Ever feel taken advantage of?

[A Photog]

Here is my situation, and it kind of frustrates me sometimes. I am the Chief at my station, I shoot and edit on a daily basis, but I also take care of budgets, cars, hiring people, critiquing people, same stuff the rest of you do. Since I am the Chief I am salaried like many of you I am sure. If I have to stay later to make sure all of my "management" stuff is done, I am completely fine with that. The problem, at least for me, comes in the fact that our coorporate office, absolutely hates overtime. So during spot news or anything that requires us to go out of town and stay they night or just travel far distances, I am assigned those duties the majority of the time, which seems to happen about once every two weeks. I think it's great for them, they get a seasoned photographer who knows what to do when stuff gets crazy, and they don't have to pay a single penny more for it. Where if someone else goes, they are looking at paying out a nice chunk of OT. The best part of all is that our cooporate offices also have a no comp day policy fopr those of us that are salaried.

Don't get me wrong, I love where I work, I love the people that I work with, but sometimes I feel like the company is taking advantage of the situation. I'm the only salaried person that does the same job as other hourly people. I just have more responsibilities, so I'm salaried. I've never brought it up because I want to be a team player.. but sometimes I get frustrated by it.

Anybody else ever deal with this sort of situation? I know the potential is definately there for most of us.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

 

[Imachief]

"Our corporate offices have a no comp day policy for those us us who are salaried."??? Gawdalmighty man, tell me you're kidding.

Run, don't walk to the nearest telephone and call your states Employment Rights Commission!

You good sir, are getting screwed so bad it's not even funny.

I don't know what state you live in, but you HAVE to check with someone about fair labor practices. Call the Department of Labor, call the state, hell, call the freakin' ambulance chasin lawyers advertising on your overnight shows. Something stinks to high hell about this arrangement.

Lemme ask you a question. If your bosses have to work, lets say, on a weekend, or god forbid, a holiday...do they get comp days? How about the GM?

It's one thing to be a team player...it's quite another to get played for a "patsie".

Make those phone calls. If I'm wrong, then PM me, and I'll buy you a steak.

 

[mattyboy]

ouch. it does sound like you are taken advantage of. while it's cool to have the chief label, it stinks that you have to become salary. is there any way you can go to management and ask to become hourly? that would make more sense then getting the big beefy one put up the pie hole on a regular basis. while i for one like the idea of being the go to guy, i wouldnt like it to the point where you start getting resentful.

 

[Currentchief]

I'm not salaried. I make a base yearly plus OT over 40 hours. I would have it no other way. Every minute I work I get paid for. I never pad the OT because I average about 55-60 hours per week and have no reason to.

I know I'm the exception (I was salaried once before and lost money) and there is talk of making me salaried after my contract is up, but at least now I have more knowledge as to what my income should be to justify the salaried amount.