The Red Brick Times

Well, the ripple is working its way up the food chain. Two weeks ago, I learned that my current job is being eliminated sometime within the next few (days? weeks? months?). The "managers", at least three levels up, have no idea when. My direct manager came down to tell me personally, expressing feelings of regret and dismay. Of course. He may be next. His manager assured me there was no issue of performance or fitness for the job. You know, "nothing personal, just business" ..BANG! They said: "we will support you in any way we can" and offered to demote me to keep me in the department. Then they all went away and left me to find a job for myself. It is obvious that employees over 50 cost more. The medical payouts are higher. The vacation days accrued after 10 years or more of employment are more costly. The actuarial tables project higher disability, life insurance, lost time absences. Older and highly experienced employees are more apt to ask probing and analytical questions like "Are you crazy? How do you expect that insane plan to work?" All in all, experienced employees are apt to drive the company sane, and provide checks and balances on runaway idiocy. So, of course, one must eliminate them at any cost. They are a barrier to upper management control (the buzzwords for upper management out-of-control are "flexibility" and "nimble response").

The sticks have been thrown up in the air. They have not landed. I can't even get my hands on a free-range fowl to divine its viscera. Betsy has a copper wash boiler. I may need to set up the caldron. Wing of bat-brained mismanagement and eye of Newt Gingrich. Everybody bring arcania and we will have stone soup. Bon employ-appe-tite.
Posted 9:29 AM by Andy (4) comments

       Comments:

BTW - I am tracking the stages of separation. I have been through the Suez Canal (de-Nile) and invaded Iraq (bombast, hot air, and inchoate fury). Waiting for the next phases.

# posted by  Andy : July 05, 2005 9:55 AM
 
Saturday I noticed that my Explorer's brakes were making a bit of noise. It quickly got worse though I drove as little as possible Sunday and Monday. I spoke with Jack at Pais' garage first thing this morning and he snuck me in the repair queue. The result, all four rotors and pads had to be replaced, a $450 item, at just over 50k miles. They were pitted from rusting. Jack says they see this sort of thing all the time now on American cars. Good to know that Ford, having caused the problem through cost-cutting to begin with, is now further saving money by getting rid of their most experienced engineers. Fuckers.

# posted by  whatley : July 05, 2005 3:12 PM
 
It is not a new concern. When vehicles sit, unsold, they are subject to, what is known in the trade, as "lot rot". Vehicles with zero miles on them have rusty rotors, brake calipers, drive shafts, exhaust systems, axles. Coatings are expensive and "unneccessary" from a cost and warranty standpoint. My own vehicle had front rotors replaced at 15K miles. The brakes were pulsing when stopping. The dealer, conrary to my very technical and explicit directions, "deglazed" (machined) the rotors twice, then found out they were too thin (surprise), and put new ones and pads on under warranty. Then they determined the left front tire was unbalanceable (my personal diagnosis included all four tires), and replaced it under warranty. Now, at 37K miles (warranty ends at 36K), the other front tire is, you guessed it, "unbalanceable", the pulsing when stopping is back, and the alignment has leftist leanings. Crap tires, cheap metallurgy, minimal robustness. Not limited to one brand. Vehicles are a waste of resources for anything beyond basic movement. They are strictly designed to make $$ and nothing else. Only competition and the threat of bankruptcy moves them down the road. There is certainly no motivation based on caring. But then, when you look at a 4-ton bright yellow Hummer, loaded with chrome accents, wheel spinners and truck air horns barreling up behind you to veer over at the last second, cutting off the Peterbuilt in the next lane, why should anyone care what happens to that consumer. The whole thing is totally screwy.

# posted by  Andy : July 06, 2005 6:04 AM
 
On forced vacation this week. Since the plant is down, we have to take vacation time, whether it fits in with our schedule or not. I am undergoing therapy by working on my house, and beginning the task of throwing stuff away so I won't have so much to handle if I need to move. Or maybe I will be transported. I put in for a job that entails a three-to-five year sentence in Australia. The posting went down on June 23. No indication yet. Not even an appointment for an interview. While researching the requirements for an Australian Visa and work permit, I found out that Betsy and I are not eligible for "skilled worker" visa status. We both have top-rated skills, education and experience. But we are not welcome. Why? Australian immigrant law limits it to those aged 45 or younger. Nice to know where one stands. At least with our Aussie allies it is stated clearly. With USA employers, it is a hidden and illegal bias that is real, but never mentioned.

# posted by  Andy : July 06, 2005 6:22 AM
 
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