The Glade 4.0

So if you remember back in June I posted a thread about how where I work they had instituted a policy of 20-25% manditory overtime (unpaid). Well, that is still going on. Anyway, they setup a fridge that contained icecream and soda that they would stock every week, and we could have 1 item per day.

So today a couple co-workers (I'll call them Doug and Tim) and I took a bit of a break to walk across the street to a convenience store. I got a 44oz drink and a bag of chips, Doug got just a bag of chips, and Tim got just a 44oz drink. We then walked back to work and went by the fridge.

I had already got my one item per day earlier in the day so I just waited by the fridge while they picked something up. Doug opened the freezer and got an icecream and handed it to Tim, then got a soda out for himself, then we left. When we got back to our desks, the administrative assistant who sits right across from the fridge had sent Doug and Tim an email saying "Just so you guys know, people notice when you take multiple items beyond what is necessary from the snack fridge."

Doug and Tim both responded that they had taken one item each, and that he was mistaken. He then replied to Tim that he hadn't seen it, but that someone had told him that they had a bunch of items, and that Tim is lucky that he is sending the email instead of [section manager] because the section manager worked really hard to get the budget for the fridge and that they couldn't do it if people took advantage.

So essentially he was calling Tim a thief and a liar. This is someone who has worked thousands of dollars in unpaid overtime in the past few months (and I'm sure more before that as well), and he is being called a liar over a 50 cent ice cream sandwich. At first it was a joke, but the more I thought about it the angrier I've become.

I'm not the type of person to get involved in other people's business, but I don't think I can sit back and ignore this. I think this admin assistant (who's always out the door at 5pm) owes Tim an apology.

The email I'm sending him...

I am a bit stunned that it has come to this, but I feel compelled to defend my coworkers Doug and Tim. I was there when they retrieved the items from the refrigerator (I had already taken my one item earlier in the day so I was just waiting for them). As there is limited space in that back corner, Doug retrieved a Good Humor ice cream sundae cone and haded it to Tim. Then Doug retrieved a diet Dr. Pepper for himself. Those were the only two items they retrieved from the refrigerator. Prior to stopping at the fridge we had taken a walk over to the convenience store and Doug had bought a bag of Funions, Tim had bought a 44oz fountain drink, and I had bought a bag of chips and a fountain drink as well. We were carrying these items when we stopped by the refrigerator.

I noted your response to Tim's email, and it seemed to indicate that you believe he was being less than truthful. Therefore I am sending this email, as an eye witness to the supposed incident, to provide support to Doug and Tim's explanation of the events. While I can definitely understand your concern that people don't take more than one of the $.50 items, which are in compensation for the hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime we have been working over the past several months, I feel that accusing fellow employees of lying and thievery is a bit over the top.

Thank you for your time,

Aegnor

Man, I recently wrote a 5 page letter to my regional manager on a corporate level to illustrate all of the shady crap that's been going on at my place of employment. I really should get a different job, but it's so hard to find a job with these hours and pay. I like the job...management has recently become ridiculous, though. It's like Nazi Germany where I work.

Here's the introduction to my letter:



I let about 5 or 6 people on my shift read the letter so far.

My supervisor was being a douchebag and pissed me off and motivated me to write this thing, which I've been meaning to write for quite a while. Only took me an hour to write, because I was motivated. Now, though, I have the balls to send it in.

My original plan was to have employees sign the letter. One guy said he would love to sign it. Another guy said "Outstanding" and "This letter is very professional". One dude was like "This is like a thesis, how long did it take you to write this, dude?" I replied, "Less time than you've spent complaining about the bullsh*t in my letter today already, and it's only 2 hours into the shift"

Everyone agrees with what I've written in there. Many say the letter has a rude tone, but at the same time they're afraid to speak out for fear of being rude. Since everyone tells me what I've said is right, though, I realize those two things go hand in hand since they're afraid to say what I'm saying even though they agree with it and can't wait for me to turn the letter in!

This supervisor is relatively new and ever since he started things have gotten worse. Noone likes the guy. He's very unprofessional...I won't go into detail on the forum, though. Maybe I will when I quit or this all gets fixed. I'll be looking for a new job in the next few months anyways...lol... On the employee opinion survey, employees opinion of management is at an all time low....this is a huge corporation. I mean, I really should get a new job because the things I'm complaining about go hand in hand with being a cog in the corporate machine, but it's good to have a dream, right?


Unfortunately even though I feel this is the right thing to do I see the following odds of things happening:

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Ron Paul 2012

I like that...that's my favorite part. Well written.
The very idea that consumption .50 items has become an issue of debate in your workplace is pretty sad. It's even more sad that some douchebag thinks tattling is cool. It's even sadder that the tattler can't even get their facts straight. Even more sadder by far is that the tattler was not only paid attention to but that someone felt it necessary to take action on the tattle and send ya'll a warning. It's beyond sad that you guys are being rewarded in .50 increments once a day and punished like school children for any alleged misappropriation of your .50 reward.

Dude...it's downright tragic that you even have to deal with this kind of crap. Someone or somebodies needs a smack upside the head.
Find out who the tattletale is and do something nasty to their desk. If they're going to resort to schoolyard tactics and immature behavior, they can deal with finding a dead mouse in their drawer or their mouse trac ball taken out of their computer or something.

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"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth

So are you an hourly employee, or salary?
If your salary you get the same wage period, regardless of the amount of hours you work.
your hourly if they adjust your pay based on the hours you work, so if you work 35 hours and they pay you for 35 your hourly.
The reason I ask is overtime pay is the law, not an option for hourly employees and is nonnegotiable as far as the government is concerned.
Demanding unpaid overtime of hourly employees is illegal if reported they will be fined and required to pay all overtime that was unpaid for the last 5 yrs. current and former employees included.

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History of the Condom
In 1272, the Muslim Arabs invented the condom, using a goat's lower intestine.
In 1873, the British somewhat refined the idea, by taking the intestine out of the goat first.

Salary, so they can work us as hard as they want.

Just asked because you mentioned unpaid overtime. Being salary your generally not entitled to overtime, but there are some exceptions to that rule.

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History of the Condom
In 1272, the Muslim Arabs invented the condom, using a goat's lower intestine.
In 1873, the British somewhat refined the idea, by taking the intestine out of the goat first.