Chris2cv's Fleet - Farewell to the Clio 14/10/24

[catsinthewelder]

Redundancy was the best thing that's happened to me but still made me go self employed so it couldn't happen again.

I wouldn't rush into buying a new commuting tool until you know where you're going to be working.  Electric is definitely the future with scooters.  That said I've got a scooter shaped electric bike here which is amusingly terrible (and for sale).

[motorpunk]

Happened to me , years ago. I had three job offers within a month, all better than the previous shit hole. Life goes on. You’ll be fine 👍

[Chris2cv]

Not much to update really, but I thought that I'd pop a post up about the job situation.

We got our redundancy paperwork through this week. They are giving us literally what they have to, and to get anything I have to stay right until the end. It's a significant (but not huge by any means) amount that I can't afford to give away.  There is also the fact that I want to get every last penny out of the bastards.  This means that I'm stuck there as my colleagues slowly disappear and trade dries up.

I was talking to Big Boss yesterday (as in not a director or owner, but the next level down) and he just looks broken. He's had to tell all of the lower management and salesmen. All of the salesmen have handed in their notices as they are all young and have only served a couple of years. As one said "We can't get new cars in time for closing, so we are turning people away and losing money. I can have three months of that for £1000 or leave. No choice."    He now has to basically do his job and 4 salesmen's jobs for 3 months, as we can hardly take anyone on! He's been there a lot longer than me, maybe 30 years, he's mid 60's and basically on the scrap heap.

Similarly with my boss. While it's no secret that we haven't always got along, he had to tell us what was happening and give us the paperwork, knowing that he's going to lose his job too, as is Big Boss. 

The directors were available for consultation for ONE HOUR, a month ago, at a different branch, which I only heard about after it had happened. They have made no attempt to talk to the staff or even suggest any sympathy. I'm told that one said "They've all had a good living off of us for years!"Prick.

What really pissed me off is after twenty years of work they couldn't even spell my name right. That just summed it up really, how much they value us.

We've heard more information from Barry (the fount of all knowledge) who runs the motor spares shop over the road than we have from management. Apparently the builders have been in the cafe over the road telling everyone what is happening, but just wander around the building measuring and ignoring us.  Morale and motivation are not great!

A colleague compared it to a prison sentence, which I know sounds over the top, but he continued "because you know that you are going to have some crap times and misery ahead, but there is an end date in sight".

But, it's only a job. A job that has been bloody awful at times. But it's been a big part of my life for a very long time. It is going to be hard. But there will be new jobs. There will be better times. I can do this. I WILL do this.

And it's not all crap. Yes the job is, but other things have improved.

 

[loserone]

On 21/01/2022 at 20:41, Chris2cv said:

My current focus is the clear out, and then I'll start on the CV. 

Please, for fucks sake, do this the other way around.  Do not procrastinate applying for jobs.  They will always wait for you to start.  You could even fail to turn up to your old job, they are not going to sack you.

 

You should be past 20 speculative applications now.

[High Jetter]

45 minutes ago, Chris2cv said:

Not much to update really, but I thought that I'd pop a post up about the job situation.

We got our redundancy paperwork through this week. They are giving us literally what they have to, and to get anything I have to stay right until the end. It's a significant (but not huge by any means) amount that I can't afford to give away.  There is also the fact that I want to get every last penny out of the bastards.  This means that I'm stuck there as my colleagues slowly disappear and trade dries up.

I was talking to Big Boss yesterday (as in not a director or owner, but the next level down) and he just looks broken. He's had to tell all of the lower management and salesmen. All of the salesmen have handed in their notices as they are all young and have only served a couple of years. As one said "We can't get new cars in time for closing, so we are turning people away and losing money. I can have three months of that for £1000 or leave. No choice."    He now has to basically do his job and 4 salesmen's jobs for 3 months, as we can hardly take anyone on! He's been there a lot longer than me, maybe 30 years, he's mid 60's and basically on the scrap heap.

Similarly with my boss. While it's no secret that we haven't always got along, he had to tell us what was happening and give us the paperwork, knowing that he's going to lose his job too, as is Big Boss. 

The directors were available for consultation for ONE HOUR, a month ago, at a different branch, which I only heard about after it had happened. They have made no attempt to talk to the staff or even suggest any sympathy. I'm told that one said "They've all had a good living off of us for years!"Prick.

What really pissed me off is after twenty years of work they couldn't even spell my name right. That just summed it up really, how much they value us.

We've heard more information from Barry (the fount of all knowledge) who runs the motor spares shop over the road than we have from management. Apparently the builders have been in the cafe over the road telling everyone what is happening, but just wander around the building measuring and ignoring us.  Morale and motivation are not great!

