RigbyNeon
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Posts posted by RigbyNeon
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I would imagine companies that did a lot of retail neon might still be surviving, but the wholesale end is useless. A neon company can't survive on neon repairs...unless they're charging like $250.00 for a repair.
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I've never understood why the better you treat an employee, the more they expect, the more you do for them the more they want. Granted not all employees are this way, but a fair number are. I took my entire staff and their significant other on an all expenses paid 7 day cruise in 2011. One of my employee's complained that he would have rather had the money. Wish I would have known that, he could have stayed at home. This was a bonus, not something I had to do. Just really pissed me off. I'm giving it to you, what the hell are you complaining about. After we got back the slacking off started. Guess he figured that if I could afford to take everyone on a cruise that he should get more money. If I've learned one thing after 15 years in business it is this, I hire based on an attitude & work ethic only. I can teach the skills, but I can't change attitude or work ethic.
I understand exactly what you're saying. The nicer you are the more taken advantage of you will get. Having employees at a neon shop is a little different because you stand and often talk to your employees all day long. I would never give too much personal information because you may say something that will anger someone. Most purchases you make would be best kept to yourself because if you bought something that your employees may not have enough money for they'll be pissed. It's a shame because they don't ever take into their calculating all the stress and things you have to do as an owner. They just figure, we all just make neon all day, why should he make any more than anyone else? Most of the people I had were pretty good but there are always a few that watch everything you do and try to examine how you live. And if they feel you are doing too well, they'll expect something. And if you don't give it, they'll probably slow their production way down, or take more bathroom breaks. I had one guy that would take 4 fifteen minute bathroom breaks at the exact same time everyday because he felt we should have taken more breaks. At the same time I was giving him an hour lunch everyday and paying him for half of the hour. I guess sometimes you just have to be a prick to some people.
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That probably won't happen....not when we create groups and organizations that have people inside and outside. Religion and politics are pretty good examples of this.
It is Friday though!
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I can feel the love!
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Signgirl....I'm not over paid. I barely make it by like the rest of the country. I too have been working my ass for for many years and did it for a long time for someone else. I made the choice. I went out on my own. I am a working owner. I do it ALL. I don't sit at my desk all day. I have actual work that I perform and any day you want to go head to head on skills, training, knowledge of the industry, or technical issues I'd love to. I'm not saying that you don't know the business but I'd like to clarify for you and all the other haters that union shops struggle just like non-union shops but it's the quality of work produced that keeps the customers coming back.
Rigby, you are just a hater. You must not have anything to do but sit on your ass all day and play at your computer and think of ways that the world is unfair to you and must have done you wrong in some way. I didn't pull the info out of my ass about the UAW, and it is a dam shame, but do you think that this is the only industry that large corporations have totally screwed the American people with. I did work for McDonalds a few years ago and 80% of the product was coming from China. It was all crap but this was the deal the worlds largest fast food chain made so they could put their stores in there country. The unions made this happen, right??? How about thinking that american worker don't like to work but exspect to be paid to dollar for doing nothing. This isn't a union issue this is a lack of personnal pride that this country is coming to. It's the unions that have been recognizing this bad trend and trying to shift things back to american shops. We fight for this right to make our own product and keep it here in the US but so many non-union corporations don't feel thats cost effective. This is the unions fault to I guess. Go fishing.
People, it's not the union or non-union shops that are bringing our country down. It's the lack of pride and professionalism that todays society has come complacent with excepting. I for one am not one of those people and work very hard to curve this attitude. I would hope that every shop, union or non-union, would start putting some pride back into there people and start bringing the country back up to speed. It's not just a one sided effort for this to happen and maybe some people need to stop living in the past and start focusing on the future or the next thing we'll kow is that we're all speaking something other than english. You all might want to take that issue up with your legislators because they are the ones that seem to feel it's a better deal to give a tax break to another country but keep screwing over it's own people. That's us for those of you that don't get it. Start standing up for yourselfs vises looking for exscuses why things aren't going your way. You don't have to be a union member to see this, you just need to recognize it, and not keep excepting it.
Pleasure speaking with you all. Have a great day.
I love how you accuse me of sitting on my computer all day as I'm reading what must have taken you a half hour to write.
Kenn, you have what many call a bit of an "I" problem. In your first (long boring) paragraph you will notice you use the word "I" ten times. You do this because you're in love with yourself. You are the perfect stereotype Union egomaniac that thinks because he belongs to a gang he has this experience and knowledge that come with paying and playing by the union rules.
The truth Ken, with you and many of the Union companies in my area that I personally deal with ( yesterday I spent an hour explaining simple ship to a Union shop owner) is that you pay and play so you will get work that you would NEVER get otherwise because of your lack of ability. Many customers will assume, because they are clueless and have been brainwashed over the years that union workers are more skilled than non union. You need that edge, and you love the fact that you think there is some big gang behind you backing you up. Now you're "name dropping" your union buddies to add some sort of (what you think will be) fear into a non union worker.
