Need help about unfair labor practice

  • Thread starter Thread starter pedropenduko
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A lost of wage is a lost of wage, it may not matter to people who have money, but for it matters a lot especially when I know that I did not violate a company policy. The Company policy say that employees should ideally wear safety shoes, open toed shoes are not permitted. ATHLETIC SHOES ARE PERMITTED.
Your supervisor explained what was required, it was your duty to follow his/her instructions not put them on hold while you use tenuous loopholes. What is in the handbook, at this time, is not relevant. I’m sorry that you lost a day’s wage, that is a painful lesson.

Like I said, as a former union employee and worker’s rights advocate, this would not have been a situation where I would have defended you.

Seriously, it this actually a hill you want to die on?
 
Most companies have a clause in the employee handbook which state that the employee can be fired for or without cause at the discretion of management…unless you work at a place of employment that has labor union representation…I would rock the boat if you want to keep your job…where I work there is a saying…“You’ve heard that the squeeky wheel gets the grease…well here the squeeky wheel is replaced.”
Yes there is something stated like that in the handbook for probationary the period, they can fire me for no reason. It is a nice way of saying that even though you haven’t done anything wrong, and that even your co-workers likes you but since I am your boss and I have the position and don’t like you, I can find ways to sabotage and make you look bad from the manager. And since I have the authority and my girlfriend needs a job, I can just fire you.
.I would rock the boat if you want to keep your job…where I work there is a saying…“You’ve heard that the squeeky wheel gets the grease…well here the squeeky wheel is replaced.”
No I have not heard that, I am just new here in this country. But it seems to me that you are already making it that I am already at fault, and faulty employees should be fired. Can you please tell me where I violated the Company policy on footwear?

This is what is written down in the Employee Handbook.

Employees should ideally wear safety shoes, open toed shoes are not permitted. Athletic shoes are permitted. boldface is mine)
 
pedropenduko: For what it’s worth, I believe you were treated unfairly. I would let this go, but yes, it sounds quite wrong to me. I’m sorry to hear the way you were treated.
 
It may not be legally binding, and perhaps that’s what you mean.

However it is asinine to issue instruction in an employee handbook, contradict that instruction and then act surprised. This employer is a fool.

I’m the most ardent of capitalists, I assure you, but to me it’s just pathetic the way this employer handled the situation and the fact that we’re in the so-called “social justice” section of the forums and all we say to this woman is “sit down and shut up!” What kind of attitude is that? Seriously!
Thank you.

I am just venting my frustration, I am in no way a trouble maker. I am just trying to figure out where I violated the company policy on footwear.
 
Best start looking now for a union job. Your philosophy of employment is not going to work out anywhere else.
 
Your supervisor explained what was required, it was your duty to follow his/her instructions not put them on hold while you use tenuous loopholes. What is in the handbook, at this time, is not relevant. I’m sorry that you lost a day’s wage, that is a painful lesson.

Like I said, as a former union employee and worker’s rights advocate, this would not have been a situation where I would have defended you.

Seriously, it this actually a hill you want to die on?
Well he did NOT explain to me what is required. He just told me to buy safety shoes, He did not even implied the severity of the discipline for not wearing safety shoes, if not wearing one even call for disciplinary action. Had I known I would have asked my co workers where can I buy them IMMEDIATELY. But after four major stores and finding not the right size for my feet, I came to work wearing athletic shoes which the Hand Book says is PERMITTED! English may just be a secondary language to me and I am not at all familiar what is legally binding and what is not, but the statement ***“Athletic shoes are permitted” ***is just so plain NOT to be understood.

Not to offend you, if you were one of my union representative, I will not go to you. Every unfair issue for me should be addressed, especially when it resulted to a day’s wage. My days’ wage might just be an hour wage to you, but for it me it matters a lot. When you come from a poor country, you value everything given to you, especially if your earn it.
 
