Job Advice

[bottomdweller]

I am in a little bit of a pickle, and am looking for some advice. I'll try to outline everything as orderly as possible:

So I was basically offered (verbally, and I'll explain the basically part in a minute) a Receiving Operations Manager position for a 3rd party logistics company. The job pays me an extra 12K base, with the possibility of earning another 7k in bonuses. Being a 3rd party logistic company, my team and I would be working out of our client's warehouse, using all their equipment, and so forth. The issue is that the warehouse that I'd be working in, the employees that were working there are currently on strike. They've been on strike since March 7th, and the company and union are no where near a deal. The company is trying to break the union and have publically said that they are looking for permanent replacements.

Now for the basically offered part. The guy gold me that he loved my background in warehousing, the fact that I currently work in a service industry, and that I am currently getting certified to increase my knowledge. We talked for a good half hour and it was good banter back and forth. He said he wanted to move forward, and then confirmed that I am currently employed. When I told him yes, he informed me that the 3PL and the company just signed a 5 year contract, HOWEVER, if the company and the union came to an agreement, then the 3PL would be kicked out of the warehouse.

My current job is a dead end job in a field I don't want to be in. The hours, pay, and benefits are horrific. This job is literally 5 minutes from my hours, M-F 1st shift ( I currently work Mon and Tues 2nd shift, Thursday and Friday 3rd shift, 1st shift on Saturdays and every 3rd Sunday). The company I currently work for is in pretty decent financial trouble (pay freeze, allowing checks to be cashed only at a certain time, etc) so I'm still not sure how long the doors will be open.

So my question is... do I roll the dice and jump on with the 3PL, or do I stay the course with the company I'm with now, and hope that a stable opportunity presents itself?

[johnnypohlfan]

Re: Job Advice

If everything is exactly as you presented, I would definitely take the position at the new company. The unknown aspects can be scary, but you have to be happy in what you do.

[rufus]

Re: Job Advice

This client wouldn't be Shaw's, would it? Cause they're in pretty decent financial trouble too, selling off a good number of their stores, and possibly the entire chain will be history in another year or so.

Word is, Kroger's has bought a bunch, and Market Basket has bought a bunch too, possibly even my local one, although no one at the store level seems to know anything definitive yet, at least below management level .

[bottomdweller]

Re: Job Advice

This client wouldn't be Shaw's, would it? Cause they're in pretty decent financial trouble too, selling off a good number of their stores, and possibly the entire chain will be history in another year or so.

Word is, Kroger's has bought a bunch, and Market Basket has bought a bunch too, possibly even my local one, although no one at the store level seems to know anything definitive yet, at least below management level .

It is Shaws, which is owned by Minnesota based Super-Valu. I know bringing in the company I could potentially work for is one way it can save money, along with breaking the union. The average warehouse worker at this warehouse is making around 40K/year.

[rufus]

Re: Job Advice

The average warehouse worker at this warehouse is making around 40K/year.

And they deserve every penny of it too.

So a job at this third party company would be entirely contingent on whether they get the contract to run Shaw's warehouse? If Shaw's reaches a deal with their union, or something else happens, then there's no job for you with this company, right? Meaning, they won't hire you for this job, and then find something else for you if the Shaw's thing falls through?

I'd stay where you are. I was talking with a friend of mine today who works for Shaw's, was one of the ten or so full-timers who were offered either severance, part-time, no guarantee of hours, or relocate to another store(usually a good three or more hours away, making it pretty certain that most wouldn't take that option), and she's staying part time, saying as much as she'd love to tell them to stick their part-time job up their azz, at this point in time, in this area, even a part-time job is better than no job, as there's nothing else out there right now.

Right now, Shaw's future is totally up in the air. They may not even exist a year from now.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Job Advice

They may not even exist a year from now.

Like his current job? They don't sound too good either.

[Patman]

Re: Job Advice

It is Shaws, which is owned by Minnesota based Super-Valu. I know bringing in the company I could potentially work for is one way it can save money, along with breaking the union. The average warehouse worker at this warehouse is making around 40K/year.

