The grumpy thread

[Supernaut]

I got my promotion application at work approved today.

 

Why is it a grump? It took me over a year to get it, it just makes me, a 2nd-line technician, level with the gimps on service desk who have had this pay grade for over a year now. Also, it's a 10% payrise, from £20k to a whopping £22k per year.

 

The amount of effort and stress I've gone through really doesn't feel worth it. It's simpler and quicker to apply for a whole other job! The only reason I'm still working here is because I haven't been successful in recent interviews.

 

Hey, it's an extra hundred or so a month though. Still a piss-take of a salary for what I'm doing, mind.

[xtriple]

It's raining. I have a Mercedes full of water.

[Guest VicN]

  On 30/05/2018 at 15:55, xtriple said:

It's raining. I have a Mercedes full of water.

You're supposed to put the roof up when it rains.

[xtriple]

Sadly, I did! It appears to be coming in from under the passenger side air vent. I have been warned there is a drain there that clogs up... it was on the list of things to check. Just rain got me before I had the chance.

 

This is also probably why the fan doesn't work, water and electrical stuff tends to disagree. No blown fuse though so that's saved me 50 pence

[Captain Furious]

  On 30/05/2018 at 15:14, Supernaut said:

I got my promotion application at work approved today.

 

Why is it a grump? It took me over a year to get it, it just makes me, a 2nd-line technician, level with the gimps on service desk who have had this pay grade for over a year now. Also, it's a 10% payrise, from £20k to a whopping £22k per year.

 

The amount of effort and stress I've gone through really doesn't feel worth it. It's simpler and quicker to apply for a whole other job! The only reason I'm still working here is because I haven't been successful in recent interviews.

 

Hey, it's an extra hundred or so a month though. Still a piss-take of a salary for what I'm doing, mind.

 

Sadly, it seems to be the case that the only time you're ever in a decent negotiating position is the day they offer you the job.  Personal experience has been that if you want to progress then moving onto another company is the only way to achieve it - Now, I'm sure it is achievable, if your face fits/you're related to the MD/have a decent rack etc but at best I've only ever managed small incremental steps up within a company.   For significant steps up I've had to change jobs.

 

Did you know these were the terms when you were fighting for this 'promotion'?  Like you say, seems a lot of effort for little reward. On the plus side use the fact that you're now 2nd line to leverage the market and apply for better paid 2nd or even 3rd line positions.

 

Good luck, but I would say changing jobs is your next move.

[Guest Hooli]

  On 30/05/2018 at 15:14, Supernaut said:

I got my promotion application at work approved today.

 

Why is it a grump? It took me over a year to get it, it just makes me, a 2nd-line technician, level with the gimps on service desk who have had this pay grade for over a year now. Also, it's a 10% payrise, from £20k to a whopping £22k per year.

 

The amount of effort and stress I've gone through really doesn't feel worth it. It's simpler and quicker to apply for a whole other job! The only reason I'm still working here is because I haven't been successful in recent interviews.

 

Hey, it's an extra hundred or so a month though. Still a piss-take of a salary for what I'm doing, mind.

On the brightside it's been three years sine I started doing 3rd line work and I still get paid for 2nd line.

Can't get past interviews either, hence stuck here for now.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Kiltox]

Just got (well it’s not actually confirmed yet and my contract finishes on Friday) a huge 5% rate increase for doing about 125% more work. Winning.

[mercrocker]

  On 30/05/2018 at 17:04, Captain Furious said:

Sadly, it seems to be the case that the only time you're ever in a decent negotiating position is the day they offer you the job.  Personal experience has been that if you want to progress then moving onto another company is the only way to achieve it - Now, I'm sure it is achievable, if your face fits/you're related to the MD/have a decent rack etc but at best I've only ever managed small incremental steps up within a company.   For significant steps up I've had to change jobs.

 

Did you know these were the terms when you were fighting for this 'promotion'?  Like you say, seems a lot of effort for little reward. On the plus side use the fact that you're now 2nd line to leverage the market and apply for better paid 2nd or even 3rd line positions.

