Guys,

At times it seems to me in life as in recovery.
That most things that happen to us in our lives on a daily basis is basicily out of our hands.
Case in point is my job, I work for the largest LTL (less then truckload)freight company in the U.S.. 5 years ago the company that I work for (Roadway Express)own all of its termnals and equipment out right. It was on sound finanicial footing and been profitable for the 70 years it had been in business. In 2004 it was taken over in an leverage buyout by our main rival whose financial picture had always been shakey at best.
As of today our existence is very much in doubt because of the state of the present ecomony and the huge debt load that the our parent corp has placed on us.
About three weeks ago the corp has asked the their employees to take a 10% paid cut from the contract that was agreed to only a year ago.
Tomorrow I have to vote yes or no to allowing the contract to be amended and sent it to the Teamster office in Washington D.C..
To say that I am pissed is an understatement. I bust my ass everyday for this company because.
1. I really enjoy and like my job.
2. That is who I am.I always give it my best.

I don't like the fact that someone or somebodies with more power chose to allow our conpany in end up in this financial quagmire. It makes me angry that a few choose to financially enrich themselves at the possible expense of 70,000 jobs.
I got this ballot in front of me to vote yes and my family will lose at least 8,000 dollars next year or vote no and most possiblity lose my job next year. So As distasteful as I find it I am going to have to vote yes to save my job.

To me it is distasteful and repulsive at how selfism and self-serving people are and that there is nothing I can do about it.
But I have learned that I can only do what is in my power to do. And in this situation all I can do is try and preserve my job and support my family. Keep my head held high and contiue to do my job to the best of my ability.

For today I am a survivor and not a victim.
And I chose to live my life in this way.

Mike

Sorry, Mike...truly.

I know guys at both ends of the spectrum. A guy I know on disability and who relies on mass transit to get around is angry because the current economic crisis has caused huge budget cuts, cutting out the buses he needs to get back and forth to the doctor's office.

Several other guys I know at the opposite end of the scale have had to start looking for jobs because their investments took such a huge hit.

We all want what our parents had when we first start out in a relationship, get married and have kids...but there were always checks and balances before. Allowing people to mortgage their homes at one hundred percent and mortgage the closing costs, too...then, other secondary mortgage companies comming in and allowing the buyers to qualify to buy their boats and four wheelers and RVs with no real equity, well, was just ridiculous. As they started walking away, we all have to pay.


"Serenity," In the Serenity prayer though, does not mean denying or minimizing what we feel. Serenity is not serenity if it means numbing or rationalizing and minimizing what we feel.
So, thank you for putting it out there...I hear what you are saying. Thanks for sharing what you are feeling...


:-)


Dave

Hey Mike, I feel for ya' bro'.

It sucks that greedy pricks get fat off the sweat and toil of others. And that the current owners don't appreciate the hard work of yourself and your co-workers.

That being said, your post reads like you're not in it for the money. I might be reading into it, but it reads like you do it because you want to do a good job. And that is more valuable than all the money in the world!

You know the real value of $8,000! It may not be possible to change jobs, but if you ever do, your dependability and give-a-damn attitude will make you and A+ candidate. I have learned that there are companies out there who value these characteristics. It sounds like yours used to be one, and is no longer.

Relationships take work, and the surest test of their equitability is whether both parties feel their getting what they need from the other. You're being pissed is a sign the relationship with your employer is out of alignment.

We're stronger than we believe we are, in spite of what happened to us in moments of weakness/uncertainty, we still here!

be well,

Hi, Mike sorry about your predicament. Just what do you do? It is a very tough question. Yep an $8,000.00 pay cut is very bad, but taking a pay cut to preserve (possibly) your job and income might be the best answer. Yes loyality should mean a lot, always to work on time, busting your butt, doing over and above what you have to do. But sadly in this world, it seems like we always were taken advantage of. There are two types of military civilian employment. You have civil service (taxpayer funded) jobs. Read high wages.Then you have what they call Non Appropiated Fund Positions. These jobs are like I was working for the exchange system as a HPP (hourly paid position) read low wages as these are NOT funded by TAX dollars. We are supposedly paid from the profits generated by the exchange system. Now I started out at the lowest part of the totem pole and worked my butt off and was rewarded with letters of appreciation, and at times a cash bonus. Now I had just retired from the Air Force and I am 40 years old. In a very short time I was given the keys to the plant, as I was the most trustworthy employee. I was always there, I was always on time (actually I was there hours before) they knew that but I got paid by the clock. When my actual duty time started and stopped. Anything above that was gratis. By my loyality was paid back in a faster promotion to the next higher level and so on until I retired. Now those civil servants (tax payer funded) people got extra bennies, free military schooling for their kids, housing pay, cost of living adjustments. But those employees who were Non Appropiated Funded did not receive those bennies. I had always thought that we NAF funded employees should have as equal pay/bennies if not better as we were NOT a BURDEN to the taxpayer. But I had a family to feed and I did have a military retirement check to help me out. So Mike, I am sure glad that I am older and retired, as I sure don't have to worry about trying to feed my family, and trying to battle CSA at the same time. I wish you well Mike. I hope that it all works out for you. Heal well my friend/brother.
Pete (Irishmoose)