Employeer wants to take our cell phones away

[Ranegyr]

I usually don't gripe but i have a big one today. I work for a mom and pop and they micro-manage everything. well, we have a couple of jerk wads who seem to always be on their phones. so, my friend (who is the assistant manager) tells me that this is the new thing that's going down. They want us to surrender our cell phones when we come in, and we can have them for breaks and lunch but not while we are on the clock.

i have a million reasons why this ticks me off, but i am gonna list a few and hopefully you guys can give opinions and suggestions. this economy sucks, but i am not prepared to surrender personal property while in this building.

1. it's pure unamerican
2. i have a kid at home (i know they can call work in emergency)
3. my personal phone has personal pictures and personal notes i have written to myself. i don't trust they someone won't snoop.
4. they are punishing everyone because they don't want to deal with the individual problem.
5. i'll be forced to leave my phone in the car while at work. it's florida and it's really hot outside. or i can just leave it at home and drive to and from work without one. what if i get into an accident or have an emergency?
6. they fired a disgruntled guy almost a year ago. i want my phone in case he shows up with a gun.
7. crap like this happens all the time and things get dealt with my mgt on a mood basis. someone is in the mood to be a poo poo head so we suffer.
8. it's a very laid back office usually. i can spend up to 3 hours on the net and no one cares. i don't smoke but others take 15 smoke breaks at 15 min a peice and no one cares. i can take 20 minutes to chat and get a cup of coffee each time i go for coffee and no one cares. but someone was in a bad mood yesterday and saw a guy on a forklift on his cell and now wants to play Office Hitler.

all in all i love my job. we get everything done, we get paid well, and we have fun too. but because it's a mom and pop, Pop wants to act like our dad and be a bully.

i say repremand the guy on the forklift. tell everyone to stay off their dang phones while at work. if they get caught again, write them up. again, fire them.

i googled this issue and it's not illegal. lots of companies aparently dont allow cell phones cause they don't want employees taking pics and video of the workplace. i get it. but seriously, this will probably happen caus someone has an attidude problem. so i guess i am stuck only being able to be on b.net, aim, yahoo, google, and youtube while i am at work. this is gonna suck.

[Ranegyr]

i was pretty upset when i typed this. i didn't proofread. sorry for the typos.

please feel my pain!

[PythonWallace]

It's their business, so they get to set the policies. A guy operating a forklift while talking on a cell phone sounds like an accident waiting to happen. I know a guy who was pinned to a wall through his arm by a careless forklift operator. I know it wasn't you, but if a handful of people are abusing the laid back nature of the small company, setting a rule like this sort of makes sense. And in this economy, the company is probably feeling it and is trying to tighten up a bit. It sucks, but people really shouldn't be talking on cell phones while they're at work. If you're worried about them snooping on your private pictures, bring in a small lock box and lock your phone in it every morning. You have phones at work, so there's really no danger of not being able to make or receive calls in an emergency, either. If I had a business I would have a no cell phone use on the job policy from day one.

[llovelace]

I understand how you feel, my boss used to go into a tizzy every time my cell rang while on a job, but I will not answer it while working with hot wires or up on a 12ft ladder etc.

The guy on the fork lift should not be using a cell for safety reasons while operating the lift.

Maybe your friend can offer management some reasonable suggestions as how to deal with the problem.

[icygirl]

I drive buses, and if you are caught talking on a cell phone while driving a bus, you pretty much get fired straight off. But it's not like they go through our pockets before we can get in the driver's seat.

And at my old job in retail, we could have our cell phones but weren't allowed to use them on the job. I don't see why they don't just put that policy into effect. Or make it a point system, like you said. There's no reason to actually physically take the cell phones away - I mean come on now... you're adults, not children...

[Ranegyr]

i totally agree that the guy at fault is a total liability risk. i like the guy but if it were my company i would have fired him the minute he came off the lift. that was a stupid move on his part. i also understand that it's their company and they can do whatever they want. it's just frustrating that they feel like handling this situation in this manner. we all remember they one kid who got the chewing gum privilidge taken away. it's not fair. and it's also not fair that organizations can hide behind a bad economy althewhile creating tyrannical rules because we the workers cant afford to quit or cant find another job.

my phone is on vibrate in my pocket. it doesnt' interrupt anyone but me. and if it's not the school, my gf, or my parents, i don't answer.

a few months ago there was a problem with parking the company vans. there isn't enough room for all of them to fit safely. Pop wants them all to fit no matter what. He said, and i quote with anger "IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT MY WAY, GOOD LUCK FINDING ANOTHER JOB NOW. I'VE GOT PEOPLE LINED UP." since then, 2 people have hit a pole because its such a tight squeeze back there. everyone hits a van with their door while getting out and the fat guys have to squeeze out. my point is it's mood managment and the last time i heard "DO IT MY WAY CAUSE I SAID SO," was from my real dad when i was a teen. my god we are all adults and deserve to be treated as such.

it's extremely difficult to find a job now. i dont have the money to take time off. i have a job where my Daddy Boss is on the rag once a quarter. i didn't finish college so there are fewer options. and my boss takes advantage of my situation. i cant be the only one who feels this way. (ha, my phone just viberated) so i have to deal with it.

[JohnNJ]

Why can't you just turn the phone off and keep it in your pocket or purse? You could take it outside during a break to check for messages and then turn it off again.

[Ranegyr]

Why can't you just turn the phone off and keep it in your pocket or purse? You could take it outside during a break to check for messages and then turn it off again.

thats my problem with the whole thing. Why cant be be more responsible. Instead of treating us like adults and telling us to act like them. they decide to take our phones away. it's far easier to outlaw something that to regulate it. and what regulation is necessary. if someone cant follow directions and you catch them on the cell, send the home. they dont listen.

[Nate]

They want us to surrender our cell phones
...

it's pure unamerican

lol. Only in America


Not that I disagree or am poking a stick at your rights...

Why not just silent your phone and keep it in your pocket? What are they gonna do? frisk you every time you come to work? now THAT is pure unAmerican...

[ctrlfreq]

Why not just silent your phone and keep it in your pocket? What are they gonna do? frisk you every time you come to work? now THAT is pure unAmerican...

I don't know about that - there are plenty of jobs where you get frisked every time you come to and leave work. As long as you're working there voluntarily, it's up to the employer to define the conditions.

As for the OP, tell your boss to stick it on the collecting phones nonsense - it's not a invasion of privacy you're willing to put up with for this job, and so their choice is only whether to fire you or not - being it's a free country and all.