Company won't let him get his toolbox..

[trackwelder]

No way in hell I would have left without my tool box and there wouldn't be a SOB big enough or bad enough in that shithole to stop me. First off, I'd grab a BFH and lay it on top of the box while moving; just waiting for the first SOB to try to stop me...he'd be picking up his teeth and eyeballs off the floor....

Exactly.......no way in hell would I leave without my tools or any off my other property.

 

[Wanna Ride]

No way in hell I would have left without my tool box and there wouldn't be a SOB big enough or bad enough in that shithole to stop me. First off, I'd grab a BFH and lay it on top of the box while moving; just waiting for the first SOB to try to stop me...he'd be picking up his teeth and eyeballs off the floor....

That's real good advice... if you want to go to jail.

Better make sure you call that attorney, because you'll certainly need him now. Just be sure to get one that specializes in criminal defense instead of reclaiming personal property.

 

[aspera]

I like the post about calling the local TV station. Hit 'em in the pocketbook. How many cars are they going to sell with 40 angry mechanics and a TV crew on the lot? How many cars are they going to sell when it airs on the local news? The public WILL side with the tradesmen. Play hardball with these fuckers and you'll have the car salesmen and managers pushing your toolboxes out FOR you.

If you're lucky, one of the pinheads that bungled the layoff will take a swipe at the camera while swearing and losing his cool.

Also, YouTube. Everyone in the country will come down on this company.

 

[Frank The Plumber]

State department of labor. You can't keep their tools as that keeps them unemployed. Call your states Department of Employment security.

 

[Capri driver]

A similar situation happened at a privately owned prototype fabrication shop where I used to work. This was the kind of place that would treat you very well if you worked hard and did your job well. We even had unlimited overtime ( up to 24 hrs. per day!) anytime we wanted it and for any reason.

Business got slow, so they laid off a few guys that weren't very productive. They kept them around when things were busy, but it was their way of letting them go without firing them and used the slow time as a good excuse.

Anyway, the general rule was that the shop foreman had to make sure that none of the company tools were hidden in somone's box, however he wasn't there that particular day, They asked everyone to be patient, come back the next day to get their stuff, and everyone was OK with it except 1 guy. When he couldn't have his stuff right then and now, he called the Sheriff dept. who came and talked to the company owner/president. The employee ended up getting his box and tools, but that wasn't the end of it.

Everyone else laid off pretty much figured out that they weren't coming back except for, you know who. One day, one of the managers said that the guy that called the police on the owner had just called the shop. After the whole police episode, he actually assumed that they were now going to let him waltz in and start working there again. Needless to say, that was never going to happen.

 

[woody 73]

I am very confused by the whole thing,something just does not add up. I can see someone being let go,but not letting them get their tools just does not make any sense.

I feel like some part of the story is missing...

 

[ngk22r]

....

 

[BJ42LX]

I feel sorry for those guys who lost their jobs. BTDT.

But this thread is awsome! Quite a display of antlers and peacock feathers...

 

[Defender Chassis]

I feel sorry for those guys who lost their jobs. BTDT.

But this thread is awsome! Quite a display of antlers and peacock feathers...

Amen!

 

[Brad54]

"Officer, let me ask you a very, very simple question: What would you do to me if the company called you here today and said I was in possession of $20,000 of their property, and they didn't give me permission to take it?
Now please explain to me how the head of Human Resources being in possession of $20,000 of my property, without my permission, and not allowing me to remove it from the building, is any different."

-Brad

 

[91bronc300]

There is definitely some part of this story missing. I don't believe that a company would be waiting with security personnel at the ready for some guys to come to work so they could fire them and then muscle them out without their tools without a good reason. Doesn't sound like standard layoff procedure. The company wanted to sort through those tools before they left the building.

 

[gsport]

I called him a few minutes ago and he and the other techs were all heading over there with a few pickup trucks and a trailer. He says they are not leaving without their stuff, I'll let you know what goes down.

TheGrooveking

well.... what happened???

 

[CD1]

well.... what happened???

Grooveking you have us waiting on the edge of our chairs just waiting to hear the "Rest of the Story"!

Pray tell, get back with your buddy and find us the latest juicy details.

 

[Danglerb]

Plenty of companies routinely break the law, they get away with it because they plan it and know how most people are going to react, or they have done it a dozen times before and gotten away with it.

Don't expect cops to be on your side, or to know the relevant law. They might, or might not, most likely won't be SURE and will side with whoever most directly effects their paycheck.