 

Good luck, but I would say changing jobs is your next move.

 

I second this advice.....We are recruiting at work and I have sat on the panel that sifts through the applicants.   You would not believe the panic that sets in when it is realised that the two or three chosen final applicants show signs of having got a better offer.   It is actually in quite bad taste how much more money is offered in some cases after the person who vacated the position did so because the company refused to meet a request for a pay rise - at less money!    

[nebuchenezer]

Just 

 

Fuck

 

Off

 

[chodweaver]

Got made redundant last year. I'm 53. Been with the same company and in the (well regarded) pension scheme for 26 years. My retirement age is 67. I wrote an email asking what options are there for drawing on my pension earlier... Say, 5, 10 and 15 years early...

 

"We can advise that only one quotation per year is free of charge if you age 55 or over. If you are under age 55, a quotation is not available free of charge however we can provide your with updated statement of you deferred benefits.

 

If you still require the below quotations, please let us know and we will arrange for an invoice for £84 + VAT for each calculation to be issued to you."

 

Guess which chiselling bastards are managing the pension scheme?

 

C*pita.

 

Wait till the Treasurer, Mrs CW reads this. I think she might have some choice words for them.

[nebuchenezer]

Mother fucka

 

I felt for you

[Timewaster]

  On 30/05/2018 at 18:41, chodweaver said:

"We can advise that only one quotation per year is free of charge if you age 55 or over. If you are under age 55, a quotation is not available free of charge however we can provide your with updated statement of you deferred benefits.

If you still require the below quotations, please let us know and we will arrange for an invoice for £84 + VAT for each calculation to be issued to you."

 

That is Out Fukin Rageous!

 

Next email, Pensions ombudsman?

[The Moog]

Insane .. someone will have thought up the swizz and a way to make a few quid

[HillmanImp]

  On 30/05/2018 at 18:41, chodweaver said:

Got made redundant last year. I'm 53. Been with the same company and in the (well regarded) pension scheme for 26 years. My retirement age is 67. I wrote an email asking what options are there for drawing on my pension earlier... Say, 5, 10 and 15 years early...

 

"We can advise that only one quotation per year is free of charge if you age 55 or over. If you are under age 55, a quotation is not available free of charge however we can provide your with updated statement of you deferred benefits.

 

If you still require the below quotations, please let us know and we will arrange for an invoice for £84 + VAT for each calculation to be issued to you."

 

Guess which chiselling bastards are managing the pension scheme?

 

C*pita.

 

Wait till the Treasurer, Mrs CW reads this. I think she might have some choice words for them.

 

I have never heard of that before. It's quite common for companies not to do retirement quotes more than one year in the future at all though. When I used to do pensions admin we used to do projections all the time but gradually a bunch of chancing idiots started kicking up a stink as the projected inflation wasn't as high as the projections or the factors changed etc despite the quotes clearly stating they are estimates based upon assumptions and current markets etc. 

 

Basically a bunch of stupid arseholes ruined it for the rest of us. 

 

If you write to them and ask for a copy of the scheme booklet, details of your pension at leaving and current deferred pension (split down into tranches and how it is increased), early and commutation factors I could possibly rustle you up an estimated quote. It might be that early retirement is calculated via transfer values etc or something and it's not possible but if it is calculated in a normal way it wouldn't take me long. 

 

They might refuse to send you that too being a bunch of miserable bastards at Crapita. We've just employed a bumch of people from there at my place, will see if that is standard practice there or whether your previous employer are just a bunch of miserly bastards (which they probably are outsourcing to Crapita)

 

*EDIT* I assume this is a final salary pension?

[New POD]

  On 30/05/2018 at 08:45, Lacquer Peel said:

Some of those single track roads are actually 'A' roads.

 

Aye, That's true, lets see if this works  https://goo.gl/maps/6YnSYdSwks42

 

This was taken on the way. 

[HillmanImp]

  On 29/05/2018 at 20:41, mercrocker said:

I recently sent my ORIGINAL licence off to my pension administrator, as requested  demanded by them in order that they, too, would know who I am.   Didn't bother them who I was when I was paying in for the last 24 years, but still....  

