Joined the ranks of the unemployed.

[starmac]

Jumped up and quit my job today, which sucks, as I really liked working there the last few years.
I might even have a beer or three this evening.lol

[butch2570]

What lead you into that decision ? Not prying, just asking.

[Beagle333]

Sometimes you just gotta. 8-)

[butch2570]

Sometimes you just gotta. 8-) Yep, I quit the best, highest paying job I ever had at the time. Over a minor dispute , when the human resource manager said , you won't quit over this issue. I quit.

[starmac]

Mostly what Beagle said.
Biggest thing was upper management (I assume) messing with the rates.

[gon2shoot]

spent almost 40 years working 70 to 100 hrs. a week, then I quit. What have I learned?
Work is over rated.

[jonp]

A truck driver quiting? Never heard such a thing.

Ive quit a couple or three. One was a little chick 1,000 miles away telling me I didnt know how to drive a truck. Hung up on her after a few choice words, hopped in my car, drove to the terminal and dropped the keys on the desk then went home and cracked a beer

[starmac]

Well I had better hold on to the keys. lol

[kens]

I had asked for a transfer to another department and my Boss sez "you staying right here, you aint going anywhere else but out the door"
I said OK.
and that was IT
done deal!!!

[jonp]

Well I had better hold on to the keys. lol
Yeah, be kinda awkward if you had to go back and get them,hehe

[waksupi]

spent almost 40 years working 70 to 100 hrs. a week, then I quit. What have I learned?
Work is over rated.


How the heck can you afford to retire? You have a bunch of X wives to support!

[starmac]

Well so much for the unemployment line, signed up this evening to start another gig, should be able to start tomorrow or the next day. Back to the haul road though.

[mold maker]

I had 17 W2s in 1967. You could start down the road, and get at least one job at every building. Every time was at .10 - .15 cent better than the last.
In 07 when the 39+ year job went to China you could drive all day filling out applications, and regardless of your qualifications, you couldn't buy a days work. Everywhere that was still working you would be told "nothing available in the foreseeable future".
I know being 64+ had something to do with it, but that didn't stop the hunger pains in my belly.
It seems loyalty is a worthless commodity in the workplace now. I'd sure hate to have the weight of family depending on me, and no job security today.

[w5pv]

Never quit a job that they shut down and closed on account of my quiting.So the I'll show them never worked.

[starmac]

Never quit a job that they shut down and closed on account of my quiting.So the I'll show them never worked.

By golly, you must not have done it right.
Only once have I ever quit with that kind of attitude. It didn't shut them down, but did cost him better than a hundred grand, that day. He had to shut the doors a couple months later, but was on the way out anyway.

[jonp]

Well so much for the unemployment line, signed up this evening to start another gig, should be able to start tomorrow or the next day. Back to the haul road though.

You lasted about as long as I figured and as long as I did my last job. Quit on Friday, Orientation for the paperwork on Saturday and started on Monday. In the driving biz you can quit a job as long as its not for a drug test or wrecking something and have 10 offers that night.

Well, for now. I saw 3 trucks with Mexican License Plates in a truck stop in NC this week. That's the future of our business I'm afraid. Repubs have sold us out again on that score.

150gal tanks filled in Mexico at $2/gal and 20Cents/mile. No American company can compete. It's why the large companies all have bought Mexican Carriers in the last few years.

[jonp]

Never quit a job that they shut down and closed on account of my quiting.So the I'll show them never worked.

can't say I've ever done that but I quit one job when I heard the mill was closing down because of the union's and strike threat. A few months later they did shut and a few months after that the terminal closed but I was long gone. Did somewhat the same thing down in NC where I moved for work. Heard the company I was with was losing the contract so found another and a few months later they lost did in fact lose it to another carrier.

[bearcove]

Well so much for the unemployment line, signed up this evening to start another gig, should be able to start tomorrow or the next day. Back to the haul road though.

NO THATS SO wrong, If You drag, you need to go fishing for at LEAST 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bearcove]

I usually take 2 or 3 months between jobs, As someone said work is overated! I'm off now and as happy as can be.

