anti smokers gone too far

[bvr775]

I thought someone was just pulling my leg today,but there is about a million article on the web about smokers getting fired for smokeing. Not on companey property, not on companey time, Just for smokeing.

*You dammmn right this is a rant*
i can understand that smoking is bad for you. I can understand that nonsmokers dont' want to smell our smoke. i can understand allot of B/S stired up by a bunch of people that have nothing better to do in their lifes but make everyone else misrible.
NO that that's right I don't understand. we see that smoking is bad and belive it are not we still chose to smoke. I'm not rich, I don't have a summer home in cali to go to when i get stressed. I can't afford to go shopping every time I get bored. i just don't get it. I thought smoking was legal.

You know what madey i'll just strat drincking and driving and getting high agian. At least if I get cauht for that i get slap on the wrist a couple of weeks supention and get sent to a nice rehab that my insurance pays for.
what was the piont of getting clean if one of the only things that keep for fuking up again is taken away.


hey this is the internet not real life have fun with the rants

[DROPPEDGMC]

i saw that on the news. so much for a "free" america. just like that law in texas for getting your vehicle towed

[Supercharged-ZQ8]

Tell me about it! Columbus voted in a "smoking ban" and bars have seen such a huge loss in business because of it that MANY of the bar owners have risked the fines and penalties -- figuring that the $150 is nowhere near as severe as the amount of business they're losing.

I smoke, and I'm of the opinion that as long as I'm in a designated smoking area and a non-smoker doesn't like it, then they can get the f*ck out. "Thank you for not breathing while I smoke!"

OK -- sure, it causes cancer and it smells. That describes about EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET nowadays! Carbon monoxide? Pollution? "Dirty" air? Non-smokers should wake up and smell the sh!t they're shovelling -- what about all the CARS that do the same thing? What about all the big factories around? What about semis?

GIVE ME A BREAK! Now people are getting fired for just smoking? Hmm. . . Let's see, can we say DISCRIMINATION LAWSUITS!

[Supercharged-ZQ8]

One of these days. . . One of these days. . . There's a clock tower and a high-powered rifle with my name on them. Oh, wait, I forgot, what about all those "assault weapons" bans?!

Some much for "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" -- now it's "Land of the Lawsuit, Home of Over-Litigation!"

[DROPPEDGMC]

and thats what i fight for being in the navy. freedom

[extreme gmc]

stupid rules and laws. welcome to my world: uss main garage...

[extreme gmc]

we get a new boss in the shop and now he tells us we cannot smoke where we have been smoking in the shop since the 70s. one rule that has always been around is no smoking near someone who is working on a gasoline tank. common sense, right? well now the whole shop is no smoking!!! i only smok a god cigar (no swisher sweets) once in a while. i have been out of the shop since last wednesday (vacation) and from what i am hearing less workis gettnig done because all the smokers (about 2/3 of the shop) are outside geting their fix. go figure...

[LEADFOOT]

I agree with you guys. By the time our kids get old this nation is going to be like the movie, Demolition Man. No swearing, smoking, sex, or any of the fun stuff. Like s/ced said, air polution. How about when you drive down the road with your windows down and you are at a traffic light and the big truck next to you takes off and this big cloud of smoke comes roaring in your window because their exhaust is under the truck and pointed right at you. I think its worse to breathe in all that than it is to sit next to someone that is smoking. I also think that all commercial diesel trucks should have to have their exhaust pipe ran up the side to let it out above the traffic around them.

Ok enough ranting.

[Krazny]

One of these days. . . One of these days. . . There's a clock tower and a high-powered rifle with my name on them. Oh, wait, I forgot, what about all those "assault weapons" bans?!


What Assault Weapons Ban? :2gunsfiri
(The federal one expired on 9/14/04, at 12:00:01 am)

Yea. Its **** like this that pisses me off, because its NONE of my employers **** business what I do in my spare time as long as I ain't selling trade secrets or stealing company assets. Goddamn it, it like that company in Ohio that broke into employee's cars and fired all the people who had a legally possessed pistol and a Carry Permit because it 'Violated Company Morals'. Time for somebody to get their asses sued.