This doesn’t sound unfair to me. Wear the right shoes and spend your energy trying to do you job well and not looking for a reason to complain.
 
Best start looking now for a union job. Your philosophy of employment is not going to work out anywhere else.
May be I should, but for the time being I like this job, although I’ve been here for 5 days only, my co-workers are nice to me and they like me. They told me to just bear with the supervisor.

So my philosophy is wrong then? Calling out the wrong of my superiors are wrong then? Did I not go to the land of the free? Free to run away from what seems to be a discrimination? Free to run away from bullies, from people who abuse their authority?
 
Look, all that I’m saying is that this is over and done with. Now you know that you are required to wear safety shoes. Once you comply, the problem is solved. If there are further problems unrelated to this particular issue, that would be another thing.

And I have no desire to tell my life story on the internet. Suffice to say, I deeply, deeply know poverty. Which is why I’m an advocate for worker’s rights, the plight of the homeless, etc. So, don’t think that I lack the ability to relate to you.

My prayers are with you and I hope the rest of your employment goes well. If not, perhaps initiate a new job search.
 
This doesn’t sound unfair to me. Wear the right shoes and spend your energy trying to do you job well and not looking for a reason to complain.
Maybe you can explain to me why a company will give the employees a choice which footwear to wear when a choosing the other one would lead to suspension.

Here is the exact wording of the Employee Hand Book.

Employees should ideally wear safety shoes, open toed shoes are not permitted.** Athletic shoes are permitted.** (boldface is mine)

So can you please explain to me that the athletic shoes are not “right shoes” according to that handbook?
 
May be I should, but for the time being I like this job, although I’ve been here for 5 days only, my co-workers are nice to me and they like me. They told me to just bear with the supervisor.

So my philosophy is wrong then? Calling out the wrong of my superiors are wrong then? Did I not go to the land of the free? Free to run away from what seems to be a discrimination? Free to run away from bullies, from people who abuse their authority?
I think that you tend to identify too much with the character Pedro Penduko. Learn to shut up and pick battles where you have a complete moral standing. Disobeying a supervisor’s instruction does not give you a good moral standing. What does the employee manual says about ignoring a direct instruction from a supervisor?
 
May be I should, but for the time being I like this job, although I’ve been here for 5 days only, my co-workers are nice to me and they like me. They told me to just bear with the supervisor.

So my philosophy is wrong then? Calling out the wrong of my superiors are wrong then? Did I not go to the land of the free? Free to run away from what seems to be a discrimination? Free to run away from bullies, from people who abuse their authority?
And, I’m not sure why you would believe that to be true. In North America, we are not immune from bullies and people who abuse their authority.

Maybe, when you want to make changes in your workplace, wait until you’ve passed your probation and approach the issues with prudence and diplomacy. Calling out the wrong of your superiors (especially when you are new on the job) generally doesn’t lead to good results.

I’m sorry that you were misinformed about how things are in North America.
 
I think that you tend to identify too much with the character Pedro Penduko. Learn to shut up and pick battles where you have a complete moral standing. Disobeying a supervisor’s instruction does not give you a good moral standing. What does the employee manual says about ignoring a direct instruction from a supervisor?
Cristiano,have you followed what I have been saying? It seems that you are suggesting that I was willfully disobeying my supervisor’s instruction? Let me ask you what would you have done if you can’t find the right size of shoes for your feet and you did NOT know that his instruction if not followed will result in a suspension. May be I was wrong, but PLEASE tell me what you would have done IF you were in my position at that time, I may learn something. Thanks!
 
Cristiano,have you followed what I have been saying? It seems that you are suggesting that I was willfully disobeying my supervisor’s instruction? Let me ask you what would you have done if you can’t find the right size of shoes for your feet and you did NOT know that his instruction if not followed will result in a suspension. May be I was wrong, but PLEASE tell me what you would have done IF you were in my position at that time, I may learn something. Thanks!
This wasn’t directed to me, but I been in situations where I’ve been unclear on the requirements and I’ve asked for clarification. Even if I still disagree, I at least have clear information about what I’m meant to do.

