The Fruits of Our Labor

Another Labor Day is upon us and I’m left to ask: Do we really need to celebrate this day? Haven’t the mass layoffs of recent years and a 9.1 percent unemployment rate indicate what little regard corporations have for the average American worker? Instead of honoring workers, businesses want to get rid of us.

Sometimes it seems as if corporations are just one big patronage scheme, with executives only concerned about staying in power, surrounded by their lackeys and cushioned by big bonuses enabled in part by profits boosted by…layoffs. Instead of innovation, companies seem more intent on undertaking an Employee Resettlement Program. They can’t terminate us fast enough to keep their bottom lines flush.

Add to that the fact that no new jobs were created in August and the outlook for American workers is bleak indeed.

I’m no economist but the August job report could be due to a slow summer month. Many people take vacations in August, so no one was around to do any hiring, even if they wanted to. A better picture of the employment condition will emerge in the fall months. Companies start the budget process for the next year in September; if any hirings or firings are going to take place, it will happen later in autumn, probably November or December (the month I was laid off in). We’ll see what happens.

Given this situation, how should workers respond? We can be laid off at any time and through no fault of our own, so just how hard should we toil for any employer?

Of course, doing a crappy job is not advisable; that will surely get any employee fired, in good times or bad. But if working hard and doing a good job is no guarantee of continued employment, well, what can we do?

First, in this economy, be grateful you have a job. Many people would love to be in your shoes, so don’t dismiss it lightly or take it for granted. Any time I hear a person talk about how they only want to work for this type of a company or for some way-over-the -top salary or how they don’t want to work for anyone at all, I think how disdainful and condescending they are to the millions out of work, desperately seeking a job. While no one should take a job they would hate or stay in an abusive work situation, this is not the time to be picky. Perhaps someday when the employment market rebounds, you can find your perfect job. But that is not happening any time soon. Like they say in sports, suck it up.

Does that sound harsh? Yes, but the job market is harsh these days for people looking for work. In an ideal world, we would all get the job we want at a decent salary and more. Unfortunately, as someone who was brutally laid off and spent 16 months looking for a job, I know how unforgiving this employment market can be. So you can either look for work or go broke. The choice is yours. Remember, we are not free agents. (Ok, that was a shameless plug for another post. Forgive me.)

Second, if you have a job, do a good job. If there are days you have to work overtime to get a project done, do it without complaint.

Yet I don’t advise going the extra mile and taking on more projects in a vain attempt to impress your bosses. Trust me, you are not impressing them. They think you are a sap and are only too happy to get extra work out of you for no extra pay.

Take it from me, the mother of all saps. I actually thought that because I worked hard and did a good job for nearly two decades, my company wouldn’t let me go. Well, they did. And I was wrong to think that way, I understand that now. But I guess after so many years with the same company, emotion, not business sense, takes over. I will never make that mistake again.

So start thinking ahead to you next job, what you can learn on your present job that can help you find another position. Even if you have no immediate plans to look for another job (and in this economy, who would?), redo your résumé. It couldn’t hurt. When the ax falls, at least you have a spruced-up résumé to send out.

Network and keep in touch with former business contacts. I got my current job through a former colleague. At the very least, I know I can fall back on freelancing if this job is terminated. You can also look into training for another profession. For those with a riskier nature, you can launch your own business. Hey, you can’t fire yourself.

Remember, ultimately, you are in control of your work life, even though it may not seem that way right now.

But on this Labor Day weekend, I wonder, with corporate profits so high and wages and hirings on the down shaft, who is really reaping the fruits of our labors? Because American workers sure aren’t.

We are not Free Agents

So much talk about the Mets ability to re-sign superstar shortstop Jose Reyes has me thinking: Are average working Americans free agents?

Quite honestly, no. As much as we like to think we have the freedom to switch jobs, unless you possess extraordinarily uncommon skills, like a Jose Reyes, you are probably going to have to settle for whatever job you can get just to make ends meet. Employers know this; that’s why they know we will put up with their silly furlough days and years with no raises and doing the work of three people. Our options are limited in terms of employment.

