This is an exact transcription of the voicemail that I received on 20Nov at 1040AM. The message was from the CEO of the company for which I work.
It sounds as if he’s speaking with a few notes, but it doesn’t seems to be a prepared speech. I’ve ommited the “umm”'s and “aahh”'s. Emphasis his.
Please, let me know your thoughts.
“This is XXX.
I’m sending this message to all associates of the
company. Couple of things I’d like to talk with you
and share with you.
It looks like we’re going to have a pretty good year;
we’re excited about what’s happened. I think everyone
should be pleased with their year-end bonus which will
be paid yearly in 2004. We still have six weeks to go
and let’s hope everything continues for the final six
weeks of the year to be on a success pattern.
NOW I’d like to talk to all of you about United Way.
I feel very strong in the importance of our company
contributing a hundred percent. MANY of you have been
very generous and I personally want to thank you. All
individuals cannot give equally and we understand
that.
There isn’t any good excuse why someone cannot donate
to United Way. It’s not acceptable. An excuse that’s
not acceptable is that my spouse contributes to the
company she or he works for. You work for us and we
want a hundred percent participation.
I’ve asked all officers to donate a minimum of five
hundred dollars. I’m asking all directors to give a
minimum of two hundred and fifty and overall our
officers and directors have been very generous and
contributed far above the minimum.
An example for all of you; hundred and four dollars,
two dollars a week. It’s only two dollars a week.
Many of you will go out or myself and you’ll have a
beer, and that’s three dollars. Some can give more,
some might have to give less. But based on your
position in the company, everyone can afford to give
something. I’m counting on everyone to contribute
something.
Today we’re going to post everyone’s name on the
internet. Not all have contributed yet but I’m
counting on all of you to come through in the next
couple of days and we will to continue to update it as
the changes take place with donations.
Thanks in advance.”
I’m betting that the United Way would not be behind that jackasses actions. In fact, they specifically ask on their forms whether you want your name revealed to whom you are donating.
If I were you, I would call the United Way and ask whether this is kosher.
I decided to bypass the United Way process this year and instead give directly to a couple of the organizations supported by the local UW. I put a big $0.00 on my form and turned it in. I’m expecting a visit from my boss any time now…
If I worked for this company and had been donating, I’d withdraw immediately after hearing this nonsense. This assbag doesn’t care about helping anyone, just about making his company look good. Screw that.
Of course, I’d make a recording of that message first just in case my job was suddenly not needed.
Strange. I worked for a fortune 100 company in the early nineties that had a similar ‘policy’ regarding United Way donations. Coincidence, or is there some underlying motivation for companies to behave this way?
I sputter just…holy shit. I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around this guy’s tactics. This is wrong on so many levels. It has to be illegal for the company you work for to try to FORCE you to pay anything out of your pocket for a charity that a supervisor supports. Even if the company officially supported a charity, it shouldn’t be able to do this to their employees. I mean, hell, if my company supported Greenpeace or something, what if I don’t have anything against what their trying to accomplish, but don’t like the way the organization is run? I don’t have a choice? So, what, if the people in your company don’t give in to the threat of public humiliation, will this guy turn up the heat and threaten their jobs?? What the HELL? What if he supported, say, something more fringe like, Satanists for Goat Fucking and Human Sacrifice? I am stymied.
I keep reading it.
But based on your position in the company, everyone can afford to give something.
This is what leads me to believe that if you don’t contribute a sufficient amount to appease him, your “position” in the company may be in question. AACK.
Perhaps a consultation with a lawyer is in order if you happen to like your job otherwise. In fact, I hope you don’t have to jump off this cliff all by yourself. How do your co-workers feel about this? Any word at all? People afraid to talk about it, lest they become the next virgin to be thrown into the volcano? I’d like to see this practice come to an end…good luck and stuff.
If you feel strongly about the United Way, Donate from outside your company, and inform your CEO or manager when you get grilled. If you support another organization, donate to them and report to your officer the same.
This is like the third time I’ve seen this here in the pit in recent months and I hope it isn’t a trend. “Donation by force”. :mad:
Seriously, though, whatever you do, don’t give in. Or maybe insult them and give $1, not $100
for now…I’m sitting on my hands.
I doubt my job would be in jeopardy, but my bonus next year might be! (at least, that’s what I infer from the voicemail!)
I’m sure your CEO can afford to give quite a bit. It’s not hard to donate $500-$1,000 when you have a yearly salary in the MILLIONS! But if you (only) make $35K it’s a bit more difficult, especially if you have kids. But we can’t expect a CEO to understand that.
If this happened at my work, I’d start looking for another job right away.
A firing or bonus reduction based on contributions to a charity is most likely illegal(duh), and I’m sure if you were properly prepared, you could make an impression upon management.
Can one of the lawyers who posts here weigh in on the legality of both the coercive nature of the request for funds and the posting of personal financial information?
I refuse to donate to United Way. Their administration gets paid way to much. I want my money going to the charity itself, plus the UW funds sexist, homophobic organizations like the Boy Scouts.
My work has a jar on the clerks desk for donations to the Children’s Miracle Network. We do a lot of fundraisers and projects for CMN. Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake is a lot like Shriner’s. They help sick children, injured children and handicapped children regardless of whether the parents can pay or not. CMN helps fund the hospital.
