Losing my job, kinda of.

[LearjetMinako]

I guess its offical. I will no longer be working as an automotive tech any longer with AAFES. Firestone will be contracted in and I will be moved to another job position within AAFES. And I will have to take any job they offer or forefit my pay. I'm also being downgraded in status from a Grade 5 Tech to a Grade 2 Laborer.

So on the short end of the stick. These are pretty much my options:
A. Take any job AAFES gives me and keep all pay, vacation, sick, benefits that I had before. (note: job maybe not one may like)
B. I apply for any job within AAFES and lose pay and maybe benefits. But I still get to keep vacation and sick leave.
C. Or apply for Firestone, keep the job I like and love being an automotive tech. Might get better pay and will expand in new automotive repairs. But it is starting a new job seperate from all, so I lose all sick, vacation, and benefits.

side note: Job secuirty is with AAFES, so they can't just fire me the next day. I would have to cause something beyond reason, in order for them to fire me. And in my 5 years of auto tech with them, I have been nothing but profits.

 

[kcm1582]

Wow man that sucks. I guess you gotta look at how much you stand to loose with each option and how long it will take you to get back to where you are now if you change jobs.

 

[odie1969]

Well I would kinda have to vote for A&C. take any job with the company and see how you like it, but also apply with firestone and see what they would offer you. you never know you might get to a job you like within the current company.
But good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Well I would kinda have to vote for A&C. take any job with the company and see how you like it, but also apply with firestone and see what they would offer you. you never know you might get to a job you like within the current company.
But good luck with what ever you decide.

There is another bad thing about the rift. Once I take the job the job that they give me. And another one opened up that is better. If I apply for it and get it, I would be starting all over again (lose all pay).

I'm going to talk with Firestone to see what they offer. It even crossed my mind to work both jobs. One for job secuirty and the other for the love of it. If it does happen, I will be coming home dead tired every day.

 

[Jay FX4]

Sorry to hear about your situation. I guess if there's a bright side, it's that fact that you do still have a job. At least you have a few options, even if those options were forced on you.
Everybody wants to earn a living doing something they love, but how many people actually get to fulfill that dream? If it were me, unless I had no aspirations or intentions of making a career move in the future, I'd look at this situation in the shorter term and take whatever offered the most money.

 

[cocoasranger]

I would check out Firestone to see what their offer is. Keep in mind that you are allowed by federal law to pay premiums and keep your health insurance in force for three months under the COBRA provision till the Firestone plan kicks in. This will be automatically offered to you if you leave.

An alternative would be to accept whatever job you are downgraded to to maintain benefits and security, and do a continual job search from that point. A more menial job won't sting as much when you know it's only temporary.

As for option B), you held up your end, so I would take my skills to an employer smart enough to appreciate them.

 

[hoosier1104]

I always hated AAFES when I was in. They are a bunch of b!tches. Sorry to hear and wish you the best of luck.

 

[darkspork]

I guess its offical. I will no longer be working as an automotive tech any longer with AAFES. Firestone will be contracted in and I will be moved to another job position within AAFES. And I will have to take any job they offer or forefit my pay. I'm also being downgraded in status from a Grade 5 Tech to a Grade 2 Laborer.

So on the short end of the stick. These are pretty much my options:
A. Take any job AAFES gives me and keep all pay, vacation, sick, benefits that I had before. (note: job maybe not one may like)
B. I apply for any job within AAFES and lose pay and maybe benefits. But I still get to keep vacation and sick leave.
C. Or apply for Firestone, keep the job I like and love being an automotive tech. Might get better pay and will expand in new automotive repairs. But it is starting a new job seperate from all, so I lose all sick, vacation, and benefits.

side note: Job secuirty is with AAFES, so they can't just fire me the next day. I would have to cause something beyond reason, in order for them to fire me. And in my 5 years of auto tech with them, I have been nothing but profits.

