You Know You Are Old When

[orezok]

 

[CalG]

 

[not2old]

Agreed, but it’s still worth the effort, as typically your biggest “raises” occur when changing companies. Once you’re in the fold, it’s less common to see large increases, as the employer doesn’t usually need to offer as much incentive to keep you there as to get you there.

In the early 1970's I cancelled my plans to leave after the union negotiated a 25% raise. A few years later I got promoted out of the union from assistant to Department manager and my income went from $900.00 to just under $1500.00

 

[WinterDeere]

In the early 1970's I cancelled my plans to leave after the union negotiated a 25% raise. A few years later I got promoted out of the union from assistant to Department manager and my income went from $900.00 to just under $1500.00

Unions may alter the rules. Of course, there's a reason that a larger fractions of businesses moving production out of the USA have been union shops, versus non-union shops. Companies just can't afford 25% production wage increases across the board, when consumer price index is running 3%.

 

[drssg]

Unions may alter the rules. Of course, there's a reason that a larger fractions of businesses moving production out of the USA have been union shops, versus non-union shops. Companies just can't afford 25% production wage increases across the board, when consumer price index is running 3%.

I agree with you, but I'll offer a contrary viewpoint anyway.

I used to work for a large company that manufactured surgical instruments. Oddly enough, the US plants were non-union, and the Mexico plant was unionized.

It appeared to me that the only function of the Mexican union was to collect union dues. They certainly didn't fight for higher worker wages. IIRC, their hourly wage in the early 90s was WAY below $1/hour.

They were paid in cash every Friday. Many employees didn't have a bank account, and it wouldn't be safe for them to try to cash a check somewhere.

They also couldn't manage a budget on a two week pay cycle, like the US companies. Absentee rates on Mondays were horrible, because many employees still had money, or they were still recovering from when they had money.

Part of their employment benefits were that they could come to work to bathe and eat, even if they were flat broke.

 

[bigtiller]

I agree with you, but I'll offer a contrary viewpoint anyway.

I used to work for a large company that manufactured surgical instruments. Oddly enough, the US plants were non-union, and the Mexico plant was unionized.

It appeared to me that the only function of the Mexican union was to collect union dues. They certainly didn't fight for higher worker wages. IIRC, their hourly wage in the early 90s was WAY below $1/hour.

They were paid in cash every Friday. Many employees didn't have a bank account, and it wouldn't be safe for them to try to cash a check somewhere.

They also couldn't manage a budget on a two week pay cycle, like the US companies. Absentee rates on Mondays were horrible, because many employees still had money, or they were still recovering from when they had money.

Part of their employment benefits were that they could come to work to bathe and eat, even if they were flat broke.

My job during that timeline had a 4 man assembly line that built disc gangs. A pair of gangs were assembled and hung together on the overhead chain-conveyor paint line.

The largest disc gang weighed well over a ton and was built in Monterey Mexico because it was too heavy for our overhead chain-conveyor paint line to move.

The Mexican bossed came to our plant for a tour and watched our line build for about an hour and were very impressed and envious.

They said our 4 man line could build more gangs in half a day than his line could build in a week. And he had 8 men on his line.

 

[jyoutz]

I agree with you, but I'll offer a contrary viewpoint anyway.

I used to work for a large company that manufactured surgical instruments. Oddly enough, the US plants were non-union, and the Mexico plant was unionized.

It appeared to me that the only function of the Mexican union was to collect union dues. They certainly didn't fight for higher worker wages. IIRC, their hourly wage in the early 90s was WAY below $1/hour.

They were paid in cash every Friday. Many employees didn't have a bank account, and it wouldn't be safe for them to try to cash a check somewhere.

They also couldn't manage a budget on a two week pay cycle, like the US companies. Absentee rates on Mondays were horrible, because many employees still had money, or they were still recovering from when they had money.

Part of their employment benefits were that they could come to work to bathe and eat, even if they were flat broke.

The current situation in most Mexican cities is far different with most manufacturing workers living in nice homes and affluent for the local area. A few years ago in Chihuahua City. I saw beautiful company hosing subdivisions built for workers with nice vehicles parked in front. The locals were well dressed and congregating at local restaurants.

 

[MossRoad]

My job during that timeline had a 4 man assembly line that built disc gangs. A pair of gangs were assembled and hung together on the overhead chain-conveyor paint line.

The largest disc gang weighed well over a ton and was built in Monterey Mexico because it was too heavy for our overhead chain-conveyor paint line to move.

The Mexican bossed came to our plant for a tour and watched our line build for about an hour and were very impressed and envious.

They said our 4 man line could build more gangs in half a day than his line could build in a week. And he had 8 men on his line.

On a flip side of that... when I worked at the newspaper, I'd often visit other newspapers to share/learn technologies, automation, and general production practices. One time we visited the newspaper in Cincinnati. Their entire packaging department was staffed by adult to elderly men. Lots of them. Tons of them. Way more people than needed. Sometimes two to a machine. None of them seemed to be moving all that fast either. I mentioned to the manager that at our paper, we had post high school aged young men doing most of the heavy lifting tasks, and about 20-30 old women operating the machines. Maybe half as many total as they did. We called them the moms and the kids. Why did they have so many people and why were all of them men?

The guy shushed me and whispered in my ear that it was a union shop and I'd better not let any of them hear me. He was actually fearful.

 

[ultrarunner]

Agreed, but it’s still worth the effort, as typically your biggest “raises” occur when changing companies. Once you’re in the fold, it’s less common to see large increases, as the employer doesn’t usually need to offer as much incentive to keep you there as to get you there.

They are actually decreasing longevity incentives in a total reversal…

The emphasis is on recruiting and sign on bonuses with liberal tuition reimbursement…

The very nice 5 year increment service awards ended December 31 as did a retirement bonus of $1,000 per year for every year with the hospital paid upon age 62 or above retirement for RN and lessor amounts for others…

A nurse I took on her first week orientation 30 years ago received a nice 30k send off… she retired at age 70… with 30 years service…
It’s like the era of employee retention has passed…

We have a lot of key roles filled by employees 60 and above… the news of the elimination of the bonus had more saying they will continue working…

 

[Oaktree]

That’s a good feeling isn’t it Oaktree.??

Yes it was.
Got laid off from there maybe 6 years later, boss gave me kind of a back-handed complement when he broke the news. He was told he had to get rid of one employee, said he chose me because of the group I was the one who'd have the easiest time finding another gig. Turns out I was unemployed for all of 4 days, 2 of them being a weekend.