RIAA Cuts More Jobs, Awards Bonuses to Execs

[CommanderFrank]

The RIAA is back in the news again after the organization filed its latest tax figures for 2014. The RIAA has trimmed back on its employee roster while handing out large bonuses to its executives. Business as usual I see.

In its most recent filing the RIAA lists 55 people on the payroll compared to 58 the year before. In total these employees earned $11.7 million of which more than 25% went into the pockets of three top executives.

 

[Spidey329]

Simple assumptions - $11.7mil for 55 employees. Top 3 got 25% so $2.92mil. 52 employees divided up equals $169k each if spread equally.

What are they paid for again? Seems like a lot of bloat.

 

[dgingeri]

So? The last three companies I worked for did the same. This is pretty well the way they pay management, they have a smaller salary, but bonuses are a big part, sometimes even most, of their pay. Retail management used to be that way all the time. If you calculated just by their salary, they'd make less than minimum wage, but they had bonuses monthly based on sales, stock levels, and labor budget.

When I worked for Best Buy, the managers would frequently 'lose' shifts people worked from the time card system, and then readd them later when they'd make their budget numbers. People would get the pay they worked for, mostly, but it would be later than expected. As a CS supervisor, I frequently worked in the cash room with the time card computer. They thought I couldn't see what they were doing. They probably assumed I'd think they were just adding back missing shifts, but I could see them removing shifts, and then I'd hear later requests by those employees to get paid for those shifts. Complaints to corporate just got me pushed out. Complaints to the Federal Labor Board were largely ignored.

The company I'm working for now hasn't given me a raise in 2 years, despite expanding my responsibilities, and yet the execs get bonuses all the time. They say I'm at my position pay cap. I've been on an unofficial 'work slowdown' since then. I have looked at going elsewhere, but I couldn't receive phone calls on my cell phone at my old desk due to signal and privacy problems. When we last rearranged desks, I convinced my manager to let me sit in the lab, where I can get phone calls on my personal cell phone, and it is loud enough that it masks whatever I'm saying beyond a few feet away. So, yeah, I'm looking for another job now.

 

[jonathonball]

this isn't even their final form

 

[illumined]

When I worked for Best Buy, the managers would frequently 'lose' shifts people worked from the time card system, and then readd them later when they'd make their budget numbers. People would get the pay they worked for, mostly, but it would be later than expected. As a CS supervisor, I frequently worked in the cash room with the time card computer. They thought I couldn't see what they were doing. They probably assumed I'd think they were just adding back missing shifts, but I could see them removing shifts, and then I'd hear later requests by those employees to get paid for those shifts. Complaints to corporate just got me pushed out. Complaints to the Federal Labor Board were largely ignored.

No wonder Best Buy is sinking.

The company I'm working for now hasn't given me a raise in 2 years, despite expanding my responsibilities, and yet the execs get bonuses all the time. They say I'm at my position pay cap. I've been on an unofficial 'work slowdown' since then. I have looked at going elsewhere, but I couldn't receive phone calls on my cell phone at my old desk due to signal and privacy problems. When we last rearranged desks, I convinced my manager to let me sit in the lab, where I can get phone calls on my personal cell phone, and it is loud enough that it masks whatever I'm saying beyond a few feet away. So, yeah, I'm looking for another job now.

Yep, what they're doing here is classic bad management. Most people, at some level or another, are motivated by money. It might not be the number one priority for most, but it definitely matters when the execs are getting big bonuses and you're getting nothing for your extra efforts. Smart management would be to take smaller bonuses for themselves and give bonuses to the people who work the hardest.

 

[haste.]

No wonder Best Buy is sinking.



Yep, what they're doing here is classic bad management. Most people, at some level or another, are motivated by money. It might not be the number one priority for most, but it definitely matters when the execs are getting big bonuses and you're getting nothing for your extra efforts. Smart management would be to take smaller bonuses for themselves and give bonuses to the people who work the hardest.

Everyone thinks they are "working the hardest". If you were qualified to work as an "exec" you would be. It's more work than you think. The frontline always thinks they they are overworked and underpaid - If you are good at your job, you will be compensated...

