Unions don't even have anything to do with this. If you're too stupid to have any kind of contract stating that you're getting paid for the work you've already done then you shouldn't be working on contract. Jesus, how are people this dumb.
Edit: Hell, if you've been doing decent time tracking on yourself and have ANY sort of communication that shows the employer was obviously intending to pay you for work, you go to court and you get some money.
You're largely ignorant of the way contracts can be designed to give the corporation, with more funds to fight a legal battle, a way out. And even when there is no such clause, individuals cannot match the legal fighting that corporations can hire. Contracts kinda mean shit all, because the law isn't designed to automatically make decisions - if a contract is violated, a battle of interpretation needs to occur. And it could cost the plaintiff more than it is actually worth.
This is why, if you work as a professional, you have a lawyer you can call and a contract that stipulates they pay any legal fees. Certainly not easy for neophytes, though...
A union is only as good or as bad as the people running it -- which are your fellow employees. All unions are democratic, so if they're doing a poor job or if you just think you can do a better one you are free to run in the next election -- or (usually) force the process and start a recall drive.
Most of the Union hate I've seen is from how they treat people who AREN'T Unionized. Locally, they mostly seem to be a "run all the smaller competitors out of business so our big three employers make most of the money" racket, and organizations that go around with a policy of "join our organization and pay us money or you'll never make a dime in this industry" are not exactly popular among a great many people. Even within a union, there's all too many situations around here where being unionized amounts to brown-nosing the union bosses or ending up on the sacrificial alter come negotiation time.
And legitimate corruption and bribery is pretty rampant as well.
And all that said... I'm not sure how a Union would have helped in this situation?
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Deebaseron my way to work in a suit and a tieAhhhh...come on fucking guyRegistered Userregular
"Employees should stand up for their rights. If they don't, they're stupid."
"What about groups of employees standing up for their collective rights?"
"Don't be stupid."
Yeah, having a contract is super awesome and all, but it could just scare away terrible clients such that while you don't lose, some dumber sap still does.
Unions protect the dumb, the weak, and the ones with a replaceable skillset.
... contracts can be designed to give the corporation, with more funds to fight a legal battle, a way out.
My wife's employer has just sprung new contracts on everyone. One of the clauses says in the event of a legal dispute both parties waive their right to a jury trial. This is significant because historically juries are less forgiving to corporations than judges.
For the employee the question is usually not "can I negotiate a better contract?" but rather "is this contract so bad that it would be better for me to be unemployed _right now_?" because for the majority of employees the employer would just as soon chuck you out as go through the hassle of actually negotiating with you.
I have very little sympathy for people who work at companies like this. The sympathy that I have is for them getting laid off under shitty circumstances. That boss was a complete asshole.
However the "not getting paid" part is what I don't understand. Did you get a promise to be paid when the project was complete? If so that's your own damn fault if they company cans you and doesn't pay out. Never ever work unless you're getting paid. The only legitimate exception to this unpaid internships in which case you AGREE to not be paid in exchange for relevant work experience and recommendations.
If you sign a contract that says you get paid when the job is complete, and the employer can cancel the contract at any time without paying out work done up to that point...don't work for that company. I don't care how much you want to break into the industry. Good people that you actually want to work for do not operate like that. You WILL get screwed over.
Im torn about unions. Down here in texas, construction unions are fucking useless and I can assure you they are some of the laziest,crappiest,most entitled workers in the state and the benifits aren't even that good. On the other hand thou, the Union Pacific railroad union is one of the best jobs you can get in texas.60k a year to do on avg 2-3 hrs of work a day with benifits so good you think you just won the lottery. It really just depends on the union.
Unions don't even have anything to do with this. If you're too stupid to have any kind of contract stating that you're getting paid for the work you've already done then you shouldn't be working on contract. Jesus, how are people this dumb.
Edit: Hell, if you've been doing decent time tracking on yourself and have ANY sort of communication that shows the employer was obviously intending to pay you for work, you go to court and you get some money.
