Big Quandry

[Sparky-Watts]

There's the deal closer. What are you waiting for?!?!?urple:

Yeah, but with what I spend on gas, that's nothing. I hate the fact that I'm putting 400 miles a week on the YJ. I'm spending between $275 and $300 a month on gas, but it's still all the miles that is killing me. It'll be worn out in a couple of years at that rate. Staying where I am, I can keep the YJ in the garage all day out of the elements, minimize the mileage and upkeep, and not pay for gas except once or twice a month when I take it wheeling. Now, if Unkel can offer me a company vehicle, that would seal the deal.

 

[mud4feet]

That is definitely something to consider! I have my little company Ranger and I've noticed that I'm spending very little for gas anymore (and my Jeep mileage has accumulated much more slowly........except for the 1400 mi. roundtrip I'm on right now!). Been following the thread, Sparky, but haven't chimed in 'cause I'm having second thoughts about the decision I made, so I probably couldn't offer any constructive advice. Think hard about it, pray on it, and ask God to direct you.

Best of luck, friend,
mud

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Curtis and Brad took me to dinner yesterday to give me a few more details about the job proposition. I had done a lot of praying about it over the past few weeks, but wanted to hear what they had to offer. After two hours of negotiations and general chit-chat, I made the decision to leave Suburban and go to work for Brad. I'll give my 2 weeks notice a week from this coming Monday, but my last day will actually be the 18th of April, as I'm going out of town Thursday through Monday. All in all, it was a decent package, but the real deciding factors were pretty much what I had suspected they would be all along. First, I've always enjoyed working for Brad, and also Larry and Kevin, the other two that have already made the move from Suburban. Second, I have no respect for the owner of Suburban, neither as a person nor as a businessman. He has been straining money from the company for years, above and beyond his own salary and bonuses. He has promised bonuses to the departments that make their budgeted contributions, yet doesn't pay them. He doesn't care about his employees, other than how much money they can make for him. I could go on and on with reasons why I don't respect him, but that would serve no further purpose.

Brad, on the other hand, has always taken an interest in his crews' well-being, and has gone above and beyond what a normal manager would do to make sure we were happy and doing ok. He is easy to talk to, both from a business standpoint as well as from a personal standpoint, and I consider him to be a great friend and a great manager. There isn't much I wouldn't do for him. And, there's not much he wouldn't do for me, or any of his workers. Last year, just taking the jobs that the four of us did at Suburban, we grossed just over $250k. Put us together again for Unkel, and we can build that place into something great, also.

So, there you have it. Sign on the dotted line, it's a done deal.8)

 

[firemanharry]

You'll do fine Sparky, congratulations and good luck on your new job.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Good for you spiky I know this decision was hard and you thought it through.
Leaving your old for a new is always hard and it brings a new set of stress's.
But the good lord put this opportunity in front of you for a reason...I pray that you rise to the challenge and excel at it.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

I gave Josh my 2 weeks notice on April 4th, telling him my last day would be the 18th. He wasn't happy, and understandably so. I told him it was nothing against him, just that I didn't like the direction the company was heading. He's come to accept it, and by the next day, he was laughing a joking with me again. I was glad about that, because I didn't want there to be any tension between us the last 2 weeks of my employment, and I didn't want any hard feelings between us when I left.

Apparently, the owner of the company just found out yesterday that my last day is next Wednesday. We have a company-wide meeting this morning, and he wants to sit down with me and talk about my decision to leave after the meeting. I'm betting he's going to offer me more money and other perks to stay, but at this point, there's really not anything he can offer that will make me stay. My mind is made up. I'm also betting that after I refuse his offers, he'll fire me on the spot and not wait till Wednesday. It won't break my heart. I'll just go to work for Brad a week early. Brad and I had discussed the possibility of me being let go when I gave my 2 weeks, and he's ready for me whenever I get there.

Since my first few posts, Brad has changed insurance companies, and they now have a $1500 deductible, 80-20 co-pay, and higher prescription prices. They still pay 100% of the cost for a single policy (around $200 a month). Sunshine and I crunched the numbers and decided that it will be cheaper to stay on her policy. With my neck problems and having to see a specialist monthly, we'll still be spending less with hers. The injections I get every 3-4 months would cost about $1500 out of pocket plus another $500 on the first one of each year, then about $500 for each subsequent one. We just can't afford to pull that kind of cash all at once.

I'm in negotiations with Brad about either paying me the extra $200 that they don't spend on insurance for me in the form of higher wages, or in the form of a company vehicle to drive home.

Another bonus of working for Unkel: Brad has implemented a fund in the budget where the company is depositing money in an account to cover our 40 hour a week wages through the winter, whether we work or not. So, even if we have days or weeks where we have no work to do, we can stay at home and still make our 40 hours! Pretty damn good deal, if you ask me!

 

[TwistedCU]

I'm betting he's going to offer me more money and other perks to stay, but at this point, there's really not anything he can offer that will make me stay.

Ha, ya never know... can't hurt to let him try, right?

Personally, I'd take the opportunity to lay out there why I wanted to go, and also let him know the offer that led you out the door. As for an offer to stay, it can't hurt to listen and tell him you'll sleep on it and you would need to discuss the options with your wife. That way you get your Wednesday and it takes the pressure off

 

[Sparky-Watts]

I was half right. They started the bidding with a $6 an hour raise, and by the time I walked out, they were up to $7.50 an hour more. It was worth the look on their faces when I flat out refused to even consider it. They had barely finished stating their offer before I said "NO". Of course, the owner didn't even have the courtesy to come to the meeting with us. Just Josh and another manager. Pretty pathetic, but pretty indicative of my statement about him not really caring about his employees. He didn't make the offer to satisfy me, or to make me happy, he made the offer to pump up his ego, and to save face by not having to tell any more customers that we can't keep up with the work on their properties. He's lost several customers already this spring because he's 10 mowing crews short (he should be running 20 crews, and only has 10), has only 7 of 10 bed maintenance crews, and has lost most of his landscape construction managers and crews. Like rats from a sinking ship....

I'm worth more than they are paying me, but no way I'm worth as much as they offered. That was just rediculous. I know if I'd taken the offer, I'd be their ***** from that point forward, and they would think they could control every aspect of my life, both at work and away from work. I've seen it before several times with other managers that wanted to leave. I would have had to sign a 5 year binding contract and a lifetime no-compete contract. What a crock! If I left before the 5 years, they could lay claim to about half my wages, which would have been laid aside as a sort of "pension". I doubt the legality of it, but I don't know for sure. Plus, after I left, whether I did my 5 years or not, I could never take a job in the landscaping field again in the state of Kansas! The surprising thing is that they didn't fire me and are letting me work till the end of the day on Wednesday. They did take away my company ride, though. So, I'll be buying gas again. Big deal, it's worth it. Well worth it!

8)