[importmaster1300]

Some much for "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" -- now it's "Land of the Lawsuit, Home of Over-Litigation!"

NOOOOOOO SHHHIIIITTTT!!!!! I Completly agree! Things are even more messed up on the inside of the government!

[20Xtreme02]

I didn't see the news article so I might be off base here. Some companies do not hire smokers. Statistics show that smokers take more sick days and cost more in health care expense. Some health care providers offer lower rates to companies that only hire non-smokers. So when someone says they are a non-smoker when applying for or accepting a job, and then the company finds out they are a smoker, they can fire the employee for mis-representing themselves.

I'm not saying this is right or wrong, just trying to help you guys understand why this might be happening.

[T Man]

Just to play the devils advocate as well, your employment there isnt a right. Unless you are contracted you can be fired at any time for any reason. You could be fired because the boss didnt like the way you cut your fingernails. But yes, even as a non smoker, i think this law is a total load of bull**** (and what is wrong with swisher sweets, i love them when i dont have any money and im drunk and want a cigar)

[PitchBlackBlzr]

All I can say is thank god for the Union...I'd like to see my company fire people for that...man o man it would be an azzwhoopin in the making if they started that!

[Maximus]

They just passed a smoking ban in Lexington here while back.So I don't go there anymore to any of the bars.I go to knoxville or bowling green were I can smoke while I drink my beer.Tell ya how stupid it is they won't even let people smoke in a cigar shop or tobacco store.They even took away our smoking area at work that was indoors and heated and placed a damnn gazeebo that we have to go and freeze our azz of to smoke on our break.There are tons of grievances being filed over it and it's even being sent to frankfort because of it.I work for the state and it's getting real bad here locally.Im hoping but not holding my breath that they will decide in our favor.

[Mike 92S10]

Big brother is watching you.

[bvr775]

Ok i opened purely as a rant tread. so ***** about everything. It healty to get thing off your chest even if it's only in writting.



because this is a free society "We the People" opted to let the outher people have the freedom to sue because they don't have the common sence to know coffee is hot. Yes some suits are valid, but for the majority are B/S and in most cases are settled without any investigasion causeing everyone else to pay for their ignorance and greed. We allow insurnce companeys to raise our rate year after year, but will not vote in anything that may posibly keep us from getting rich if we slip on a wet floor because we are too busy talking on our cell phone to see the signs.
then we have the coporate issue where a group of people deside if YOU fit their image of a healty employee fitting their company image. NOT a qualified hard working employee, but a healty employee that looks like every one else they hire. Kinda makes you wonder why the guy at the parts store dosen't know what a distributor cap is.corporations own everything and we give them power by allowing them to thinck for us. They tell us what to wear, what to do, what watch and read ,and what to thinck.

I don't agree with this companey disision. If you've read the articles you'll see that most of the people fired were long term employees with good work attendance records.In fact 6 of the people fired had never missed a day of work and never even used their insurance. The smoking clause was in none of their contracts(yes they were under contract).In fact was just resently introdused at the beginning of the year. They were relased from a carrer not a job and some are over the 50 year mark this makes it almost imposible to find a new job paying anywhere near the same wages. They were given no compensation as of yet and were fired for failing a piss test. NO UNEMPLOYMENT and even though it was a completely legale substance in their urine they will still be branded as failing a drug screen.

IS IT STILL AN EMPLOYERS RIGHT TO HIRE AND FIRE FOR NO REASON????????? I don't thinck so. What I do in my own home as long as it's leagle is none of their buisness. IT'S NOT FREEDOM IT'S MARXISIM.

[Supercharged-ZQ8]

Unfortunately, most states are turning into "At Will" states -- which means that either an employee or an employer can terminate employment at any time with no written notice and no reason. This works both ways. An employee can suddenly decide to NOT show up for work, and that's it -- no consequences aside from not having that job any more. Onthe flip side, however, an employer can terminate an employee (good or bad work history) for absolutely no reason and get away with it.

