Results from the Layoffs and Hours Reduction Survey

We need to gather the results from the survey we send out and put them here. As of today 9 surveys have been returned. 7 are still out.

Due date has come and gone. All surveys returned

rfs 12:56, 1 Mar 2005 (PST)

Your name:

(not tabulated)

Today's Date:

(not tabulated)

Is there anything reasonable that Free Geek could be doing that it's not that would raise more money? What?

Dave

Put a lot more items on ebay and in the store. What items? The ones that get recycled because the people in receiving don't know what they are. I feel that there is quite a bit of money in that stream.

Geiner

Making some of the (drop off) fees mandatory -- for example systems or printer or things we receive less.

Jhasen

Wish list web form on freegeek.org for folks to submit types and quantity of hardware they are looking to buy. This would guarantee sales and provide us with data that would be useful to the store.

Jon

Produce higher end systems to sell in the store.

Kathie

Open Saturday on holidays -- rotate staff.

Open a 6th day, Sunday, once for a trial run. Evaluate. Ask for staff volunteers.

Laurel

Um, that membership program that we started might be helpful. Selling laptops -- they are n high demand. Pursue the tech support ticket idea. Charge admission to the video game museum.

Liane

Develop relationships with organizations an possibly charge them to bring in groups. Some have financial resources for job training, etc.

Marlin

I have no further suggestions.

Martin

Selling more junk, on ebay if necessary.

Matthew

Yes, Free Geek could encourage the many organizations and people that we somehow support to contribute a little bit towards us.

Michael

Charge for classes, Charge for tech support, probably more things.

Nathan

Not right now, but I would like to help get State, local GOV to buy into what we are doing AND get the corporates to sponsor without changing FG.

Oso

Sell more systems / parts in store -- sell laptops

Richard

Catch more sellable stuff in receiving, test and sell it in sotre on ebay.

Rick

Possibly more advertising and various forms of outreach. Corporate donation of monies/product without strings. (For example -- Intel used to give STRUT processors.)

Shawn

n/a

What areas of Free Geek are not needed to operate without losing money? How so?

Dave

Tech Support, CforK

Geiner

Volunteer coordinator, CforK, Collab, Printerland -- these are positions that are not vital for Free Geek functioning.

Jhasen

C4K volunteer program coordination. These programs generate $0 and the brains and skills of their coordinators could be better used elsewhere in the organization.

Jon

n/a

Kathie

CforK, NAP (old Collab)

Laurel

The staff bathrooms+lounge, the stage, the museum.

I have nothing new to add here.

Liane

CforK, organizing groups to come here and volunteer (we are providing a free service to these groups).

Marlin

Some of our training and classes, possibly?

Martin

Grants -- no income stream here at all. If we just started selling them :-(. Hot water we could make do without :-) Turn printers into all smashtacular!

Matthew

In the short term, grants, education, CforK, and tech support could all be cut. I think these areas are all important, but they are not needed for short term functioning.

Michael

Possibly some educational stuff, but eveything we do leads to goodwill that contributes to recycling revenue.

Nathan

Oso

CforK -- UPSs

Richard

Grants, CforK (currently), NAP/Collab. All help the mission which indirectly brings in money, but not directly.

Rick

CforK. Interns could be replaced by volunteers and staff. Receiving could be run by core volunteers and other staff. Volunteer coordinator postion could be absorbed back into staff.

Shawn

Education (except LPI classes), coders, advanced build, CforK, voluntteer trainings, internships, groups volunteering, HR stuff (well, most of it).

When were you hired into the Free Geek Staff Collective? (If you are a paid intern, when did your internship start?)

• Dave -- June 3, 2003
• Geiner -- December 2003 (6 month internship before that -- approx)
• Jhasen -- Fall 2003 (Oct?)
• Jon -- Dec 2003 started internship -- Staff started July 2004 (approx)
• Kathie -- Approx 4 years ago
• Laurel -- um, early 2001?
• Liane -- December 2003
• Marlin -- Without consulting my files, I beleive it was June of 2002.
• Martin -- like 8-10 months ago?
• Matthew -- Dec 1, 2004
• Michael -- January 2004
• Nathan -- December 1,2004
• Oso -- August 2000
• Richard -- 2001
• Rick -- 2 years, 7months agao (3 years at end of July) (when was that?)
• Shawn -- September 2003

How many hours are you paid to work per week at Free Geek?

• Dave 32
• Geiner 32
• Jhasen 32
• Jon 32
• Kathie 20
• Laurel 32
• Liane 32
• Marlin 20
• Martin 31
• Matthew 20
• Michael 20
• Nathan 32
• Oso 32
• Richard 32
• Rick 28
• Shawn 32

What percentage of a salary cut could you afford to take?

• 5%
  • Richard
• 10%
  • Liane
  • Jhasen
  • Geiner
  • Kathie
  • Marlin
  • Michael (ouch)
  • Oso
  • Rick
• 15%
  • Dave
• 20%
• 25%
• Other:
  • Jon -- 10-15% if temporary
  • Laurel 5-10%
  • Martin 50% (to pay rent and bills)
  • Matthew (minimum wage)
  • Shawn 23.5%
  • Nathan (what's necessary -- it's tight)

(Laurel notes that a 10% salary cut doesn't reduce our personel expenses by 10%)

Are you planning on leaving this job in the next several months? If so, when?