A colleague compared it to a prison sentence, which I know sounds over the top, but he continued "because you know that you are going to have some crap times and misery ahead, but there is an end date in sight".

But, it's only a job. A job that has been bloody awful at times. But it's been a big part of my life for a very long time. It is going to be hard. But there will be new jobs. There will be better times. I can do this. I WILL do this.

And it's not all crap. Yes the job is, but other things have improved.

 

No consultation? Might be worth looking at the ACAS website, if you haven't already.

[SiC]

I'd be having 3 months of office chair racing by now. You could be writing up your CV at work too. 

[New POD]

8 hours ago, loserone said:

Please, for fucks sake, do this the other way around.  Do not procrastinate applying for jobs.  They will always wait for you to start.  You could even fail to turn up to your old job, they are not going to sack you.

 

You should be past 20 speculative applications now.

In 2009, I was made redundant. Whilst waiting the month to find out who would be picked : 45 out of 450 workforce. 2 out of 6 in my department, but knowing that I was likely to be one of them, I was applying for 2 or 3 jobs a day.  Once the decision was made, I was escorted off site, and my redundancy was 3 months pay in lieu of notice. At that point I was applying for 5 targeted jobs and 15 random jobs every day. 

[JeeExEll]

Chris, time to move forward to a new time.

Grab everything you're entitled to, and the past is in the past.

Put out your skills and experience to prospective employers. You are not a 'new-start'.  So stand up for yourself.

Good luck.

 

[loserone]

4 hours ago, SiC said:

I'd be having 3 months of office chair racing by now. You should be writing up your CV at work too. 

👆

[Floatylight]

13 hours ago, Chris2cv said:

Not much to update really, but I thought that I'd pop a post up about the job situation.

We got our redundancy paperwork through this week. They are giving us literally what they have to, and to get anything I have to stay right until the end. It's a significant (but not huge by any means) amount that I can't afford to give away.  There is also the fact that I want to get every last penny out of the bastards.  This means that I'm stuck there as my colleagues slowly disappear and trade dries up.

I was talking to Big Boss yesterday (as in not a director or owner, but the next level down) and he just looks broken. He's had to tell all of the lower management and salesmen. All of the salesmen have handed in their notices as they are all young and have only served a couple of years. As one said "We can't get new cars in time for closing, so we are turning people away and losing money. I can have three months of that for £1000 or leave. No choice."    He now has to basically do his job and 4 salesmen's jobs for 3 months, as we can hardly take anyone on! He's been there a lot longer than me, maybe 30 years, he's mid 60's and basically on the scrap heap.

Similarly with my boss. While it's no secret that we haven't always got along, he had to tell us what was happening and give us the paperwork, knowing that he's going to lose his job too, as is Big Boss. 

The directors were available for consultation for ONE HOUR, a month ago, at a different branch, which I only heard about after it had happened. They have made no attempt to talk to the staff or even suggest any sympathy. I'm told that one said "They've all had a good living off of us for years!"Prick.

What really pissed me off is after twenty years of work they couldn't even spell my name right. That just summed it up really, how much they value us.

We've heard more information from Barry (the fount of all knowledge) who runs the motor spares shop over the road than we have from management. Apparently the builders have been in the cafe over the road telling everyone what is happening, but just wander around the building measuring and ignoring us.  Morale and motivation are not great!

A colleague compared it to a prison sentence, which I know sounds over the top, but he continued "because you know that you are going to have some crap times and misery ahead, but there is an end date in sight".

But, it's only a job. A job that has been bloody awful at times. But it's been a big part of my life for a very long time. It is going to be hard. But there will be new jobs. There will be better times. I can do this. I WILL do this.

And it's not all crap. Yes the job is, but other things have improved.

 

Chris, take a look at this, it might he helpful https://www.usdaw.org.uk/Help-Advice/Workers-Rights/Finding-Another-Job/Negotiating-Early-Leaving-Date

[Chris2cv]

My apologies for not responding to the replies on here. I really appreciate all of the advice and help.

No real excuse, I just seem to have been really busy over the last few weeks and have not really had any time to catch up. It hasn't been helped by my occasional colleague Thick nick seemingly only coming in when he feels like it, the workforce getting smaller and smaller and my lack of sleep. But, it's not all been bleak. It's been an interesting few weeks.

[Chris2cv]

Very minor update.

Not much has changed. The Clio has passed 100,000 miles now and is still serving as my commuter. The other vehicles haven't even moved in weeks. I just don't seem to get any time to myself lately.