 

Despite mailing it Special D. AND receiving a query back from them unrelated to my identity (proving they got the forms that went with the licence) they still tried to say they never had it when I rang them 2 weeks later.  They PROMISED to return it upon sight - just logging its existence was apparently enough, then after a fortnight they claim they haven't seen it!  

 

I imagine the conversations when deciding which fund to invest our pension contributions in - "Did you put 6 mill on the emerging Chinese - NK rejuvenation entry-level hedge, Tarquin?"    "Er, no, the line was busy so I chucked it in the Nationwide for a couple of weeks....."

 

Is it a 3rd party admin company? Normally you can accept certified copies of driving licences or passports as that is not breaking the Crown Copyright or owt like it is with Birth, Marriage or Death certificates (well that was the law last time I looked). Might be a scheme specific rule or just a backwards company or something (hope it's not the one I currently work for).

 

The reason that they need evidence of your date of birth when someone retires is that benefits will likely be calculated depending on age. If their records are wrong they could over or underpay benefits so they need to ensure their records are correct, also that you are indeed who you say you are if they are paying you money (normally evidence of age is done electronically these days I think).

 

Anyhow, they need to stump up for a new driving licence for you. They probably get loads of chancers or fraudsters who send across empty envelopes as they either don't want to send their originals and think that if they say they sent it, they will be able to get away with not sending anything at all if they ring up and are big enough twats to the person on the other end of the phone. You also get people just wanting the admin company to pay for a new driving licence or passport etc which is sadly just part of the job for them.

 

Basically a bunch of stupid arseholes ruined it for the rest of us. 

 

However, things do go missing sometimes. They do need to refund you, fuck claiming with Royal Mail. I'd just write a simple letter of complaint and they will need to respond to it within a certain timescale etc if they don't offer to replace it immediately. Ask if there is any other evidence of age/identity that you can provide in the meantime to progress payment of your pension (I assume that's why you needed to send it)  and if you can provide certified copies or take it into one of their other offices nearby to be sighted by a member of staff there if they have any near you. 

[chodweaver]

  On 30/05/2018 at 19:36, HillmanImp said:

I have never heard of that before. It's quite common for companies not to do retirement quotes more than one year in the future at all though. When I used to do pensions admin we used to do projections all the time but gradually a bunch of chancing idiots started kicking up a stink as the projected inflation wasn't as high as the projections or the factors changed etc despite the quotes clearly stating they are estimates based upon assumptions and current markets etc.

 

Basically a bunch of stupid arseholes ruined it for the rest of us.

 

If you write to them and ask for a copy of the scheme booklet, details of your pension at leaving and current deferred pension (split down into tranches and how it is increased), early and commutation factors I could possibly rustle you up an estimated quote. It might be that early retirement is calculated via transfer values etc or something and it's not possible but if it is calculated in a normal way it wouldn't take me long.

 

They might refuse to send you that too being a bunch of miserable bastards at Crapita. We've just employed a bumch of people from there at my place, will see if that is standard practice there or whether your previous employer are just a bunch of miserly bastards (which they probably are outsourcing to Crapita)

 

*EDIT* I assume this is a final salary pension?

It is. I've been very lucky to be on it. They stopped putting new employees on it 5 or more years ago, but only closed it and froze it 2 years ago, replacing it with an average salary one. 'Time to go' I read that as..

 

And, thanks. I'll keep you posted

[stonedagain]

  On 30/05/2018 at 18:41, chodweaver said:

Got made redundant last year. I'm 53. Been with the same company and in the (well regarded) pension scheme for 26 years. My retirement age is 67. I wrote an email asking what options are there for drawing on my pension earlier... Say, 5, 10 and 15 years early...

 

"We can advise that only one quotation per year is free of charge if you age 55 or over. If you are under age 55, a quotation is not available free of charge however we can provide your with updated statement of you deferred benefits.

