Joe,
It was brought to my attention this afternoon concerning an appalling situation.
A gentleman has/was employed by Barrett's for 39 years and 2 months. He was called into a meeting to ask his intentions for how long he chose to remain employed. Obviously, he said 10 months to reach 40 years.
Five days later, he was released. He was replaced directly as he was no longer needed. No severance pay, no gold watch, just don't let the door kick you on the way out.
This gentleman had already agreed to a pay cut in November.
Yes, he does now receive unemployment, and has been offered jobs by HIS loyal client's. This was not a commissioned position...............just almost 40 years of loyalty to get slapped in the rear.
I realize I have only one side to the story......but 40 years!!!!!!
26 comments:
There's the upside to unions. If he was union, seniority would have prevailed and he would still be employed. The fact, according to your story, he was salaried and not paid on commission made him the one to go. I can imagine he was the highest paid mechanic after 39 years of service. But I'll admit it still was pretty crappy for a guy that showed this much loyalty to get the boot. But it should come as no surprise in this day and age that companies have absolutely no loyalty or regard for their employees. As a result, employees today know to have no loyalty or regard for their employers.
If they treat a man with 40 years of loyal service with the company like that, how do you think they treat their customers. Remember when they taught us all you had to do was work hard and be honest and everything would take care of itself. Times have changed thats for sure.
This is awful. I have bought 2 trucks from them. Based on this there wont be a third.
frustrated
Another good reason why I work for myself! Its harder and tougher these day to make a living working on my own but....I dont have to worry about being fired! That would be very nervewrecking to worry every day when a pink slip would be on my desk.
"Employment-at-will" doctrine at it's "finest" {just to let you guys know it goes both ways and if you are lucky enough in this economy to get a better offer you can walk into your bosses office during HIS busy time and tell him to "get bent" with no notice as well}....only exceptions would be facts supporting mediation/further discussion with the employer regarding a fair severance package/COBRA coverage if the terminated employee presents facts {was he ever written up for poor service, attendance issues, etc.}alledging wrongful discharge based on things such as sex, race, age or disability.
And 10:35...sorry, but that America doesn't live here anymore...
I know Reese, maybe we will get it back some day.
This sounds fishy. The Barretts are fine people who give so much back to their community when business has been tougher for them than ever. I think there are 2 sides to this story, and we are hearing the wrong one.
Socialism at its best... it's not how well you do a job - it's how long you've been there!
11:45 Am- I agree. The Barrett family has given generously to this community in public and private ways. Top notch people. Is there more to this story?
I also ask you folks to realize there are two sides to every story. My experience with the Barretts has been positive and until ALL the facts are known please stop jumping to conclusions.
I have been at my job(not with Barrett) for 30 years and there are no garuntees it will be 31. Business people sometimes have to make tough decisions for the greater good. Those decisions always leave someone angry.
Sounds like Barrett Damage Control comments to me. If you know them so well, do tell the other side of the story then. We'd love to hear how a man who works for a company that long just gets fired. My guess is that they'll now shut up because the story is true. I'll agree that the father was one of the most giving and honorable men on the eastern shore. However, he passed away and the kids have taken over and they are nothing like the old man.
THE Barretts havent done half as much since the unfortunate pasing of mr. jim may he rest in peace
I've lived my whole life in Berlin, some 65 years, I have NEVER purchased a car from anyone other than Barrett's. I usually replace my car every 6-7 years. I guess that would be about 8 cars from Barrett's. Hell I bought each of my 3 children their first car from Barrett's.
I'm glad this was brought to me attention, they always made it seem like such a family establishment.
Never again will I get my car serviced at Barrett's, never again will I purchase a car from Barrett's, never again will I suggest them to anyone.
Sorry but there are 3 sides to every story. Yours,theirs and the TRUTH!!!!!
If he was fired due to his age, that is a federal civil rights complaint.
The only reason businesses donate to community functions and such is it is "good" advertising for them. If there were no press involved you can bet 95 percent of the businesses would not donate anything at all
Barrett's has a monopoly on the new car sales in Berlin.People do get set in their ways.
My grandmother was so angry with Barrett's, she bought the rest of her cars from the now defunct Wright's. She was charmed by a neighbor/church associate, and did buy her final automobile from Barrett's.
She was too classy to complain about her misjudgment to the Brass, but was disgruntled that she tried again to make peace with a fifty year grudge that only reminded her of why she held it so long!
3:26 is correct. Probably the real story lies somewhere in between. To 2:06--I think I would wait to see the full outcome before making such a statement as you won't buy anything or have anything serviced at Barrett's. This employee may very well have done something that left the Barretts no choice. No doubt the truth will come out very shortly, probably from a Barrett's employee.
A long term employee was let go. Beyond that we know absolutely nothing. The boss might be a bi-polar maniac, the employee might have been working on cars while wearing a tu-tu and taking meth.
Until there are more hard facts any comments on this story are useless.
DMO had the same thing happen-parent company SMO walked into the Salisbury office the end of September & let the CSR's go. All calls to be answered @ SMO. That's if you can get thru. The SMO bunch wouldn't know Customer Service if it bit them in the ass. Their mantra used to be "we're a big happy family" and "we are known by the company we keep". If your "family" is going to screw you like that-who needs it?
I say take your business elsewhere-enough local oil/propane who are only too happy to have your business and you won't have to stay on hold for 15 min to have your call answered.
The elder Barrets were fine folks, but, as mentioned earlier, the young ones are not of the same caliber. I grew up with them, and they are obnoxious, arrogant, rude, and think they are above the rest of the world. I have never bought a vehicle from them, and never would have even if this story had not come out.
How many years do you guarantee a job? They gave the man 39 years.Maybe they should have fired a young family man with children. You are darn if you do or darn if you don,t
Topper is right. Donating to the local community is great but to think that, "they must be good since they give back" is horribly naive. Its called P.R. Its how the employees are treated that proves how well a company is ran.
In my experience on the shore, the workforce here seems to think there is an "I" in team.
they were always alot higher than any one else when i tried to buy there . what does it matter anyway! most g.m. stealerships are going down the tubes soon anyway
Anonymous Anonymous said...
How many years do you guarantee a job? They gave the man 39 years.Maybe they should have fired a young family man with children. You are darn if you do or darn if you don,t
No when any business is faced with layoffs or terminations for business purposes (not disciplinary) the rule of thumb is ..last hired first fired..so 39 years on the job should count for more then say...39 months. With that much time he probably has been working there longer then the owners since they got it from their dad. He should have been one of the last to go. You take a business and get rid of a good service person and that tells you they care nothing about you after the sale. Service means nothing to them apparently
Why do some of you people jump at every opportunity you see to slam one of the local businesses?
Are you really that sad of a person?
ONE side of this was printed here on the blog but some of you just take it and run! You are potentially damaging a local business, based on what? An anonymous post/email????
Give me a break!
It may be a situation like here where I work. They had a person on payroll that they should have gotten rid of years ago but didn't.
When the opportunity arose to finally get rid of this person where there was no way they could have a lawsuit filed against them for erroneous reasoning, they did. This person had worked here over 20 years.
You never know! Do your job and do it right and maybe you'll keep your job but in this economy, any person wasting dollars is vulnerable in my book.
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