You working out there at Tinker AFB? Working for AAFES is pretty nice from my understanding, but there's other options if you would like to continue work on base.
A. Rule this out unless job security is your primary concern.
B. Seems like a good compromise if you want to keep your sick pay.
C. This seems like a good bet to me. If you are good at what you are doing you should have good security working with Firestone on base. You already have had the background check and everything else you need done to work on base, getting hired shouldn't be too hard.
D. Work for one of the other on-base civilian employers. For example see if the Auto Hobby shop needs and employers. A lot of jobs are being outsourced; you may even be able to do work on military vehicles (and get paid a lot more than the military people doing it).

D sounds best to me, but if job security is rough where you are it may be a tougher decision.

 

[graff104]

Hey i know this is a lil off topic Learjet, but i'm looking for advise for my brother. It's his senior year in high school and he is going half a day to francis tuttle vo-tech there in edmond. He thinks all the people there are complete idiots. (which they might be from what I have heard) he is also looking at the auto tech program at osu okmulgee, but don't know much about it. You know anything about it? Good or not worth the time/money. He has thought about continuing the Francis tuttle bit as our highschool has an agreement with them and he can continue through with them and finish out the program even after he graduates for free.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Sorry Graff, don't know about that program. All my skills & traits were learned hands-on and through extensive researching.

Firestone guys came in today. Got to hear the build planner go and say "this stay, this goes".. One of the few good things, the new Firestong manager will be somebody that I already know. And Firestone offers better education program and pay. Firestone has whats they call 'Flag' pay and flat-hour pay. The 'flag' pay is by the book. If a job calls for 1.5hrs, and you finish in 30mins. You still get paid for 1.5hrs. So in a 40hr week can equal 80hrs worth of pay.

Bottom line, I'm applying for Firestone and staying with AAFES. Gonna keep the AAFES job until Firestone is done rebuilding the automotive shop to their specs. And I may work 2 jobs. Also, Human Resource is going to get bugged by me because they just can't give me a straight answer.

Lastly, Sep. 15 is final day. Go to work one last time as a mech on Monday and be doing what ever projects the rest of the week. Then next week is suppose to be a new job.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Day 1 of Demo:

So it has begun. Tomorrow, the walls are will most likely be knocked out.

Store front and counter desk:

Behind the counter desk walls:

Service bay work area:

My bay was the only one left open to service any last minute customers. Which we did have and one that was demanding that we cause her Pilot to leak oil (rear main seal blew out).

First of equipment gone: Used oil collection bin

Second piece of equipment gone: Tire mounting machine, 1 of 2

Firestone grand plan:

What use to be of the old floor plan:

 

[OilPatch197]

This thread is deep, I feel your pain.

Everybody wants to earn a living doing something they love, but how many people actually get to fulfill that dream?

I do, every work day. I do something I love.

(but HATE the personnel I have to work with, I don't want to hear a six hour monologue on your kids day at school! You're kids are stupid and you're a bad parent!!! I want to scream that so badly sometimes!)

 

[LearjetMinako]

Day 2:

What can I say? Did only 1x tire job out of the whole day. Fixed the Sat TV for the employees. Helped return 60 tires that will not get installed. Interviewed with Firestone for a job. And put together a beef jerkey display.

Customer Service area, behind the curtain:

1 of 2 Tire balancers going:

Mobile offices and supplies:

Service Bay area:

 

[LearjetMinako]

I start my new job tomorrow. I will be a laboruor/stocker. My hours are from 300 (3:00am) to 1030 (10:30am) on truck load days, and 300 to 900 on non-load days. Plus I get night differtional pay. So its a little extra income on top of my maxxed out pay. And its kinda of a good thing that I didn't join Firestone. If work space was a problem before, its going to be a even bigger problem for Firestone. Their employee lounge is the size of a large closet. And its suppose to have a sink, frig, microwave, and tables with chairs. The employee lounge at the main store BX is the size of a large living room or a very small house.

Its kinda of sad that I won't be working so close to those that I have worked by before. And meet new people. But at least I won't move so far that I can't visit them. I maybe given a few chances on delivers to stop by and say hi.

PS: I was also given the option to go work oversea's in Iraq.