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| Hazy and dreamy assignment for Beyond Layers |
Have you ever just quit and walked off a job? I have. But before you judge, let me explain.
I was thinking about one of my blogger friends who recently quit a big job. Not knowing the details, I can't fill you in, nor would I. It is her business.
About 7 or 8 years ago, I was pretty much a stay at home Mom to Katie, and step daughter, Meagan. They were both wanting to go to the new high school in Kennesaw, but it was out of our district. The only way they could gain admittance was if I were to work there.
So.....being the good Mom that I am, I applied to be a lunch lady. Yes, I did.
Now, this job attracts nice old grandmothers who are supplementing their Social Security, people from foreign countries who are not speaking good English yet and then there is a rough bunch of women who can't get anything else. It is true. At least in my opinion. And then, there was me. Ha!
Anyway, I got the job and really enjoyed being around food and preparing it. I also loved dealing with the students.
It was hard work and there was a lot of gossip and back biting, but I pretty much minded my own business.
If there was any reason for a union, and I am not especially for or against unions, this place needed one.The manager seemed to take delight in humiliating and driving some of the people. She really cracked the whip, so to speak. No one was allowed to talk during food prep.
After I had been there about 4 years, she decided to crank things up a bit and required that each person was to spend the whole 6 hours washing dishes. This was not in our job description. There was already a dishwasher specifically hired as such. Cleaning, stocking the freezer and refrigerator, preparing food, cashiering, waiting on students, sweeping and mopping ...these were the things that the lunch ladies did.
I took my turn and washed dishes without complaint but it really wore me out. I could hardly walk to my car. We are talking industrial sized baking pans and utensils. It was hard and hot.
The next day, I went into work and feeling raggedy and I guess she thought I was showing a bad attitude. One of the girls came and told me that D wanted to see me.
Knowing what was coming, I cleared out my locker. On the way out I told D's assistant to tell her to "take this job and shove it." That doesn't sound like me, does it.
I guess you might think that I am an irresponsible person, but that would be wrong. I just refuse to be intimidated and abused.
Well, what do you think? Was I justified in your eyes?
Peace, love and happiness of our Lord, Jesus, be with you today and always!
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| Courtesy of Graphics Fairy |
15 comments:
You are just doing the right thing! I like your photo so beautiful!
Sounds like a horrible job. There is a song in this story somewhere! :)
Charlotte,
We have a wonderful lunchroom manager. She's good and kind and fair to everyone. It's sad that some people use their position to make life difficult for another person. Not only should you have walked off the job - you should have reported her to human resources and also to the principal. No one has the right to be abusive!!
I don't like unions - but it's sad when you have to need a union to do what people should do all along and that's treat others fairly!!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90/users-guide/menus-custom-af.htm
Sounds like you did the right thing.
Sometimes minding your own business isn't enough. Not when it sucks the life out of you.
I can understand where you are coming from as back then, there was not the help for employees. We had to take it or leave it. Now days, its all different and we can stand up and not without fear of losing our jobs. Could not back then. I too did walk off a job, left the so called DR high and dry with that sarcastic asst of his. I knew there was no one to talk too, I was told by the office manager it was usless. So I walked and got a better job with a delightful staff.
Take care gal, its in the past now and you are better for it.
Congratulations! Job well done. Doesn't it feel good to know in your heart that you are "standing up for yourself". I personally know the feeling. When I was a single parent of two small children I "just had enough" with a high pressure nursing job and one day I simply quit. I left through the back door feeling like "the world is my oyster". In reality I was quite scared. But, I guess we do what we have to do. And, I survived quite fine. Take Special Care!
Well, you took it as long as you could, it sounds like. I'm 99% certain I would have reacted the exact same way, except I probably would have reported the woman to someone. Were your girls able to continue going to the school? Thanks for sharing your story. Made me feel a little better about my recent quitting fiasco. :/
I have had some jobs that I wish I could have done the same thing. Good for you. sandie
I have dreamed of doing that, but the closest I came to it was quitting on the day I returned from having my baby. Only you can say whether you were justified or not, but I certainly sympathize. I probably would have done it as soon as she said to wash the dishes, if it wasn't part of my job description!
Hi Charlotte, thanks for the visit. Yes that was all my photos and by the way, I have to say something here I have to let this out of my chest, lol!! You are so gorgeous and pretty to wash pots and pans. ^_^
Kim, USA
You did the right thing! This is America after all! Also maybe just maybe you were put in their lives to teach them a lesson on respect. Hopefully maybe someone after you was shown more respect and compassion!
Your photo is lovely!
just keep on going and going just like the energizing bunny. Richard from My Old Historic House.
Good for you standing up for yourself.
There is no reason for you to put up with such bad behavior from a supervisor and I hope that you can stop feeling that you did something wrong. We should not have have to been humiliated in order to keep our job and I think you did the right thing by standing up for yourself and refusing to be treated so poorly.
Having worked in a unionized job it probably would not have helped this situation.
You might want to think about sending a letter to the board of education advising them of the situation but you have nothing to feel bad about. We women have trouble defining boundaries of appropriate behavior because it involves "being nasty" and making a scene and most of us don't enjoy acting that way and this supervisor took advantage of that.
Focus on feeling good about setting your boundaries and show your daughters that should set boundaries too.
Traci
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