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Effn with my employer = job suicide?

Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
OK, I have been with the company I work for for 10 years. I am in charge of sourcing, quoting, and purchasing for our largest customer ( almost 50 million $ a year) I have received numorous awards and accolades from everyone up the ladder from me of a job well done ETC. I am very good at my job. Late last year we were informed there would be no pay raises this year. Now understanding the economy I uderstood and didnt complain. Late last month We were informed thet due to slacking sales within all of our divisions, all salried employees we to take a 3% pay cut. A week later we were told that all employees were to take a weeks un paid furlough ( 5 days in a row) in each of the remaining quarters of this year. Now OK, This si going to be tough on all of us, and we dont have a choice or a say. But I will survive.

Now last week My boss came to me and told me we were loosing an employee due to health reasons and he was not going to be replaced untill next year. Ok I am already bustin my butt as well as all the people underneath me, but we can handle it.

This Morning my boss comes to me with a list of things he would now like me to take charge of. Things that actually fall outside of my department, but i could easily do. This just totally pissed me off.We have 50 people in this office. I told him that this did not fall withing the guidelines of the job I was hired to do and if he would like to create a new position and promote me into that, with an increase in pay to match the responsabilities I would gladly consider it. I them took it upon myself to tell him that in fact I was looking to cut some of the BS work ( reports, newsletters, cust9mer good will calls) I do of my current work load to make up my lack of pay. ( I am a bit hung over and not thinking clearly) He freaked out telling me I was not a team player, and everyone was making sacrafices for the good of the company. I told him no one asked me to take the substantial cut in pay or was concerned with my suffering in an attempt to pay my bills. I have always been the best team player. I always get the job done, I am here for whatver reasons, and everyone who has relied on my was never dissapointed. he walked off in a huff.

Well I do feel that way, and although I will do my job to the best of my abilities, and cant really cut out anything, but I do feel strongly about not taking on responsabilities not in my job description that I am not getting paid for. Should I apologize?, hold my ground, or get my resume in order?
he is a dick, and I have pushed his buttons before. It is however only a matter of time untill somone comes along who can do my job as well as I do, but untill then how much of my crap do you think I can make them take?
 

Greyhound

Trail Rat
Jul 8, 2002
5,065
365
Alamance County, NC
You're totally wrong on all accounts. Be glad you have a job and suck it up, princess. There's 200 people out there just waiting to pounce on your job if you feel it's too much for you to do. I hate to be the bearer of tough-love, but that's how it is out there, bro.
 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
I say good for you for standing up for yourself. Will they lay you off for it?....I doubt it.
Worst case I see you getting more duties & responsibilities but not getting what you want in terms of pay & promotion.

And don't fall for the survivors guilt BS. Just because you still have a job doesn't mean you should let your employer walk all over you.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I don't know you, but if you are a reasonable person, a good worker, and a valued employee, your outburst to your boss has another effect: your boss made a mistake asking for too much.

One thing I realize by the few management positions that I have had is that it is not easy to make the right decision. This isn't a zero-sum game, but give-n-take. I ask for this, maybe that suffers.

I don't know if what your boss asked for was reasonable, and you still might end up doing it. He might realize he asked for too much (plus that team-player bull**** sounds like "How To Manage Successfully").
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
And don't fall for the survivors guilt BS. Just because you still have a job doesn't mean you should let your employer walk all over you.
x2
IF you are as competent as you claim, replacing a productive, proven 10yr employee would be a no-win situation for your employer.

I wouldn't go out of my way to be an obstructionist a-hole but this 'lucky you have a job' crap is BS.

