[Team Yates]

Laid off Roush Fenway crewman sues team: A former Roush Fenway Racing fabricator and over-the-wall crew member is suing the team for money he alleges he is owed for being laid off prior to the completion of his three-year contract. Nick Bailey, signed a three-year deal in October 2006 to run through the 2009 season, according to the complaint and portions of his contract filed recently in North Carolina Superior Court in Charlotte. He initially worked in the Truck shop at Roush as well as on the pit crew for the No. 16 Nationwide team. He was then transferred to Roush’s ARCA team in April 2008. At the time he was laid off Nov. 10 , 2008, his base salary was $1,050 per week, according to the complaint. He also was eligible for bonuses depending on the performance of the team and the pit crew. Bailey is asking for $63,000 – his salary from Nov. 10, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2009 – and for whatever bonuses it is determined he deserves. Roush Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith confirmed that Bailey had been laid off as part of a reduction in the company work force but declined further comment.(SceneDaily)(12-12-200

[Racer Duck]

it would have been cheaper to have bought out his contract ($63K is coffee money at RFR) now this publicity is gonna bring everyone out of the woodwork who has been laid off with unfinished contracts...

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

it would have been cheaper to have bought out his contract ($63K is coffee money at RFR) now this publicity is gonna bring everyone out of the woodwork who has been laid off with unfinished contracts...

Yep.... now they'll have court costs and lawyer fees for all complaints filed. Ain't corporate life grand

[LSC9901]

It may have been cheaper for this one but when you look at all that are laid off it is better for management to take the chance to see if this one can be beaten in court. If they beat him then they all go away with no chance of a fight in court.

[thunderfoot]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

It may have been cheaper for this one but when you look at all that are laid off it is better for management to take the chance to see if this one can be beaten in court. If they beat him then they all go away with no chance of a fight in court.

Yup, they go runnin back home like my ole coon dawg that got his nose in a hornets nest. One thing they got in common is a loud bawl.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Yep.... now they'll have court costs and lawyer fees for all complaints filed. Ain't corporate life grand

Court costs and lawyer retainer fees are all the cost of doing business; i.e., a tax deduction.

[thunderfoot]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Court costs and lawyer retainer fees are all the cost of doing business; i.e., a tax deduction.

If we could just deduct the lawyers, we wouldnt need the leeches.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

If we could just deduct the lawyers, we wouldnt need the leeches.

that's like saying if we could just eliminate quarterbacks we wouldn't so many offensive linemen. it's in the rules (sort of), ya gotta have one if ya want to win.

[Bob Tanner]

In re-reading the article I am amazed at the guy's salary. $54.6K/yr plus possible bonus? That isn't a lot of money for the amount of tradesman's level skill needed to perform that task.
I knew the level of pay the guys in the shop got was low but I didn't think it was that low. Not for the amount of hours they put in compared with the amount of expertise they must possess.
According to the 2007 census the median household income (middle class) was $50,233. This guy's income is just $83.90/wk over that?
I guess you don't get rich working in NA__AR unless you're one of the "stars?"

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

In re-reading the article I am amazed at the guy's salary. $54.6K/yr plus possible bonus? That isn't a lot of money for the amount of tradesman's level skill needed to perform that task.
I knew the level of pay the guys in the shop got was low but I didn't think it was that low. Not for the amount of hours they put in compared with the amount of expertise they must possess.
According to the 2007 census the median household income (middle class) was $50,233. This guy's income is just $83.90/wk over that?
I guess you don't get rich working in NA__AR unless you're one of the "stars?"

According to my son, who's the only person I know personally who has worked on a NASCAR team, a fabricator "in the shop" will get "$15-$20 an hour" and "over the wall" guys usually get paid a specific amount for every trip over the wall and the amount depends on their skill level, the job they do and their speed. He said that a "good fabricator" can probably get a thousand a week no problem and had no direct knowledge what "normal" pay is for OTW guys.

[nascaraddict]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

According to my son, who's the only person I know personally who has worked on a NASCAR team, a fabricator "in the shop" will get "$15-$20 an hour" and "over the wall" guys usually get paid a specific amount for every trip over the wall and the amount depends on their skill level, the job they do and their speed. He said that a "good fabricator" can probably get a thousand a week no problem and had no direct knowledge what "normal" pay is for OTW guys.

But I guess that the teams were trying to save money every way they could in today's economy. But with the lawyers smelling blood in the water, I'm sure that there's going to be money lost somewhere.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

According to my son, who's the only person I know personally who has worked on a NASCAR team, a fabricator "in the shop" will get "$15-$20 an hour" and "over the wall" guys usually get paid a specific amount for every trip over the wall and the amount depends on their skill level, the job they do and their speed. He said that a "good fabricator" can probably get a thousand a week no problem and had no direct knowledge what "normal" pay is for OTW guys.

Thanks, Duck-a-mundo. I don't know any of the OTW or shop guys, except for a few hauler drivers. When I was driving I met a few of them and have, on occasion, had conversations on Criminal Band while going down the blvd. I won't get specific but trust me when I say that is a job I would have taken only under threat of harsh punishment.
Plus, some of them might be a little short on the driving ability scale. Back when Robby Gordon was driving the #31, one night I watched his hauler driver have a Hell of a time backing it into a two-wide spot at the Petro in Eloy, AZ.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Thanks, Duck-a-mundo. I don't know any of the OTW or shop guys, except for a few hauler drivers. When I was driving I met a few of them and have, on occasion, had conversations on Criminal Band while going down the blvd. I won't get specific but trust me when I say that is a job I would have taken only under threat of harsh punishment.
Plus, some of them might be a little short on the driving ability scale. Back when Robby Gordon was driving the #31, one night I watched his hauler driver have a Hell of a time backing it into a two-wide spot at the Petro in Eloy, AZ.

probably an ex-racer. they don't do "reverse" very well....

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

probably an ex-racer. they don't do "reverse" very well....

A driver who has the handle of "Rabbit" (who he pulled for isn't important) told me that in addition to normal driving, anything over [then, when the hours of operation were lower] any haul over 600 miles from Mooresville required a team operation (5 hours driving and five hours in the sleeper), plus they were expected to hump tires at the track, plus they were expected to keep the tractor and chrome spit shined the whole time they were at the track! In addition, the truck drivers were usually the designated "chef."

None of the above is Bob's bag.

On the plus side, there was little backing to worry about. Most (but not all) of the tracks parking was straight in and straight out. You just had to take your turn and know when to arrive at the track because the haulers usually park according to team standings.