[country gent]

The one job I quit was interesting when I turned in my resignation letter. I had been there 18 years. The can plant manager was upsett with me leaving and wanted to know what could be done to keep me there. Several bosses also, one of which was part of the reason for me leaving. I was going to a much better paying job with much much better benifits. ( Iwent from 40,000 year. to 80,000 actually with the overtime 1.50) wasnt much they could do. I rolled my tool boxes out and never looked back, best thing I ever did,

[bearcove]

We do stickers on our lunch boxes, best I ever saw was "I weld for MONEY, If YOU want Loyalty buy a Dog"

[Beagle333]

NO THATS SO wrong, If You drag, you need to go fishing for at LEAST 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least!!! :shock:

[bearcove]

Well its summer! The fish are coming!

[Case Stuffer]

spent almost 40 years working 70 to 100 hrs. a week, then I quit. What have I learned?
Work is over rated.


Sounds like me. It was 14 years ago at the age of 56 when I told them to take this job and shove it.

[bearcove]

At least!!! :shock:

Well 2 months is better. What are you saying, go right back to being a wage slave?

[Beagle333]

I'm saying that 2 weeks is the bare minimum one should fish after quitting a job. http://images.zaazu.com/img/Fishing-fishing-fish-water-smiley-emoticon-000714-facebook.gif

[bearcove]

OK, I was worried for a moment. LOL!

[bhn22]

Work is terribly over rated. Employer loyalty is deader than hope.

[MaryB]

TV repair shop I was working for went under(owner split with our tax money to the Caribbean), I was a wee bit angry, had enough cash to survive 6 months so I took the entire summer off and went fishing. Ended up eating a lot of wild game and plants I foraged so I stretched it to an entire year off fishing and hunting!

[Artful]

Was an appliance delivery and installation person and occasional parts changer (warranty repair). When I was let go one of the girls told me they had to replace me with two people - guess they had made a good business decision.

[mold maker]

When my Dad retired at 67, he would have worked on for a few more years, but no money for tools and inventory. He had furnished the tools, and worked a crew of 4 doing almost all maintenance, in house, for an entire school system.
Within a year they hired 11 men, and had most work done by outside contractors. Budget over runs of 2-6 million were suddenly common.
Sometimes biting your nose off to spite your face, can choke you with more than you can chew.

[starmac]

Not to worry guys, I generally take 3 to 5 months a year off anyway. lol
I told them I would only pull 2 loads a week in the summer and 1 in the winter if their lucky. 3 loads if it is an emergency, like they can prove sombody is going to die, if I don't pull a load. lol
I just got back from my first load, 28 hours from start to finish, so at that rate, I just have to hanging on to the wheel 2 and 1/2 days a week.

[marvelshooter]

Back to the haul road though.

Since it sounds like you may be doing the same thing what do think of the TV show "Ice Road Truckers"?

[A pause for the COZ]

Loyalty?? I always get a chuckle when I hear that. Companies are always talking about how having Loyal employes is important to them.
That is until they actually find some. Then as soon as they get into their mid 40's and their insurance premiums go up.

Ummm, we are restructuring and your position has been eliminated. Funny how its almost always the middle aged guys who's jobs got eliminated. Then a month latter they have a young cheap guy doing the same job. Just with a different title.( so as to not get sued for age discrimination)
Loyalty? Sure until some manager has a quarterly bonus on the line.

Myself I have been pretty lucky with that. I have been able to smell them out in advance.
They usually have a consultant come in and do a job study. As soon as you see that.
Start looking, Moma always said its 10 times easier to find a job if you have a job.
Seems to work, I have had steady employment since 13 years old.

[starmac]

Since it sounds like you may be doing the same thing what do think of the TV show "Ice Road Truckers"?

The show as it was porteayed in Alaska, was a total joke.
The title should have been icy road, what we call an ice road is either a winter road over water, or tundra. The road they filmed on, is a year round road, except this year. We do have ice roads, out of prudhoe, but they start where the trucks in the show turned around, I doubt seriously if the movie crews could have even gotten permission to go past the gate to where the ice road starts.
To be fair though, I only watched 1 and a part of another episode of the show.
One driver even went as far as throwing his beer through his tv at one of Lisa's remarks on the show. lol
Also to be fair, Lisa was and still is, a good truck driver, just the show made her look stupid, some of the other star drivers (canadians) were flat landers and downright dangerous until they were taught to drive on our haul road.

[Superfly]

Yeah the ICE ROAD truckers Is a JOKE it is reality tv Ohey LOOK iol is on got to go It is real To right

[376Steyr]

I always like being told "People are our most important resource" just before another round of layoffs.