Work wise, again little progress. My colleague left a few weeks ago, so I'm now doing both jobs, as well as covering driving for nick whenever he is "too ill" to come in - currently at least one day a week, often more. He would have been sacked, but that's not really a threat anymore. We can't employ anyone else (the company closes at the end of April), so he knows that he can do as he likes. The other driver leaves at the end of next week. This means that I get home tired and not really in a fit state to do anything. But, things are not all lost yet.  There are a couple of potential leads which I am trying to follow up this week.

[catsinthewelder]

Start treating them like they treat you.  Spend your days with your feet on the desk applying for other jobs and working out what you can steal before it all ends up in a skip.

My target for you is a complete PC set up and a parts van.

[Chris2cv]

Well, that might be pushing it a bit, but I MIGHT have two phone interviews in the next couple of days, and I AM liberating whatever dead stock and unwanted stuff I can before it gets chucked out. NOT stealing, but stuff like all of my supplies that I've hidden away over the years, will not be staying in the building. I've also done a tonne of printing!

[Minimad5]

You don't seem like the type of bloke to want to 'rock the boat' But I'd be seriously putting yourself first now.

Why do 3 persons roles /  jobs to just end up destroyed when you get home ? .... when you could do one job at a time, take it easy and don't burn yourself out, at the end of the day you'll get no thanks AND most importantly you don't want to start a new job f*cked (if you've fired your C.V out) 

The company haven't looked after you, do your role no more no less 🤷‍♂️

[AnthonyG]

As above, I really would be doing as little as you can get away with now, and spending as much time as possible planning/applying for/interviewing for your next job. 

Or possibly working out where all the 1970s Ford parts are hiding, and liberating them. If you can find some genuine Capri front wings or similar you can probably just go straight from this job to a comfortable retirement 😉!

[somewhatfoolish]

On 1/21/2022 at 8:41 PM, Chris2cv said:

I really don't know what is coming next, I know that I've got to start putting myself out there more and I really appreciate the suggestions and messages that I've received.  My current focus is the clear out, and then I'll start on the CV.  My colleague is keen for me to follow him to another dealership around 5 miles away, and I am certainly not ruling that out. It's the easiest option, I know the job and the systems and some of the staff. But I have to think, having been in the motor trade for very nearly 20 years (on 14th February!) is it time for something different? I also have to balance that with, having been in the motor trade for so  long, can I still deal with civilised people?

Get the CV squared away first, desk-clearing is what bins are for. If bloke will give you a job you can continue to look for other options while still being paid, that's a no-brainer given it's a job you can do in your sleep.

[New POD]

Slight comment about the broken boss whose 60 and "on the scrap heap" 

Doesn't have to be like that.  It's all about attitude. Redundancy over 60 doesn't need to mean the end of your career. 

[loserone]

11 hours ago, Chris2cv said:

My colleague left a few weeks ago, so I'm now doing both jobs

You need to start pulling a sickie, today, to do nothing but apply for jobs.  You've known what's coming for a month Chris!

[Cookiesouwest]

11 hours ago, Chris2cv said:

My colleague left a few weeks ago, so I'm now doing both jobs

No.

You are paid to do one job. Yours.

By letting your colleague go early, the company has decided that that job is no longer needed.

If it was needed, they would have kept your colleague until the end.

So fcuk them. Do your job. Only your job.

[Markeh]

Sod the company, do the bare minimum you have to do and spend any time you can at work looking for something else - they can't blame you for doing it if they're all in the same boat.

When I was made redundant nearly 3 years ago (I appreciate that I'm in tech so different industry), I was on phone interviews in my car in the car park or stood outside the building (and this is literally only because we didn't get good signal in the meeting rooms!), redoing my CV, replying to people on LinkedIn, searching for listings, doing technical tests on my own laptop sat in the office, I did the square root of fuck all for those 3 weeks (AND still had time for the contents of my desk drawer to disappear into a carrier bag - I'd advise liberating what you can)

When they said they'd found a job for me in the new structure at the end of those 3 weeks it was quite satisfying to say actually, no, I've found something paying literally 50% more and doing what I want to do.

[Chris2cv]

It's been interesting today. A company had been emailing about a potential role and they rang today. It might not work out as they really need someone before I'm available, but they are a big company with 3 local branches, so even if this one is no good there is still potential.

But then I got a really unexpected call. The company currently that I work for at the moment, has 4 dealerships and is closing three of them. The fourth is already fully staffed, so basically, all of us are out. But, the manager of the 4th branch called me. I've known him for 20 years, so we know that we get on pretty well. They MIGHT want a new member of staff, (a new role being created) doing basically what I do now along with regular driving. I know the company and colleagues and most of the systems, although I'd have to learn their franchise. 

There are obviously advantages - I know 90% of the job already, I know the staff and the customers. It's only slightly further from home than the current job. I don't have to go through interviews, which are something that stress me out, which makes me ill.