Not so for a guy like Jose Reyes. As a Mets fan, I hope they re-sign him. A talent like Reyes comes along once in a generation. True, he’s not perfect. I sometimes think he has the hamstrings of an 80-year-old. Still, when he’s healthy, he’s a game-changer.

That’s why I think the Mets will make him a good offer, probably an above-market offer. But if some dumb owner comes along and offers an astronomical contract…well, Jose can’t be blamed for taking the money. He has to think about the financial security of his family over the loyalty to a team that has played poorly the past four years and shows no signs of turning into a contender anytime soon.

A more apropos situation to what average working Americans go through is how the Yankees treated Derek Jeter when he became a free agent before this season. Let me be clear: I hate the Yankees and Jeter reminds me of robot, a cold fish. But the way the team treated him made even this Yankee-hater cringe.

The Yankee hierarchy pretty much told him to take a hike. Why? Because his agent asked for too much money in the opening rounds of contract negotiations? Hey, that’s what agents do. Because he was getting old? At age 37, he’s no spring chicken, but he’s kept himself in shape and is now playing much better after a rough start at the beginning of the season. And did the Yankees have anyone to replace him? (And, no, Yankee fans, we are not giving you Jose Reyes for A.J. Burnett.)

It was just a reminder of how employers know they have the upper hand with employees these days. Get too old? We’ll get rid of ya. (A lot of that going around.) Make too much money? Buh-bye.

Would the Yankees have won all those championships without Jeter? Probably not. I think their winning had more to do with Mariano Rivera, but Jeter was a big part of it. He’s been a good soldier for the organization and has never embarrassed himself or the team (something I cannot say about quite a few Mets). Yet the team publicly dissed him. He did sign, but for less than he wanted just to stay with the team he’s worked so hard for and that apparently has very little respect for him despite his years of loyalty. I know the feeling, DJ.

Back to the other shortstop in town: To be fair, Jose hasn’t been a jerk about his impending free agency (for that, see LeBron James). He has said numerous times that he loves playing for the Mets and playing in New York. And why wouldn’t he want to stay? There’s no better stage for an athlete than NYC and it has a large Latino population.

I would hate to see him go, but my gut feeling is he will not stay with the team.

That’s his choice. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had the same opportunity?

Dear Corporate Fat Cats

Dear Corporate Fat Cats:

I, and so many other unemployed and put-upon workers, owe you an apology. Yes, an apology.

We never realized how hard it is for you to lay off so many workers. I remember the day when my boss had to tell several co-workers that they were being laid off due to budget cuts. He said how draining it was for him to tell those people their jobs were being terminated. Oh, he caught himself soon after and said that, of course, it was tougher on the people losing their jobs. But that was nothing compared to what he had to go through in telling people their employment, paychecks and quite possibly their careers were coming to an end.

So, I now understand how difficult it must be to lay off so many workers so profits can be kept high. Isn’t that why we were laid off, to save the company? How selfish of us to think of ourselves and not the corporation.

Yes, you must keep those profits soaring and not hire any more workers and overwork the ones you already have. How else can you rake in those big bonuses that keep you in million-dollar homes and fancy cars? Without those bonuses, your children won’t go to the expensive private schools and Ivy League colleges that will give them best chance for top-paying jobs someday. Why must they compete against people who went to state schools or—horrors!—a community college? The unfairness of it all!

And the way some in the government treat you is just so unfair. Imagine—they want corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. But how can you pile on the profits when you are asked to pay taxes? And those pesky regulations? Better we should go back to a no-oversight system like we had back in the late 19th century, when there were no unions or safety regulations. Why should workers be protected when there are corporate profits to be made?

But I must say, it’s getting harder and harder for us workers to buy goods and services on our unemployment checks or paychecks that haven’t seen a raise in a year or more. At some point, won’t our inability to purchase cut into your revenues? The workers in the factories you placed overseas to boost profits will stand idle. Corporate profits may shrink.

And I know how hard that will be for you, Mr. Corporate Fat Cat. You have my deepest sympathy.

