The Secret War Against American Workers

[bridgit]

'Bosses are using minor transgressions of work-place rules as the trigger for firings -- putting the fear of god into those who remain

Juanita Borden, 39 and jobless, patiently waits as her résumé methodically works its way, line by line, through a fax machine at a state-run job center in downtown Philadelphia. Lying open before her on a round conference table is a neatly organized folder. "This is my résumé and everywhere I've been faxing to. This is how I keep track of what day I've sent them on, so I can call and check back," she says, leafing through pages of fax cover sheets. "I usually give five business days before I inquire whether or not they've received it and whether or not they're interested."

Juanita was fired last October, when her employer found out that her driver's license -- a job requirement -- had expired. "It was only a matter of twenty-six dollars. I was under the impression that it expired in November of '08, but it was actually November of '07, and because I hadn't been driving I wasn't aware of it." The one occasion on which she was required to drive, though, she couldn't, and that was all her employer needed to fire her for failing to fulfill her employment responsibilities. She has since renewed her license and says with an air of futility, "I'd like to have my job back if they would give it to me."'

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/132742/the_secret_war_against_american_workers/

[ogneopasno]

1. Secret, nothing. Anyone who's employed knows they're under the gun.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Isn't if funny that all too often those doing the writing up are the

ones who need written up the most?? I speak from experience.

[ogneopasno]

4. Oh I hear you, I hear you.

Before I resigned I had a "personal improvement plan" that told me that even though my reporters respected me and worked hard for me, I needed to stand behind them as they wrote -- AS. THEY. WROTE. -- and provide instant feedback on their word choices.

I resigned two days later.

[cabluedem]

6. Lots of managers and supervisors are sadistic bastards. nt

[Skittles]

3. CORRECT

[bridgit]

5. Neither is it anything new...it may be time for the people to catch up...

with the real problem eh...maybe it's already too late

[readmoreoften]

7. That's a secret? Huh. Not to me. /nt

[lib2DaBone]

8. The problem is Reagonism and Trickle Down Economics....

in 1980 Ronnie Raygun busted PATCO and showed those nasty Unions that workers were not important.

Ever since then, the main stream media has been spinning that the 'workers' really do not matter in the equation, and the bankers are the most important part. The only glitch, is that if workers do not earn, the Uber Politicians have nothing to tax and no way for them to steal most profits.

Today, we have learned different. We know that Republican values have destroyed our country and we may never recover.

We need jobs. Good paying jobs with health care. Not outsourcing our jobs to China and India.

If our politicians can not believe in American Labor, then maybe we need to cut off PAC money and Lobby Money to CONgress and Senate.

CONgress and Senate are the true criminals.

[bridgit]

11. I do agree...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5304974#5305001 I've been a SAG member since a teen, but heard all the sell-out shit he did to his own crafts-people on behalf of studio moguls. We little survived that dude here in California as he ran around taxing everyone *but* his donor base while driving wages down; that's right round the time you may have noticed a change from 'payroll dept' to 'human resources dept' read here: squeeze'm like a lemon wedge & toss'm, "Let them vote with their feet", "Take control of your destiny (a feel good way to say *don't let the door hit'ya where the good lord split'ya cause there's plenty more where you came from*)"

Yeah, a real peach of a guy http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/124855/tear_down_this_myth:_how_reagan's_legacy_haunts_our_future/

[BuelahWitch]

9. The story of the guy who was fired because of a company fould up

is brutal. I'm talking about the cable worker who was fired for installing something the customer did not ask for, even though it was on his work order. If I'd been him I'd have sued their asses.
In both cases, it sounds like someone was gunning for them.

[AZ Criminal JD]

10. If your job requirement demands a drivers license

It is your responsibility to keep it legal. What if she was in an accident when her license was expired? The other people would sue the employer for having someone without a license in their employ. Of course she was fired. She was a jeopardy to the livelihood of everyone who worked for the employer. States send out renewal notices. She didn't know the year? People buy such BS.