Know your rights.
Don't give them away.
Don't get mad and do something stupid.

Don't keep silent, if you grumble and still walk out the door that isn't the same as making a clear demand for your tools NOW, only then if they refuse do you have some kind of legal standing. Otherwise they can claim they asked everyone to wait and got no refusals.

OTOH its a small world and jobs can be hard enough to find without having everybody that checks your previous employment getting a story about what a PITA you were when laid off, calling the cops etc.

 

[TheGrooveking]

well.... what happened???

I sent him a text a few minutes ago asking him to call me, so once I know, you'll guys will know.

TheGrooveking

 

[scott37300]

There is definitely some part of this story missing. I don't believe that a company would be waiting with security personnel at the ready for some guys to come to work so they could fire them and then muscle them out without their tools without a good reason. Doesn't sound like standard layoff procedure. The company wanted to sort through those tools before they left the building.

Lots of companies will call in security for a mass layoff just to make the head honchos feel safe when they are kicking the workers in the nuts. They don't want anyone going postal or doing anything crazy. It's getting to be standard procedure these days since there are so many workplace shootings and whatnot.

I'm sure there is more to the story but don't the security part is pretty reasonable.

 

[uconn9]

"I may have left long enough to grab my Bushmaster. Not kidding."

"Time to get evil."

Can you blame the company for hiring security with quotes like these? Sounds completely justified to me.

 

[ptschram]

"I may have left long enough to grab my Bushmaster. Not kidding."

"Time to get evil."

Can you blame the company for hiring security with quotes like these? Sounds completely justified to me.

When management treat labor like this, they get what they deserve.

 

[scott37300]

"I may have left long enough to grab my Bushmaster. Not kidding."

"Time to get evil."

Can you blame the company for hiring security with quotes like these? Sounds completely justified to me.

Those comments were after the company told them they couldn't take their personal tool boxes. Those comments are completely justified when a company holds your personal property. If the company would have let them take the boxes with them these comments woldnt have been posted.

 

[Wrenches of Death]

[/img]

start this place on fire[/mumbling]

FIRE! Sacred, cleansing, vengeful, fire.

Fire is your friend. Fire is the enemy of your enemies. Hallowed is fire.

WoD

 

[Sick Puppy]

Then the company should plan their layoffs better.....

easy in theory, but you're telling forty-plus employees that you will no longer be giving them money to pay their mortgages/rent, HP's, bills and enable them to provide for their families... difficult for any worker to see things nicely after that... but then on the other hand, they have taken a man's livelihood twice over - no income, and no tools to enable them to earn an income - that's not cool in any circumstance...

 

[uconn9]

I can't get my tools so I'm going to shoot somebody? Really?

 

[porphyre]

easy in theory, but you're telling forty-plus employees that you will no longer be giving them money to pay their mortgages/rent, HP's, bills and enable them to provide for their families... difficult for any worker to see things nicely after that... but then on the other hand, they have taken a man's livelihood twice over - no income, and no tools to enable them to earn an income - that's not cool in any circumstance...

You don't get it. You don't tell 40 guys that they're fired. You tell 4 guys a day for two weeks. That's what we mean by manage the layoffs.

 

[Ohio Auto]

The O.P. clearly stated there were only a few laid off so getting to their boxes shouldn't have been a problem.

Realistically, as big as most boxes are these days...who would be ready to move them and take them home right there on the spot anyway?

That being said...as an employee I should be given time with supervision to put any tools I had out away...do a quick visual inventory of my box, and then lock it up.

And...in Ohio...if you called the police the next day when you were ready to retrieve your box/tools they definately would show up to help alleviate any potential problem. Not as a means of determining who's right...but making sure there is peace at a potentially threatening situation. That's their job.

 

[Defender Chassis]

You don't get it. You don't tell 40 guys that they're fired. You tell 4 guys a day for two weeks. That's what we mean by manage the layoffs.

That would be the worst thing to do for business. How would you feel coming to work every day not knowing if your going to be one of the four? Moral would go down the hole and nothing would get done. I agree with doing it all at once but maybe they should have done it w/in 2 hrs of closing time and let them take their tools after closing or giving them the option to come back later after they make arrangements for storage or whatever?

Maybe that is what the company was trying to do? Only time will tell. What ended up happening OP?

