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What most of the complainers don't understand is that bonuses, raises and other extra income sources come from one pile of money. Most agencies have another pile of discretionary funds for parties, tickets to events, etc. It seems this came out of the latter pile. However, if they could prove which I doubt they can, that this jaunt was paid for with funds used for income then they would have a real reason to be upset.
If they hate it that bad, then leave. If they're talented and willing to relocate finding another job is easy. They have to remember unless they are a partner or stockholder, they don't own the company. The company owes them nothing and can do whatever the hell it pleases. Now STFU and get back to work.
Does this mean it is impossible to MOVE money from one pile to another? Youre in the wrong business, you should have been in banking. You would thrive there. Douche.
Everything you said is factually correct. Try explaining that to the employees who are working in constant fear for their jobs as their pay has not adjusted for an extended period of time.
And as for your "If they hate it that bad, then leave" bullshit: You want to know the number of people I know who are in jobs they can't stand because they're not sure if they can find another one? People who I think the world of, people who are as talented as I've seen, people who I'd recommend on the drop of a hat. That, sir or madam, is the classic strawman argument of someone who has never faced that kind of hard decision of tolerating another day in a place that puts knots in your stomach (if you're lucky) because you selfishly desire to put food on the table/pay the bills/take care of those who need you.
Your anger and fury makes me sad: that you feel so adamant in the "They could succeed if they would just work *harder*" argument. One of the things I've learned in life is that I am about three breaks away from making about $12/hour. There are people who work as hard as I have in life, if not harder, and due to some incomprehensible quirk of fate or privilege that being a white male from a nice background, I'm where I am and they are not. When I hear that condescending tone (and rest assured, it is condescending) from someone, I think, "This person has no clue."
Enjoy your view.
This problem isn't relagated to advertising. It's rampant in our country. People who haven't seen raises in a couple of years? Fuck them. Our country has been in a recession for over two years now. That means cost are going down not up. The economy is shrinking not growing. That's why most raises are cost of living (COL) raises. If the COL doesn't go up , you don't get a raise. It IS that simple. Now if they've gone out and bought a 300K house when they only make 50K a year. Who's fault is that? The company's? Not hardly.
Yes, I understand the importance of appearances, but you know what? Maybe if people got treated a little less like spoiled children that might just grow up and start acting like adults and get the fuck back to work.
Bet it's an ugly broad who never gets laid.
Go f yourself, goldoneshow, whatever that is supposed to mean.
Companies definitely need to keep up with the cost of living by paying their employees a living wage.
Companies are using the recession as an excuse to ripoff their employees, by paying them less and making the foolish stay until 10:00 at night working on salary. You sir, are being taken advanage of. How does it feel?
I'm a contract creative. I get paid hourly at a major ad agency and I get time and a half for over time, which I never have to work anyway. That's the only way to go now days. All creatives should say fuck salary, and work on an hourly basis at a high hourly rate only.
Now onto the freelance situation vs. salaried.
Speaking of math let's do some. First, as a contract creative you get no health insurance which for some one with a family would cost about $1000 a month minimum if not covered by employer. Second, as a contract creative you don't get 401k which is another 4% annually. You don't get 4 weeks paid vacay. And you don't get bonuses which still exist at a lot of places . So let's say you're a fucking stud creative and your hourly rate is $100 an hour.(which I doubt since most of us ask for a day rate not an hourly rate, so 1.5 for overtime doesn't exist but for arguments sake I will give it to you.)
I average 55 hours per week. At that rate, you would be making $6250/wk. Let's be generous and say you freelance a little more than half the the year. 30 weeks. You would make $187.5K.
Now here's the rub. Say I only make 175K. BUT my health insurance only costs $300/mo vs. your $1K/mo.
So that's 8400 less than you over the year. My bonus (let's be conservative is $8K) is something you don't get. Plus I get 4% free money which is another roughly 6.5K. Plus because you're self employed, you come in at a much higher tax rate, you pay more in SSI. But I won't factor that in for this argument. So here's the simple math.
187.5 - 12K(insurance)=175.5 for almost eight months work
175 - 3600=171.4 + 8K (bonus) + 6.5 (401K) = 185.9 for ten months work (4 weeks vacay + 4 weeks of holiday time/sick time/personal days)
In the end, my bank account is fatter than yours and I don't have to stress about where my next paycheck is coming from. The only people who are comfortable freelancing are a) single people because they don't have anyone else to feed b) well established powerhouse creatives because all they have to do is say they're available and agencies come calling.
You are an idiot. Go away and don't come back.
That means you're at the end of your career, about to be one of the many laid off not to re-enter the ad biz again. You're too old and get paid too much for re-hire, and you'll save to agency much money once shown the door.
Your'e done dude. Best of luck to you.
Know this: the future as a creative in advertising is about working hourly through a contract company, not freelance (I never said freelance), not salaried either. Maybe one of the contract firms will hire you when you're let go next quarter.
C-E is outside of NY as indicated in 'a trip to New York'. C-E has ten floors. The execs are on the tenth floor. A tenth floor execs is said to have hair plugs: Bill Ludwig. The execs park under a carport. I expect carpet could be placed there. C-E hasn't given raises in years and cut the christmas bonus some time ago.
I'll fill in a few blanks...
"Sometimes, the way our creative director blackmails us into driving Chevys and contributing thousands of dollars to the United Way..."
I didn't know Dennis Lim played ping pong.
But our tipster probably wouldn't know about all that hard work, since they probably spend the bulk of their days producing table tents in a forgotten corner of the agency... dreaming of "bonuses" that they probably wouldn't have gotten even when times were good.
Pathetic.
You'd better get back to making your tri-panel brochures pronto before they put you on the next layoff list. Remember, C-E traditionally lays off people the first week in December every year, whether there's a recession or not. Do not return to this site from work, or you are good to go.
however everyone knows layoffs happen at CE in December so they will lay off in November this year.
They will lay off 100 and call it 15 to 20.