Rumors about down sizing have been rampant in My Company for months. Today they send out a mass email stating these reductions, and “alignments” would transpire on June 3rd. I came into work this evening (night shift) and find out that they are starting with management. Awaiting me was an envelope and a phone call from a project level manager, I was basically given a choice, take a position as a mechanic, or go home. A $2,000 a month reduction in pay will accompany this job title change. I am expected to continue performing my duties with all the responsibilities with out the benefit of the pay. I was given no time to think about my answer, it was yes or no, right now.

 

Take it and then you have breathing room to decide what you are going to do. Just because you take it doesn't mean you can't bail in a week or a month if something else comes up. If you don't you get to look for a job on your own time instead of while you are employed. No brainer to me if that truly are your only two options.

 

Indeed.

If you believe that they are serious about terminating you for a non-immediate-yes answer, then by all means give 'em what they want and then start polishing your resume. You were getting tired of Iraq the last time I checked anyway, no?

I know it's not one of those subjects you're supposed to discuss in public, but is $2k a month a big cut or a small one? IOW, if you were making $4k/mo before then $2k is a big deal, but if you were making $15k/mo before, it's probably not so much a hardship.

 

Put in exactly 2K less a month's worth of effort and start looking for a new gig.

 

I agree and I was thinking the same thing when I replied, but really, it doesn't matter. In the case as it was presented to us (and I assume to the OP), you have to take it and then look elsewhere. If he is still over there (I didn't know fore sure), it might be really easy or really hard to find a replacement position more suited to his talents. We have no way of knowing the job situation sitting over here.

 

If it really went down like it reads, I would have said "No, and go **** yourself." Nobody deserves any level of respect when they demand on-the-spot that you take a $2K/mo cut for the privilege of continuing to serve them. Granted, it's easy for me to say that because I also have a wife who makes good money, enough in the rainy day fund to live off of for a while, and it wouldn't take me long to find another job in my field. If you don't have much in reserve, or another source of income to keep the roof over your head and food on the table, and landing another job would take a while, then you bend over and take it like a man while you look for something else. And when you do, make sure NOT to give them the favor of two weeks notice when you quit. Your company seems to be just fine with split second decisions and a lack of professional courtesy, I'm sure they'll manage.

Pay cuts are not uncommon in this economy, however it's not typically done with a "now or get out" approach. Based on my admittedly limited knowledge from having talked to a couple friends who went through it, cuts seem to range around 5-15%. If $2K is 5-15% of what you make in a month, then suck it up and quit bitching.

 

I signed on the line, and accepted the pay cut I also made it clear that I would not be around long under these circumstances. My resume is up to date, and I had already started actively pursuing new employment. The $2,000 a month cut is about 25%.

These cuts have only affected the American workers, and did not apply to third country nationals. My company attempted to replace the American work force in 2006, they brought in a large number of Balkans personnel, and made it clear that expatriated Americans where finished. Production went down so low that they changed there minds, and kept the work force 75% American.

 

Making you decide under duress is bull ****.

If you can talk to the JAG officer, I'd give that a try.

Or, just take it and start looking for another job. There is another Theatre after all.

Chris

 

Fixed that for ya.

 

Call our buddy Obama and ask for him to provide for you.

 

When I entered the office, I asked my manager if I needed a tube of KY

 

My goal for now is to hold out till the end of the month, then tell them to lick my left nut. I will send out my resume to all the other defense contractors, and if I get any hits I will leave sooner.
Financially I am in better shape then most, I am a year ahead on my mortgage, and have about 18K in the bank.

 

Looks like you have the right idea. Any reason this only affects the American workers and not the TCNs?

 

My understanding is that under LOGCAP 4 (Logistic Civil Augmentation Program) the Army wants to utilize TCN (Third Country Nationals) and LN (Local Nationals) where ever possible.

 

What kind of work do you guys do over there? I know that it somehow involves heavy machinery, but are you doing infrastructure work, supporting military operations, or something I've never even heard of?

 

We support the military. We handle almost all the military’s logistics, which has kept the number of military personnel down by 50,000-80,000

 

Interesting. So they're looking to employ mostly foreign nationals in a logistical support role for combat operations. Something about this seems odd to me. Is that the decision of the Army, or of DOD in general?

 

TCNs produce 20% the level of effort for about 25% the cost of US contracted labor. Not to mention the political capital gained, regardless the risk accepted for combat readiness.

The big hit Milton is going to take is from the IRS. - Tax exempt status for contractors is based upon calendar year, with no more than 30 cumulative days in US territories. With his pay rate, he can expect about a 28-30% gouge...

- L

 

The TCN pay scale is between 50-80% of the expatriated Americans. We have two pay scales depending on when they where hired. Our SCW (Sub Contract Worker) work force is on a pay scale that is 10% of the Americans. The trouble is, the vast majority of TCN, and SCW are not qualified to perform the work with out close supervision. If the experienced higher production workers are fired, I am not sure how the job will be completed. Some times things look real good on paper, but in actuality they will never work out.
I am prepared for the taxes; I have federal taxes withheld from my pay at the highest rate. Yes it would have been nice to get it all back at the end of the year, but at least I do not have a large tax burden hanging over my head.

 

I make $2k a month. :(

EDIT: and live on my own, pay all my bills, insurance for 3 cars.....

Granted, I know all about "level of comfort" and understand someone who doesn't want that to change, but dude, you make bank. Tough it out. No reason to get all "huffy-puffy"