[Fergie]

I quit the best job I had ever had(at the time) to pursue something I was actually passionate about. I was much happier working for less pay and less hours. However, the boss and owner, was the most honest, upright man I'd ever met. Dishonesty was not tolerated, nor was any disrespect. He is a GC in our town, and only the real sleezeballs have something to bad to say about him. He does things right.

The job before that was the worst I ever had. Talk about lying, dishonest, rude, disrespectful and deceitful. The owners thought that everyone would roll-over due to the economy at the time. I was the first to put my foot down and call the owner/VPs out. Got canned a day later. They paid for it in a number of ways, and went out of business in another year, with massive lawsuits against the company and individuals.

Everyone gets their comeuppance.

Now, I'm in grad school, following my calling, and will graduate in a another few years and be able to good work. Just having a "job" is not the thing for me. Nor is a career...just a long list of jobs. I found my calling, and damn am I happy.

[jonp]

The show as it was porteayed in Alaska, was a total joke.
The title should have been icy road, what we call an ice road is either a winter road over water, or tundra. The road they filmed on, is a year round road, except this year. We do have ice roads, out of prudhoe, but they start where the trucks in the show turned around, I doubt seriously if the movie crews could have even gotten permission to go past the gate to where the ice road starts.
To be fair though, I only watched 1 and a part of another episode of the show.
One driver even went as far as throwing his beer through his tv at one of Lisa's remarks on the show. lol
Also to be fair, Lisa was and still is, a good truck driver, just the show made her look stupid, some of the other star drivers (canadians) were flat landers and downright dangerous until they were taught to drive on our haul road.

142547

A friend of mine crossing the McKenzie on the ferry with her Pete. Runs the ice road in the winter and loves it. She lives outside of Whitehorse

[jonp]

Not to worry guys, I generally take 3 to 5 months a year off anyway. lol
I told them I would only pull 2 loads a week in the summer and 1 in the winter if their lucky. 3 loads if it is an emergency, like they can prove sombody is going to die, if I don't pull a load. lol
I just got back from my first load, 28 hours from start to finish, so at that rate, I just have to hanging on to the wheel 2 and 1/2 days a week.

Wow...sweet deal. I worked one job 4on and 3 off for 6years. It felt like an endless vacation. My boss was good. When I sold a house and moved into my hunting camp I had extra money and took time off every couple of months to go to Africa, Belize, Diving in the Caribbean etc...Worked every holiday with no complaint so I guess they figured it was worth it.

[MaryB]

Ice Road Truckers first season was on the Canadian true ice roads into the boonies. Driving down rivers, crossing large lakes... then they went to the haul road and only had a few trips on ice. One was moving a drilling rig on the sea ice. http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers/episodes/season-1

[jcwit]

Likely had to do with costs and transportation of the filming crews and all their stuff.

[jcwit]

Was fun to watch The Ice Road other then the big idiot Hugh, met him at a NASCAR race, just as bullheaded there also.

[starmac]

I watched way more of the canadian ice road show than I ever did the one about Alaska.
After watching the goat rope they put on filming the show here, I have serious doubts about how real the reality was on the Canadian show.
We have real ice roads here too, but those guys were never on them, as far as them moving a drill rig on the ice road, the oilfield ice roads are private roads, nO FILM CREW ALLOWED past security. I doubt seriously the movie stars had the right creds to run the ice roads. The over water scenes they shot were props built and shot over here on a local lake, which is a good size pond.
Any driver than can manage to get up in a truck can manage an ice road, it is about some of the easiest driving their is, where the Canadians movie stars had trouble was what they were calling the ice road, which is the haul road. They were not used to ice on mountain roads at all, which makes me wonder just how much actual trucking those guys did in Canada.

[mold maker]

It's all drama to feed the masses. So are all the rest of the so called "Reality" shows. No one would watch real "reality".

[10x]

Way, way back between 1974 and 1976 I worked in heating company warehouse. - Started off as the helper. My supervisor got "let go" after 3 months, they then hired an alcoholic buddy to be supervisor. He got six months for drunk driving and they did not replace him. I did shipping, receiving, ordering, and maintained inventory for over a year all by myself - for no increase in pay. In December I gave my notice and went into contracting aluminium siding and soffit.
Stopped at the warehouse to visit and discovered there were 3 folks there doing the job I did all by myself before.
And I discovered that rather than $40.00 before taxes and deductions a day I could be taking home $150 in my pocket.

[9w1911]

Here is my rant on the job market and employers. Employers want you to sacrifice and put in 110% all them time, but not when it comes to pay. They want 1950s era work ethic on a 1950s salary. It is hard to break your back for someone and put in the extra time if you know you are not appreciated, makes little sense to me.