Despite the rough construction market I have yet, and will not, leverage the economy to take advantage of my crews. We may run out of work but they'll make proper wages on the way down the drain.
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
Now dont get me wrong. I am a very hard worker, and very dedicated. I come in early , work late, skip plenty of luch breaks, and am always on call for customer emergencys. I am however out spoken, sometimes to the point of being border line insbordinate. It is the # 1 complaint on my yearly reviews. I will do all that is required of me and then some, but I will not take on any responsablities that are not part off the actual job I interviewed for or my salery is base on. I do not work for free and my name is not on the sign out front.
Every time I got an increase in My pay was because I was told I was a valued employee It required me asking first, going through meetings with upper management and being approved by a district manager. However when they want to take money away I have no say in the matter. OK fine it is supposed top be temporary I can deal with it, But I do not feel that untill that I should take on more without compensation. Other people may grin and bare it, but I just cant. Will I lose my job? doubtfull. But I am prepared. Will my boss hate me? I hope so, that way he will stay in his office and push the BS for some of the younger people who suck up to him and let me continue to make the company money.
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
Oh, and did I tell you that my #2 complaint on my yearly reviews was my inability to spell. Could probably make an extra 5 grand a year if I used spell check for more than just customer correspondence!!
 

Leppah

Turbo Monkey
Mar 12, 2008
2,294
3
Utar
I say that you should be happy you have a job right now. I know i'm happy that i still have one. If you really think you can get a good job quickly, then do it. But i'm sure there are tons of people waiting to pounce on just about any job that pops up. Right now might be a bad time to play the tough guy. Do what you can at your job. If you can't keep up, then maybe they'll spread some of it around.

Seriously, if it was so easy to get a job, do you think there would be so many unemployed people right now?

Maybe you can get away without having a job. I know i couldn't. I have a lot of responsibilities to take care of right now. Jobless wouldn't even be an option for me.
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
OK, We have a winner. I still have a job...yippieee..

so I just got out of a closed door with my boss. He gave me the same BS about team player, and how he had to take the same cuts in pay. He explained what he is trying to do with the added responsabilities. I held steady that I was not going to take on work I was in essence not getting paid to do. We discussed this calmly and intellegently, with both of us understanding each others position. Thank goodness he didt pull the "Because I am the Boss Card" I would have punched him straigt in the nose. So we came to a compromise. I decided that one of the data tracking, and project completion reports was somthing I could do without much effort. The other process will be spread within other departments. I promised to not tell anyone at work about what transpired, and also promised that I think first before making comments. And to confront him in his office with the door closed. We do not like eachother personally but, but we can tolerate each other to achieve our work goals. He just asked for a little more respect. I had a comment but kept my mouth shut, . Choose your battles I guess. Now off the monkey and back to work. I am off to the US Open Wednesday, and I need to get some work done.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
your boss has no backbone. you'd be walking out with a box if you talked to me like that.
 

Greyhound

Trail Rat
Jul 8, 2002
5,065
365
Alamance County, NC
your boss has no backbone. you'd be walking out with a box if you talked to me like that.
Hell yes....there's no room for whining when it's time to make a buck. What kills me is ----> "I decided that one of the data tracking, and project completion reports was something I could do without much effort"


Much effort? ....Jeeze dude, I would hate to make you put forth an effort for your paycheck. That would just be silly, right?
 

J-Dubs

Monkey
Jul 10, 2006
700
1
Salem, MA
your boss has no backbone. you'd be walking out with a box if you talked to me like that.
Agreed.

The whole "that's not my job" argument is weak at best. It basically shows a self-centered attitude for someone you can't depend on.

no offense?
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
Hell yes....there's no room for whining when it's time to make a buck. What kills me is ----> "I decided that one of the data tracking, and project completion reports was something I could do without much effort"


Much effort? ....Jeeze dude, I would hate to make you put forth an effort for your paycheck. That would just be silly, right?
I do what I do for one reason. The pay. Where I work we are offered a position and we negotiate our Pay. I negotiated my last salary based on the proceedures I had to do and my past performance. I aint no Charity. Now maybe one day Unicef will get into this business..........
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
I do what I do for one reason. The pay.
That's too bad. I hate working with people that have no passion for what they do or care about the company they work for. You're there to make them money, not the other way around. If you kick ass and help the company, the money follows.

If you worked under me, I could handle some pissing matches, but knowing you have no stake in the company, I would tell you goodbye.

:bonk:
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I'd talk to you any way I want and you would like it.
On the other hand, I worked with an unstable dude. He had gotten into an argument with a co-worker who he was following at lunch because he ran a yellow light (which is legal in Cali; they checked afterwards), then our boss asked him to perform a simple install.

