Need Help Re: Aerotek, GM and Michigan! Thanks!

Nov 22 2002 | tiamat

[tiamat]

Hello!

I need a little help. A while back, there was a thread on FR having to do with the contract house Aerotek, it's relationship with GM, and a possible class action suit by people here in Michigan.

Our daughter's godfather has worked for Aerotek for 4 years now, assigned to GM. He has been promised that Aerotek would get him hired by GM, has had a couple of pay cuts, and has had his benefits slashed. He's also just been plain lied to. We have since found out that Aerotek lies to their people routinely, and ammounts to endentured servitude. GM likes them because THEY don't have to pay benefits.

Being a middle-aged, white conservative male in this economy makes just quitting altogether a bad idea. for our friend.

I mentioned the thread I had seen, and said I would make inquiries.

Any help or info regarding this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Tia

[Hodar]

As a contractor myself, here's what I know. Contractors get paid some $$/hr, in which the contractor-house gets a substancial percentage (~20-50%) out of each paycheck paid to them by the company. The contract-house (Aerotech, Volt, whomever) pays part of the social security check, and administers whatever benefits are contracted. In my case, 0 sick leave, 0 vacation, 0 holidays, and 0 medical benefits. It's up to the contractor (individual) to work around these problems. Naturally, as the contactor-house does absolutely NOTHING and may sponsor hundreds of contractors, thus making obscene profits; it is in their interests to keep the contractor around, using any means available. Promises of permanent positions are not something that ANY contract-house can deliver on. Only the employer may chose to tender an offer. My suggestion is, take the job; and continue looking for a permanent position.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Google detects no evidence of any thread mentioning Aerotek.

[FreedomPoster]

For some reason, I find Google searches don't work too well at FR. I've read there's a reason for that, but donlt have the details.

[Thisiswhoweare]

I'm familiar with that group and seem to recall they go by several names. They contacted my husband when he was looking for work and sounded like he had a position in hand, only to find out (after many calls on his part) either they hadn't heard anything or the position had been withdrawn indefintely.

Talk about wasting your valuable time...

[KC_Conspirator]

As a former headhunter, all I can say is that there is no way to control the actions of the employers - such as GM can't or won't hire.

[Maximum Leader]

You're right. The best advice is to smile,take the job and then ditch them as soon as you can get another job.

I don't really any grounds for a lawsuit (there's no indentured servitude here, no one is forcing him to keep this job). To be blunt, this is the sort of situation that keeps labor unions in business. If your friend was in a union, he'd definitely have benefits. On the other hand, if your friend was in a union, he might not have a job.

[BlackbirdSST]

I've done contract work with Aerotek in the past on three occassion's, they stuck to the contract, made no claim's they couldn't back up. I moved from one contract into a permanent IT position with one of, what was then, the Big 6 Accounting Firm's in DC. It probably depends on the people more than the Aerotek Company itself. They are now OnSite in this area, no longer use Aerotek. Alway's watch your own back when doing contract work, best advice. Blackbird.

[Flashlight]

...Our daughter's godfather has worked for Aerotek for 4 years now, assigned to GM..

When I worked in a similar situation (for DCI, "assigned" to Ford), Ford wanted *me* and only *me*. If DCI would have tried to replace me, that would have been the end of their contract.

If your friend is in a position where GM wants *him*, and won't accept an Aerotek replacement, then he is in a good position to negotiate with Aerotek and call all the shots.

If he's been there for four years, there's a good chance the GM group wants him and not someone else. He needs to get their support, and use it as leverage against his agency.

As far as "not having to pay benefits", in my experience, that's not exactly true. The employer can *waive* benefits and elect to be paid "hourly", which means he gets more money. (My brother does that - He gets all the benefits he wants thanks to his wife's job.)

[blackdog]

I had a job situation through Aerotek. They took me to dinners, we played golf, I interviewed with their client. I was given an incredible salary. I had to do EMI testing and tweeking for motor generator sets in order to be the guarantor of emi and contract specifications. The reality was that the employer had no knowlege of such things. I had to build a shielded room, purchase testing equipment, write software programs for automated testing, and so on......Well, paying me $26.00 per hour to test and certify is one thing. They had me doing consulting and Engineer work, both of which pull in over $100,000 per year. I quit that gig. Temp to hire agencies are just a cover or crutch for bad management and a bad screening process.

The other reason for them is to get around union situations. An Aerotek worker does not officially show on the headcount list. This is a famous way for a lousy managment team to mask poor utilization. If you need the cash, grin and bare it. You will be lied to and carrot/sticked for all eternity. Develop a professional friendship within the real company. Never complain. Let your friend ask the questions. Eventually they will rescue you if you are worth it and you really do want to be there.

[tiamat]

Thanks, Gang, for the in-put.

It is beginning to look a lot like a GM problem.

They want him, he's one of three people in the country who does what he does, but they are dragging thier feet about making a commitment.

I am going to make Trajanus ( his on-line name) read this thread when he comes here for Thanksgiving!

Thanks again!

Tia