You're largely ignorant of the way contracts can be designed to give the corporation, with more funds to fight a legal battle, a way out. And even when there is no such clause, individuals cannot match the legal fighting that corporations can hire. Contracts kinda mean shit all, because the law isn't designed to automatically make decisions - if a contract is violated, a battle of interpretation needs to occur. And it could cost the plaintiff more than it is actually worth.
No. No, I'm really not largely ignorant of this. Contracts are a big part of my professional life. When you're operating as an independent contractor with an employer, you don't just accept the contract they hand you. You structure it so that it's in your interests as well. And a contract establishing the graphic design work you're doing for a company is a great shield for efficiently collecting your money if the company isn't bankrupt and just isn't paying you. In fact, having the contract in the first place usually prevents this problem from arising.
My wife's employer has just sprung new contracts on everyone. One of the clauses says in the event of a legal dispute both parties waive their right to a jury trial. This is significant because historically juries are less forgiving to corporations than judges.
Depending on your location, there's a decent chance that that clause is unenforceable.
Let me see if my reading comprehension is working... his friend didn't show up in person because he was sick... the boss didn't show up until later because of a "car accident". The boss admits there was no accident (had the 2IC lie for him), and lets everyone go. He then calls "his friend" and tells him the news. I assume this is a whole different friend? Because the original "my friend" was already present via skype.
Regardless, friend number 1 calls him, asking for his work on the 2d sprites. At first I thought- "what, he didn't get the news? He was there via skype, and they talked about it later). But now I'm thinking he's talking about 2 different friends (he breaks continuity by secretly introducing a new friend without explaining) and I'm guessing his original friend was never let go. Therefore, I'm guessing his sickness via skype was also a lie, like the boss' accident?
And lastly, I'm guessing the entire meeting (and boss delay) about going with another project was the third lie? And that they either ressurected the 2d side scroller, or never signed a new contract to begin with.
It seems like its too much work, having so many lies. Lies to cover up more lies. Couldn't they have had a more convenient meeting place? Like, the usual workplace? This is too pointlessly elaborate that I probably shouldn't be thinking too hard. This isn't the first story that doesn't make sense (or possibly just poorly written).
Let me see if my reading comprehension is working...
It's not.
There's only one friend. That friend was going to connect via Skype to the "meeting," but apparently was waiting until the boss got there and the meeting started proper. When the boss got there, he apparently just strolled in and made the announcement, not giving time for the Skype connection to be established. Thus the narrator had to call his friend up and give the news.
Admittedly, the pronouns in the last paragraph are vague, but I took it to mean that later, the boss called his former employee the narrator to inquire about the 2D animation. The reason why the boss would want these assets is unexplained; it could be that the boss was angling to recycle the assets for the new project, or resurrected the old project, or was trying to sell it off. The point is that the narrator got to deliver a small amount of comeuppance by paraphrasing the boss's lie back to him.
What I don't get is that the narrator and friend had worked on the project for at least a month (it was "several weeks" before they switched to 2D, then it was an additional "two weeks" until the firing, so at least 4 weeks total), and the guy said he didn't get paid. How often was his pay schedule supposed to be? Did he not get paid at all, or for just the last few weeks?
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You're largely ignorant of the way contracts can be designed to give the corporation, with more funds to fight a legal battle, a way out. And even when there is no such clause, individuals cannot match the legal fighting that corporations can hire. Contracts kinda mean shit all, because the law isn't designed to automatically make decisions - if a contract is violated, a battle of interpretation needs to occur. And it could cost the plaintiff more than it is actually worth.
Most of the Union hate I've seen is from how they treat people who AREN'T Unionized. Locally, they mostly seem to be a "run all the smaller competitors out of business so our big three employers make most of the money" racket, and organizations that go around with a policy of "join our organization and pay us money or you'll never make a dime in this industry" are not exactly popular among a great many people. Even within a union, there's all too many situations around here where being unionized amounts to brown-nosing the union bosses or ending up on the sacrificial alter come negotiation time.