But

I don't get the redundancy money (because I wont be made redundant!) and I don't really make any progress, because I'm just doing essentially the same job in a different place.  It's also the same company, but only the directors are same and I'm unlikely to ever see them.

I don't have to make any decisions today, and it might be some time before I know any more, but it is quite nice to actually be wanted!

[loserone]

29 minutes ago, Chris2cv said:

It might not work out as they really need someone before I'm available

Wouldn't it be terrible if you were ill for the last few weeks

29 minutes ago, Chris2cv said:

I don't get the redundancy money (because I wont be made redundant!) and I don't really make any progress,

Is there an alternative role, or not? I'd be seeking advice how to proceed here, you don't want to do something which would give them an excuse to not pay your redundancy.

[Cookiesouwest]

1 hour ago, Chris2cv said:

It's been interesting today. A company had been emailing about a potential role and they rang today. It might not work out as they really need someone before I'm available, but they are a big company with 3 local branches, so even if this one is no good there is still potential.

But then I got a really unexpected call. The company currently that I work for at the moment, has 4 dealerships and is closing three of them. The fourth is already fully staffed, so basically, all of us are out. But, the manager of the 4th branch called me. I've known him for 20 years, so we know that we get on pretty well. They MIGHT want a new member of staff, (a new role being created) doing basically what I do now along with regular driving. I know the company and colleagues and most of the systems, although I'd have to learn their franchise. 

There are obviously advantages - I know 90% of the job already, I know the staff and the customers. It's only slightly further from home than the current job. I don't have to go through interviews, which are something that stress me out, which makes me ill.

But

I don't get the redundancy money (because I wont be made redundant!) and I don't really make any progress, because I'm just doing essentially the same job in a different place.  It's also the same company, but only the directors are same and I'm unlikely to ever see them.

I don't have to make any decisions today, and it might be some time before I know any more, but it is quite nice to actually be wanted!

Take the cash. They haven't treated you well over the years.

They are closing 3 branches. How long before they close the 4th.

[Chris2cv]

Honestly, I wouldn't be particularly surprised if they close the 4th branch at some stage. It's safe for now, but then to be fair, what job is 100% safe at the moment?  The company owns the building and I wouldn't have thought it was desirable for other companies or housing like the other sites are.  My main concern is, do I still get the 20 years redundancy if I've only been there for a fairly short time? It's the same parent company, but a different actual company.  I haven't made any commitment, just expressed an interest. It has a few big advantages, not least knowing 90% of the job already as well as the colleagues. 

[meshking]

Casual observer, but your 20 years experience should be what they are paying you for, not the comfort for you to get the job. That is, a different role at a different place should pay you more for your experience than this current place. Yes it's easy for you to move to them, and they'll use that to keep their wage bill low. 

Take the redundancy, use the time you have to find a new job and enjoy. But you didn't ask for advice, so I'll shut up and wish you all the best in your decision!

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 3/9/2022 at 4:57 PM, Cookiesouwest said:

Take the cash. They haven't treated you well over the years.

They are closing 3 branches. How long before they close the 4th.

Couldn't agree with this more.  Get out of there, Chris.  With the bundles of cash.  With the 1.5 multiplier and even assuming minimum wage, you're talking about well over 10K.

[Floatylight]

I'll just leave this here..

https://www.xperthr.co.uk/faq/where-an-employee-has-been-given-notice-of-redundancy-if-they-seek-to-leave-before-the-end-of-the-notice-period-to-take-up-a-new-job-will-this-affect-their-statutory-redundancy-payment/62117

 

[Cookiesouwest]

On 3/10/2022 at 4:29 PM, Chris2cv said:

Honestly, I wouldn't be particularly surprised if they close the 4th branch at some stage. It's safe for now, but then to be fair, what job is 100% safe at the moment?  The company owns the building and I wouldn't have thought it was desirable for other companies or housing like the other sites are.  My main concern is, do I still get the 20 years redundancy if I've only been there for a fairly short time? It's the same parent company, but a different actual company.  I haven't made any commitment, just expressed an interest. It has a few big advantages, not least knowing 90% of the job already as well as the colleagues. 

Do NOT do this unless you have written confirmation that your length of service transfers to the new job.

If the new job is with a different subsidiary of the main company, then its not a given.

Seriously, don't let them fcuk you over.

Take the cash, get a better job elsewhere.

[Zelandeth]

Absolutely sounds to me like the company as a whole is trying to worm out of giving you the redundancy pay...

Take it and run for the hills would be my advice.

Especially given the lack of certainty of the future of the remaining branch.  Last thing you want is to be in the same situation in 12 months time, but sans the possibility of getting the redundancy pay.  Which they will absolutely try to find every possible loop hole they can to get out of giving you.