Economy-Better?

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Oldwagon

Oldwagon

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
702
Location
New Albany,Indiana
Well I found out today that my hours are getting cut at work.Just in time for my wifes surgery on June 8.She is getting a new Knee.I am off the day of the surgery.They will not let me off any after that.There is no one to cover my shift.They have cut us back to where 2 people can not be off at the same time. She will be in the hospital for 3 weeks.She had her shoulder repaired last year and I was home for 2 1/2 months with her.Can't do that this time if I want to keep my job.They keep saying it is getting better.I am still waiting.Todd
 
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I feel for you. We were cut back to a 36 hour work week. Doesn't sound so bad, but there are only two of us on any given day (3 hours overlap), so no vacation till further notice. We have seen an increase in consumer traffic, but not enough to get back to a 40 hour week. I keep telling myself, at least it's a job...
 
We're now part of a 'workshare' program, which is basically a 32 hour week. Unfortunately they still expect a '40' hour effort. : ( without paying for it.
 
As the guys are retiring they are not feeling positions.5 years ago there were 5 of us now there is 3.We use to get 3 temps in the summer.Which was the same as 1 full time person for the summer.The last 3 summers there has been 3 of us.Still want 8 guys work a week.They still do not understand why we are always behind????????
 
I could never understand the logic of cutting staff or hours when times are hard. With so many people out of work these days, you'd think it would benificial for companies to employ more sales people and pay them on commission only.
When we are quiet, we use the time to send all the service guys to our factories around the world for re-certification and training.

We once had a really bad spell, so the company simple asked for volunteers to take their annual leave during this time. They even added a few days as an incentive.
 
The logic is if you cut 3 men 8 hours youve reduced payroll by 20% for those 3 men but all 3 still have jobs. If you fire one of the men and keep the other 2 at full work you have reduced your payroll by 33 percent. But you dont have enough manpower to ramp back up if the work walks in the door. I ordered doors for my house and the door company was only working 4 days. They pulled everyone back in to work rather than let the job sit or possibly go elsewhere.
 
Well I guess that's ok if the company is just sitting waiting for the phone to ring. If they got a commissioned salesman ( who could work for other companies at the same time) then they would be going out there and 'getting' the work instead of waiting for it. And you have an extra man now employed:wink:
 
What do you do when there is no work or not enough work to support your business? Some businesses do have salesmen that handle more than one line of goods as long as they are not in compitition with each other. We have the problem of there isnt enough work to support all the businesses. Prices are and have fallen to where companies are bidding under thier cost just to get the work in hopes of change orders to make the job profitable. Or using existing inventory up to generate cash at less return than they can replace it for just to make wages trying to keep the companies doors open long enough to get better paying work.
 
That was the idea behind a reduced work week. By cutting us back to 36 hours, the boss realized the bottom line savings of dropping one salesperson. Everyone still has an income, but it's slightly reduced.

Hopefully everyone (you guys) can hang in there. I do see the consumer loosening the grip on the purse strings. It's just taking some time for anyone to spend the money they know they need too, but really don't want too.
 
Mark, things must be different in PA. Here in KY the purse strings are as tight as they've ever been. Unemployment is the highest it's ever been in the big city of Louisville. And there seems to be no end to the tunnel. Two of the biggest companies in the city just layed off over 2000 people. I'm fortunate that the industry I work in is striving from the bad economy.
 
Todd I hope your wife does well with her surgery. My sister got a new knee and is doing real well with it. The rehab was a little painful but the constant pain is gone.
 
Industrial and Manufacturing has developed two things that are killing the American worker, one is the concept of "Lean Manufacturing" the other is "JIT" or just in time, the principles sound good on the outside, why keep inventory when you can order it and have it Just In Time, this works about 80% of the time provided there are no rejects at the other end (the ones that are making the part or sub assemblies.
Lean Manufacturing has actually cost many good business to loose their client base due to the fact they don't keep inventory, they work their crews to the point all the people want to do is get the hell away from the place and this all has resulted in a general drop in the quality of their product.
These principles sound good on paper, but manufacturing isn't done on paper it's done by well trained men and women that want an honest wage for an honest days work. can you say outsourcing. I've seen several good business go under , well before this current crises, due to not being able to fill orders, with machinery half completed waiting for a JIT delivery that got routed to Timbuktu, this cost formerly good quality companies to loose their stellar reputations and go broke , the next step is cutting labor cost by cutting the work force. the ones that should be shown the door are the accountants that have no idea what it's like to have to make something package it keep it operating and ship it, all they see is we can save 8% next quarter,
OK
I'll step down now this soap box issue gets me a bit peeved. I've seen it happen to several local companies when it didn't need to.
 
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