And legitimate corruption and bribery is pretty rampant as well.
And all that said... I'm not sure how a Union would have helped in this situation?
Yeah, having a contract is super awesome and all, but it could just scare away terrible clients such that while you don't lose, some dumber sap still does.
Unions protect the dumb, the weak, and the ones with a replaceable skillset.
My wife's employer has just sprung new contracts on everyone. One of the clauses says in the event of a legal dispute both parties waive their right to a jury trial. This is significant because historically juries are less forgiving to corporations than judges.
For the employee the question is usually not "can I negotiate a better contract?" but rather "is this contract so bad that it would be better for me to be unemployed _right now_?" because for the majority of employees the employer would just as soon chuck you out as go through the hassle of actually negotiating with you.
0431-6094-6446-7088
However the "not getting paid" part is what I don't understand. Did you get a promise to be paid when the project was complete? If so that's your own damn fault if they company cans you and doesn't pay out. Never ever work unless you're getting paid. The only legitimate exception to this unpaid internships in which case you AGREE to not be paid in exchange for relevant work experience and recommendations.
If you sign a contract that says you get paid when the job is complete, and the employer can cancel the contract at any time without paying out work done up to that point...don't work for that company. I don't care how much you want to break into the industry. Good people that you actually want to work for do not operate like that. You WILL get screwed over.
Cora is on friendly terms with Q, last time I checked; plus, she could be brown-nosing him.
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No. No, I'm really not largely ignorant of this. Contracts are a big part of my professional life. When you're operating as an independent contractor with an employer, you don't just accept the contract they hand you. You structure it so that it's in your interests as well. And a contract establishing the graphic design work you're doing for a company is a great shield for efficiently collecting your money if the company isn't bankrupt and just isn't paying you. In fact, having the contract in the first place usually prevents this problem from arising.
Depending on your location, there's a decent chance that that clause is unenforceable.
Regardless, friend number 1 calls him, asking for his work on the 2d sprites. At first I thought- "what, he didn't get the news? He was there via skype, and they talked about it later). But now I'm thinking he's talking about 2 different friends (he breaks continuity by secretly introducing a new friend without explaining) and I'm guessing his original friend was never let go. Therefore, I'm guessing his sickness via skype was also a lie, like the boss' accident?
And lastly, I'm guessing the entire meeting (and boss delay) about going with another project was the third lie? And that they either ressurected the 2d side scroller, or never signed a new contract to begin with.
It seems like its too much work, having so many lies. Lies to cover up more lies. Couldn't they have had a more convenient meeting place? Like, the usual workplace? This is too pointlessly elaborate that I probably shouldn't be thinking too hard. This isn't the first story that doesn't make sense (or possibly just poorly written).
p.s. lol @ "3d sprites". Must be a young'n.
There's only one friend. That friend was going to connect via Skype to the "meeting," but apparently was waiting until the boss got there and the meeting started proper. When the boss got there, he apparently just strolled in and made the announcement, not giving time for the Skype connection to be established. Thus the narrator had to call his friend up and give the news.
Admittedly, the pronouns in the last paragraph are vague, but I took it to mean that later, the boss called his former employee the narrator to inquire about the 2D animation. The reason why the boss would want these assets is unexplained; it could be that the boss was angling to recycle the assets for the new project, or resurrected the old project, or was trying to sell it off. The point is that the narrator got to deliver a small amount of comeuppance by paraphrasing the boss's lie back to him.
What I don't get is that the narrator and friend had worked on the project for at least a month (it was "several weeks" before they switched to 2D, then it was an additional "two weeks" until the firing, so at least 4 weeks total), and the guy said he didn't get paid. How often was his pay schedule supposed to be? Did he not get paid at all, or for just the last few weeks?