 

[Wierdo]

This is why we're screwed, getting top heavy, no productivity, just lotsa patting on the back and wide eyed peasants dreaming of being that ridiculously paid CEO whose heels they're licking.

 

[nutzo]

The company I'm working for now hasn't given me a raise in 2 years, despite expanding my responsibilities, and yet the execs get bonuses all the time. They say I'm at my position pay cap. I've been on an unofficial 'work slowdown' since then. I have looked at going elsewhere, but I couldn't receive phone calls on my cell phone at my old desk due to signal and privacy problems. When we last rearranged desks, I convinced my manager to let me sit in the lab, where I can get phone calls on my personal cell phone, and it is loud enough that it masks whatever I'm saying beyond a few feet away. So, yeah, I'm looking for another job now.

Yep, time to start looking for another job.
I've not only taken on a lot more responsibility in my job, but due to the company now offering 24 hour support to companies, as the IT person I'm on call 24/7 in case of any network issues. Used to be as long as it was fixed by the following morning it was ok, but now I'm expected to get everything back up as soon as possible.

I did get a raise the last couple years (after a couple years of not getting one), but the amount is so low, it's not even enough to keep up with the increase in the health insurance cost, let alone inflation.

Management only seems to give out decent pay increases if someone changes positions. Since I'm still in the same position, they don't seem to realize that the work load and responsibilities have significantly increase as the company size has grown by almost 3x.

Biggest raise I ever got was many years ago when I was in the same position (but even more under paid). I explained to the owner that I had an offer that was too good to pass up, so I was turning in my 2 week notice. They counteroffered by offering me an 80% raise, which I accepted because I really didn't want to work for the guy who made the offer

 

[temujin987]

This is why we're screwed, getting top heavy, no productivity, just lotsa patting on the back and wide eyed peasants dreaming of being that ridiculously paid CEO whose heels they're licking.

hey, i'm happy to get some table scraps, occasionally. i totally will be a billionaire some day just from working hard as a warehouse worker. look at zuckerberg. young dude got rich! he totally wasn't wealthy to begin with. you're just a communist! /sarcasm

 

[nutzo]

Everyone thinks they are "working the hardest". If you were qualified to work as an "exec" you would be. It's more work than you think. The frontline always thinks they they are overworked and underpaid - If you are good at your job, you will be compensated...

I've worked for a number of small businesses over the years, and some of the most clueless/unqualified people I've worked with have been in management. I've seen good companies that have gone out of business due to poor management decisions. (This includes corrupt decisions used to enrich themselves at the cost of the company, but that's another long story)

I'll agree that many "frontline" employees complain they are overworked and underpaid when they are not, but that mainly applies to the low/no skill employees. In higher skilled jobs, many companies tend to take advantage of the employees, with low pay and long hours. It's been especially bad with the slow economy the past several years, but at least where I live the job market is finally starting to look up.

Companies have gotten so used to under paying people, that if the job market keeps picking up, they are going to have serious problems as their best people finally decide it's worth the chance to take a better paying job elsewhere. I've already been seeing this at my company where we've already lost several good employees the past few months, and the main reason for most of them left has been the low pay.

 

[toffty]

If anyone wants to see money in perspective
http://xkcd.com/980/huge/#x=-10266&y=-2928&z=5
(Zoom with mouse wheel and click and drag to move around)

Some interesting facts:
The US's 400 richest people have a greater combined net worth than the poorest 50% of the country (400 == 1.5 million) (And you know those 400 earned it! )

Every wage earner in the US could be paid 250k a year in salary and there would still be money left over the 1% to still get millions in salary

 

[Blown 89]

I call bs on you knowing that. I highly doubt the execs are making their salaries and bonuses known to their employees.

 

[daglesj]

I call bs on you knowing that. I highly doubt the execs are making their salaries and bonuses known to their employees.

Depends if they are listed or not. If they are on the stock exchange it all gets put in the public domain.

 

[ep0x73]

Sweet day when they go out of business and stop harassing citizens.

It will never happen though, sadly.

 

[dgingeri]

I call bs on you knowing that. I highly doubt the execs are making their salaries and bonuses known to their employees.

It's all on public record.

 

[Darunion]

I have in my years worked with way too many "I could do what management does with one arm behind my back" people usually from the skill-less parts of the compoany or those who don't even show up to work on time or believe documentation and procedure is stupid and a waste of time.