Like Signgirl said earlier....all you do is prove our point over and over with every post you make.
Now you can call me a hater AGAIN and spend another half hour telling everyone how great you are and who you know!
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I was at a sign show once in Vegas and we had displays we needed to get power to. We had to hire a union electrician to run and extension cord. Between his cost and the cord rental I was charged $168.00.
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Agreed Phil...
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I don't post here much but had to chime in. I am located in Southern NJ, many of the unions have a tight grip in many industries here. But what makes me REALLY furious is when hurricane Sandy left a devastation from NJ up to the NY region. Volunteers came from many locations only to be turned away ( electricians ) since they did not have a union affiliation! See link below. WTF, seriously? Now tell me how this benefits us! People had their homes totally destroyed, no power, no heat, etc!!!!
"The IBEW, connected with the politically powerful AFL-CIO" is all you need to read.
I'll say it again, and I know I'm beating a dead horse here but it's all about the money. Unions, politicians, and government in general care much more about themselves and the amount of money they can generate than the actual well being of people.
This is what happens when "groups" of people are created. Wether it be unions, political groups, religious groups, or any other. Once you create a group of people that has the ability to generate money, you also create the "with us, or against us" mentality.
Regarding the hurricane victims on the east coast. If the IBEW gets ALL the work, then they make ALL the money. Which means the AFL-CIO gets more in donations from the IBEW so they will have more money do donate to the politicians that agree to do whatever it is their agenda may be.
Meanwhile, people struggle without power waiting for the union electricians while experienced non union electricians sit by and watch people suffer without power.
Pretty disgusting....
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The non vested money goes into a "slush fund" to be used for whatever the hell they want. My guess would be strippers on a nice long "business trip" in Vegas for the thieves at the top!
That's the beauty of unions...they aren't regulated or overseen by anyone so they can strong arm both the employers and their own union members.
Just ask Jimmy Hoffa how the unions operate....oh wait, I don't think he's available for comment.
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Regarding the UAW...I thought it spoke volumes when back in 08 the big three went to Washington looking for some help from our government but the UAW was totally solvent. They have no money problems at all.
Many people that don't live in this part of the country may not be aware of this but the UAW had what they called a "job bank". This is a huge building that houses UAW workers that are laid off or out of work for whatever reason.
Now these union workers go to the job bank every day and sit around waiting to see if they may be called back to work. The big three, as part of their contract with the UAW had to fund the job bank. Which meant every person in the job bank was to receive 95% of their pay. This was a big part of what was burying the auto companies.
In 09 their contract was re negotiated to close down the job bank. So now an unemployed UAW worker has to collect unemployment like every other unemployed worker in Michigan....I really feel bad for them!
Kenn's comment regarding the auto companies sending all their work overseas was simply one more ignorant line of shit that he pulled out of his ass. There are hundreds of tier 1,2, and 3 automotive suppliers doing very well in the Detroit area. But he was right about me being a little bitter about the neon industry pretty much vanishing.
I've been asked by my customers to carry a line of LED's so they can still come purchase channel letter lighting supplies from me. So I do that to try to make up for some of the loss in neon revenue, but LED products have very little profit margin anymore. I think Starbucks is planning to start carrying them so you can grab some in the morning when you pick up your coffee.
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Damn Nathan! I'd say you've certainly earned that 8k.
that has been my experience with unions. When I read the post, I wasn't sure if I even wanted to respond.
I'm not sure how I earned the $8000? The way I look at it, I had to double my loss for dealing with them again
I wonder where all that non vested money goes? Maybe a union person could answer that for me....
Well, what I meant was for all the bullshit you've been put through I hope at least get that 8k.
That's a big ass fish! What is that thing?
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Gary, I can send you a picture, my phone has a great camera!
Lol...
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Damn Nathan! I'd say you've certainly earned that 8k.
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Lol...I used to work my ass off, back when we had work to do...Not so much any more though.
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Very well said Eugene!
I think your experiences are exactly what many are referring to when it comes to unions.
The unions were created to keep employers from treating workers unfairly. And back then the working conditions in some situations were horrible. Things are much different now, and I think the unions are a big reason why that is. But now it seems that union leaders have become similar to exactly what they were created to stop. Which is a fair and equal work environment for everyone.
I ran my company very similar to your Eugene. I gave everyone one week paid vacation and one week of paid sick days. I remember I had an employee come to me once demanding another week of paid vacation. I told him I couldn't afford it and he left for two days. When he came back I asked him why he hadn't been at work. He said he was to distraut to come to work until today.
I gave Christmas bonuses every year that I knew they all planned on getting so like you said, even the last few years when I wasn't paying myself, they all received bonuses.
Just me here now though....and I still rarely get paid! lol...
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That would make perfect sense Erik. He's probably just a sign salesman.
