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March 30, 2007
I've decided to boycott...
... Circuit City. I'm very dissapointed in them. They laid me off way back when, but I was still cool with them because I openly admit I sucked at selling computers. I refused to hassle people for extended service plans when they came in and could barely afford the computer that was free after rebates. Plus, I would point out how much cooler the Macs were to people and sell a dozen iMacs then we would be out of stock for a week and I wouldn't be able to sell anything LOL.
But, then they canned my friend because she was topped out at her wage. How do I know this? They happened to fire all of the people who had topped out of their payscale in her department. How sad is it that loyalty and comittment mean nothing to these folks. My friend has worked there for 7 years, never been written up, doesn't miss work very often, and was extremely good at what she did, I remember because she was a hell of a lot better than I was at it!
These things happen though. My own dad put in 21 years with a company. He helped them build their business. As soon as he was a year from retirement, all of the sudden they fired him. He used to beat himself up trying to figure out what it was that he did wrong because nobody would ever tell him. All the while it was clear to me. A harsh reality... they don't want to pay your pension.
That's one reason why I started an IRA so young. There's no way I'm going to put my future in the hands of a company. It makes sense that they do these kinds of things. They are interested in their bottom line, showing return on investments and paying the stock holders, not the poor people who answer the phones, or stock the shelves.
Be careful out there kids, watch your own back and don't rely on any social service to pay your way in the future.
Posted by Decemberice at March 30, 2007 08:56 PM
Comments
Now I'm glad I didn't pay them their $30, jerks!
It would appear that the bigger everything gets, the more each individual has to protect their own bottom line.
Makes me sad, but since I don't go there unless you drag me anyway, I shall join you in your boycotting of them, because boycotting is fun for me.
Posted by: Ashley at March 30, 2007 10:32 PM
Yup! God Bless America, a place where you can work your ass off for a company, only to get laid off or fired for actually doing your job well.
*sore subject with me too*
Posted by: Zoso at March 31, 2007 06:46 AM
Sorry about your friend! It's a real bummer to get laid off.
I am a bit jaded though I guess. I am more surprised people actually think loyalty means something in today's workforce, than I am with the conduct of employers.
A lack of company loyalty is actually fairly positive for employees if you play the game. When a company isn't loyal, employees aren't. Which means employers must be more competitive in order to attract and keep talented employees. In turn, employees today can demand better benefits, better wages, more flexibility, and so on. Whereas loyalty use to buy you a place to work for the rest of your life and the expectation that you be grateful for it regardless of circumstances.
Overall it's an even playing field. Company's can terminate you for a variety of reasons. And you can leave for no reason at all if you choose.
Posted by: Sarah at April 2, 2007 09:27 AM
I don't really think it's a matter of loyalty, it's a matter of ethics. If you terminate somebody simply because you have promoted them to a point where you can no longer afford them, or because it's time for you to pay a retirement pension that you offered to entice somebody to take a job... it's not really the employee's delusion of entitlement that's the issue. You mention employers offering more to entice more qualified people to take these positions and stay with their employer, but if the employer never actually provides the carrot they dangled, it's irrelevant. It's a false sense of a competitive market.
I certainly don't expect a foot in the door simply because I come to work everyday, though I'm sure there are those who do, but the reality is, if you've remained competitive in your own postion, meeting and exceeding what's expected of you, showing up everyday, helping shape the success of something, I feel that you have earned the things offered to you along the way.
It's not really a level playing field either. If you quit an employer can replace you, if they simply choose not to fire you 8 months prior to having to pay your pension for just that reason, you can't get that pension. It puts you in a financial bind pretty much for the rest of your life.
Posted by: J at April 2, 2007 10:39 AM