No not ever manager or executive is going to usher in the golden age of the company but neither are some of its labor force.

Be competitive and spend your time worrying how better to do your own job and don't worry what someone else is making. If you are the type of person to sit around and talk in the break room about "he or she didn't deserve what they make" then you are more of the problem with the company than you think. You don't see success come from the gossip corner of the room, it comes from the person working late to finish their job. Also if your company is stagnating it might also be a good time to browse elsewhere, maybe not even to job hop but to get out there and brush up on your resume and interview skills.

 

[nutzo]

Sweet day when they go out of business and stop harassing citizens.

And the added bonus is that when they go out of business, all the jobs the complainers have will go away too.

 

[toffty]

The US's 400 richest people have a greater combined net worth than the poorest 50% of the country (400 == 1.5 million) (And you know those 400 earned it! )

I wish there was an edit... 1.5 million should have been 150 million.

 

[Ponder]

I have in my years worked with way too many "I could do what management does with one arm behind my back" people usually from the skill-less parts of the compoany or those who don't even show up to work on time or believe documentation and procedure is stupid and a waste of time.

One on the management side would have just as many stories about miss management. The problem in today's market is their is very little room for one to work their way up in a company. Store has 30 employees one manager. He gets promoted to district manager for working harder/smarter than anyone else. He then promotes the one best worker. SO now unless he gets promoted the likelihood of promoted for the next decade is very slim. So options tend to be do you then retrain for another field, start a new business or hope somehow that more jobs will be created so you can eventually move up.

There is very little capital for new businesses and the tax structure is such that the system works against them. In the end the magic of it all is how the top end execs have taught everyone the problem is the quality of the front line workers yet very few offer superior pay to correct for said issue. Down the chain everyone is told how replaceable they are and treated as such and companies wonder why employees do not go the extra mile to help the company in hopes that magically they will be the one in 30 picked for the promotion.

 

[Deleted member 108676]

AMERICA!

FUCK YEAH!

 

[Darunion]

One on the management side would have just as many stories about miss management. The problem in today's market is their is very little room for one to work their way up in a company. Store has 30 employees one manager. He gets promoted to district manager for working harder/smarter than anyone else. He then promotes the one best worker. SO now unless he gets promoted the likelihood of promoted for the next decade is very slim. So options tend to be do you then retrain for another field, start a new business or hope somehow that more jobs will be created so you can eventually move up.

There is very little capital for new businesses and the tax structure is such that the system works against them. In the end the magic of it all is how the top end execs have taught everyone the problem is the quality of the front line workers yet very few offer superior pay to correct for said issue. Down the chain everyone is told how replaceable they are and treated as such and companies wonder why employees do not go the extra mile to help the company in hopes that magically they will be the one in 30 picked for the promotion.

You make very valid points. I myself work for a small company that has lots of opportunities for new positions. The department I am in is very motivational to their employees and spends effort to recognize accomplishments.

Before that I worked in a company where I was simply a number and a calculated cost per piece produced formula. And that place would 95% of the time hire from the outside as opposed to internally.

 

[CanonicalAbstract]

You know, I'm one year I managed to gain $11k in pay increase over the course of seven months.

At my former "tier 2" help desk position, I was one of those severely underpaid and practically (physically and emotionally) sick.

I'm more or less tier 1 again, but the work environment is actually quite nice and worth what I'm being paid. Plus a nice career path being set up for me

 

[EndlessRed]

Wrong, wrong, and wrong. There are a ton of execs out there that does absolutely jack shit beyond pointing fingers at people and laying blame to avoid responsibility. Those "execs" got up there by ass kissing and boot licking, and possibly some salad tossing, and are worth less than dog dirt.

Being an "exec" is supposed to be hard work - except even in the exec ranks only a few are really pulling weight, when most are, in fact, bloat. If workplaces can eliminate workers, surely they can eliminate a few execs, but you'll never see that happen. You just end up with more execs shouting at fewer people.

Tell that to the people who work 60 hour weeks, doing far beyond what their job description required, and watched on as their supervisors and execs get huge bonuses while their wages remain stagnant.

 

[EndlessRed]

Ugh damn quoting tags.