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The Paper Company
Columbia Mills had gone into receivership. I was without job.
A "Paper Company" was hiring. It was one of four Companies owned by a single individual. He had purchased them from other paper companies. As a group they were doing very well. This “Paper Company” was made up of two plants in one location. I had been hired there as an electrical supervisor for the converting plant. I had applied to be a mechanical supervisor, but they had already offered that job to someone else. With my extensive converting experience, they wanted me and they were sure I would fit in the electrical position.
Four of us had been hired, A mechanical, a welding, an instrumentation, and an electrical supervisor. The pay was great, the work challenging, and our boss fantastic. The position was also better a fit for me than I had expected. More fantastic, was the word that we were to share in the bonus that month. It was for profit sharing that would net me thousands extra that first month.
Less than a week later, we called in to see the VP for Human Resources. He explained that this company CEO had quit the organization and with him the profit sharing was gone. (I am not sure as to what actually happened, but he had somehow invested an amount of the company assets greater than our profit with a friend who in turn lost the money. There was no profit; there would be no bonus.) Further, he explained that our supervisory positions were being eliminated.
We were all offered hourly positions in our related discipline. I might have said yes to mechanic or instrumentation job, but did not feel it was fair to take a job as a journeyman electrician when the apprentice electricians were more capable than myself.
Two of us left the company. We were each given a week’s pay, travel both ways, and six weeks pay for our inconvenience. I would have liked that job.
I could now take a week of deer hunting. I did. When I returned from hunting, I had a message waiting from the “Paper Company". They wanted me back as a supervisor. I called the HR VP. He in formed me that he had taken the liberty of paying a months rent to hold my old apartment if I was interested. He would also wire travel expenses if I could be there the following Monday. I said I would.
I arrived that Monday. At noon I was again called into the HR office. I was again informed that my position had once more been eliminated.
I received another six weeks pay and travel expenses home.
Working for the “Paper Company" was short, but very lucrative. | |
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