From afar, your company appears to be all that is right in this world. Your USA made parts, your “green” manufacturing, your passion for bicycles. But with the first month, any poor soul that has the misfortune to work on your shop floor realizes that behind your small company curtain is a mega corporate mentality. You start machine operators at $10/hr with promise of eventually getting a $1 raise after a year. When the one year anniversary comes up you spew as many excuses out about how “management” just isn’t confident there won’t be another economic crisis soon, and it’s not our fault. Then you proceed to explain how it is completely our fault for not getting a raise. We didn’t show enough enthusiasm during the 5 consecutive weeks of 50 hour work-shifts. Our caliper measurements weren’t consistent enough during hour 55 of the 60 hour work week. But just for sticking it out, you’ll give us the honor of a 50 cent raise.
I sat quietly and worked diligently while the hopes and dreams of my coworkers that envisioned working for the company that was “doing everything that’s right for this country”, began to fade. You brought my friend that worked there for 5 years into the office, never once complaining, never once showing up late to work and you thanked him by deducting $1/hr from his pay. But told him he could make up for it by working an extra 10hrs that week.
This city needs to know the truth. Your company is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Were you paid overtime? If not, get a new job then make a BOLI complaint- it’s easy, fun and renumerative when the state beats up on your employer.
Also- keep records of your hours worked just in case they cheat you.
Wage claims are easy and the burden is on the employer
to show that they kept good records. It is one way the system sometimes does something good for workers. Get justice.
Welcome to the business world. It is all based on lies meant to bolster the bottom line. I bet that business owner will be one of the first to lay people off because he/she “can’t afford” to pay a higher minimum wage.
You could always just name the company if you are actually trying to get people who aren’t up to speed on your life’s problems to give a shit.
Trollkien: the Merc would snip the company name, even if it were in the original rant. The only one they seem to let slip through sometimes rhymes with Spew Treasons.
It is kind of sad yet comical that this company was awarded the Oregon’s Ethics in Buisness for larger companies this year. I wish the commission would have actually talked to employees about job conditions.
Too bad the unionization movement failed. Would’ve given the place a chance to be so much better than it was.
Do you know how much “green” manufacturing costs? You gotta pay to play green, bro.
I hear the bike chop shops down on the Springwater are hiring, IAnon. Flexible hours and free bennies, too.
The mention of machining crap tells me it’s our local manufacturer of headsets in the ever-popular “Rasta” colorway
I would suggest getting into any sort of other manufacturing job, as they tend to pay better than what you speak of.
I would also take issue with the ‘MADE IN THE USA’ slogan, as it is my understanding that bicycle tires are not made here anymore (or didn’t use to be for many years) and all those great components come from either Japan or Italy.
uhhh, why are you telling us? Name the company, the city needs to know the truth. In your words.
For those who don’t know: Chris King is based in Portland. Their products are all machined aluminum dressed up in gaudy colors (a style that should have died with the 1990s) and sold for $$$. That’s my educated guess as to what I,A is talking about.
Their headsets (a headset is the ball bearings / races that a bike fork turns on) are sort of a status symbol for cyclists who want to express how serious they are about spending money on sporting goods. Last I checked, the starting price was around $150, despite being functionally equivalent to a bunch of other brands that sell for a third of that price.
This poor poor soul is obviously a disgruntled employee that couldn’t make it. Good liar though! Nobody takes a cut in pay. If you’re a crap worker you don’t get the money. I’ve been at this company for 5 years and make $21.00. That’s why the union failed!
The union didn’t make it because most people that have worked there for 5 years or more make $20 +. One big problem this company has is continuing to employ persons that would have been let go at any other shop. Disgruntled employees say a lot of junk!
@itsok We both know you’re the liar, and either you know who this is (in which case I dare you to say what you said here to his face), so you know it’s the truth, or you don’t work there and you’re still a liar. You are right about one thing, they do tend to keep people like you around who should have been chucked out long ago.
Nice shill work, ltsok. I know plenty of people who have been there that long and don’t make anywhere near that. It’d probably give ol’ CK (known in the bike industry as the cheapest man) a heart attack with a payroll that large.
This “poor soul” isn’t a liar and is leaps and bounds more talented than his bully boss who manages to blow up his fair share of machines.
Really does say something when I tell people “I used to work at CK” in a local bike shop and everyone winces and says they’re sorry.
This is why I buy Cane Creek headsets.
It’s not just “one disgruntled employee”. Check out the reviews of Chris King on Glassdoor.com
BOOOOO HOOOOOO!
What a bunch of babies! No one forces you to work here! None of these people were “machine operators” when they started! If you only got a .50 raise after your first year? Check yourself, you probably are not worth that! Now that you are the best “machine operator” you know why not get that sweet union job at Boeing! Factory work is not for everyone.
john
@john:
Boo hoo? Says someone in skim.
@itsok:
You’re simply full of shit.
Unfortunately for most people there, John, they don’t have the luxury of having a sugar mama and being able to be Chris King’s resident shop floor manchild.
Sure, no one’s forced to work there at gunpoint. But everyone has to pay for rent and food and compete for halfway decent jobs in a saturated labor market.
Hats off to this dude though for being brave enough to quit when CK threw him under the bus.
As a union worker, I make close to $30 an hour with excellent benefits. So its a loss to those who didn’t get it…$21 an hour is good, but union would have made it better. Those who voted against it didn’t seem to understand the perks to having the union if they thought they wouldn’t make more money. The OP isn’t being truthful with the whole deduction thing, so the whole story is a wash. I can only assume it was an employee who had a bad attitude and exaggerates a great deal. Probably causes a lot of drama within the workplace.
Worked for this company for four months and left. In my four months I seen issues with management and workers. Although the owner would always stare me up and down not once would he day hello or how is your day going.
It has its upsides and downsides. The management is far from perfect. There is a major disconnect between departments and serious lack of communication. On the flip side, I don’t work in the elements, deal with whiny customers, wear a uniform, or work weekends. The health benefits are mediocre, but wholesale discounts and cafe credits are pretty sweet. 40 hours of vacation for riding my bike to work, on top of normal accrued vacation is also a bonus. The job can get messy sometimes, and the drama from hipsters gets old quick, but it beats working in a kitchen, Subway, or Plaid Pantry. Sounds like the job isn’t for everyone. But for those that can make it work and get some experience, good for you. Some people have good attitudes, and are willing to help me learn as I go.