Whether we like it or not, we all have a boss. And, to use a union phrase, management has a right to mis-manage.
 
And, I’m not sure why you would believe that to be true. In North America, we are not immune from bullies and people who abuse their authority.

Maybe, when you want to make changes in your workplace, wait until you’ve passed your probation and approach the issues with prudence and diplomacy. Calling out the wrong of your superiors (especially when you are new on the job) generally doesn’t lead to good results.

I’m sorry that you were misinformed about how things are in North America.
I think I will. I am a diplomatic person, and I always smile even when I complain. I already have a list of suggestions on how training can be improved to get the full potential of a prospective regular employee, how communications can be improved, some ergonomic ways of doing things. how to avoid tension and intimidating work environment that could harm the productivity of employees. I will not tell it to my supervisor but the the district manager.
Calling out the wrong of your superiors (especially when you are new on the job) generally doesn’t lead to good results.
If it is done in a nice way and the superior is not full of him/herself I think it will work, it has at least in my experience in where I came from. I guess I overestimated my supervisor.
 
Cristiano,have you followed what I have been saying? It seems that you are suggesting that I was willfully disobeying my supervisor’s instruction? Let me ask you what would you have done if you can’t find the right size of shoes for your feet and you did NOT know that his instruction if not followed will result in a suspension. May be I was wrong, but PLEASE tell me what you would have done IF you were in my position at that time, I may learn something. Thanks!
Probably I would have brought up the inability of finding the shoes with my supervisor on the third day and I would have asked for suggestions. For sure I would have not argued about the content of the employee handbook. I came from a different country too and I followed the rule (because I came from a different culture) stating that I was supposed to listen, follow directions and ask for clarifications. Three decades later I still use the same rule because I realized that it is not about culture but about relations between dependents and supervisors. Just think of it as if you were in the army and you are going to be fine in most of the cases. Formally apologizing for errors either real or perceived is a good policy too.
 
It’s not “bullying” when a company allows its middle management to use their judgement and initiative and set reasonable working rules for the local environment without having to hire lawyers to review policy documents and craft handbook language and worry about how such things can be used against the company. It IS a characteristic of a free and healthy society when people are given the opportunity to lead and to reward productive workers and punish those who drag down the productivity of the workplace. Don’t be one of the latter.
 
Look, all that I’m saying is that this is over and done with. Now you know that you are required to wear safety shoes. Once you comply, the problem is solved. If there are further problems unrelated to this particular issue, that would be another thing.

And I have no desire to tell my life story on the internet. Suffice to say, I deeply, deeply know poverty. Which is why I’m an advocate for worker’s rights, the plight of the homeless, etc. So, don’t think that I lack the ability to relate to you.

My prayers are with you and I hope the rest of your employment goes well. If not, perhaps initiate a new job search.
Yes it is over. I go back to work tomorrow. Thank you for the prayers.
 
This wasn’t directed to me, but I been in situations where I’ve been unclear on the requirements and I’ve asked for clarification. Even if I still disagree, I at least have clear information about what I’m meant to do.

Whether we like it or not, we all have a boss. And, to use a union phrase, management has a right to mis-manage.
Ok that is funny, the right to mismanage!
 
I think I will. I am a diplomatic person, and I always smile even when I complain. I already have a list of suggestions on how training can be improved to get the full potential of a prospective regular employee, how communications can be improved, some ergonomic ways of doing things. how to avoid tension and intimidating work environment that could harm the productivity of employees. I will not tell it to my supervisor but the the district manager…
After a few days on the job you are already planning to go to the district manager telling him how to improve things and planning to do that while going behind your supervisor’s back? That sounds like a very arrogant and self destructive move. There is a big difference between being diplomatic and being manipulative, please be very careful.
 
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