They lowered the boom on us.

[justgamma]

We've been working 4 days a week since November. Things are slow. They said that we lost 45% of our business.

This is what the powers that be are asking of us.

5% cut in pay
4 10hr. days
Working Sat. and Sun.'s and take 2 days off during the week.
No day shift, only 2nds, and 3rds.
No money going to the pension plan for 16 months.
Go to a medical co-pay instead of deductables. (Actually this would save me money as we have a huge deductable.)

In exchange, they are saying that they will close the plant in Mexico and move the business up here.

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. I hate to say it, but TAKE IT.

In this economy, that may be a great deal.

:hug:

[GoesTo11]

2. Here's the plan

If you have to take it, take it. For now.

Then as soon as things perk up in the economy, see if they restore everything. If yes, I guess that's the best you can do.

If not, look for a new job that pays more and leave ASAP regardless of impact on the current company.

Sorry for your news. That sucks.

[Donnachaidh]

3. Get the promise to close the Mexican plant in WRITING

And take whatever they are offering. PS == who is THEY?

[FreakinDJ]

4. If closing Mexico plants is in a MAU - make sure it has teeth

All too often folks negotiate with MAUs only to find out if one of the parties breaks it - it means nothing and there are no punative provisions

[Joesunionreview]

7. What is a MAU? n/t

[FreakinDJ]

8. Sorry MOU not MAU - memorandum of understanding

is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It most often is used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in situations where the parties cannot create a legally enforceable agreement. It is a more formal alternative to a gentlemen's agreement.


........In some cases, depending on the exact wording, MoUs can have the binding power of a contract; as a matter of law, contracts do not need to be labeled as such to be legally binding. Whether or not a document constitutes a binding contract depends only on the presence or absence of well-defined legal elements in the text proper of the document (the so-called "four corners"). For example, a binding contract typically must contain mutual consideration—a legally enforceable obligations of the parties, and its formation must take place free of the so-called real defenses to contract formation (fraud, duress, lack of age or mental capacity, etc......

[Joesunionreview]

9. Thanks....

Thank you so much for the very informative and timely response. Good to have you on our side.

[WoodyM]

5. Nafta and free trade agreements

reaching the next planned stage in bringing American workers to the level of third world countries workers.

[Career Prole]

6. That sucks if you have school-aged kids.

That's really going to limit your time with them, but that said they also need a roof and food. On the up-side, providing they aren't splitting up your off days having a three-day weekend every week is kind of nice. My usual schedule is 4 tens Sat.-Tue. (nights) and I've grown to like it.
The pay-cut sucks but providing they're being straight about the 45% business lost and closing the Mexico plant you could have done worse.
Hang in there. This too shall hopefully pass.
:fistbump:

[Brazenly Liberal]

10. Take it.

Yeah, in some ways it really sucks, BUT -- you will have an income and health coverage and have daytime hours to look for another job. If you find a better job or a job with better hours, all to the good. If you don't, you're still working and these are not good times in which to be unemployed.

5% isn't a bad cut these days. A local company that had to cut its hourly employees to 32 hours, which comes to 20%, and suspend 401k contributions for hourly and management. But they continued health coverage and nobody is out of work. In the meantime, shifts are arranged so everyone has SOME weekday time off to look for other work.

This company is working in difficult times to do the best they can by their employees. It sounds like yours is, too.

[C......N......C]

11. They probably have to close the Mexico plant anyways

because of the growing violence there.

[Omaha Steve]

12. If you can stand the hours

This is a bad time to go looking for work elsewhere. Good luck.

[justgamma]

13. I'm going to be fine.

My husband is retired with SS and a pension. We have no kids at home. We have no bills, only utilities. The only reason I still work is insurance. I've been at the job for 37 years so you know I'm an oldie.

I just worry so much about my coworkers. I've heard a lot of them say "we'll just get another job". Jeez, have they not been paying attention?

They are negotiating with the union reps right now so I hope for the best.