Yes:

• Matthew (internship ends June 1)
• Geiner (as soon as I can get another job)

No:

• Dave
• Jhasen
• Jon
• Kathie
• Laurel (but maybe in the fall)
• Liane
• Marlin
• Martin
• Michael
• Nathan
• Oso
• Richard
• Rick (not now -- full retirement in 2 yrs)
• Shawn

If you were laid off, do you think you would be eligible for unemployment?

Yes:

• Dave
• Jhasen
• Jon
• Kathie
• Laurel
• Oso
• Richard
• Shawn

No:

• Matthew
• Geiner (legally unable)
• Liane
• Nathan (used up benefits already)

Don't Know:

• Marlin I need time to check this out.
• Martin
• Rick

Some

• Michael

If you were asked to take unpaid time off, how long could you last before needing to return or find other work?

• Dave -- 2 months
• Geiner -- 1 month or less
• Jhasen -- 3 months
• Jon -- 1 month (maybe)
• Kathie -- Can't take (could take $100 pay cut)
• Laurel -- 1 month? 2?
• Liane -- 1 week
• Marlin -- 2 weeks
• Martin -- I'd find other work immediately, but it would be temporary, so I'm not sure that answers your question.
• Matthew -- Indefinite.
• Michael -- 1 month
• Nathan -- 1 or 2 days tops
• Oso -- 1/2 a day
• Richard -- 1 week?
• Rick -- No more than 1 month -- don't care to live paycheck to paycheck, so I stay one month ahead.
• Shawn -- 1 - 1.5 months.

Do you want to take an unpaid leave of absence?

For how long?

• Dave -- No
• Geiner -- No
• Jhasen -- Very much so. 1-3 months.
• Jon -- Only if totally needed
• Kathie -- No
• Laurel -- I can take scheduled March vacation as unpaid leave, and might be able to take more in April or May if it would help.
• Liane -- With prior planning, I could take one month off.
• Marlin -- Sorry, can't afford to..
• Martin -- I could. A few months would be easy, more possible.
• Matthew -- I would be open to it (as needed).
• Michael -- No
• Nathan -- no, I don't wanna go.
• Oso -- No
• Richard -- No
• Rick -- Not at present, perhaps during summer with some advance planning.
• Shawn -- Not really.

Can you offer to reduce your hours? By how much? Temporarily or permanently? If temporarily, for how long?

• Dave -- yes, 3.5 hours every other week, temporarily, until we make enough money to pay for it again
• Geiner -- yes, up to 25 (I think), temporarily, as long as Free Geek needs it in order to operate properly.
• Jhasen -- perhaps, 10, temporarily, however long
• Jon -- yes, 12, temporarily, 2-3 months
• Kathie -- No
• Laurel -- Yes, 4-5, temporarily, until FG wants to see more classes
• Liane -- With any cut, I would need to get another job -- willing to do so.
• Marlin -- No, I cannot
• Martin -- Yes, 10, permanent OK
• Matthew -- Yes, 305, permanent
• Michael -- Yes, 5, temporarily, 1-2 months
• Nathan -- Not really right now, but I could in a monnth or two, Not sure, temporarily, 3-4 months
• Oso -- No
• Richard -- No
• Rick -- Yes, 4-8, could be permanent
• Shawn -- Yes, 8, temporary, 2-3 months

Martin notes that he can't take off time and get everything done that he needs to do. Rick says 4 hours now. 8 at end of May. Shawn would prefer temporary byt could work out permanent.

What parts of your job are necessary for Free Geek to operate in a financially sound way? How so?

Dave

Build refurbished the systems that are sold in the store as well as the systems that act as free advertisements for grants. Martin and I oversee testing of hard drives and RAM, both of which contribute to sales.

Geiner

The sale of printers, parts, and related on eBay, the store and untested

Jhasen

Sale of scrap, sorting/qc of scrap, forklifting of scrap, scheduling of pickups.

Jon

overseeing receiving to ensure items go to proper places and don't get recycled or stolen

overseeing general operations to keep everyone busy and productive. keeping up building security and do repairs on locks and doors when needed.

Kathie

taking donations -- HR with donations, vol, staff, and other. Getting repeat donations. Answering phone.

Laurel

adoption class and LPI exams

Liane

Filling in at Front Desk, PB/BBBB. Sometimes CforK brings in money through grants.

Marlin

Volunteer supervision in all areas.

Martin

teaching people to build store boxes; diverging sellable items to the store; maintaining the software and infrastructure we use to bring money in; testing RAM, etc. to be sold; attending and participating in countless meetings ;-}

Matthew

the part where people give me money, someone has to work at the front desk and take money.

Michael

Financially, probably none of it at this point. Once we are charging moeny for tech support will be a different matter. I do believe sales of system in the store would increase with assurance of support, whether we charged for it or not.

