30 jobs open paying from $17 to $30 an hour with full benefits and overtime and paid time off. They even help pay for college and promote from within to retain quality people. It will be interesting to see how things go in the future for them.

 

[jimbo1096]

So you will get your retirement?

There is no "retirement", just what I get from 401k that has tanked and my SS.

 

[dstegjas]

I retired at 61 from my job of 33 years (downsizing) with the gas company and collected a nice cash bonus and pension. I then started collecting SS at 62. I am now 71 and have no regrets about it.

Jimbo, I walked down almost that same path to retirement as you did from a gas company here in Ohio. I survived a merger and a down sizing immediately afterwards. A few years after the downsizing. They decided to change the pension, or should I say do away with the pension. I was grandfathered into my pension so nothing changed for me. However all new employees had no pension and the company would match what an employee put into their 401K up to 6 percent. which is what they did prior to the change. I decided after 34 years, I would retire at 62 and I have no regrets. I enjoyed my work and the friends I made there. It was just time for me to take another path in life. My wife retired at the same time and we’ve enjoyed life for the last 4 years.

A lot of people wonder if they made a difference or would be remembered After they left. Since I was able to keep my company cell phone number after leaving. I found the answer to that question. I received phone calls from employees for almost 2 years wanting support from me and asking when I was coming back. It always put a smile on my face.

 

[tazbigdog]

Been there, done that and got the T-shirt.

If you can swing it move on and don't look back.

I worked my job past normal retirement until changes at work made it no longer "FUN" I retired; left with my head high proud of my accomplishments. I have not regretted for on minute hanging up my spurs.

Exactly. My motto as well!

 

[blume357]

So, this company and corporation you are fixing to no longer work for in about 3 weeks actually sends someone to do an evaluation of your work?
Tells me what I actually already know... place is run by idiots who have no idea of efficiency... If they were smart they would pay you ahead of time and send you home.....

but then to be clear, I have not worked for "The Man" in over 40 years and because of that would never work for anyone stupid enough to hire me.

 

[pyth0n]

There is no "retirement", just what I get from 401k that has tanked and my SS.

Best wishes.