Do you think this is right

[DBlain]

Due to the big snowstorm and frigid weather our trash company decided not to pick up this Mon, Tues, and Wednesday. I lugged all the trash out only to lug it back in when I finally found out what was going on, no biggie, as I did not want their drivers to suffer. So the this weeks trash will just be picked up next week on the normal day. I did not really expect or want a credit, which like I assumed we will not be getting. But what really pissed me off is it looks like their drivers are not getting paid. I take issue with that since I feel the trash company is making money at their drivers expense. I realize that these guys did not work, but I feel that since the company will make the same money they do on a normal month they should not penalize their guys for an act of God. This is a small local company and when the owner heard I asked about it she sent me an email telling me it was between her and her employees and she was surprised I had the nerve to ask. I told her like many people I like to know a little bit about the companies I do business with and how they treat their people and that many people I know will not shop at Wall Mart for this very reason that. I doubt I will get a reply back. I don't know any of the drivers but I know the work their butts off, and knowing they are not getting paid is really pissing me off.

What do you think?

[Verbena]

Well then you should get a credit for them not picking up. If they are not paying their workers then they should not be paid either. . . .but hey I am a New Yorker lol

[Patti]

That sucks! It's always the workers who get screwed.

[Mistymillar]

A dilemma, if you had a choice to use another company that would still be a risk to the actual workers as they will get paid less if the company has less work. I know your point is not that you want a rebate but around the fact the workers were not paid for a decision their boss probably made, I would probably tell them you are withholding a payment for the lack of service which you would not have been likely to do had they been fairer to their workers who still need to pay their rent and feed their children whatever the weather.

[Maximo]

That is wrong. If the drivers don't get paid, customers should get a credit.


My garbage rant:
I miss our old company. The drivers were so nice (loved greeting Max in the morning, one guy had a Yorkie too), and they picked up anything. The local company was pushed out by a New York company. The new guys don't want to get out of the truck, and they only pick up once a week.

Admittedly, our service fees are nominal. I would be willing to pay more for better service.

[Verbena]

We go to the dump. $2 any size bag of garbage and recyclables are free

[DBlain]

we sort of have choices but this company is by far the best, they have the bulk of the business so the other companies that service our neighborhood are not that reliable, especially when it comes to yard waste, we have a big yard and in the spring can have as many as 20 big tall yard waste bags, when I had switched before often the company did not pick up the yard waste and that was a real pain.

On a side note my husband works at GM on Monday morning our roads were awful and he has a 40 min drive to work, I told him he should stay home, but he got up really early and went to work, only about 20% of the people showed up. Today he found out they are considering it a snow day and both hourly and salary people will be paid 8 hours. They also decided to pay those that showed up an extra 8 hours to make it fair. Of course my husband was happy about that but I reminded him how when I told him about our trash guys he could care less and said people that do that type of work come and go, I guess that's what bothers me is a lot of people, husband included could care less if they got paid or not. I know how many workers that do that type of job live pay check to pay check, so I hate to see it happen to them. These guys have always been so helpful to me so I am not going to let this drop before seeing how many of my neighbors feel like I do. I used to be on our lake board so I have about 300 email addresses I can send to if I decide to, but I will wait awhile to see if I can find out for sure what happend

[celstu1]

Its not right, ethically. But there are owners & their are workers. The risks of that are probably spelled out in their job description or contract when they are hired. I think its crappy that a company feels they can just take your money and not provide a service and not do a refund. Comcast cable does it all the time. The cable will go out for 2-3 days, or you'll call them to tell them your cable box broke and it takes 5-7 days for them to come out, meanwhile they don't give you a break on the cable bill for the days you are w/o cable. That's not right either. I guess those types of things would be billing nightmares.
Please don't get too worked up about it... the workers will ...or they won't. And that is why they don't own their own companies.

[crystalsmom]

As we grow older and see more situations, we realize life is not fair.

That said, I don't think we have to get involved in the workings of owner and employee. If an employee is upset, that person can look for a better job. If a customer is upset about the way they treat their employees, they can look for a better company if there is another one out there in their area. Or like someone said take it to the dump.

I would not get involved but that's just me.

[Lovetodream88]

I think sometimes people forget these are the people who make our world go round without the trash guys we would have massive amounts of trash everywhere. I would ask for a credit sense the workers didn't get paid. I feel bad for them because its not there fault it snowed.

[Lilah Charm]

Although I admit, it is true that if you don't like it leave it, I appreciate your advocacy and idealism. Caring for our fellow man creates a more compassionate and loving society and I value your ideals. If my boss chooses to close our bsiness for a holiday or the like, he pays us for the hours we would have worked and I Am unendingly grateful. It is not because he is financially thriving, quite the opposite right now actually. It is because, as he puts it "I have to wake up and see my face in the mirror every day, I need to do what I believe is the right thing to do" and so when those byb's come in clueless with a litter of pppies sick with worms and they can't afford the medicine, he sends them home with it- wether they seem like they will come back and pay it or not because no matter what the circumstances- he does not want those puppies to suffer. Honestly, more often tha. not they do come back to pay. I feel like it is because he creates that positive fellowship reflected in our humanity and imagine how great that is to be reflected back into our society- especially when we are so disheartened and down trodden that we just accept what is with our heads hung low. I know how often I do, life can be overwhelming and hard and the troubles o the world too much more to add to the burdens of the day That said, I am glad your heart is troubled andyour conscience gnawing, I support you in advocating for your fellow man by excerciseing your choices and sharing your feedback.

[crystalsmom]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I think sometimes people forget these are the people who make our world go round without the trash guys we would have massive amounts of trash everywhere. I would ask for a credit sense the workers didn't get paid. I feel bad for them because its not there fault it snowed.

Hon, all service companies help to make our life easier. Those that do outside work have to know they will have a number of unpaid days off each year with some looking forward to it however, they have to know. No matter how small the company before they take the job it has to be made known in someway. If it's not in writing for some unknown reason, I'm sure the employee would ask if he/she would be paid.

[McheleM]

I would ask for a credit because 1. They didn't pick up the trash. They didn't provide the service you're being charged for. And 2. The employees did t get paid for said service.

I ask for a credit if the cables out too.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Verbena

We go to the dump. $2 any size bag of garbage and recyclables are free

I told my father that you pay $2 a bag (we would go broke ) and his response was that you are paying to truck it to Virginia. Our state is the garbage state.

I wish we had a "green" alternative to bagging tree leaves. We try to mulch as much as we can, but we can't just leave them in our yard. We would be knee deep in leaves in one season, which leads to big time mold growth. There is way to much to make a mulch/fertilizer maker thingy in our yard -- can't think of what they are called. It would be the size of a swimming pool and wouldn't break down the leaves fast enough.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I'm with you, Donna, that's just plain wrong!