Sincerely,

The American Worker

“It’s business, not personal”

I’ve been watching two of my favorite movies this week: Godfather, Parts I and II. I’m partial to Part II myself, but Part I has a great scene that reminds me of something I was told the day I was laid off.

It’s the scene where Sonny Corleone and Tom Hagen and others plot their next move after Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo shot their father, Vito, the Godfather. Michael Corleone is also present, after having his jaw broken by a corrupt cop.

Hagen reminds hotheaded Sonny not to get carried away with revenge, that what Sollozzo did was “business, not personal.”

Then Michael, who has so far stayed out of the family business, chimes in, saying he should be the one to kill The Turk and the police captain. Michael insists that it’s not personal, it’s business.

Well, of course, it’s personal. Anybody with a spit of Italian blood in them (like me) knows this is about as personal as it can get. Every decision Michael makes from then on is made from a sense of personal revenge, a lifelong vendetta. His enemies shot his father, killed his brother and blew up his Sicilian bimbo wife (“Michele, Michele." BOOM!). How could he not take that personally? (However, even I think he went too far when he had his brother, the poor, pitiful Fredo, killed.)

Yet, companies insist that massive layoffs are done for business reasons, not anything personal versus their employees. Yeah, right.

During my layoff meeting, I was told it was a business decision and no reflection on my work.

Well, I beg to differ. While I agree companies must cut back in hard times when revenues are lean, how those layoffs are handled bring in a personal element that is unsettling to say the least.

First, why are some people given the power to lay off other people? Why are they the chosen ones?

Any company that laid off people in late 2009, as I was, knew those tossed-aside employees were facing a difficult employment market and would be out of work for a long stretch of time, as I was (16 months). Our lives were being disrupted through no fault of our own.

When someone is out of work for that long, how can they expect to feed their families and pay their mortgages? What companies see as purely a business decision has devastating personal ramifications on the people they put out of work. How is that not personal? But I guess these corporate overlords can justify anything as long as profits are high and their bonuses keep rolling in.

As is so often the case, after I was laid off, I found out some things that made me wonder just how much of the decision to terminate my employment was based on personal, rather than purely business factors. Such as:

Another editor with less time in the company and who was making more than me was retained. Was he more valuable to the company than me? Perhaps. But perhaps he was kept on because he was the boss’s handpicked lapdog.

The day before I was let go, three of my former colleagues argued in favor of keeping another colleague scheduled to be laid off the same day I was. Why? Was it because he was popular and was one of the cool kids? (Yes, the workplace is just like high school.) Or was it because, as I later learned, one of those colleagues was lazy and afraid if they laid off this person his workload would double? So, I was thrown under the bus because of another person’s laziness?

In the two years leading up to my layoff, the head of the department systematically terminated the employment of anyone who was near him in seniority. Again, he said it was because we were making too much money. But was he afraid of having experienced people around who could replace him? After all, he was making more than any of us. Our parent company could replace him with any of us for less money. Now that there is nobody left but only his handpicked puppets and less experienced staff, his job is safe.

He was also someone who didn’t like it when co-workers, particularly women, questioned him. Was he trying to get rid of people he considered troublesome employees so he could surround himself with his personally selected acolytes? Just asking.

So you see, companies may justify their layoffs by saying it’s done for business reasons. But the impact on those they lay off is very personal. And how can we be sure that those making the layoff decisions aren’t bringing in their own personal feelings (vindictiveness? favoritism? insecurity?) into the equation rather than a purely business perspective? It’s a system ripe for unfairness and abuse. How can they expect us not to be pissed off when we get the boot?

Therefore, when a worker is called into a room and told they are being laid off for business reasons, the perfect response would be:

"Vaffanculo"

Let's Make a Deal

Frankly, I’m getting a bit sickened by what is going on in Washington, D.C. Our so-called leaders are supposed to discussing how to tame our monstrous national debt. But they seem more interested in sliming the other party instead of working out a deal.

