Workers’ new worry: ‘Reclassification’
8 Comments Published by clay April 28th, 2008 in State and Local Politics, U.S. Politics.Workers’ new worry: Reclassification
IBM employees on Tuesday plan to protest the company’s practice of “reclassification,” or changing salaried workers to hourly ones. It’s a word that’s getting a lot of play in corporate America these days. Lisa Napoli reports.
Reclassified or outsourced! Are these the only current choices? I wonder how many workers are taking second jobs to make up for this lost in income.
What a shame that the corporate ladder has become thinner and thinner. With their jobs threatened and their pocketbooks begging to be fed what other choice do they have other than to get a new job. I mean how else are they going to buy all the useless crap that we have been brainwashed into needing.
Let me tell you something reclassified workers. Your jobs are going to become the jobs of robots. Because robots are better than zombies, and that is what you are. A living being who lives hand to mouth while satisfying your reprogrammed basic instinct.
Find a job where you can make a difference in the company.
Remember, there is no box to think outside of.
It’s sad to say that most americans have to get a second job just to pay the bills.
Most of the american corperations have been outsourcing for some time now, and with the economy taking a hit the job market is even more screwed up. People have to just stand up and face the facts. We’re sucked into this stupid feeding freenzy. We have built our economy up on barrowed money for so long that its finnally catching up with us. People have gained so much debt over the bast years and now are going to be heading into some tough times. It’s either they get reclassified and take a small pay cut and take up another job, or lose there job and start over from nothing, trying to pay these heafty bills. its sad when you look at it, a once proud country at the end of its roap.
I think this is just the first sign of change. Many companies will see this and think its a good idea, americans will lose faith in US companies. It hard enough to trust a company because of all the jobs being lost overseas. I think the govt should intervene to start regaining confidence in trust because no government trust just equal no patriotism!
My nina was reduced to this for an insurance company years ago. However, her hours became more flexible, so she was happy. I understand the distress of other workers, however. At Starbucks, because I’m an hourly wage worker, I’m subject to the amount of hours the scheduling manager deems appropriate. This week, for instance, I was given one hour: $8.83 in seven days. I don’t have as many bills to pay as I’m sure these IBM workers do, but I still empathize with them. I feel like I should take a second job, just to make my monthly car insurance payment!
How much many are these companies saving, and it is comparable to the amount of money they will be losing in a class-action law suit? I do not believe so.
However, I must disagree with gabi, what these companies are doing shouldn’t discourage patriotism within our nation, but encourage revolutionary change! And, isn’t revolution the root of American patriotic dogma?
I personally haven’t experienced this, but I have heard from some co-workers that they had to pick up a second job so they came back to work. The guy arguing that it isn’t evil has a point. If I was put in the position of a business owner to cut pay or overpay, i’d have to say that i would want to cut. If I were to be in the position of a salaried worker, I too would be ridiculously pissed to have to change to being paid by the hour. The salary cut would only make it worse. The workers gain nothing whereas the owner gains a more and keeps more. It must be depressing to know that you can easily be replaced by someone overseas almost instantly. People are constantly wanting more hours to work because they can definitely use the money. They’ve been very competitive for hours lately. Reclassified wokers have it bad, not only do they get less pay but have to fear getting replaced.
Owning a business sounds pretty cold-hearted, but they are looking out for themselves. I want to say that it is selfish of them to want more, but who honestly doesn’t want more? It isn’t a necessity for them, but eh…today’s world is getting more competitive. I don’t think i could own/manage a business like IBM.
This is outrages! and yet nothing or almost nothing can be done, because if the workers do win any law suit, wouldn’t the company go over sees to find cheaper labor? and now with glottalization it makes harder to press on companies to comply. but i agree with buddy, alot of the people in America are like zombie beings, that can’t think for themselves, not even to mention out of the box. alot People now days go to work, or school, come home sit in front of the tv, and then go shop, to buy things that they neither need nor things that will last a month. how is that not Zombie-ish! yes it is sad that there are people who are forced to live like this, but we can we do? if we spend so much? yes some of the problem is inflation, and we are facing hard times. but are why of life has become shopping. if we want to change this situation, we first must start with us and then move on to the corporations. if we continue like this bad things could happen. if we come together as a society, not just individuals in a society, we could change world, we could make it a better place. it doesn’t take a hero, it takes people.
yes it is sad that many lost part of their incomes, but let us not walk away, and forget, let us be a united people, “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” do something to help, that way it won’t happen to you.
What i think is outrages is the fact that these workers are complaining about their jobs in such a competitive market. We are in an economic recession and they should be grateful of their positions rather then complaining about their pay. With fewer and fewer jobs available in the states due to outsourcing, working in America has become a luxery. As the old saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers.
Its true, our economy is in a recession. Some predict a depression while others ignore it all together. Jobs will be limited as will the pay. I think this ties into alot of other basic jobs out there. McDonalds, Starbucks.. employees who live off minimum wage as difficult as it is.
I don’t know America. I don’t know.