printshop customers

I have been in a Printer for a number of years (and years). I have had to work overtime at the drop of a hat because A: Customers do not plan well and haven't a clue how a print gets on a page, and B: Print Shop owners are greedy and it's against their religion to tell a customer that they'll have to wait till next week. I have had to work many weekends because someone will be fired or will die without the printing job being done on Monday first thing, only to see it still sitting all packaged up on the floor the coming Wednesday!!!!! Another oldie but goodie is when a holiday is pending, no one in the business world seems to have their mind on their job and just didn't get around to the print shop, but guess what, in they come 10 minutes to closing time and has to have it first thing after the holidays. You guessed it, it's always a working slob like myself who doesn't get a holiday because this nit wit of an office worker didn't plan well. I have forgone so many vacations, haven't had one in 14 years, finally took a whole week off several months ago.I have had to work through the flu, bad colds, and one time I was having chest pains and my boss still made me come in. You office workers are going to put me in my grave someday, so I am asking you real nice, please, PLEASE, plan your printing projects with some forethought and leave enough time so I can do an excellent job for you. Just remember that when you pull antics like that a poor working slob like myself, who is almost burned out has to toil late into the night, on weekends, through holidays just to get your crap out. I'm sick of it. I am saying no for now on, and have already told my boss no several times. I'm going to put in 40 hours like a normal working drone and I'm going home!!!!

POST A COMMENTprinting fool(09/16/2010)
I know why no one has left a comment is because what I say can't be refuted in any way, shape or form. Just wanted to state further that since I have taken a stand against doing excessive overtime my employer has had to break the sad news to some customers that they will have to wait till next week. Guess what, all of the customers who had to wait didn't die are still alive and well to this day. Don't wait till you have that next to last invoice, or last envelope, or that last menu, because I am determined to always say NO! You are going to have to wait. Or you can go to another shop and be charged for double the money for a rush charge. Of course I blame the printing industry for some of the illusion that we printers all have magic wands that we can wave and we have instant printing. There is nothing instant about it. A file has to be put on a plate, if it's a special PMS color the ink has to be mixed, if it's two color that increased the "set up" time by at least an half hour. Depending on the job it could take me an hour to an hour and a half to finally engage the press to print. So fair warning, there are not alot of us old printers around anymore, most products are done on digital printers, which is fine in smaller batches, but the type of jobs I do number into 20 to 100000 thousand impressions. So if I'm upset about missing a day off or a holiday, it's no small thing. What I do takes hours, and hours. Just thought I would enlighten you to the realities of what it's like to do this kind of work. It's very detail oriented, very precise work, and you are expected to turn out a perfect product in the fasted time possible. So, have a heart, plan well for your next printing project and know that printers every where only want to do their best and give you the best for your money. I love my job, and I love being a printer but I don't want to do it 70 hours a week! Thankyou for listening to my rant.

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