[bridgit]

12. In another time, she maybe could have been reassigned till she arranged for a renewal

One time...you're fired; no, "Now you're going to need to pull your affairs in order or face disciplinary action up to and including termination." There's little to suggest that it wouldn't have been something else after even that i.e. insurance, not enough insurance while performing duties on the job, not enough rubber on her tires, etc. there's nothing picayune about staying 'street legal', but if employers are sensitive to the requirements of their employees there's creative ways to deal with them

[Fire1]

13. Spoken like a true lawyer.

[Laelth]

14. Avoided paying her unemployment that way.

Here in Georgia, an employment at will state, an employee can be legally fired for any reason except for those reasons protected by Federal law (race, sex, age, national origin, religion). Anything else is fair game. Ex.: Employee has a nice smile. Boss likes smile. Boss says, "Gee. I love your smile. So, you're fired." That's completely legal. The only legal consequence here is that persons whose jobs are terminated without fault are entitled to unemployment benefits. Those fired for a good reason, like violation of a company policy, are not entitled to unemployment.

So, when the boss is hunting for reasons to fire people, he or she is just trying to avoid paying unemployment. In Georgia, he or she can fire you, regardless, and you have no recourse unless the firing was for a reason that violates Federal law.

:dem:

-Laelth

[bridgit]

15. That's right plus she drops out the bottom of other entitlements she may have coming

[HillbillyBob]

16. and they make up reasons. The lady should have been given a few days to

get her license taken care of, if she was not driving for some time it is understandable heaven knows I have let my license lapse because I forgot the expiration date because I was sick or or had other stressors.
To the lawyer, you have never forgotten or made a mistake?
I dislike people who always have all the answers, they are not as omniscient as they would have the rest of the world believe.
They would make up 'reasons' some really stupid ones at that.
One time I was fired for the 'reason' of showing up almost 30 minutes early, my partner needed to be at work earlier than usual and we only had one car. The boss had seen my partner drive off after letting me out, my partner was a bit fey.
Since I was gay and it was unproven it did not matter, suspicion was a 'reason' to deny me unemployment, and since all the local cuntractors were in cahoots, I was black listed and could not get another job.
I always did good work showed up on time and sober, which a lot of folks did not. I did not harass others.
These same contractors 'fixed' wages so that you could not go to another job and make more money.
We need to overturn slave owner wanna bes. Im sick of the privileged drivel.
I later moved to South Florida..it was better there, but not by much.
A job would come with benefits, but on day 89 of 90 I would get laid off or hours cut so that I wasn't full time any more. I ran service trucks that these companies charged 60 or 80$ per hour, but pay me 7$, I know there was overhead, but not that much they paid the straight boys 15$ or more 'because they had families to support" well I did too.
I have been saying that we need to change the paradigm in this country for years.
I had been an AirTraffic Controller in the Navy got outted and put out, but since raygun killed PATCO the Union which did try to get me in FAA said the Moral Turpitude quoted in my service discharge disqualified me from working civilian ATC. In fact I should have been covered by the non discrimination policies that were in place (though they were not much) since I was trained and could do the job. That was how I ended up going to work as an electrician helper for minimum wage and other part time and other crap jobs. Never getting far enough ahead to go back to school, yea I'm bitter so what? I do have a decent life now, no thanks to the plantation mentals, they had better stay off our little hill farm.

[KharmaTrain]

17. Lawyers Are Cleaning Up As Well

I have a friend who was fired late last year after working 20 plus years for the company. They claimed "insubordination"...never really defining what she did wrong but that her boss had accumulated a list of things she had done over the year that altogether justified her termination. She was devestated, but got a lawyer and is in the process of suing. Here's the real rub.

20 years ago, I went through a similar situation in suing an employer and it took a year to resolve. It was the lowest time in my life. Now I see my friend going through the same thing, but with 20 years of inflation and extra red tape. She still hasn't had a hearing on her claim...and this is at least 6 months since she filed...and in the meanwhile her billable hours go up with no end in sight. I fear she'll get a take it or leave it deal where her employer gets off with a quick lump sum and most of it ends up in paying her laywer.

These are big examples of why we need Card Check and to rebuild the unions as a backbone to this nation's recovery.

[Laelth]

18. Lawyers are cleaning up?

The lawyer representing the company is. He or she bills for every hour worked, and the company pays. How much money has your friend paid her attorney at this stage? Probably nothing ... for a lot of work. For the life of me I can't understand why people expect attorneys to work for nothing, but they do. It's frustrating when you work for the good guys (the employees) and they still resent the hell out of the fact that they have to pay you. Attorneys working for the evil guys (the businesses) expect to get paid, and do get paid, whether they win or lose.

-Laelth