So Kenn, now you "know nothing about the other unions across the country". Yet earlier you professed to know exactly what was happening all over the country. Remember, there isn't one company anywhere in the country offering any type of training.
I think what is very obvious is that you know very little about anything other than how great you and your company are.
You make silly generalizations based on your political preference that have nothing to do with the topic. Again, typical union mentality.
And Kenn, a decade is ten years. The neon industry has taken the largest hit since the invention of neon.
I love how the people that write the longest diatribe's always end with "I have to get back to work, I don't have time for this". As they sit starring at their computer waiting for a reply! lol...
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There you go again Kenn, making assumptions about how other people do their when you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Your coments always make their way around to how great you and your company are. It's always been my experience that if someone has to constantly let people know how great they are....it's probably not the case. While everyone else is discussing to pros and cons of unions, you seem to insist on explaining to everyone how great you and your company are. Typical union attitude! It's all about them being better than everyone else.
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Exactly! And apparently we have no money to fix any roads yet we had enough money to put new elaborate traffic signals at every intersection in the state! I wonder what union company got the contract to build about a million traffic signals. I would bet that those thing are about 5k each and every intersection now has around 10 each.
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Kenn, I would doubt you could fire a union worker without probably three warnings, then maybe you'll have to give him a week off without pay. Then there will have to be a meeting with his local rep. At least that's how it would work in the UAW.
Your opinion regarding work quality between union and non workers seems to have changed a bit from your first post.
I think one thing most of us agree on is the fact that union workers tend to have that attitude of arrogance that implies that they will work at their own pace, and if you don't like it, you can take it up with my union rep. Which is the problem I have. It's as if they work for the union, not for you.
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Well thanks for your opinion Ken, but I disagree. You certainly do have the union mentality though, thinking you know waaaay more than you act actually do.
Most of your statements are simply opinions that you feel you're qualified to give....I guess because you're a union member? That must make your opinion carry more weight than everyone else's, in your opinion.
And that last paragraph does about three 360degree turns. Are you saying you can "get things done appropriately whether its in a union or non union environment"?
So after your big long diatribe of explaining to everyone how you can only get quality work with union people, in the end you say you can do it either way? WTF?
I will agree with one of your many conclusions. And that is that your people, and your product are an extension of you. If your work sucks, it's because you either allow it to suck, or you think it's good quality and don't know any better.
And don't tell people to not make statements they can't back up when you do this exact thing about six times in your big long self full filling comment.
First you say that "there isn't to many companies that offer training", then right after that you say that "there isn't even one company that you know of across the country". Well Ken, you are either a very smart man and have done a ton of research on companies that offer training across the entire country, or you are making statements that you can not back up. I'm guessing the ladder.
Because I would be willing to say that I could find hundreds of companies, non union companies that offer training.
Then here again " The US government and most state and local agencies require or request Union representation for their work".
Would you like me to tell you why that is Ken? Ok I will. It's because all unions donate tons of money to government officials in return for them requiring or requesting Union representation for their work!
Like we've been saying from the start....it's all about the money!
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As many as they can!
I think Id rather hunt for Bigfoot than Hoffa!
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I also am Detroit born and raised....and for about two years in the early eighties I was a union steward in a union plant. When I won the position the first thing I was told was that I didn't have to work anymore. I just walked around listening to complaints while someone else did my previous job.
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It's always about the money....Unions, UL, OSHA, inspections , permits, fines. None of these things accomplish what they were designed to do anymore. Which was to create and insure some sort of quality level and while also making sure working conditions were safe for the actual workers. Unions have become similar to a mafia run organization. It's members are protected by the power of the organization. While they are taught to hate and try to strong arm and intimidate any one who isn't in their organization.
Unions also destroy hard work and creativity by advancing members based solely on seniority.
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Hi Ron,
The point is, sometimes the electrodes are cherry red, some times only one is, somtimes the timing was bad and the glass gets overheated before the trodes are up to the proper temperature. sometimes the trodes are cherry too soon. Sometimes they are burned with carbon reduction, sometimes they sputter metal debris into the tube.
The Neon Roy (Electra) eliminates all this guesswork. the bombarding is now done at a higher pressure with the only purpose of heating the glass, and not a single thought into heating the electrodes. The Electra does that. perfectly. every. time!
The clean-up action does not take place (in any significant amount) until the lamp is ignited after the rare gas is admitted. no impruities are absorbed by the electrodes during bombarding. Carbon Dioxide is liberated and helps flush out impurities like water vapor, but it's an impurity itself.
Feel free to call me 858-346-1900
Garett
Garett, thanks for clearing it up for me.
The Drake Hotel Sign
in General Message Board
Posted
This kind of shit really posses me off, and not even because they're switching to LEFucks.
If you want to switch your shit over to plastic lighting then go right ahead, but don't trash the product that's been working flawlessly on your sign for over 70 years.