 

If you still require the below quotations, please let us know and we will arrange for an invoice for £84 + VAT for each calculation to be issued to you."

 

Guess which chiselling bastards are managing the pension scheme?

 

C*pita.

 

Wait till the Treasurer, Mrs CW reads this. I think she might have some choice words for them.

They manage my company pension too.....

[Tadhg Tiogar]

The pikeys have set up camp in the car park of the local Sainsbury's.

[mercrocker]

  On 30/05/2018 at 20:09, HillmanImp said:

Is it a 3rd party admin company? Normally you can accept certified copies of driving licences or passports as that is not breaking the Crown Copyright or owt like it is with Birth, Marriage or Death certificates (well that was the law last time I looked). Might be a scheme specific rule or just a backwards company or something (hope it's not the one I currently work for).

 

The reason that they need evidence of your date of birth when someone retires is that benefits will likely be calculated depending on age. If their records are wrong they could over or underpay benefits so they need to ensure their records are correct, also that you are indeed who you say you are if they are paying you money (normally evidence of age is done electronically these days I think).

 

Anyhow, they need to stump up for a new driving licence for you. They probably get loads of chancers or fraudsters who send across empty envelopes as they either don't want to send their originals and think that if they say they sent it, they will be able to get away with not sending anything at all if they ring up and are big enough twats to the person on the other end of the phone. You also get people just wanting the admin company to pay for a new driving licence or passport etc which is sadly just part of the job for them.

 

Basically a bunch of stupid arseholes ruined it for the rest of us. 

 

However, things do go missing sometimes. They do need to refund you, fuck claiming with Royal Mail. I'd just write a simple letter of complaint and they will need to respond to it within a certain timescale etc if they don't offer to replace it immediately. Ask if there is any other evidence of age/identity that you can provide in the meantime to progress payment of your pension (I assume that's why you needed to send it)  and if you can provide certified copies or take it into one of their other offices nearby to be sighted by a member of staff there if they have any near you. 

 

I have to say a chap telephoned me at five to nine Tuesday morning apologising for the cock-up and the licence would be posted straight away.   It came this morning...... 

 

My retirement date was today so there should be a bit more money than usual in the bank tomorrow.    Just for tomorrow, like....

[Christine]

  On 30/05/2018 at 20:20, Tadhg Tiogar said:

The pikeys have set up camp in the car park of the local Sainsbury's.

Have they got my Countax Mower ?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

  On 30/05/2018 at 20:34, Christine said:

Have they got my Countax Mower ?

It's probably in the piles of rubbish now littering that part of the car park.

[mercrocker]

Just been flicking through Ebay and some of the classic car sales sites.   Why does every prick have to start their ad with "We are pleased to offer....."   "On offer here to a discerning buyer...." or "Mr. Ethelburt purchased this.....?"   They then follow that useless wordage with a four page dissertation (often in capital letters) that includes every nuance of urban myth, bullshit, stale press quote and useless information that they can muster.

 

You have to scour the 48 photographs (usually by following a clunky link to some slow-coach hosting site) so that you can see the rust spots, hastily applied stone-chip, questionable inner-wing repairs and crumbling seat fabric that they casually overlooked between the Motor Show bullshit and the pompous self-trumpeting rubbish that they write about themselves and their "Establishment".  

 

I might seriously be in the market for something a little bit later in the summer but by fuck I am not prepared to deal with these cunts - and more importantly - totally not prepared to fund their next fucking cruise.   I think I will be sniffing round the auctions and looking in newsagent's windows for my next car.

[Captain Furious]

I cannot deal with huge walls of capitalised, emboldened, 28pt comic sans. Makes me feel dizzy.

 

It’s not quite as bad as the horror show that is Facebook marketplace, I’m sure it’s great if you’re after an 'unwanted-upgrade' soon-to-be-network-blocked iPhone X for half price, some guaranteed to work counterfeit banknotes with WhatsApp video passing the pen test, or a mattress which looks like an autopsy has been performed on it.

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Hey, don't knock Facebook Marketplace - it's my go-to when I need to shift terminally broken cars.

