Bethelites released not because of cost cutting

by ocsrf 23 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  under_believer

  I realize that the "cost cutting" theory feeds into people's hopes that the Society is going broke, but folks, seriously, that's not what's going on. The Society is rich as hell. They have vast stock and real estate holdings and still get a lot of donations. Me personally, I don't think there's any single reason why people are being laid off. I think there are several reasons that feed into it:

  • More automation in printing means fewer people are necessary
  • The aforementioned worker's compensation issues in the wake of the successful WC lawsuit
  • I really do honestly believe them when they say they are sending out experienced Bethelites to bolster the congregations. Has anybody see the congregations lately? They are seriously flagging... it makes sense that the Society would want to send out "strong" brothers and sisters to prop everyone up. It won't work, of course, but I do believe that this is part of their rationale.
• 

  gumby

  As it has been stated time and again here......"follow the money trail if you want the answers".

  I'd risk saying that 100% of Watchtower changes are due to money and getting their asses out of a doctrinal sling.......and 0% is for the spiritual welfare of the flock.

  Gumby
• 

  Elsewhere

  they are running out of money because the friends aren't contributing the way they used to!

  This is called "Voting with your wallet".

  If the Rank & File were happy with the Watchtower Society, they would be donating all the money the Watchtower Society could ever want.
• 

  sinamongurl

  well what is "jehovahs" reason for doing this, according to the GB? more seasoned publishers as was mentioned earlier?

  well there is a thread out right now about a laid-off bethelite couple and the husband seems like he has an attitude, with reason im sure....but why would "jehovah" want "negative" publishers in the ministry....doesnt make any sense, he should be in the backroom and straightened up or just leave and get and a real job and house like the rest of us....LOL
• 

  daniel-p

  "As it is, they get paid pennies a day. Food is another pennies a day expense. Rooming has been paid for since the buildings were first built. Electricity and water are not that large of an expense either."
  
  Jourles, you're missing one BIG expense - medical expenses. That is the primary reason why these ones are being let go. That and fear of litigation for not providing medical coveraege in the state of an emergency. Those 350 being let go are "middle-weights," the ones that typically fill middle-management positions with their wives dusting shelves. In any corporate personnel-cutting scenario, these are often the first to go. Severl Bethelite couples I know personally that have been asked to leave have backgrounds of health problems. The Society is worried these could crop up again and cause a problem.
• 

  moanzy

  I personally subscribe to the opinion that there are just too many people questioning the organisation and many are leaving. I think the society is scared and thinks that they need to send out Bethelites to "whip" the weary into shape since all they are being is useless complainers.

  I do however think that the organisation is very sick and will not be able to recover just by sending a few more "spiritual" men out. They are not and have not been living in the real world. Life is different living outside of Bethel. WE HAVE REAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

  Families are dividing left ,right and center not only from things like divorce, cheating etc, but because of a forced requirement to disown your children and spouses or parents when they express a difference of opinion from the society. Families are in serious trouble and children are not getting the guidance to grow up functionally not only in society, but even as a witnesses. Families are so very important and the society has missed this little secret. You can't replace your children by just adopting a brother or sister in the cong.

  Without education and the encouragement to seek professional help for themselves, there is no way in hell that these Bethelites are going to be able to fix this situation. If people are not taught to exercise their thinking abilities and are required to do just what they are told you end up with an organization full of toddlers. Doing what they are told because they have to, but never maturing to their true potential in anything. What does the society expect? They created this mess.

  I'm sure money is part of the issue, but I believe the society is stupid enough to think that the stupid sheep just need a reality check!!! And I sincerely hope they go into the congregations with this attitude because it WILL help people realize the society is a useless, ungodly organization without any" real" human compassion!

  Sorry for the rant!!!

  Moanzy
• 

  metatron

  Please don't make the mistake of confusing assets with cash flow, on the Society's part.

  Yes, they are rich - in assets - but cash flow is becoming the problem. Why did they cut food service? Not enough contributions!

  likewise, cutting the Awake, hard cover books, subscriptions, magazines on tape and more.

  The contribution problem is very real - and scares them.

  metatron
• 

  Jourles

  
  

  one BIG expense - medical expenses

  But what about their own in-house dentists and doctors? Surely the WTS "encourages" all bethelites to see them first. Does the WTS have their own medical insurance plan that covers anything outside the scope that their in-house folks can't handle? I'm curious to know if such a plan exists(it should) and what the cost is per month, per "employee." I know in the corporate world, my insurance is quite pricey. But I'm also covered in every area possible. Here is what my current employer has paid on behalf of me(not what I pay, but what they pay): Your Health & Welfare Benefits Costs paid for by *******(as of May 18, 2006) $9,297.12 Medical Coverage
  $8,682.00 Dental Coverage
  $528.00 Basic Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and Business Travel Accident (BTA) Insurance This is just for me and my spouse. But it covers absolutely everything possible. Now with the WTS's own doctors and dentists, really only emergency care might be needed. They could have an insurance policy just for that, but I'm not sure. If their insurance costs them, say, $200 a month per employee(this is taking into consideration that they use their own doctors for most care), then that works out to roughly $2400 a year times 350 employees which equals $840,000 a year in insurance costs. That is a quite substantial figure. Of course, this figure could be more than twice the example shown, or it could be less. I'm banking on it being more though. Round it up and you're looking at a cool million per year saved.
• 

  daniel-p

  "But what about their own in-house dentists and doctors? Surely the WTS "encourages" all bethelites to see them first. Does the WTS have their own medical insurance plan that covers anything outside the scope that their in-house folks can't handle? I'm curious to know if such a plan exists"
  If you have a medical problem crop up, you are sent to the in-house doctor or dentist for a diagnosis. Then, depending on what the diagnosis is, you are taken care of there, or outside. Yes, they do have insurance provided for things taken care of on the outside. If, in the case of an emergency, and if you are on vacation or otherwise away from Bethel, there is a number on the back of your Bethel ID card that you can call for insurance purposes.
  The thing is, they can only provide for very menial services in-house. The doctor is not always there, as they spend their time between all three complexes. The dentist does extractions, but doesn't use general anaesthesia (sp?), just novacaine. That's why every time someone gets their wisdom teeth taken out at Bethel they're down for like 5 days. The point is though, they are severely under-staffed and also do not have the equipment and facilities needed for most of the things that come up. They can take X-rays, but not CT's. They can do regular health check-ups, as well as limited physical therapy, but anything more than that, and it has to be taken care of outside.
  Believe me, medical expenses are the biggest personnel-related expenses they have. That's why you can't play hardball on the fields, or tackle football. And that is also why they can send your ass home within the first year for absolutely any reason. There is another threshold that few people on the outside know about - and that is the 5-year mark. If you have been at Bethel 5 years and they still like you (i.e. you have a couple overseers who like you), you are in "for good." In other words, its a sort of tenure that you obtain, so its harder to throw you out and they will pay for any medical expense that comes up. Of course, this is all still relative, and probably means less than ever now that they are throwing out these long-timers.
  So they keep the long-long timers, keep paying their expensies, but before another generation of bethelites get old and start falling apart, they throw them out and just keep the young kids to do the grunt work.
• 

  The Lone Ranger

  "one couple with as much as 30 years full time service with most of it at bethel"

  Can you imagine after 30 years of service being asked to leave! what would you do on the outside? they would have no useful trade, no savings, and too old to start over, thank you WTS.