This guy, who was probably still steaming from the yellow light argument, got all butt-hurt and said, "I quit", and left. Well, my boss had to take him seriously and yanked his building access on the spot, and eventually, they officially accepted "his resignation".

I heard later this guy had sat in his car out in the parking lot, and I can imagine him calming down, then trying to swipe his badge, and realizing saying "I quit" was the last words he would ever say at my job place.
 

Streamline

Spammer Extraordinaire
Jul 9, 2007
333
0
Say what? No one works for the company to make the company money without the expectation of making money. They don't pay you don't play, end of story.

They are your customer as much as you are there's. And customer satisfaction on both ends are important.

I personally love what I do, and how I do it. Honestly I give a rats arse about the company as long as they pay me. And right now with the 11% cut in pay and three years going on four with no raise and 95 out of 100 review scores this is really hitting home right now.

Unfortunately right now they are right to say that the work is slim out there. Just think before anything else.

I will say though that I am sick of having to work so many damn jobs and having to miss out on so much with family and myself for a company that thinks I am just worth enough to keep on staff but not worth enough to pay a respectable salary.
 

Upgr8r

High Priest or maybe Jedi Master
May 2, 2006
941
0
Ventura, CA
That's a big part of what's wrong with America.
I agree that is part of the problem.

When employers stopped caring about their employees and starting viewing them as liabilities instead of assets, the employees naturally started looking out for #1, to the point where there is very little company loyalty in the business world anymore. I have worked quite a few companies that did not care a whit about the employees but viewed them as merely cogs in the big machine and I hated it. Why should I bust my hump making them money when they didn't value what I brought to the table?

Luckily I now work for a company that does care about it's employees so I am willing to do more that what my job description entails. My main job is Accounts Receivable, but I happily do some IT, maintenance, office supplies and anything else that may come up to help the company because I know they have my back also
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
Cuz' corp. America is sooooo good to the people in the trenches. :twitch:
I've been in "the trenches" for 23 years and have been rewarded many, many times for hard work and dedication. If my work is not respected or appreciated, I change the situation. If you don't give a crap about the company you work for, the company should remove you.
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
Unless your name is on the sign out front, and you cal the shots, it is JUST A JOB. 8 hours out of your life to help pay fpr the other 16. Go back to post #11. I am a dedicated employee, when it comes to the job. I do what they pay me to do. I give 110% to getting my job done, But at the end of the day my work stays there and My life begins. If you enjoy yor job , fine. If your title is who you think you are Maybe you need your very own Tyler Durden to straighten you out.
in order of importance
1 my family
2 me
3 my friends
4 my dog
4 my job, I am not a Dr. or some scientist saving the world. I help a company and its stockholders Money. There is no real dignity in that in the true scope of life
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Unless your name is on the sign out front, and you cal the shots, it is JUST A JOB. 8 hours out of your life to help pay fpr the other 16. Go back to post #11. I am a dedicated employee, when it comes to the job. I do what they pay me to do. I give 110% to getting my job done, But at the end of the day my work stays there and My life begins. If you enjoy yor job , fine. If your title is who you think you are Maybe you need your very own Tyler Durden to straighten you out.
in order of importance
1 my family
2 me
3 my friends
4 my dog
4 my job, I am not a Dr. or some scientist saving the world. I help a company and its stockholders Money. There is no real dignity in that in the true scope of life
I always chuckle when someone announces that work is like family. I always respond by saying, "When do they lay you off from your family?"

I think a good boss understands the priorities of real life and the work which needs to be completed for his subordinates, balanced by the pay and perks.
 

drkenan

anti-dentite
Oct 1, 2006
3,441
1
west asheville
Luckily I now work for a company that does care about it's employees so I am willing to do more that what my job description entails. My main job is Accounts Receivable, but I happily do some IT, maintenance, office supplies and anything else that may come up to help the company because I know they have my back also
What does your company do for its employees to get this type of attitude out of them? I would imagine this goes way beyond offering health insurance.