Platemaker pay?

Joe · November 28, 2016, 08:54:03 AM

We have two full time plate makers and trust me making plates here is full time job for 2 sheetfed presses, a crappy 2 color Hamada and an AB Dick plus 5 large web presses.

Farabomb · November 28, 2016, 09:13:52 AM

Largest place I worked had 1didi web, 1 GTO, 2x 6 colors (one with a perfecting drum between 3&4) and a 6 color extended delivery with AQ coater. Even then with me running proofs and plates and our QC guy checking proofs, the other guy running the vacuum frame would push a broom most of the time.

Joe · November 28, 2016, 09:26:34 AM

When our company went CTP they bought the fancy autoloader and the plan then was to get rid of the strippers that also made plates and the prepress people would cue up our plates and they would run unattended.

What a disappointment for management. It turns out even with the auto loader it has the be watched anytime it is running. It will either drop a plate or a slip sheet or the plate will go into the processor crooked and jam. So they never did get rid of the strippers/platers (2) that are still there making plates everyday.

Farabomb · November 28, 2016, 10:36:34 AM

When I started the same deal was happening. The strippers were doing QC and making plates from time to time until I got there. You really had to babysit the autoloader. One stripper that was trained on the CTP system got pissed at me because I walked in and soon I was at his level and surpassing him. He didn't like that, got pissed one day and took his tackle box and went home, never to come back again.

born2print · November 28, 2016, 12:07:19 PM

boy he showed you.

hotmetal · December 05, 2016, 06:44:15 PM

Back in the day... they installed a big Creo digital plate machine around 2001, for 2-64" sheet fed presses, a 4C and a 6C. A lot of short runs. About that same time they cut the early '80s Great Big Scanner up for scrap, and one of the scanner techs became my Mac protege and the other took on 2nd shift plate making. I asked to be trained on the plate machine and was told there was no need. About 5 years later they all of sudden decided I was going to be the 2nd shift fill-in plate maker — and responsible for chemistry and calibration when I was filling in. That bugged me, I wasn't given any training in any of that stuff, and didn't go to trade school like the rest of them. I'm a typesetter, damnit... be happy that I can strip as good as anyone in the shop.

The 2 full-timers were secretive about their calibration charts and settings — I think they took them home with them. So... I lied to the boss. "Yeah, sure, I checked the scales."

No, I didn't. What was the question again? Oh, right. Union shop. You'll hate me if I tell you what we were all making back then.

hm

Joe · December 05, 2016, 10:49:45 PM

Quote from: hotmetal on December 05, 2016, 06:44:15 PMOh, right. Union shop. You'll hate me if I tell you what we were all making back then.

hm

Oh yeah...the good old days. Right now I make just slightly more than I did in 1990 in my old union shop. That means over the last 26 years I've received about a .008% percent raise per year on average. But there were many a year I received massive cuts just to keep a job. The reality of it is though is that I make about 75% less now in buying power than I did 1990 due to inflation. What a career!

Farabomb · December 06, 2016, 08:27:43 AM

I guess I should be happy I never made the big bucks. The GF makes 2x what I do but still we struggle at times.

I really had a struggle to not punch the boss in the fucking face today. He made a comment as I was getting staples on how "we have a lot of work to do today". Everyone in the office asks, shocked, what do you mean. He started saying how I didn't do anything with this and that person didn't do anything with that when everyone is current and actually ahead. He would know if he took 2 seconds out of his day to give a shit about the print company. Don't tell me I didn't do anything when you haven't gone out and sold printing in 5 years.

Ear · December 07, 2016, 06:04:07 PM

Quote from: Joe on December 05, 2016, 10:49:45 PM
Quote from: hotmetal on December 05, 2016, 06:44:15 PMOh, right. Union shop. You'll hate me if I tell you what we were all making back then.

hm

Oh yeah...the good old days. Right now I make just slightly more than I did in 1990 in my old union shop. That means over the last 26 years I've received about a .008% percent raise per year on average. But there were many a year I received massive cuts just to keep a job. The reality of it is though is that I make about 75% less now in buying power than I did 1990 due to inflation. What a career!

Amen brother. And since bonuses are dropping, I literally make less and less every year, for the past couple of years. And do more tasks/more responsibility, by a fair amount. I'm CSR, prepress prep, platemaker, designer, IT, Digital operator and service technician for dozen servers and plotters. It's mostly stuff I like but I didn't have half these tasks 5 years ago. And I had 3 times as many people. I need a fucking algorithm to figure out how much I'm getting screwed.

DigiCorn · December 07, 2016, 06:16:51 PM

Right now, I make just a few thousand a year more than I did in 2000, so in roughly 17 years I've basically made the same amount of money, but with rising costs of living, inflation, etc. it really is like making less. However, what I made starting in 2000 is over double what I made in 1998, so I guess things could be worse.

Ear · December 07, 2016, 06:28:28 PM

Agreed, but shit cost less than half, in 1998...

Boss said I was looking a little skinny, the other day... guess I shoulda told her it was her fault.

Joe · December 07, 2016, 07:50:45 PM

Quote from: Ear on December 07, 2016, 06:04:07 PMAmen brother. And since bonuses are dropping, I literally make less and less every year, for the past couple of years. And do more tasks/more responsibility, by a fair amount. I'm CSR, prepress prep, platemaker, designer, IT, Digital operator and service technician for dozen servers and plotters. It's mostly stuff I like but I didn't have half these tasks 5 years ago. And I had 3 times as many people. I need a fucking algorithm to figure out how much I'm getting screwed.

I thought I was doing pretty good and then Obama Care kicked it. That repeatedly kicks me in the nuts all year now.

Farabomb · December 08, 2016, 08:05:29 AM

I love hearing on NPR how they seem to think the ACA is the best thing to happen in life. It helps some while fucking the rest of us. The problem lies in the insurance companies. Make it so they can't deny because of prior issues. Regulate the pharmaceutical companies and fine the living fuck out of them when they take an existing drug and jack the price up to astronomical levels. Pay the doctors decently so they aren't likely to scam the system by ordering tests that aren't needed. Presently it's just a tax that makes the middle class pay for others. I don't feel it's fair that I have to help pay for the person that doesn't take care of themselves in the least and now have less of a want to do so. I got Obamacare, I don't need to take care of myself, I want another 1-4 value meal and bring back supersizing.

Joe · December 08, 2016, 08:16:50 AM

Health insurers are screaming they are losing money! They have already listed their demands to republicans for when they repeal the AFA.

Health Insurers List Demands if Affordable Care Act Is Killed

I don't trust Trump and the Republicans anymore than Obama and the Democrats. The middle class will get reamed by both.

Farabomb · December 08, 2016, 08:26:02 AM

Yeah, I'm a bit worried as well. I'm hoping he can find a way with his advisors to unfuck the ACA. It's a good idea but it's just been implemented badly. I TOTALLY don't trust the insurance companies though. I know they are full of shit and are more shady than politicians and that's saying something.

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Platemaker pay?