With the employees that were fired due to "smoking" I am will to bet the bank that they were all long-time employees making decent wages and with good benefits. Employees like that are often the targets of witch hunts. Why? Because a company can hire some stupid kid to work for one QUARTER of the money, a fraction of the insurance and benefits cost, and do the job just well enough to "get by."

So, if you think you are an invaluable employee that the company wants to keep, you've got an excellent attendence record, you do an excellent job, and so forth, then you're probably going to be one of the first whose heads are on the chopping block.

This has NOTHING to do with Marxism. Marxism is the rudimentary idea behind socialism -- a system wherein the government owns all means of production and prices, wages, material costs, etc. are dictated by the government.

Any more, the only people that are really even close to what can be called "safe" in keeping their jobs are people that put forth only enough effort to meet the minimal standards set forth by any given company. Over productive people are undesirable, because they are often long-term employees, and the longer someone stays at any given company, the larger their raise (and thus, salary) will be. Most companies only give out 3-5% raises every year. If a person only makes $10 an hour, then that 3-5% is only 30 to 50 cents per hour. But, over time, that 3-5% can start turning into substantial amounts. A $50K/year job is approximately $25/hour. That 3-5% raise is now 75 cents to $1.25 per hour. Going further, with a $100K job, that "measly" 3-5% ends up being $1.50 to $2.50 per hour. Most companies DON'T want to pay out raises over 50 cents per hour. Why? Because when their overhead gets that high, they either need to increase the cost of their product/service or the company heads don't see as much of a profit. And, rather than risk losing an already fickle consumer base or having a lower profit margin, they eliminate devoted, valuable employees and hire in people that do the same job (although of lesser quality) for pennies instead of dollars.

WELCOME TO CORPORATE AMERICA! It's called "screw the people that make you rich."

Frankly, it's not the higher-ups that should get all the benefits and perks, it's the people that MAKE THEM THEIR MILLIONS every year that should have them. And people wonder why I absolutely hate, despise, detest, and wish to destroy Big Business. Because Big Business IS the root of all evil, plain and simple.

[LEADFOOT]

All I can say is thank god for the Union...I'd like to see my company fire people for that...man o man it would be an azzwhoopin in the making if they started that!
i'm trying to get my foot in the door at verizon. I can join the union, but I don't know what its all about. Since you are a member, are the pros and cons?

[PitchBlackBlzr]

Depends on your union as I am a member of International Association of Machinests and Aeronautics Workers (Lodge 2650) and its a HUGE union it gets what it wants...dues you have to pay..but if the unions good and strong then its worth it, not to mention contract time is ALWAYS fun. The con is that depending upon your position that is your pay but you get no raises until the next contract time, no matter if your better at the job then someone else or not if you have the same work classification thats what you get paid..period!..theres more pro's then cons though..this is my first union shop and i wouldnt give it up for a non union shop even if they paid me.

[bvr775]

This has NOTHING to do with Marxism. Marxism is the rudimentary idea behind socialism -- a system wherein the government owns all means of production and prices, wages, material costs, etc. are dictated by the government.



not disagreeing but corperation like that are run like socalist cumunitys. lets change it a little and you'll see why I say it resembles maxism

Marxism is the rudimentary idea behind socialism -- a system wherein the corporation owns all means of production and prices, wages, material costs, etc. are dictated by the corprate managment.

What happens if corprate world desides not to back corprate america.
who has the power now? Our goverment knows this this is why we have to keep a smile on our faces when dealing with corprate japan, corprate korea, corprate britan, or any outher well advanced corprate nation.
WE ARE OWNED, but atleast we're not the only ones we just tend to be more dependant on luxerys then outher nations.

I don't remeber exactly how it went, but marx said something like "I will not destroy america from the outside, but from within"

[T Man]

Marxism is the rudimentary idea behind socialism -- a system wherein the corporation owns all means of production and prices, wages, material costs, etc. are dictated by the corprate managment.

Umm, thats a monopoly pal. I dont understand Marxisim very well, but I was always under the impression that that is when the Government owns that, not the company.