Vent about work *long, sorry*

Back in the middle of March I started a new job after being unemployed for almost a year. I work at a daycare center in the infant room with two other full time girls and one part time gal. I am in my early thirties and the two full time girls are in their VERY early twenties, and at first we butted heads but things settled down and we get along well enough to work together. I get along REALLY well with the part time gal who works in the afternoons, and she is in her late 30's. The ages don't really matter for the most part, but I wanted to mention it for background.

I'm just fed up and at my wits end and don't know what to do. The center is new and just opened last November. One of the girls I work with was the very first employee, and the other girl I work with was one of the first to follow. Both of them know the directors (which are sisters) outside of work and that is how they got the job.

The one girl, we'll call her "L", who was the first employee is getting on my nerves. She is the type of person that does as little as possible, but kisses butt and finds busy work when the bosses or parents are around to make herself look productive and important. She is a teacher's pet when it comes to the directors and according to them she can do no wrong. Most of the time she sits on her butt all day and refuses to help unless absolutely necessary. Even if there are babies screaming to be fed, or one of us is trying to feed two babies at once and do other things at the same time, she will just sit over by the counter and do meaningless busy work to keep from having to do something. She rarely changes diapers, rarely feeds a baby unless she HAS to, and is always leaving the room.

The other girl, we'll call her "M", is a hard worker for the most part, and I get along with her okay. She is REALLY good at taking care of the babies, feeding them and changing them, and all that. She is the opener so she has to come in and cook breakfast and serve it to all the children here early enough to eat it, but that is about all she has to do.

L used to have my hours, which are closing hours 9am-6pm. Now her hours are 7:45-4:45, and so she misses out on opening AND closing duties. What are closing duties you might ask? Well, I have to vacuum our room, clean off all the counters (there are a ton), pick up all the toys, wipe down the table, wash out the sinks, sanitize all of the cribs, bouncy seats, swings, toys, exersaucers, play gyms, rocking chairs, etc, clean the windows, sweep and mop the floor, do a load of laundry and fold whatever is already clean and dry, start the dishwasher, and take out the trash twice per day.

That is just what has to be done every night... in addition to that I am also assigned additional cleaning duties one day per week, which include the main center bathrooms (which includes scrubbing the toilets inside and out, cleaning the sinks, mopping the floors...there is a boys and girls separate full commercial type bathroom) vacuum the hallways and entry way, sweep and mop the entry way, spray and wipe all the windows in the entry way (there are a TON), water the plant, and sweep and mop the kitchen. This is only if I don't have to do lunch that day, which includes sometimes cooking lunch, serving it to 5 classrooms, cleaning the whole kitchen, and doing all the dishes from lunch when they are finished.

OH, did I fail to mention the cleaning we have to do on Fridays?? I DID???? We have to clean all the windows, use Pledge to dust all the wood work in the room which includes all the 50 million cabinets and the blinds on our four huge windows, sanitize the light switch, phone, thermostat, etc, hand wipe down all of the cribs, move all the furniture to vacuum under it, take all the toys off the shelves and wipe them down, pull the chairs out of the table and wash them and under them, and wash all the bouncy seat, exersaucer, boppy, and swing covers.

*Sigh* It is tiring just typing it all out. I swear I spend more time cleaning than I do actually taking care of babies. These duties are not supposed to be done by only one person, but ever since I started working there I have been the ONLY one to actually clean. Both L and M will literally sit there and stare at me while I am cleaning. I would just not do it, but it won't get done if I don't and I will get yelled at. It is not my sole responsibility to take the trash out twice a day, but M and L will keep saying "man, the trash is really full" but refuse to take it out. I can count on ONE hand how many times the two of them have taken the trash out at lunch time.

I am mainly fed up with L. I'm getting tired of her getting these grandiose ideas for projects and either getting the babies all filthy dirty and covered in something or another and get to experience the cute part of it, but then leave for the day and leave us to spend an hour cleaning it up. That, or she gets out stuff to make and spreads paper, paper cutters, glue, glitter, pictures, etc, ALL over the counters and table and does even make a feeble attempt to clean it up...just leaves for the day and leaves it laying everywhere. Today she thought it would be cute to give one of our 10 month olds some chili from lunch (even though I wasn't going to give it to him) and he got it EVERYWHERE, and then conveniently had to go to break when he was done eating. I complained an M said "well she was going to clean it up" But she DIDN'T!! Once again it was left for me to clean up after her.

I'm tired of feeling like a slave and cleaning up after everyone else, while they sit there in the rocking chairs and stare at me while I'm cleaning. I get really pissed that she sits on her butt all day and does nothing, but gets called into the office and gets commended for going above and beyond when she goes to do lunch once or twice. Above and beyond what???? The directors sure have the wool pulled over their eyes when it comes to her. We were "talked" to today about multiple things, and one of them was that the toys aren't ever picked up. I get tired of being the only one that ever does, so sometimes I don't bother. I told the directors exactly that, and I was told "Well, all of you say the same thing so we find that hard to believe."

Beyond quitting, I don't know what to do at this point. On Monday I had a massive migraine and wanted to go home at the time I normally would have gone on break. L would have had to stay maybe an extra half an hour, but told me she couldn't b/c she had "class". So, instead I worked my full shift and got to listen to babies scream bloody murder all day while fighting puking all over and passing out b/c my head hurt so bad. The part time gal asked her as she was leaving what she had planned for that night and she said "I'm going to Walmart!" She asked "Do you have class or anything??" and she said Nope! Come to find out that the only reason she wouldn't stay for me is b/c I mentioned something to M about L not cleaning up after herself, and M told L and now L is mad at me. We dropped numbers 15 minutes after L left that day, so she would have had to stay 15 whole minutes extra. *sigh* I guess I've learned not to complain to M anymore.

