"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2009-02-19, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> our workers are now immigrants. They are happy to work 8 and sometimes
>> will
>> work 16 hour days if we let them. Some have been with us for years. The
>> Americans don't usually last more than a few days if they show up at all.
>
> It gets back to fair compensation. "..will work 16 hour days IF WE LET
> THEM"!!!??? Well, aintchyu jes the benevelent one. Lemme ask you this:
> just how long after 8 hrs do you start paying time and a half? ...double
> time?
>

Yes, we are benevolent. We are also concerned about safety and after a
couple of 16 hour days, people get tired and careless. We pay OT after 40
hours. DT on Sunday or holidays, but we don't work then. As for paying
OT after 8 hours, that has proven over the years not to work so well.
People work maybe 45 hours and t hen take off on Friday, or t hey don't show
up on Monday and still want to get ther time in. Our work is such that a
packer is needed whent he machine rungs. If one works on first shift, thent
he second shift operatore comes in there is no more wok (thus on OT) fo rhte
first shift person. If someone call in or does not show up, we do allows a
first shift person to pull a double. OT is really cheap. We pay good
benefits and th eyh are based on 40 hours so even though you are paying
higher wages, you are not paying more for health care.


> If it was up to the bean counters, they would pay straight time for 20 hrs
> without a break.

Bullshit. That is a generalization that is just plain wrong. Sure, some
would but most employers are well aware that people work best whenthey get
breaks, lunch times, etc. Most companies threat employees fairly, not like
1920.


Last Summer I worked as a dishwasher. I sat down 2 mins
> per hour per 6 hr shift. I'm 60 yrs old and as WASP as they come. Don't
> even begin to tell me who and what the working man deserves. I've gone
> from
> digging ditches to wearing suits. I know what the working man deserves.
>
> Grrrrr......
>
> nb

Sorry you've been screwed. Let me also mention that right now our business
is slow. We've only had production two days a week since January 1. That
means 3 days the plant is idle. You may want to know that not one employees
has not been given the opportunity to work 40 hours. It would be much
cheaper just to lay them off, but no on has lost a penny in wages. Don't
talk to me sarcastically about benevolence. Oh, we also got profit sharing
last Friday based on 2008. Everyone, including the cleaning lady that works
6 hours a week got a share.