 

[ptschram]

That would be the worst thing to do for business. How would you feel coming to work every day not knowing if your going to be one of the four? Moral would go down the hole and nothing would get done. I agree with doing it all at once but maybe they should have done it w/in 2 hrs of closing time and let them take their tools after closing or giving them the option to come back later after they make arrangements for storage or whatever?

Maybe that is what the company was trying to do? Only time will tell. What ended up happening OP?

You've never been involved in such a thing, have you?

Indiana Michigan power had a reputation for laying people off a few at a time. Those who worked at the nuke plant had a mantra that one always kept you hard hat and ID handy as you never knew when you'd get fired. Office folks never kept anything personal in their desks so they could walk away. I knew a station engineer who returned from six months of training to find a cardboard box on his desk and a security guard sitting on his desk who escorted him to his locker and watched him clean it out and he then escorted him to the property line.

Phelps Dodge had a reputation for having folks fly into the corporate office and have them met at the airport and they were terminated at the airport and put on a return flight-knowing that when they got back to the airport from which they departed, their company car wouldn't be there any more and they'd need to provide transportation home. I watched a mechanic put his tools in a grocery bag to take them home after termination, another had his toolbox busted open (company property box) and sadly, we found many things in the toolbox that shouldn't have been there-hint, the police were called.

The Lear Corp would lock you out of your computer and when the laid off employee went to the IT dept to find out what was up, HR would lock the office and meet the employee and take them to a conference room to terminate them.

When I got laid off in Baltimore (40% of the company was laid off in one day, almost 50 people), I was the only person who was laid off who didn't strike the HR woman or threaten to burn the place down.

Some places handle it better than others.

 

[route246]

Could you imagine the sentiment in your workforce for those who are left? I've been through this, both on the receiving end and survival end. On the receiving end you go through a grieving process and hopefully move on and get a better opportunity. On the surviving end you have shock and you grieve for your laid off co-workers and you try to move on. But, you are left in a situation that is worse than it was before the layoff and you must cope with extra work or thinking about the next layoff. 4 per day for 10 days is just not workable. By the 10th day the entire place would be a basket case.

You don't get it. You don't tell 40 guys that they're fired. You tell 4 guys a day for two weeks. That's what we mean by manage the layoffs.

 

[scott37300]

That would be the worst thing to do for business.

I'm glad it's all about the moral of the business. It's bad enough these guys got laid off but it is what it is. The company should have at the very least let the terminated set up a time to come get their boxes. That way they at least know they have an appointment, instead of just saying "we'll call you" and leaving things in limbo. Getting laid off ***** but if both parties can be adults about it things can go decent, not a happy day but also doesn't have to be a horrible day for either party involved. I have been laid off and I just move on. But I would demand my personal property be taken with me, the company could go threw the box if the wanted but what's mine would be coming home with me. Unless there is a detail left out there is no reason the company couldn't have let them take the boxes home. If it was a matter of going threw them, they hired security so they could have hired people to go threw boxes. I would be ok with them even telling me that I could pick my box up and give me a date and time, with in a week as long as they would guaranty my box would be kept safe. Hopefully things work out.

 

[jcp907]

I have been on the receiving end, and it was handled very well in my opinion. Corporate sent letters to the managers, to hand out to the employees, in a group meeting face to face. The layoff would occur in 45 days (or however many it was...this was many years ago).

No severance was offered to those that wanted to leave right away. For those that wanted to continue to be productive, one week of pay for each year of service was offered as severance, provided you worked those 45 days. Transfers were also available. I took a transfer.

To the OP, I hope your friend gets his tools back quickly, and that he finds a job that was better than the last one.

 

[trackwelder]

Realistically, as big as most boxes are these days...who would be ready to move them and take them home right there on the spot anyway?

Just call for a flatbed.

 

[uconn9]

I would be ok with them even telling me that I could pick my box up and give me a date and time, with in a week as long as they would guaranty my box would be kept safe.

I agree 100% - that is where the company really screwed up. Well said.

 

[Defender Chassis]

You've never been involved in such a thing, have you?

In fact I have, more than once. Whats your point? What part of your statement disproves what i said?

 

[Arne73]

Mechanics that have been let go at my POE have been walked out the door by security and their boxes were shipped to their homes at company expense. I can think of one guy's box that was broken into before it was shipped. Managers weren't to happy but were unable to determine who the shitheel was that did it.
I've often thought about being in that position, and I think that standing fast and firmly demanding my tools before being walked out is the best way to do it.

