OK - last Canada Day (July 1) was part of our regular working shift at the plant; the second of a three-day 12-hour shift. We didn't have the option to take the day off; it was our regular shift, after all. every member of the Shift worked the day; certain in the knowledge that we were making Double Time and a Half for that shift.
But when our paycheques came in; we were stunned - every worker in the Printing department had been paid 12 dollars for 12 hours work - far less than half our regular pay. For Journeymen; it is less than a third. That's better than the Bindery department recieved; they'd worked 7 1/4 hours on that day; and recieved $7.25 dollars for their work.
Obviously, a mistake had been made. Whoever had filled out the payment forms (and I know exactly who it was; our payroll department is one person strong) had put the hours worked into the base wage slot. An easy mistake to make I guess - not having ever seen the payroll program - but one which should have been corrected fast.
Well, you can imagine the workers on the floor freaked out. I personally lost more than five hundred dollars on that mistake; can you blame me for being angry?
The office sent out a memo stating they are aware of the mistake and it would be corrected on the 13th - that was yesterday. Nothing has been added to my account since the last very small paycheque.
I barely had enough to cover rent and groceries - since the office didn't come through I'm now in real trouble; I have a bill I need to pay; I told them I would pay it yesterday. I can't - wanna know how that phone call went? I assure you it's not something you want to experience.
I live from paycheque to paycheque; desperately hoping for overtime or Stats in order to make ends meet. Canada Day looked like easy money; combined with the two overtime shifts I worked on my days off. It should have been easy to pay everything off and have a tidy little sum for myself to put away but they never paid me for it. Worse; I called Payroll and she tells me she has no record of me working those days.
That is a Flat. Out. Lie. I have never missed a shift; I have never taken a sick day. I will not take a stat off if it's available. My work ethic and reliability are very well-known in the plant. The records of my work and shifts are there in the computer; the hours I worked are a fact; not a matter for debate. They're screwing me out of a day-and-a-half's pay and leaving me very literally hanging by a thread.
And NOW I'm in hot water from the Operations Supervisors because I refuse to take any overtime until this matter is resolved. Overtime is optional in this plant in the same way elective cancer surgery is optional. You can refuse it if you wish; but your short lifespan will be filled with misery if you do.
They have jobs that desperately need to go out - and I am one of very few printers they can count on to be able to get the job done. And I have never refused the possibility of overtime in the past.
But when Steve walked up to me with his clipboard; asking me which days I would take, I thrust my pay stub under his nose. "You see this?"
He was taken aback. "Uhhh...what?"
"I wasn't paid for Canada Day. This place owes me five hundred plus. I'm not working Overtime until I see the money in my account."
The Operations office went ballistic - I'm one of those reliable numbers that can be inserted into any schedule. Well; this number just became a 'zero' and now they have no Rollman fully trained to Journeyman status that can cover the shifts they need. I've been threatened with reduced shifts - an empty threat; I'm too good for them to ignore and my regular 'B' shift crew works our hours regardless of the office's opinion. I've been harangued from all sides; they've tried the guilt trip, the loyalty ploy and the 'promotion necessity' argument. They won't get one more hour out of me until I have a cheque in my hand equalling the hours I worked.
It's getting serious - Home Office has sent directives instructing the work be completed. But I will not work any extra hours; nor will Brad, Steve, Frank, Tracy, Tindale, Rutillio, Raymond, Julia (all fake names) or any other operator who supports me.
It's coming down to 'Pay up or fire me'. It's a game of chicken - their office staff versus one of the best Press operators in Canada, and that's not hubris speaking; I know exactly how good I am - and I'm not going to blink first.
I'll keep you posted.
But when our paycheques came in; we were stunned - every worker in the Printing department had been paid 12 dollars for 12 hours work - far less than half our regular pay. For Journeymen; it is less than a third. That's better than the Bindery department recieved; they'd worked 7 1/4 hours on that day; and recieved $7.25 dollars for their work.
Obviously, a mistake had been made. Whoever had filled out the payment forms (and I know exactly who it was; our payroll department is one person strong) had put the hours worked into the base wage slot. An easy mistake to make I guess - not having ever seen the payroll program - but one which should have been corrected fast.
Well, you can imagine the workers on the floor freaked out. I personally lost more than five hundred dollars on that mistake; can you blame me for being angry?
The office sent out a memo stating they are aware of the mistake and it would be corrected on the 13th - that was yesterday. Nothing has been added to my account since the last very small paycheque.
I barely had enough to cover rent and groceries - since the office didn't come through I'm now in real trouble; I have a bill I need to pay; I told them I would pay it yesterday. I can't - wanna know how that phone call went? I assure you it's not something you want to experience.
I live from paycheque to paycheque; desperately hoping for overtime or Stats in order to make ends meet. Canada Day looked like easy money; combined with the two overtime shifts I worked on my days off. It should have been easy to pay everything off and have a tidy little sum for myself to put away but they never paid me for it. Worse; I called Payroll and she tells me she has no record of me working those days.
That is a Flat. Out. Lie. I have never missed a shift; I have never taken a sick day. I will not take a stat off if it's available. My work ethic and reliability are very well-known in the plant. The records of my work and shifts are there in the computer; the hours I worked are a fact; not a matter for debate. They're screwing me out of a day-and-a-half's pay and leaving me very literally hanging by a thread.
And NOW I'm in hot water from the Operations Supervisors because I refuse to take any overtime until this matter is resolved. Overtime is optional in this plant in the same way elective cancer surgery is optional. You can refuse it if you wish; but your short lifespan will be filled with misery if you do.
They have jobs that desperately need to go out - and I am one of very few printers they can count on to be able to get the job done. And I have never refused the possibility of overtime in the past.
But when Steve walked up to me with his clipboard; asking me which days I would take, I thrust my pay stub under his nose. "You see this?"
He was taken aback. "Uhhh...what?"
"I wasn't paid for Canada Day. This place owes me five hundred plus. I'm not working Overtime until I see the money in my account."
The Operations office went ballistic - I'm one of those reliable numbers that can be inserted into any schedule. Well; this number just became a 'zero' and now they have no Rollman fully trained to Journeyman status that can cover the shifts they need. I've been threatened with reduced shifts - an empty threat; I'm too good for them to ignore and my regular 'B' shift crew works our hours regardless of the office's opinion. I've been harangued from all sides; they've tried the guilt trip, the loyalty ploy and the 'promotion necessity' argument. They won't get one more hour out of me until I have a cheque in my hand equalling the hours I worked.
It's getting serious - Home Office has sent directives instructing the work be completed. But I will not work any extra hours; nor will Brad, Steve, Frank, Tracy, Tindale, Rutillio, Raymond, Julia (all fake names) or any other operator who supports me.
It's coming down to 'Pay up or fire me'. It's a game of chicken - their office staff versus one of the best Press operators in Canada, and that's not hubris speaking; I know exactly how good I am - and I'm not going to blink first.
I'll keep you posted.
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