The Republicans seem more intent on putting the blame on President Obama so they can win the next presidential election. They also seem to care more about protecting tax breaks for corporate jets than helping the average working person.

They would rather cut benefits for unemployed people and seniors than making Wall Street fat cats pay a penny more in taxes. Shameful.

Meanwhile, the Democrats aren't coming off much better. Yes, they want to protect entitlement programs, like Social Security. Good. But the deficit is out of control and some cuts must be made. Why not make Social Security and Medicare a means-tested program? Those who have more resources should pay more. Raising the retirement age is another reasonable option. Again, the Democrats aim to make the other party look bad…and the Republicans are making it easy for them, I must say.

This all brings me back to the unemployed. If a debt deal is not done, states will surely cut unemployment benefits. Not good for someone who has been out of work for a year or more with no hope of getting employed again.

Most ominous of all, if the nation defaults, companies will cut even more workers, killing a fragile recovery and pushing the unemployment rate even higher.

Some politicians, mostly Republicans, think unemployed people are lazy. Not true! We want to work. But if their corporate benefactors won’t hire, then we can’t work. We need jobs. But companies are more concerned with piling up profits, not keeping people employed.

Hey, if the NFL owners and players could get a deal done, why can’t our politicians? People will suffer all because of their political game of chicken.

So, please, get it done, guys!

Being George Clooney’s Girlfriend

By now, we have been shocked, shocked to learn that George Clooney has broken up with his most recent girlfriend, Italian stunner Elisabetta Canalis, after dating for two years.

None of this should have come as a surprise. George has made it very clear he has no intention of ever marrying again. And there is nothing inherently wrong with that. At least he is honest.

Yet I can’t fault the girlfriend either. After two years of dating, she was perfectly within her rights to ask if the relationship was going to the next level (marriage). Alas, here were two people with different outlooks on the future.

Nevertheless, both got something out of the relationship: He got to be seen with an age-inappropriate hottie on his arm at movie events. She got to spend time with one of the most handsome and eligible guys in the world at his villa aside Lake Como in Italy. Hey, I’d make that trade-off any day of the week.

So, what does this have to do with employment (and unemployment) in the 2010s? A lot. Here’s why:

No long-term commitment. As an employee of any company these days, you cannot expect your bosses will commit to you long term. When things turn bad, you will get the boot faster than, well, a girlfriend of George Clooney.

Leave after two years. Really, Elisabetta should have seen this coming and moved on a year earlier. He usually doesn’t stay with one woman for much longer than two years. So as an employee, lay the groundwork for your exit no later than two years after your hire. Take control of the situation before you get the heave-ho. It’s gonna happen, so why prolong the inevitable?

You will get screwed. And I don’t mean in the good way.

Both George and Elisabetta will end up fine. He will get another pretty young chickie to squire around to show he’s not getting old. She will get movie parts and modeling gigs and another rich boyfriend.

The same cannot be said of the millions of unemployed people still waiting for a job.

Oh, and George: Call me.

Disposal Workers

I read something recently in one of those advice columns. A woman wrote in, telling her story of how she was laid off from her former employer after more than a decade with the company.

She said she still felt bitter and angry about her termination, and was still obsessing about her former company. The advise columnist wrote back that she should basically get over it, move on, and that her former employer owed her nothing for her years of service.

Yes, the columnist made a good point. I freely admit I let my bitterness and resentment over my layoff consume me at times (but never to the point where I stopped looking for another job).

However, my second thought was that the advice columnist has probably never been laid off, and has always worked freelance or been her own boss. So, how can she know what it’s like to be laid off after many years with a company?

Is this what it has come to for millions of working Americans? We’re nothing more than disposal paper cups to be tossed aside when we have outlived our usefulness to our corporate overloads?

I understand companies must make staffing cuts to survive in harsh economic times (although I’d like to think there are other solutions). But it seems to me that all the power has shifted to the executive suite and workers have little or no say in the matter. Where is the balance? Where is the fairness?

Companies expect loyalty from their workers, but what are they giving us in return? No job security, no raises and crappy health plans.

Are we nothing more than disposal workers?