Shoe plant workers get up to $20,000 bonuses

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Shoe plant workers get up to $20,000 bonuses

Posted: 12/15/2003 5:17:09 PM EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/12/15/offbeat.shoe.factory.ap/index.html

Shoe plant workers get up to $20,000 bonuses

PITTSFIELD, Maine (AP) --Workers at a shoe plant were feeling more than a little tickled when they got their Christmas bonuses that, for some, totaled nearly $20,000.

Instead of receiving typical end-of-year frozen turkeys, the 200 employees of the SAS Shoemakers plant here were handed envelopes when they were called together Friday afternoon.

When Lawrence Wyman opened his, he found a check for $19,000. His wife, Charlene, got a check for the same amount.

The company this year awarded its employees with bonuses of $1,000 for every year worked at the company. Even those who had worked less than a year got $500 each.

The bonuses were particularly uplifting given that most news in the manufacturing sector this year has been about plants closing and employees being laid off.

"They called us all together and said we would each get $1,000," Lawrence Wyman said. "Everyone started clapping and then they said it would be $1,000 for each year worked."

And that's when the tears flowed. Some estimated that the bonuses totaled $200,000 or more.

SAS Pittsfield is a division of SAS Shoemakers in San Antonio. The corporate offices were closed Friday afternoon and company officials could not be reached for comment.

Posted: 12/15/2003 5:30:52 PM EDT

[#1]

Man, that's Great! Where I work at, we will be lucky to get the turkey.

Vulcan94

Posted: 12/15/2003 5:36:34 PM EDT

[#2]

I got a $550.00 bonus last week and I've been working 7 months now.

Posted: 12/15/2003 5:42:12 PM EDT

[#3]

Yah, saw it...good deal! Not so good for those who just started, but for those who have been slogging for 15+ years, and who haven't gotten much more than 2k and a thank you?

Admittidly, I work in the financial sector, where bonuses are expected....and better ones are expected when you pull their fat out of the fire a couple times...but still.

Bravo! THAT'S how you do things with folks who have stuck around for more than 5 years, IMO. Time served plus extra for their achivements per year.

Posted: 12/15/2003 5:48:05 PM EDT

[#4]

My GF got a bit over $400 from her work (she's been there just over a year).

Problem was that about 1/2 of it was taken for taxes. Net was just over $200. [chair]

Posted: 12/15/2003 6:03:57 PM EDT

[#5]

Wow... That's a hell of a deal!

I was just suprised by my Christmas bonus - having never gotten more than a $50 gift certificate...

Company owner took us (and partner/friend) all out to a 5 star restaurant and got each of us rooms in a nearby (very nice) hotel for the night. Bought drinks at the bar in the hotel after dinner too. At dinner he handed out $500 bonus checks! I've only been there about 4 months.

Posted: 12/15/2003 6:08:24 PM EDT

[#6]

Makes me proud that I wear nothing but SAS shoes. Time to go buy another pair, sounds like they could use the money.

Posted: 12/15/2003 7:10:13 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
My GF got a bit over $400 from her work (she's been there just over a year).

Problem was that about 1/2 of it was taken for taxes. Net was just over $200. [chair]

View Quote

Tax withholding on bonuses is wierd. The way it works is that they withhold an amount as if you were making the bonus plus wages for the whole year! She will get it back when she does her taxes, either as a refund or reduced tax liability.

Posted: 12/15/2003 8:16:01 PM EDT

[#8]

It's very nice to see that there's still companies out there that look-out for the employees. The most I've ever received was one time when I got a $100 Christmas bonus.z

Posted: 12/15/2003 8:33:11 PM EDT

[#9]

I get to work another year for my employer as a bonus each year (US Navy).

[:(]

Posted: 12/15/2003 8:40:31 PM EDT

[#10]

This is excellent to see!!! This story really warms me up inside. Kinda puts that holiday spirit into ya. Reminds me of the guy in Jersey who leases BMWs for all of his employees so they have reliable cars to get around in.

I am working my ass off to do whatever I can to help get my guys a 7.5% (of annual salary) bonus this year. If we just can't get the #sthen they will get a 5% annual salary bonus. Not the best but not the worst. My guys are the best employees I could ask for. I wish I could do for them what this company did for their employees. That would just make them sooo happy.

Thanks for the article.

Posted: 12/15/2003 8:52:53 PM EDT

[#11]

2 Years ago our New VP announced he was giving our annual employee turkey away to charity. The United Way.

Each and every time I see his ass I never let him forget it either.

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:01:00 PM EDT

[#12]

hey that's pretty darn good! [beer]

when I was walked out the door at my previous employeer (layoff)

I had LOST at least 90,000.00 dollars!

Thanks go out to You, UAL coporate management, afl-cio commie bastards and lets not forget the great US government who chose to get involved with labor disputes only when it suited them (where are they now that a certain company has buttfucked almost every single worker past and present???????)

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:01:36 PM EDT

[#13]

$20 bucks says they are privately held. If a publically owned company did that, the shareholders would gripe to high heaven.

