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- Nov 16, 2013
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I should have gotten a lawyer back in 2006. Back then the union rep screwed me out of a job. The company made me take a dif job with less pay. I should have filed a sexual harassment suit then because the 2 men in this position got to keep their pay. I just wanted my job and wanted to show I was not trying to screw them over. At the time my mother was dying when they took my job from me and took advantage of me. So now its years later. I got my money back by working all the overtime. We finally got a good group of people to fight for us. The company still breaks the law and we have had to call the labor board and report them. Consider this a learning opportunity and don't dwell on it. If you see more abuse then report it.
One department boss was not paying overtime when people stay over. I instructed them to stop doing the company favors. Leave at the end of the shift This is the only way to fight the abuse. Overtime needs to be paid at 1 1/2 and if the company is not willing to do so then leave at the end of the shift and DON'T stay over. Sadly this person won't stop kissing their behind. There's one in every crowd. This person needs to be taken aside and be advised that what he/she is doing is hurting everybody and how. The supervisor needs to be reported which apparently you did, now follow up on it, ask what is being done about it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I told the chief and I don't know if they escalated it. I would NEVER allow the company to do to me what those guys put up with.
If enough people stopped bowing down to them then they would have to stop, you said it , sister sometimes there are people here who take it to the extreme just because.
I would rather people work together and do even giving and taking but sadly that is never going to happen as long as people don't use respect in their life decisions.
I know it's changed for people who have had to get workers comp. They don't allow people to go to doctors appointments or PT on the clock anymore. I still think that is illegal.You bet it's illegal but again, unless somebody screams nothing will change and the company will keep on abusing their workers. I was able to do all that on the clock. It was still part of the job and I am thankful that I had those hours paid for by the company. Now it seems the people elected in state government in certain types of poliltical side have changed the laws to make it harder for the average person to fight against this. In 10 years so much has changed.Unfortunately there are always cheaters too who claim they were injured when they were not or it did happen at home etc. On top of that there are doctors who will participate in those scams. But I guess that's what happens when people get elected who claim they don't want government intrusion but then they realize after getting injured that the law doesn't side with the worker. It sides with the company. And that's wrong. The workers are the ones who make the product/sell it etc. They should be treated with some respect and if an injury took place on the property then the company needs to pay up. Sometimes people take advantage. On both sides. This was a learning experience for me and if I ever get injured again I will definitely hire a lawyer. Good for you, more people need to do this.
If you are in a union and the union doesn't do their job-you can sue the company and the union. I know its a long drawn out process and sometimes it doesn't end the way it should but at least if people stopped putting up with BS then it would stop. Right. Just like when we tell our children to be kind and don't be disrespectful. Sometimes grownups have to be reminded of this. I try to ask myself if I was in his/her shoes what would I want done?
I have thought about being a union rep but I think it would drive me insane because they like to play games. Most peole think unions are only there for people who work with their hands. Not so. I have worked only in offices and the last job I had for 18 years was working for the State, I was a union rep for many years. When the manager of the office tried to scare me with threats of "insubordination" when i sat in his office complaining about the treatment another employee had received I told him that I was there in my capacity of a union steward at which time I was not his subordinate and I could complain about him to my union also. He grumbled at laid off me. Many years later he told me that he appreciated me standing my ground that day. He also never tried to pull rank on me after that day if I had a fellow employee being harassed or treated unfairly. Both sides. I just don't have patience or decorum to wear a poker face. At least now that we have a few people who stepped up to the plate are making the company play by the rules of the contract. This has ticked off management because now not only do they have to deal with upper management in another state now they are realizing that we are not robots and we wont bow down to them. As I said, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Those with a valid complaint get the action.
Our contract comes up in May next year. There are a few departments that will be eliminated. Mine is one of them. I only hope the guys stick together and strike to keep us all. But in reality I know they don't care about anyone other than themselves. It will be interesting. I only hope I can integrate into another department if I can to keep my job. The only reason they wont hire me back as a welder is because I can't run a grinder without my arm acting up again. I hope you got a hefty settlement for that injury. They cut my job because I refused to go back to the job that injured me to begin with. Its a big ball of mess. The company lied to many people and they lied to me. But now its done.
So my other options would be maintenance or machine shop. In 2013 I started taking online classes to build up my biology background so I could transfer into the vet world either in research or hands on. I would have to work off shift to go to school for vet tech license. So for now I am probably shooting myself in the foot staying here but the money is ok and I don't have to deal with any management. My department is self run and we just have certain things that need to be done on certain days. For now I think management is happy with me because I don't make waves or play games with attendance or other foolishness that other people do here. Time will tell what happens. Hopefully I get back into my online classes but lately I having a hard time focusing on too many things at once.
The other option would be going to work for one of the other companies who build similar things. It is scary when I remind myself what is at stake. I am trying to pay off the house so I have freedom to work a job I love without worrying about keeping a roof over my head. I hope I am wrong and we get another contract but I think there will be a shake up next year. I will be prepared. That is really all you can do at this time. I don't think the company will mess with you since they know you won't take it lying down.