Is this the Shaw warehouse up in Methuen? My father worked there when they went union... all downhill from there.

edit: I'd agree with rufus... your job is dependent upon a lengthy strike... it sounds to me that you'll lose your job within a month or so. I don't see where you'd ever be stable enough to make it worth risking the jump.

And they deserve every penny of it too.

If I ever want to get my father annoyed I ask about his subordinates (he was a warehouse manager... he's been sitting out for 1.5 years unemployed)... the ones who work are worth that... the ones that use up all their sick time in the first two weeks should be fed to the furnace.

[The Rube]

Re: Job Advice

Current job: dead end, hate it, possibly no job in the future

Potential job: most likely dead end, sounds like you'd like it, and could be a longer-term stopgap at the least.

I'd go for it, unless you think any severance from your current job would outwiegh the satisfaction/monetary payoff of the potential job.

[leswp1]

Re: Job Advice

I would be more cautious.

If they are willing to do that to their current workers I would be leery to deal with a company that might do that to me with as little concience. Saw a thing yesterday on TV (the great bastian of all knowledge) and they said one of the best questions to ask about a job was "why is this job available and why hasn't it been filled yet?"

Disclaimer-- having been the beneficiary of a union saving my azz when I was injured (the hospital tried to bring me in while I was injured, give me a review that was completely opposite of all the other reviews I had ever had so they could 'let me go'), I would have a hard time walking across the line.

[Hammer]

Re: Job Advice

I've told the story a few times that my dad is a Ford retiree that spent 35+ years in a factory. Now, while he wasn't exactly the most union-friendly guy on the planet, he did have a great deal of respect for what the union was trying to do. After all, it did provide our family with the lifestyle we had while I was growing up, and it is providing for my father's retirement.

One main message that I learned a long, long time ago, in no uncertain terms: you do not cross a picket line during a strike. Plain and simple. You are asking for trouble that you do not need.

Keep looking elsewhere, and good luck.

[Puck Swami]

Re: Job Advice

I would encourage you to look at the long term as well as the short term. Both jobs sound like dead ends, and you won't likely be happy in either one. You sound like a pretty bright guy who probably has more capabilities that any warehouse job could ever offer you over the long term, especially with robots doing more and more of that kind of work in the future.

Maybe you could look into expanding into new areas of logistics, get educational upgrades or experiences that could get you into a career you might actually enjoy more, make more money and never have to lift anything more than a pen....

Just a thought...

[bottomdweller]

Re: Job Advice

I would encourage you to look at the long term as well as the short term. Both jobs sound like dead ends, and you won't likely be happy in either one. You sound like a pretty bright guy who probably has more capabilities that any warehouse job could ever offer you over the long term, especially with robots doing more and more of that kind of work in the future.

Maybe you could look into expanding into new areas of logistics, get educational upgrades or experiences that could get you into a career you might actually enjoy more, make more money and never have to lift anything more than a pen....

Just a thought...

I am actually in the process of getting certification in Supply Chain Management through APICS. As for the job, I wouldn't be a warehouse worker, I'd be the Ops Manager of the warehouse...

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Job Advice

I am actually in the process of getting certification in Supply Chain Management through APICS. As for the job, I wouldn't be a warehouse worker, I'd be the Ops Manager of the warehouse...

Can you get the new company to guarantee you a job for a certain amount of time, in writing, even if the strike resolves? If not, I'd be highly skeptical about the new position.

[Puck Swami]

Re: Job Advice

I am actually in the process of getting certification in Supply Chain Management through APICS. As for the job, I wouldn't be a warehouse worker, I'd be the Ops Manager of the warehouse...

Cool stuff.

[St. Clown]

Re: Job Advice

I would encourage you to look at the long term as well as the short term. Both jobs sound like dead ends, and you won't likely be happy in either one. You sound like a pretty bright guy who probably has more capabilities that any warehouse job could ever offer you over the long term, especially with robots doing more and more of that kind of work in the future.

Maybe you could look into expanding into new areas of logistics, get educational upgrades or experiences that could get you into a career you might actually enjoy more, make more money and never have to lift anything more than a pen....

Just a thought...

See, Brent, you notice how people don't say things like this about you, forklift jockey?