 

[scott37300]

In fact I have, more than once. Whats your point? What part of your statement disproves what i said?

The problem with what you said is that you are only concerned about the company and how it will affect the company. No matter how the company does it it will affect the other employees. The company should at least be man enough to let them take their box if they so chose so they can move on and look into getting another income. The company is preventing them from moving on by not even giving them a date they can come get the box. How can you even apply for another job when they ask if you have your own tools you have to say "well I do but they are not in my possesion and I don't know when I will be able to get them"?

I would much rather work for a company that lays off 40 guys respectfully than one that I have to worry about what happens to my tools if my turn comes. If the company treats the employees with respect and handles the situation the best they can for both parties then the moral will be good. The company is shady and holds tools, moral will be bad.

The employees got laid off which ***** but it happens. Give them their tools, cut ties, and let them move on.

 

[Defender Chassis]

The problem with what you said is that you are only concerned about the company and how it will affect the company. No matter how the company does it it will affect the other employees. The company should at least be man enough to let them take their box if they so chose so they can move on and look into getting another income. The company is preventing them from moving on by not even giving them a date they can come get the box. How can you even apply for another job when they ask if you have your own tools you have to say "well I do but they are not in my possesion and I don't know when I will be able to get them"?

I would much rather work for a company that lays off 40 guys respectfully than one that I have to worry about what happens to my tools if my turn comes. If the company treats the employees with respect and handles the situation the best they can for both parties then the moral will be good. The company is shady and holds tools, moral will be bad.

The employees got laid off which ***** but it happens. Give them their tools, cut ties, and let them move on.

You are jumping to a lot of conclusions. If everybody were posting and making assumptions about the guy getting fired and probably deserved it then I would defend the employee just as fervently. How do you know that if the guy called and said he had another job and hence really needed his toolbox that the company would not make arrangements to help him get his tools moved. I mean really think about 40 people removing their stuff all at once. What a mess and almost impossible to manage when you consider at least one would make an *** out of himself and threaten to go get his bushmaster. Not everybody could even make arrangements that quickly. For all you know the company considered this and that's the reason they did it the way they did. Imagine if they would have rolled the guys boxes out to the curb as they were in the conference room being told the news? How would you feel then? Of course there is always the chance the company did it for nefarious reasons and wants to sell the tools on ebay for extra profit. What makes more sense? Only time will tell what really happened and why.

 

[scott37300]

You are jumping to a lot of conclusions. If everybody were posting and making assumptions about the guy getting fired and probably deserved it then I would defend the employee just as fervently. How do you know that if the guy called and said he had another job and hence really needed his toolbox that the company would not make arrangements to help him get his tools moved. I mean really think about 40 people removing their stuff all at once. What a mess and almost impossible to manage when you consider at least one would make an *** out of himself and threaten to go get his bushmaster. Not everybody could even make arrangements that quickly. For all you know the company considered this and that's the reason they did it the way they did. Imagine if they would have rolled the guys boxes out to the curb as they were in the conference room being told the news? How would you feel then? Of course there is always the chance the company did it for nefarious reasons and wants to sell the tools on ebay for extra profit. What makes more sense? Only time will tell what really happened and why.

I agree there are some details left out. But from what we were told there was 40 employees laid off and told they would be contacted to come get their tools. I do not believe the company did it for nefarious reseans. They did it to benefit themselves by trying to avoid issues like you keep mentioning. Which is wrong in my opinion. They should have planned this better and at the very very least gave the employees a date and time that they could come pick up their tool box, not leave them in limbo. I would be happy if they told me "You can come pick up your box in three days at 6pm" or whenever. At least I would have a planned date and not have to wonder when I will be able to pick my tools up to start looking for a new job. I do not believe that is to much to ask of the company. The company made the decision to lay these people off, I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision but they chose to do it for whatever reason. It will affect the moral and job security of the other employees no matter what. The company would have came across a lot better in the eyes of the other employees by trying to handle this the best way possible, not just covering their own azzes. Now the other employees see all these boxes laying around and wonder what is going on. They will wonder what will happen to their own tools if they get laid off. How is that good for moral? If I saw a group of guys get laid off and were able to carry their boxes out that is one thing, layoffs happen. But if I saw 40 guys get walked out without their tools I would be very concerned about the security of my own tools due to what the company is doing.

I can tell you that if I was a boss in this position I would do whatever I could to ease the issue to the former employees. Now you have a bunch of really angry ex employees that want tools back, how is this better than just giving them the news they are laid off and letting them take their tools?