 

 

 

 

Oh right. I see what you mean.

[outlaw118]

MOAR JOB MOANZ

 

Got "advised" on the quiet the other day that I'm on a list of four team members the "new broom" wants to get rid of. The list has been in existence for about 18 months apparently and my ex-boss knew about it too, but chose not to tell me....

 

One colleague has already gone, jumped before he was pushed - TLDR etc - was having real problems with ex-partner & mother of his kids claiming rape, abuse, battery and all sorts, he took extended "sick" and was given a warning, then pretty much told he'd be sacked if he carried on. So he went.

 

Another is just off "gardening leave" for using the company van to visit his aged and infirm mother in a care home 6 miles away from his home, twice a day - previously sanctioned by the same ex-boss. Inland Rev rules and all that, but New Broom isn't supposed to be looking at vehicle trackers unless there is a "specific personal security issue". Will anything be done? Will it fuck.

 

So I'm just waiting for the inevitable shitstorm. Apparently she doesn't like me because 1) I dared to kick up a stink when they forcibly changed my working hours 2) my workrate - more jobs per day than anyone else by a considerable margin is skewing the figures and making her favourites look bad. Allegedly.

 

What a load of shite.

[vulgalour]

 

The door handle alignment.  It's worse than a Corsa B.  I hate them.  *shakes fist at Subaru*

[Craig the Princess]

  On 30/05/2018 at 21:33, outlaw118 said:

MOAR JOB MOANZ

 

Got "advised" on the quiet the other day that I'm on a list of four team members the "new broom" wants to get rid of.

..

 

So I'm just waiting for the inevitable shitstorm. Apparently she doesn't like me because 1) I dared to kick up a stink when they forcibly changed my working hours 2) my workrate - more jobs per day than anyone else by a considerable margin is skewing the figures and making her favourites look bad. Allegedly.

 

What a load of shite.

Worth speaking to your trade union representative?

[Lord Sterling]

  On 30/05/2018 at 21:33, outlaw118 said:

Got "advised" on the quiet the other day that I'm on a list of four team members the "new broom" wants to get rid of. The list has been in existence for about 18 months apparently and my ex-boss knew about it too, but chose not to tell me....

 

 

So I'm just waiting for the inevitable shitstorm. Apparently she doesn't like me because 1) I dared to kick up a stink when they forcibly changed my working hours 2) my workrate - more jobs per day than anyone else by a considerable margin is skewing the figures and making her favourites look bad. Allegedly...

As you probably well know, this is the usual tool for many companies now to get rid of those who's face no longer "fits" within the company. Doesn't matter that you're good at you're job, get results etc... if some arse in management doesn't like you, sadly you got two choices; leave or face being bullied. I see this with Ma_Sterling quite a lot, it's a wonder she can find anywhere to work that doesn't have someone trying to bully her. The amount of times EVIL_Lord_Sterling has wanted to go down there and "have a word" (with a baseball bat preferably) with these bullying pricks, just to see how tough they are in the outside world but everytime, Ma says no plus I'd not want to ruin her chances of a case if any are ever brought.

 

Anyway man, doesn't matter how old you are, I know it can be hard but maybe either; take it to a higher authority and make them listen to you, or find another job. You cannot sustain this shit. I hope it works out for you, keep us posted man.

[vulgalour]

The only time I ever had an employer not pull this stunt on me and value me as part of the team, everything else fell apart around me, so it's been going on since at least 1997 as a tactic for moving people on.  I learned that if I wanted to keep doing office work (I didn't) then I'd have to be considerably lazier and more socially focused than I was and drop the belief that I was being paid to do a job.  Never point out when someone is being a dick either, they really bring out the passive aggression when you do that.  Don't stand up for people either, especially when they ask you to, because as soon as they see the consequences are going to be hassle from the managers they'll turn on you quicker than a very fast turning thing.

 

Office environments are even more poisonous than retail, but only because almost everyone in retail is too exhausted to bitch-stab their coworkers most of the time.  Except that one employee that somehow always finds time to make a new enemy every day on purpose.