The writing is on the wall

[Jack The Riffer]

Re: The writing is on the wall

Yeah the resume is being updated. The company itself is not going belly up, but the us division might be. We are publicly traded. We are a global comapny with our headquarters in Israel. The only thing I'm optimistic about is that our office posted the best numbers last quarter of any division around the world. The VP says now that he knows we are stable he can move on to a job where he's not traveling 3 weeks per month every month. Either way the money here sucks so I'm shopping the resume around but will stick it out here until they tell me otherwise or something better comes along.

[Soap]

Re: The writing is on the wall

[ QUOTE ]
I'd at least start shaking the tree enough to get a straight answer. Usually they want to keep that info as secret as possible - when I first started the job I have now 5 years ago, they called a meeting and said there were layoffs on the horizon (6 months to a year down the road) and that MIGHT include full-time people.

In less than a week, 7 people that had been there for 3 to 10 years left without warning to find another job. Turned out that business had suddenly picked up the very next week and they were hiring people like crazy, me included.
So yeah, I can see where speaking too soon can cause a problem. I've also seen where idle rumor and cloak and dagger has the same effect. Another place I worked was ALWAYS "shutting down next week". That was the hot rumor when I got there. 4 years later, corporate came in and said "we're closing and moving to New York". I had a chance to go, but the pay wasn't that great, and they had customers and managers I did not care to serve any longer.
In that 4 years, dozens of people came and went in fear of the "overnight lockout" that happened at another facility: on Friday the employees organized into a union. That weekend, the building was cleaned out and a sign hung on the gate that said "Relocated - No Work".

So yeah, as an employee who depends on a steady paycheck and doesn't have a 6-figure income, I'd definitely want someone to give me the straight dope and not blow smoke up my butt just so I didn't bail on them. 300+ people looking for a job at the same time blows. It blows even more when that 300+ joins the others that were there 6 months before them and STILL can't get a job. Meanwhile the bills keep coming even if the paychecks aren't.

Like I said, a company only deserves the same level of respect it gives - customers, employees, investors, whatever. The company has no right to complain about employees bailing when they themselves are planning to bail on the employees.

As for why so many companies relocate to China and Mexico - cheaper labor, no benefits packages, and more of the profit goes into the pockets of a handful of people. There are no pay raises on the production floor - you don't like the pay, go work somewhere else.

Can a poorly educated 12 year old Indonesian girl assemble a guitar better than even a moderately educated 20-something American? Of course not, we see the evidence day in day out. Does the Indonesian girl get medical, dental, optical, vacation, sick pay, Family Leave, Maternity Leave, profit sharing, IRA, or any other benefit?
They get the glory of working another day, and maybe eating a meal.

If this keeps up, we'll be a 3rd World Nation as well.

[/ QUOTE ]
Couldn't have said it any better, my personal feelings as well.

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: The writing is on the wall

the sand and i are both waiting for you jack. what a way to spend the day. if you come out, i'll quit , and we can hobo around, it's easy. and it's fun.

[hippietim]

Re: The writing is on the wall

[ QUOTE ]
...If this keeps up, we'll be a 3rd World Nation as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dude, you always talk about how you shop at Walmart. Pretty much everything they sell is made by some 3rd World Nation.

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: The writing is on the wall

sit on the steps with your guitar case open and you can make like $12.00 a day. you can live on that.

[Rupe]

Re: The writing is on the wall

Definitely get the resume out there. It is MUCH easier to get a job when you already have one than when you are unemployed, no mattter the reason. Hedge your bets and start looking hard.

[Newc]

Re: The writing is on the wall

Tim - I don't deny that, however, I also don't see anyone stepping up to the plate with serious competition. They carry the same brands that Circuit City does mostly, and they are made in the same 3rd World Nations. A store can only carry what's available on the supply lists, and if Emerson, Philips, Magnavox, JVC, Sony, Levi's, Nike, etc etc etc are already in India and Singapore, where's the Made In USA product for WalMart to stock?

WalMart buys in such large quantities that they get a cheaper per-item rate. Circuit City has an "image" to maintain so they not only pay more for each item, they also sell it for more. Plus, WalMart has other items to make their fortune from, such as food, whereas Circuit City doesn't. If WalMart doesn't sell a bigscreen this month, they don't lose any sleep. If Circuit City doesn't sell a bigscreen this month, someone loses a job.

While WalMart aren't HELPING matters, they're certainly not the largest contributor to the problem.

[clifffclaven]

Re: The writing is on the wall

[ QUOTE ]
Tim - I don't deny that, however, I also don't see anyone stepping up to the plate with serious competition. They carry the same brands that Circuit City does mostly, and they are made in the same 3rd World Nations. A store can only carry what's available on the supply lists, and if Emerson, Philips, Magnavox, JVC, Sony, Levi's, Nike, etc etc etc are already in India and Singapore, where's the Made In USA product for WalMart to stock?

WalMart buys in such large quantities that they get a cheaper per-item rate. Circuit City has an "image" to maintain so they not only pay more for each item, they also sell it for more. Plus, WalMart has other items to make their fortune from, such as food, whereas Circuit City doesn't. If WalMart doesn't sell a bigscreen this month, they don't lose any sleep. If Circuit City doesn't sell a bigscreen this month, someone loses a job.

While WalMart aren't HELPING matters, they're certainly not the largest contributor to the problem.

[/ QUOTE ]They are, far and away, the biggest problem. Not just on the retail end. Their whole business plan is one big fuck you to america, and american workers. Watch the documentary "Is walmart good for america " sometime. You won't believe the shit they pull.

[hippietim]

Re: The writing is on the wall

Newc, the mentality of those that shop at Walmart is a big part of the problem dude.

I used to see it all the time, folks making low wages at jobs that are on path to being outsourced go into Walmart to buy cheap ass imported goods because they feel they need an extra DVD player for whatever reason. Then a few months later see the same poor bastard bitching about outsourcing his job. Of course, this discussion takes place at Walmart while purchasing some other imported piece of crap.

Growing up in the DC area, everyone knew that you went to North Carolina to get top quality furniture made in the USA. Great selection and great prices.

When we first moved to the area we bought some new living room and dining room furniture. We bought oak mission style furniture. We were absolutetly stunned when it arrived and there were Made in China stickers on it. Holy crap! We're in the furniture captial of the country buying American Mission Style Oak furniture and it was made in China. We were blown away. It never even occured to us that it would have been made anywhere but here in North Carolina.

My wife and I went to Highpoint, NC (this is the furniture capital of the country basically) a couple weeks ago to buy new furniture for our boys. It was depressing. Thomasville (a neighboring town to Highpoint) is practically a ghost town. Most of their furniture is made in China. It was VERY difficult for us to find furniture made in the USA. We did. And we gladly paid a little extra for it.

My profession is getting outsourced. I am at the top of my game. I know I am way better at my job than just about anyone that will take it in India. It's just that they can get 5 or more guys for what I get paid. Fortunately my employer recognizes that they still won't get the job done as good as I can do it. But I do wonder...