Nathan

That's hard to say. I am working on a project that has been a black hole. But the other Black hole has some potential as does the white hole.we also have an opportunity to make some money from homestreet at the completion of this project if we do things right.

Oso

Bookkeeping -- someone has to do it

Grantwriting -- makes big $ on occasion

Outreach -- lets folks know about us

Richard

(I also participate in PB/BBBB, BBBees, and store shifts.)

I seem my job as a "meta job", trying to get FG to better run itself -- this means financially ...

Rick

sales intern oversight, handle sales complaints and inquiries -- test many items not yet tested (perhaps with advanced testing). keep pricing up to date.

Shawn

working front desk, outreach, fundraisers, accounting spreadsheet update

What parts of your job are necessary for Free Geek to meet its mission? How so?

Dave

Build refurbishes the systems that are the currency for our volunteer labor. They are also the systems that go into the hands of people and groups that need them. We don't do much 'reduce' but we are 'reuse'.

Geiner

The reuse part mostly, but also the recycling part.

Jhasen

My job is about half of Free Geek's mission. RECYCLE E-WASTE. I also do a fair amount of PR and I give a great tour.

Jon

Keeping flow of incoming materials going proper direction.

Teaching people how to test equipment

Helping maintain testing equipment and getting it repaired or replaced when needed.

Large doantion and organizing as gizmos get processed.

Kathie

Meeting greeting/scheduling vol+adopters -- addressing and handling these people's concerns, teaching data entry. PR with all who come to front desk.

Laurel

Any education we do in exchange for community service is explicityly fulfilling the mission. The adoption classes are also important to reuse goals.

Liane

CforK -- bridging the divital divide, education

PB/BBBB -- education

Outreach -- educating people outside of Free Geek, reaching new donors

Marlin

Recycling and receiving functions

Martin

Teaching people to build freekboxes, grant boxes; keeping our teachers and build volunteers happy and productive; shepherding grants; teaching advanced linux classes; doing cartwheels :-)

Matthew

If Free Geek is a community organization, I am the person who connects Free Geek to the community.

Michael

All of it. Some kind of tech support is essential for teh adoption program, but it can be handled many different ways.

Nathan

That is also hard to say as I am undefined.

Oso

Recycling, Build teacher (baby haxor style)

Richard

... ("meta job" -- trying to get FG to better run itself) as well as towards its mission. Also I participate in PB/BBBB, BBBees, and store shifts.

Rick

Income to pay bills. Reuse of items not included in grants/adoption.

Shawn

Volunteer intake, volunteer recruitment, PB/BBBB, redirect volunteers into more fulfilling work.

If your hours were reduced, how much lead time would you need to get your affairs in order?

• Dave -- 0
• Geiner -- 2 weeks
• Jhasen -- 0
• Jon -- 1 month
• Kathie -- 0
• Laurel -- I could probably take it in stride if everyone was considerate about time stuff
• Liane -- 0
• Marlin -- 2 weeks
• Martin -- 0
• Matthew -- 0
• Michael -- depends (0+)
• Nathan -- a week or two.
• Oso -- 2 weeks
• Richard -- 1 month
• Rick -- little or none
• Shawn -- 1-2 weeks

If your pay were reduced, how much lead time would you need to get your affairs in order?

• Dave -- 0
• Geiner -- 2 weeks
• Jhasen -- 0
• Jon -- 1 month
• Kathie -- 0
• Laurel -- Right away would be OK I guess
• Liane -- 0
• Marlin -- 2 weeks
• Martin -- 0
• Matthew -- 0
• Michael -- depends (0+)
• Nathan -- a week or two.
• Oso -- 2 weeks
• Richard -- 1 month
• Rick -- little or none
• Shawn -- 0

If you were laid off, how much lead time would you need to get your affairs in order?

• Dave -- 0
• Geiner -- At least a month
• Jhasen -- 2 weeks
• Jon -- 1 month
• Kathie -- 0
• Laurel -- a few weeks or a month for training people on adoption classes and finishing projects
• Liane -- 2 weeks
• Marlin -- 2 weeks
• Martin -- 0
• Matthew -- 0
• Michael -- 2 weeks
• Nathan -- a week or two.
• Oso -- 2 weeks
• Richard -- 1 month
• Rick -- 2 weeks to 1 month
• Shawn -- 2-3 weeks minimum

If a layoff is needed, would you volunteer to be laid off?

• Dave -- no
• Geiner -- yes
• Jhasen -- yes
• Jon -- only on a temporary, short term basis
• Kathie -- no
• Laurel -- I'd rather not, but wouldn't fight it if the conclusion seemed reasonable.
• Liane -- no
• Marlin -- No, would not.
• Martin -- only if you were threatening dave with as much :-)
• Matthew -- yes, although I would prefer a redirection.
• Michael -- no
• Nathan -- I woulld do anything to help this place stay solvent. Of course!
• Oso -- no
• Richard -- no
• Rick -- don't wish to volunteer
• Shawn -- I'd rather not.

Other comments

Michael: For the first round, I would rather see an across-the-board termporary reduction (pay or hours) than to lay anyone off, unless there are willing volunteers.