[smokeywolf]

In another 30 or 40 years, America's standard of living will be equal to that of the 3rd world countries where corporate America is sending all the middle class American jobs. More likely our economy will collapse before then, due to the disappearance of the middle class consumer's purchasing power.

Big business is putting zero value on the American worker. By sending the jobs that American consumers depend on to buy new cars, refrigerators, TVs, clothing, home improvement goods, and associated DIY tooling, they (corporate America) are shooting themselves in the foot. They are actually rendering their biggest consumer market incapable of buying the products that they are now paying the Mexican and Chinese workers to make for them. And, because the Mexican and Chinese workers are being paid only $2.00 per hr., they can't afford to buy the products that they are making.

They are killing the economy and standard of living of the greatest and most envied Country the world has ever seen.

[Hickory]

I'm glad I don't have a TV.

[starmac]

Smokey, sure can't argue with that, but at the same time the consumers (WE) are part to blame.

Most folks will but foreign made to save a penny, when something better is right here. How many will order off the internet, to save a penny, instead of backing a local business, or automatically looks first for something at wally world?

[ascast]

I tried some REALTREE suspenders the other day. They broke, right next to the MADE in USA tag. Useless ****. Chinee probly aint better, just sayin.
I shop on the internet as it is over a hour drive to any real store. Why spend the time and gas when I get it cheaper or same price dropped at my door?
As for quitting the job, I hope it works out for you. I walked away from about $70k per over a number of building issues. If I could go back, I would not do that again.
good luck

[mold maker]

In my neck of the woods Walmart has already driven all the local stores out of business. You either follow the crowd or buy on line.
Main street used to offer competition among its stores which kept prices good. Right now WM has a program ( savings catcher )to pay you back if they find an item sold cheaper. I just bought most of a weeks groceries with my paid back savings.
Reality is their the only game left in town. The fact that I really save with their initial prices, and again if they aren't the cheapest is not to be sneered at.
I know that eventually they will go up in prices, but if they do it will open the door to another local supplier.
I shopped local until there were no locals to shop.

[smokeywolf]

Smokey, sure can't argue with that, but at the same time the consumers (WE) are part to blame.

Most folks will but foreign made to save a penny, when something better is right here. How many will order off the internet, to save a penny, instead of backing a local business, or automatically looks first for something at wally world?

We do a lot of our shopping on Amazon. Usually, down below the item description is part numbers and Country of origin of the part. If it says China, I keep shopping. If I can't find what I want "made in U.S.A., then I look for the product made in any other Country than China. If all else fails I buy the Chinese made product. Used to shop at the local hardware store instead of Home Depot until I found out the local hardware is owned by the parent company of Do-It Center.

I also have, several times, when I couldn't afford the American made product, decided that I could wait and save more money for the American product or get along without the product completely. We make a very real effort to keep our money first in town, and second in the U.S.

[Bad Water Bill]

Several years ago Cabelas purchased a local golf course and built a great store.

Lots of room for 18 wheelers to sleep overnight safely in their parking area.

As usual lots of quality products and qualified staff that can be relied upon to answer almost every question you can ask.

Now they have sold acreage and a Wal Mart Super Store has a new home.

This should be very interesting to see how things progress.

[BLTsandwedge]

Loyalty?? I always get a chuckle when I hear that. Companies are always talking about how having Loyal employes is important to them.
That is until they actually find some. Then as soon as they get into their mid 40's and their insurance premiums go up.

Ummm, we are restructuring and your position has been eliminated. Funny how its almost always the middle aged guys who's jobs got eliminated. Then a month latter they have a young cheap guy doing the same job. Just with a different title.( so as to not get sued for age discrimination)
Loyalty? Sure until some manager has a quarterly bonus on the line.

Myself I have been pretty lucky with that. I have been able to smell them out in advance.
They usually have a consultant come in and do a job study. As soon as you see that.
Start looking, Moma always said its 10 times easier to find a job if you have a job.
Seems to work, I have had steady employment since 13 years old.

This. No matter what part of the plant you work in- the suite or the pit.

[shooterg]

Ascast, buy some Perry suspenders ! www.perrysuspenders.com

[mold maker]

+1 on the Perry suspenders. Wore them for over 20 years. I still have 4 colors, and some are over 10 years old. They out lasted my belts and pants.