As an employee for a world wide corporation, my check is direct deposited weekly into my account. However the origin bank is some obscure bank in CA that is nowhere around the country where I could physically cash a regular check. My feelings are the first check that can't go through will be my last day at work until such time as I can get cash in my hand! This is my right as a Teamster as I understand our contract. How long do you feel is resonable for employees to go without pay?!

-- R.D. Roberts (gofishn1@cyberhighway.net), October 17, 1999

Answers

A very good question. That would depend entirely on the circumstances of the individual involved. Are you wealthy enough to coninue unpayid until such time as the situation is reversed? Can you find other paying employment in the meantime? Will this cost you your job? Will the teamsters support you in the event that Y2K stops checks from being cashed?

Were you in one of a very few "indispensable" positions, the question would be moot....e.g. air traffic controllers, police officers, etc.

It is not right to work and not get paid. Perhaps you should speak directly with the bank or your employers to see that it is Y2K compliant...and if not, could they please pay you in advance or set up a trust fund in a local bank for you...

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), October 17, 1999.

When I worked for Louisiana, we had some rough times when oil prices dropped. They had to delay paychecks a day per pay period, until we had lost at least a couple weeks, if I recall right. We had a lot of discussions about walking out, righteous indignation, by golly, they can't push me around, etc.

What's the job worth and what are your expectations for recovery? Is your employer trying to do right and in trouble, or using this as an excuse to feather his/her own nest? Do you have better prospects? If everyone else walks at the first missed check, and you don't, will that make you worth more to them? Will they look out for you in nonmonetary ways, if they can, to make up for the paycheck problem?

My take in La was that the state was doing what it could, we had an important job to do (worked for State Police) and I was prepared to do it a whole lot longer than they were asking us to. The state is still (last I heard) 500M short on our pension contribution.

Yeah, I'm a big brain programmer, hotshot system designer, make COBOL walk and talk, design OO PC-based whiz-bang graphics systems, you name it. But I've cleaned bathrooms to put bread on the table, and I'll work for food if that's all they can pay me in, and I'll work for free if it makes sense at the time.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), October 18, 1999.

Ha ha, ha ha (sorry)

I find it very amusing how we in the "West" (that is, not JUST the US) get so indignant, even volatile, at the mere mention of not being paid for work done. Unthinkable!!

Now consider, and I'm sure everyone is aware of this: Since the break up of USSR their economy has fallen completely to pieces. So-called "vital" and "high-educated" workers -- nuclear technicians for one -- routinely go for months without being paid. If it can happen there...

I apologise for sounding cynical!

R.D., I understand and completely sympathise with your concern. After all, my arse depends on the fortnightly pay as much as anyones. But I'm afraid no one can say how much is "reasonable" as far as Y2k is concerned. All I can suggest is to, starting today, lower your expenditures. That's the only way to increase the buffer zone your savings currently provide. My partner and I are going on a "raise your own chickens" course this Saturday....

-- JQ (onca@hotmail.com), October 21, 1999.