Police called on Striking Davis Vision associates

**optidogg** · 01-25-2012, 02:25 PM

You gotta love Davis they have had the police pay a visit to thier striking associates. They have security posted on the preserve they are located on so striking workers can not park thier cars or use the restrooms. Well would you expect from a company that slashed thier pay 3 weeks before Christmas! local 408 Optical Workers remain on strike today because of stalled contract negotiations with Davis Vision. I see complaints everywhere here about the quality or should I say lack of from Davis. Let me enlighten you on a day at the lab. Davis has quota's the surface in a typical day may run 1500 surface jobs and have to work until thier done usually around 530pm remember they arrive at 6am. Finish is divided into teams of 5. Each team will have 80 jobs waiting for them when they arrive. They will recieve 80 jobs every hour 6,7,8,9,10,1130,1230,and 130 for a total of 640 jobs! Now true the teams use old humphrey lensometers and old optronics edgers that never size correctly. true that the associates recieve no optical training what so ever this is most likely thier first optical job. The deal is as soon as your done you get to leave there is no quitting time. Now from January until May its 6 days a week mandatory Saturdays. Now management swears to the high heavens quality is thier goal maybe you fellow optiboarders could reply and let them know why they have such a high spoilage rate and return rate because they just do not understand. They can't imagine that the workload is to high or the hours are to long? Most of the associates suffer from cramps in thier legs and hands from overuse. They are exhausted from working 11 hours a day 6 days a week. On top of that they cut our pay by about 1000 take home a month! Do you all think maybe this is why there are quality issues? No wonder its called the plantation because associates are treated as slaves.

**Fezz** · 01-25-2012, 03:11 PM

Maybe they should find a better job elsewhere if things are that bad.

**optidogg** · 01-25-2012, 03:19 PM

you must be Davis management

**AngeHamm** · 01-25-2012, 03:52 PM

That's brutal, dogg, and would definitely explain the often-boneheaded errors we get from Davis labs. Hope it turns out well for you guys.

**Wes** · 01-25-2012, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by optidogg

you must be Davis management

No, but he has a good point. As someone who works in a military production lab, I can tell you I wouldn't deal with that mess you described. Anyone that's unhappy with their lot in life who doesn't seek to make improvements in themselves first, in order to improve their situation is just asking for their situation to stay the same. "Keep doing the same thing you've always done, and you'll keep getting the same result".
Strike, sure. But do something else. You mention that none of them are given training. Seek it out. Do you work there? Do you want something better? Use the experience you have. Earn ABO certification if you want to stay in the field. Take the experience and certification and look to use them in private practice. If you want to know where to find study materials, both free and purchased, let us know. We're full of suggestions.
http://advanceopticianry.org/
http://www.abo-ncle.org/
http://www.oaa.org/
http://www.nao.org/
http://www.nfos.org/
http://www.clsa.info/
http://www.coaccreditation.com/about.shtml
http://www.laramyk.com/resources/ope...o-study-guide/
http://www.opticampus.com/

Try those on for size, and get back to us.

**cocoisland58** · 01-25-2012, 04:49 PM

They must have been working without a contract to have their pay cut and their hours raised. Can't blame them for striking but I also know from experience that union shops breed a certain mentality and a lax approach to learning anything new. It's a lesson in socialism, why better yourself if you are still making the same amount of money as the guy next to you who doesn't give a damn.

Oh and unions generally provide porta potties for workers walking a picket line.

**Uncle Fester** · 01-26-2012, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Fezz

Maybe they should find a better job elsewhere if things are that bad.

As the Bard would say "the smallest worm will turn, being trodden on" and they face this very real possibilty.

Forgotten your Shakespeare?

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/inde...?date=19970717

**tdj** · 01-26-2012, 06:45 PM

Because in this economy, it's always as simple as "pack up and leave." right...

**Johns** · 01-26-2012, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by optidogg

They have security posted on the preserve they are located on so striking workers can not park thier cars or use the restrooms.