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:17:05 PM EDT

[#14]

Well, my employer broke their tradition of not giving any bonuses this year.

Instead, they told us we'd all be laid off at the end of January.

The best part is I get to work Christmas Day (triple time) and Christmas Eve.

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:28:17 PM EDT

[#15]

What kind of shoes do they make? Redwing just closed most of it's US operations. Who still makes shoes/boots in the US?

Edited to add I have never worked in an industry that has Christmas bonuses. But I'm not complaining. Ive never worked in an industry that experainces layoffs either.

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:32:52 PM EDT

[#16]

we're giving 40% of our staff the boot out the door for their bonuses including one who's been there for 19 years.

merry frikkin hoho

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:38:48 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
What kind of shoes do they make? Redwing just closed most of it's US operations. Who still makes shoes/boots in the US?

View Quote

I think they mainly make leather walking shoes and the white, lace-up nurses shoes.

Posted: 12/15/2003 9:56:34 PM EDT

[#18]

Its good to hear of a company that cares about thier workers. Especially a company in the manufacturing sector. Whos employees have to work thier ass off to make a decent living. My dad is a personnel supervisor at a local mill and the only bonuses the poeople who work for him get come out of his own pocket. He tells everyone when they work for him if his crew goes a year without an accident he will personally cook every one of them a T-Bone steak. And sence he started doing this they havent had an accident in 3 years. Which i damn good for a plywood mill. He goes every year and buys every man on his crew a steak then take his own BQ to work and spends all day cooking steaks for each guy as they come onto break.

Posted: 12/15/2003 11:11:15 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
My GF got a bit over $400 from her work (she's been there just over a year).

Problem was that about 1/2 of it was taken for taxes. Net was just over $200. [chair]

View Quote

Tax withholding on bonuses is wierd. The way it works is that they withhold an amount as if you were making the bonus plus wages for the whole year! She will get it back when she does her taxes, either as a refund or reduced tax liability.

View Quote

I've heard so many mistruths and exaggerations from people who claim so many things about their withholdings... from "I got a raise but my paycheck went down because of taxes" to "they took 50% of my bonus"... whatever. If you say so.

Posted: 12/16/2003 12:06:50 AM EDT

[#20]

I've been chicking the mailbox everyday for my AR15.com Xmas bonus... Well I actually never stopped checking from last year.

Posted: 12/16/2003 12:21:50 AM EDT

[#21]

The Company I work for quit giving Christmas Bonuses about 6 years ago,as a cost saving measure.

Posted: 12/16/2003 1:35:19 AM EDT

[#22]

Last year my company had record profits. Reward? We got gift certificates from a company we do work for, except for the fact that they were expired and cost our company $0, they were appreciated. Not.

Oh, and we laid off people even tho we're growing and doing well. Yippee.

Posted: 12/16/2003 1:56:57 AM EDT

[#23]

WTF is a bonus?

Posted: 12/16/2003 2:12:46 AM EDT

[#24]

Yeah, Got my BONE-ASS! Laid off for good! Took my company truck back yesterday. Get to go to the doctor today for Hernia surgery.

We've made good money for our owner, Almost 6 million in change orders the last 3 years. This is what we got for Christmas. Pissies me off because he always said "We're in it for the long run" That's the only reason I came to work for him, because I believed his bullshit. Went and bought a new truck last year, now I get to try and pay the bills. All I have to do is not eat or drive anywhere and I'll only be about $400 a month short on bills!

BUT, I will remember that our Troops are having a worse Christmas than me being away from home.

COZ

Posted: 12/16/2003 3:27:41 AM EDT

[#25]

Good deal for the shoe folks.

I got Jack and Shit and Jack done left town.

Posted: 12/16/2003 3:42:34 AM EDT

[#26]

I guess I have always been lucky.

As an Engineering Manager/Director/VP for a $35 Billion/year corporation I always got good bonuses. Usually around 30% of salary.

Having those bonuses for many years enabled me to take an early retirement at age 55. Now, I am working part time with an Engineering Consultant company just for the fun of it and because my wife wants me out of the house. The Consulting company saves half of it's profit each year to pay out at bonuses. Even as a part time employee I'm getting $15K a year in bonuses.

Sometimes even us stupid rednecks luck out.

Posted: 12/16/2003 3:51:55 AM EDT

[#27]

One day the owner of a factory calls all employees to a big meeting. He says:

"I have decided to close the factory. But, since you are all good workers and friends, and since I am old and rich and have no family, I have decided to give you all a bonus.

Even though I am closing the factory, if each of you will come in every Friday, I will continue to give you your paychecks for the remainder of your lives."

A guy raised his hand.

The owner said, "Do you have a question?"

The guy says, "Yes. Do we have to come in [u]every[/u] Friday?"

Posted: 12/16/2003 5:21:54 AM EDT

[#28]

guberment worker=$0 bonus-EVER

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Shoe plant workers get up to $20,000 bonuses

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