The problem with what your saying is that it's alright for the company to do whatever just to cover their own azzes. That is wrong. These guys had a rough enough day, now you add holding their tools from them on top of getting laid off just so moral in the shop doesn't go down. Wrong. If I was working there and saw how this went down I would start looking for a new job because it shows me the company is only looking out for themselves.

 

[Defender Chassis]

I agree there are some details left out. But from what we were told there was 40 employees laid off and told they would be contacted to come get their tools. I do not believe the company did it for nefarious reseans. They did it to benefit themselves by trying to avoid issues like you keep mentioning. Which is wrong in my opinion. They should have planned this better and at the very very least gave the employees a date and time that they could come pick up their tool box, not leave them in limbo. I would be happy if they told me "You can come pick up your box in three days at 6pm" or whenever. At least I would have a planned date and not have to wonder when I will be able to pick my tools up to start looking for a new job. I do not believe that is to much to ask of the company. The company made the decision to lay these people off, I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision but they chose to do it for whatever reason. It will affect the moral and job security of the other employees no matter what. The company would have came across a lot better in the eyes of the other employees by trying to handle this the best way possible, not just covering their own azzes. Now the other employees see all these boxes laying around and wonder what is going on. They will wonder what will happen to their own tools if they get laid off. How is that good for moral? If I saw a group of guys get laid off and were able to carry their boxes out that is one thing, layoffs happen. But if I saw 40 guys get walked out without their tools I would be very concerned about the security of my own tools due to what the company is doing.

I can tell you that if I was a boss in this position I would do whatever I could to ease the issue to the former employees. Now you have a bunch of really angry ex employees that want tools back, how is this better than just giving them the news they are laid off and letting them take their tools?

The problem with what your saying is that it's alright for the company to do whatever just to cover their own azzes. That is wrong. These guys had a rough enough day, now you add holding their tools from them on top of getting laid off just so moral in the shop doesn't go down. Wrong. If I was working there and saw how this went down I would start looking for a new job because it shows me the company is only looking out for themselves.

I agree. Very well thought out and rational. I would add that if I were the owner and/or manager I would have considered, if feasible, to have a towing/moving company on hand for those that had someplace to take their stuff immediately. Also keep in mind that laying people off is something no company strives to be good at. I am sure that the company would have much rather have plenty of work for all of those people and be conducting interviews rather than laying off.

 

[David W]

I guess I got lucky. I worked 2nd shift as a maintenance mechanic and got a phone call in the morning with the layoff notice. Was able to drive the pickup there, get my box, no fuss, no muss. They didn't even search my box for anything I might have stolen, but then anything they had of value would've been immediately noticed anyway.

 

[porphyre]

That would be the worst thing to do for business. How would you feel coming to work every day not knowing if your going to be one of the four? Moral would go down the hole and nothing would get done. I agree with doing it all at once but maybe they should have done it w/in 2 hrs of closing time and let them take their tools after closing or giving them the option to come back later after they make arrangements for storage or whatever?

Maybe that is what the company was trying to do? Only time will tell. What ended up happening OP?

Morale would only go down on people who were afraid of being let go and therefore likely to be let go.

Dude, I worked at Sprint for 8 years. I left voluntarily. When lay-offs came around, those of us who were WORTHWHILE employees were always relieved. The low-end workers, people who were just getting by... they always got cut. Then we got a new batch of folks 3-4 months later that we got to sort through trying to find people to survive the next round of layoffs.

Always try to do layoffs within a division together. Then stagger the divisions. Firing 30 people from 5 different groups? That's 6 a day for 5 days.

If you're letting 40 people go... well, either that's a HUGE group (and can therefore be spread out geographically) or mgt is cleaning house and morale of the remaining folks doesn't matter.... because there ARE no remaining folks.

 

[scott37300]

I agree. Very well thought out and rational. I would add that if I were the owner and/or manager I would have considered, if feasible, to have a towing/moving company on hand for those that had someplace to take their stuff immediately. Also keep in mind that laying people off is something no company strives to be good at. I am sure that the company would have much rather have plenty of work for all of those people and be conducting interviews rather than laying off.

I think the company paying for a moving truck would have been a huge sign and go a long way in helping these guys out and the moral of the rest of employees. I agree with you that no company wants to be "good" at layoffs. Hopefully it will all work out for these guys getting the tools back in a timely matter.