WARNING - this first part is a major vent
I've been working at a country club for almost three years and still make barely over minimum wage. Minimum wage (last year, I think it went up) was $7.01, I was making $7.25. I came to work everyday, I had a (fairly) good attitude, I was on time EVERY day, I don't whine about being there, I DO MY WORK. On top of that, I cook, I prep, I waitress and I bartend. I got the crap work that no one else wanted, they paid the extra, once in a great while, dishwasher, more than me. I got to work the extra shifts because I don't have kids. I worked over 2 easters in a row, cleaning up everything because everyone else had family things to do (doesn't matter that I have family, I don't have kids, so who cares, right?). I asked for memorial day off last year and they acted like it was going to kill them. I took it anyway. This past year was the first year that I actually got two days off in the same week (before that, I got maybe one). On top of all this, they decided to lay me off in NOVEMBER, Nov 1st to be exact, rather than the end of december like the previous 2 years.
So at the beginning of 2003, they decided they needed a bartender (hello, I'm right here). So they hire this guy to help out during a party. He's good, the club members like him, so they hire him back for a couple more parties. He then says he doesn't want to work there anymore, because he already has another job. Instead of leaving it at that, they pursue him. Eventually offering him SALARY to work for them. What the hell? Fine, whatever. So here he is, making more than me, with a gauranteed check year around. He has a bad attitude, he's consistently 15 minutes late (while I'm picking up his slack), makes coments all the time that he "can get a job anywhere, ya know". FINE, GO! The manager is not a manager, she's a secretary. She loves him, he's the greatest thing in the world to her. Not to mention he's 38, lives with his mommy, drives her car, and still somehow can't make ends meet (while I rent a house, have my own bills, my own car, and my animals) And last novemeber, he quit! We all did a happy dance, and what do they do? They hire him back, "he didn't mean what he said, he was just mad"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vent over, thanks for listening
So during my three month "vacation", I've gotten to do alot of thinking (not to mention the cats are thrilled with me being home so much). My sister has two jobs, she works for the state, as an independent provider. Right now, she takes care of a girl with cerebral palsy, part time. Her other job is full time. She finally realized she needs to stop working with the girl. It never crossed my mind to do that kind of work, until she asked me "do you want to work with her?" I'm not a provider, but it looks like it's not too hard to become one. So I thought about it and sent out for the paperwork last friday. It's probably at the post office waiting for me, I'll go down there today. It's already been arranged with the girls family for me to work with her. It's hard to find a provider, and so it's not hard to find a job for a provider. I'll get someone else part time, and bring in more than I was making at the country club. Weekends and holidays off, and I'll get to work year round. I will start working with the girl in february, but will have to go back to the country club for a while anyway, until I get another person to provide for. But I can't wait until I get to tell them I quit. Find someone else with my skills who'll work for squat.
Dawn
I've been working at a country club for almost three years and still make barely over minimum wage. Minimum wage (last year, I think it went up) was $7.01, I was making $7.25. I came to work everyday, I had a (fairly) good attitude, I was on time EVERY day, I don't whine about being there, I DO MY WORK. On top of that, I cook, I prep, I waitress and I bartend. I got the crap work that no one else wanted, they paid the extra, once in a great while, dishwasher, more than me. I got to work the extra shifts because I don't have kids. I worked over 2 easters in a row, cleaning up everything because everyone else had family things to do (doesn't matter that I have family, I don't have kids, so who cares, right?). I asked for memorial day off last year and they acted like it was going to kill them. I took it anyway. This past year was the first year that I actually got two days off in the same week (before that, I got maybe one). On top of all this, they decided to lay me off in NOVEMBER, Nov 1st to be exact, rather than the end of december like the previous 2 years.
So at the beginning of 2003, they decided they needed a bartender (hello, I'm right here). So they hire this guy to help out during a party. He's good, the club members like him, so they hire him back for a couple more parties. He then says he doesn't want to work there anymore, because he already has another job. Instead of leaving it at that, they pursue him. Eventually offering him SALARY to work for them. What the hell? Fine, whatever. So here he is, making more than me, with a gauranteed check year around. He has a bad attitude, he's consistently 15 minutes late (while I'm picking up his slack), makes coments all the time that he "can get a job anywhere, ya know". FINE, GO! The manager is not a manager, she's a secretary. She loves him, he's the greatest thing in the world to her. Not to mention he's 38, lives with his mommy, drives her car, and still somehow can't make ends meet (while I rent a house, have my own bills, my own car, and my animals) And last novemeber, he quit! We all did a happy dance, and what do they do? They hire him back, "he didn't mean what he said, he was just mad"
Vent over, thanks for listening
So during my three month "vacation", I've gotten to do alot of thinking (not to mention the cats are thrilled with me being home so much). My sister has two jobs, she works for the state, as an independent provider. Right now, she takes care of a girl with cerebral palsy, part time. Her other job is full time. She finally realized she needs to stop working with the girl. It never crossed my mind to do that kind of work, until she asked me "do you want to work with her?" I'm not a provider, but it looks like it's not too hard to become one. So I thought about it and sent out for the paperwork last friday. It's probably at the post office waiting for me, I'll go down there today. It's already been arranged with the girls family for me to work with her. It's hard to find a provider, and so it's not hard to find a job for a provider. I'll get someone else part time, and bring in more than I was making at the country club. Weekends and holidays off, and I'll get to work year round. I will start working with the girl in february, but will have to go back to the country club for a while anyway, until I get another person to provide for. But I can't wait until I get to tell them I quit. Find someone else with my skills who'll work for squat.
Dawn