Is this a joke? They strike against a company, and then expect free parking, warm restrooms, and what else....free coffee in the break room?

Give me a break!

It reminds me of the losers (yes, I mean losers) that were striking against Walmart, and then at lunch time, they put their signs down, went inside, ate at the WM lunch stand, and bought snacks and drinks to last them the day. Really committed to the cause!

I'm no fan of Davis...not by ANY stretch, but I agree with the others, if the conditions are so bad, then move on. Pay was cut? There are thousands of workers in my city that would have willingly taken a pay cut if it meant saving their jobs.

**Fezz** · 01-26-2012, 07:57 PM

Brother Johns,

You are being much too hard on these ENTITLED workers! You must have forgotten that these union types ALWAYS want their cake and eat it too!

They DESERVE whatever they want!

Come on Dude! Show some sympathy!

**Wes** · 01-26-2012, 08:07 PM

Who wants cake if you can't eat it?

**Fezz** · 01-26-2012, 09:51 PM

My feeling is this:

How many of use really care about the workers that have provided use with horrible quality, unending delays, lousy customer service and overall despair, irritation, poor reimbursement and total customer dissatisfaction?

**Johns** · 01-26-2012, 09:57 PM

Originally posted by Fezz: My feeling is this:

How many of use really care about the workers that have provided use with horrible quality, unending delays, lousy customer service and overall despair, irritation, poor reimbursement and total customer dissatisfaction?

Did I say that out loud, or was I just thinking it????

**tdj** · 01-26-2012, 10:10 PM

The point is that the working conditions are causing the poor output quality. Blame the company and its policies, not the employees.

**Fezz** · 01-26-2012, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by tdj

The point is that the working conditions are causing the poor output quality. Blame the company and its policies, not the employees.

Who produces the crummy quality= the workers!

**tdj** · 01-26-2012, 10:18 PM

You're deliberately being obtuse.

**Fezz** · 01-26-2012, 10:19 PM

I'm being the voice of reason and truth.

**Johns** · 01-26-2012, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by tdj

Blame the company and its policies, not the employees.

Is not a "company" comprised of "employees"? A company is not a building filled with machines. A company is comprised of people (employees) that have a common goal of producing a product, or providing a service.

If the products and/or the services do not measure up, it is the employees that are to blame. Yes, some employees (management?) may be more responsible than others, but ultimately, it is the employees fault if there are shortcomings.

Back in the '80s, I worked in a chain store optical. The quality was as substandard as it could get. I worked there for 3 weeks before I decided that there was no way I could have a positive impact on the situation, so I quit. Had I stayed, I would have been one of the many employees that would have been to blame for the shoddy quality. As an employee, I was the company.

**APBOD** · 01-26-2012, 10:50 PM

Before reading the OP I would have said that if Davis disappeared, the only ones that would miss it would be their employees.

**Chris Ryser** · 01-27-2012, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by cocoisland58

Can't blame them for striking but I also know from experience that union shops breed a certain mentality and a lax approach to learning anything new. It's a lesson in socialism, why better yourself if you are still making the same amount of money as the guy next to you who doesn't give a damn.

Very well said........................................ I have expirienced unions in my former lab, and it is no laughing matter.

The usual response from the member is, "you want me to work faster, boss ?, why should i, you are not going to pay me more if i work faster and you are not going to pay me less if i work slower, and you can not fire me because i have some of the highest seniority in this work place"

**DragonLensmanWV** · 01-27-2012, 06:41 PM

Gee, I thought unions fought hard to make the workplace much better for their members.At least that what they TELL you..

**cocoisland58** · 01-27-2012, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by DragonLensmanWV

Gee, I thought unions fought hard to make the workplace much better for their members.At least that what they TELL you..

Unions will use their clout to make sure the current contract is being adhered to but if the contract is in negotiations, the other labs are not striking and they are allowing scabs to cross the picket line they don't have much power.