Let's Stay Open On Christmas Break!

[blas]

This happened on Thanksgiving break (where we had Thurs and Fri off for paid vacation), management wanted to keep the factory open so they sent a sign up sheet around. Because a few losers who have no life or family or friends signed up, that meant that maintenance also had to work, facilities had to work, and lab people had to work, too. So they got what they wanted and the factory was only shut down during the day on Thanksgiving.

(By the way, don't be too surprised that I called them losers. We get no incentive to come in on paid holidays, we only get our straight pay, no OT pay no double pay, no nothing extra)

Needless to say, maintenance and facilities and lab folk were furious that they ended up being forced to come in because a few people wanted to work on their holiday.

Now they want the same thing. They want to keep the factory open on the 23rd into the 24th, and only shut down on the 25th until 11:00 pm, and open again.

So far it's only voluntary, but I feel for anyone who ends up being forced to come in because production people don't want time off. I have heard that sometimes if enough people show up, they have tried to make it mandatory (though I can't see how, considering every year we are assigned the same paid holidays off), and I'd call in or just not show up and risk an occurance than miss out on anymore time with family and friends.

FFS, I have been working 6 day weeks and almost 20 hours of OT a week since November.....

[bainsidhe]

Wait....what? You mean on Black Friday these idiots were paid for 8 hours and only 8 hours. They'd be paid 8 hours if they were there and 8 hours if they weren't, nothing more? Okay, I'll agree they're losers....or depressingly dedicated?

[blas]

They did still get their holiday pay, despite working, but where I work, we don't get time and 1/2 or double pay or anything like that for holidays that the shop stays open.

For instance, our competitor is usually open on most holidays (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) but their employees get TRIPLE pay for working on holidays. Yeah, that's way generous, but it just goes to show what other companies are willing to do for employees.

So in a way, they did get their holiday pay and their regular pay, but that still isn't much considering losing time off that the company already gives them. See, holiday weeks are short weeks. It may seem like you're getting double time for working on a holiday, but you aren't. You are working towards your regular 40 hours.....because Christmas is a 24 hour work week, people who volunteer will get paid 32 or 40 hours instead of 24.....and THEN their holiday pay, which IS extra money, but it's not double time, it's just like working extra hours. Not overtime until you pass 40 hours.

It's better than a kick in the pants or a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but to me, it's not worth dragging everyone else into work just because you don't feel like taking your vacation that the company pays you to take. I guess it's one of those *principle* things, because when enough people volunteer, it snowballs, and it ends up where lots of people who don't want to have to come in.

[McGoddess09]

That's utter bull crap. Nothing, except emergency services should be open on Christmas. Your coworkers are smoking something that I don't think I want.

[blas]

They are losers, like I said

Now, if my company offered triple pay or even actual overtime pay, I may consider it, and I'm sure tons of others would and there'd be many fewer grumbles from those who are forced to come in.

[protege]

My boss would be one of those losers. Lately, he's been keeping the office open on holidays. No Christmas or Thanksgiving hours yet...but both Columbus and Veterans day, some of us still had to work. Did *he* come in? Of course not! If he did, it was only for a few hours...which was spent bitching and complaining about how we're not doing any business. In fact, we actually *lost* money both of those days! Well, what did you expect--nearly all of the companies we do business with are closed, and the financial markets aren't open! Basically, I got paid to do nothing...but there's only so much surfing the web I can do before I get bored

My feeling is, you want the office open? Fine. Get your ass in here then. The rest of us don't care about our jobs that much to do that. To us, it's just a job--it's *not* our life!

[Plaidman]

I agree its very unfair to force others to come in, but I can't blame people nor calling them losers simply because they might need the money badly enough that they'll work holidays with OT just to make ends meet.


Its a lose lose thing really.

[blas]

There's no OT involved, Plaid, and I do feel a little bad calling them losers. Perhaps I should take it back and just call them dedicated.

I need money, too. That's why I've been putting in so much overtime, sometimes more than what's required (although we've been maxing out lately so there's no need to do any extra unless you want to phsyically exhaust yourself). This is why we need some time off. Time off that the company gives us.

People may be in a money crunch, but do you really want it so bad that you end up causing several others to get dragged into work when they don't want to?

It only really started making me mad when I took break with a maintenance person, and they explained how others get dragged into it. That's just not fair.

[Plaidman]

There's no OT involved, Plaid, and I do feel a little bad calling them losers. Perhaps I should take it back and just call them dedicated.


People may be in a money crunch, but do you really want it so bad that you end up causing several others to get dragged into work when they don't want to?

GAH! That's twice I thought faster then I typed! I meant without OT.

It's also still very unfair for others to be forced in, just cause people need the money. It should have been a pure volunteers only. But I doubt that ever happen. .

[blas]

If it was all volunteers, it'd be fine.

I don't know exactly how they pick which maintenance people or which facilities people have to work, I assume it's by seniority. But you can pretty much see how they wouldn't jump at any chance to work on a holiday and how upset they'd get if they were forced to give up a holiday because some people just can't get enough work.

[protege]

I should have mentioned that because I'm a salaried employee...I get paid the same no matter how many hours I work. No overtime or double-pay either. Sorry, but if there's nothing to do, I'd rather be at home!

The only reason I had to come in...was because of my workaholic boss. Keep in mind that he has said, that if it was up to him, there wouldn't be *any* office closures. No day off on Christmas, New Year's or even the weekends. Thought I'd also mention that this is the same guy, who, on 9/11...said it "didn't look too bad," and if it was up to him, he would have continued trading in the office. That was, until the towers came down. Pardon my French, but fuck that shit.

[bainsidhe]

Ah, see now things make more sense. In truth, getting paid holiday on top of regular pay is, in my mind, "double pay". And I'd be one of the silly fools working the holiday. My family lives out of state and my cat doesn't recognize holidays, so it's just another day of work. Except I'd be earning twice as much an hour. Besides, I've worked in the hotel and food service industries where there is no such thing as holiday pay unless you're salary.

It does suck about supporting departments/staff being forced to come in, though.

[blas]

Update.

Apparently, they couldn't get enough other departments that were willing to stay open, so it's a no go, at least for Wednesday.

Not sure if it has anything to do with a huge snowstorm that's being forecasted for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, though.