I just needed to get that off my chest. I just don't know what to do. I don't really think talking to the directors will do any good b/c they are buddy-buddy with L and probably won't change anything anyway. I just needed someone to vent to that won't go running to L and tattle on me. If you got this far, thanks for listening!!

All I can say is

all I can really say is that I hope it gets better, and your coworkers start helping out more.

Is this job very important? I mean, can your family get by if you do not work at this place? When I was little, my mom had a job where she cleaned and nannied and they treated her very badly. She stuck with it so that we would have money for things, but to be honest with you I would rather have had ramen noodles everyday than have her continue to work at that place.

Based on my longtime work experience, I can tell you - sadly - that nothing is going to change there. You are behind the eight ball and in the minority.

I can't abide by lazy, slothful, self-absorbed people like the ones you're describing. They also know that you will 'pick up the slack' if they don't do it. But you are stuck, b/c if you don't, YOU will get into trouble. That precedent has already been established and since the bosses already have this preference... I doubt they will change their minds.

Yes, it is the suck-ups and the butt-kissers who get ahead in this world and they use people like you (and me ) to get where they are going and what they want.

And this economy is bringing out the worst in a lot of people/bosses .... simply b/c they can get away with it. People are desperate for work and to keep their jobs.

I wish I had some brilliant advice for you, honey. All I can do is offer emotional support.

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with all this. I know what it's like to work with people who don't pull their weight but still get all the credit from the bosses.

Is this job really worth all the stress? No matter how much you love your "job" (what you were hired to do), it can be ruined by the people you work with. I don't know what to say other than confront them...though by what you've said about them, I don't think that will do much more than make them angry. Maybe you can start looking for another job in a different child care facility?

Whatever happens, I wish you the best and hope it turns your way soon!!

I agree with everyone else. I completely sympathize with you. I have been in many jobs where talking to a co-worker doesn't help, and in fact it only makes things worse. Butt kissers really do get everywhere, and it doesn't matter how hard you work (or don't work) in a lot of jobs, if you know someone or the boss likes you, things will be great for you. If you don't, well... It doesn't seem to matter how hard you work, people will still think badly of you.

I worked one place where I got commendations from customers (even written ones) every few weeks, and the manager of my department never told me even "thanks" and I only ever got the standard raise. I worked very hard all the time. But one girl with giant boobs and low cut tops who was lazy and always skipping work or late to work, and she never got fired (even though she regularly broke the attendance policy) and she always got the extra great raise.

People suck.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide, whether it is looking for another position or just sticking it out where you are. We like you, and we know you deserve better!

Originally Posted by zorana_dragonky

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide, whether it is looking for another position or just sticking it out where you are. We like you, and we know you deserve better!

Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better.
Here too, all I can do is offer emotional support
that things get better for you Kara!

You're a better person than I am for staying there and dealing with that! I hope things get better for you soon - you deserve greater things than what you're getting!

I'm sorry you have to put up with that {{hugs}}

I just left a job kind of like that. For the most part- the people there were pretty nice. There was just this one lady. I think she's got issues at home though. She got talked to a couple of times b/c she was rude to salespeople in the stores we worked in (I was working doing inventories at different stores). I know sometimes they don't get back to us ASAP with SKU checks when there aren't tags on the merchandise, or if something's counted wrong they can get annoyed, but there is just no reason to be nasty to someone else who's got a job that's almost as bad as the one you're doing (retail isn't exactly a picnic either).

She really ticked ME off today. We do the same job- and she told me that I had to come back and do something b/c she was having a hard time doing it. Excuse me, but I was told by the district manager NOT to do it b/c I was just counting stuff, not weighing it. The stuff that she wanted me to come back and do was supposed to be weighed, but for some weird reason it was coming up that it needed to be counted. (ribbon).
I didn't say it to her that way though- I said it nicely to her (and I think that just blew her away LOL).

Cheryl

Man, all I was thinking while reading this was wow-your co-workers are spolied young people (what I was really thinking I cannot post here!).
I remember that you had been oout of work for some time before you found this job. Is it you only means of support?? For all you do at your job I would think any employer would be pleased to have you for any employee! (ps my employer is hiring in July if you want to move to Appleton,WI!)
The only option I see for you is to quit (or call in sick for several days) so your employer can see who really get the work done. Do you have some sort of checklist that can be initialed by the person completing the task for more accountability? Where are the "directors" during the day. Are they oblivious to the fact that you do all the work.
If it was me I would speak with the directors and ask for a large raise and tell them quite bluntly that you are doing the lion's share of the work and need to be paid accordingly. Yes that my jepordize your job but the bosses really need a wake up call.

I currently work with a women who does the bare minimum at work and doesn't ask anyone if they need help. She got her hours cut and given to me instead. She is just a bit of dead weight so I can sympathize with you having experienced it first hand.

You are going to have to make a list of the pros and cons of your job to see if its worth it mentally, physically and emotionally for yourself.

Don't stress to much over this when you are not working-I'm sure your co-workers aren't.

Take care of yourself-thats what is really important!