Playing God?
Posted by JCOfficer on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
OK -- check this out.
Wasn't told I was expected to pull a 12 a few days ago by any supervisor, nor did my schedule reflect it. Came to work the usual time, and was informed I should have been there 4 hours earlier. Ahhh. Communication breakdowns are common on this dorm.
Then, was told I had to stay for 4 hours PAST my otherwise 8 hour scheduled shift. ??! Best not to try to argue/make sense/explain/negotiate with someone who's -- HELLO!!? -- not listening. Well, OK. Screw me, AGAIN. I'm pretty used to it, and who am -I- to complain?
Towards the time when my shift would normally have ended, I call the ODS -- any hope for getting any coverage so I don't have to stay late? Will see, they say. Oh, yeah, right... sure. Thanks. Bitterness sets in, but allright, will do what I am told, obey the reasonable request, and just shut up... for the time being.
After a couple of hours, I call again. The kids don't have school, there's the other staff and a case worker in her office -- possible I might be able to go? OH, HELL NO!!
The ODS starts going hysterical how they need to "keep their ratio". The ratio! The sacred ratio!! Gotta keep it 12 to 1! But wait a sec -- what about that ratio when it comes to those 5 hours I was just on the dorm -- BY MYSELF -- with 19 kids? No one bothered to send me in any reinforcements when the visiting staff left after a few hours due to illness. Not one word was said like "Gee... we don't have anybody to maintain a 12:1 ratio and we're really sorry, but manage the best you can". Oh, no.
So YOU TELL ME -- how does the ODS get to decide what the law relating to the staff/youth is, and when/how to enforce it? Since when do they get to PLAY GOD with my having to deal with the increased potential dangers of working on my own? They just get to pick and choose?? Don't they care about me OR the kids??? When did the voters of the State of Texas die and leave THEM in charge??!
The ODS did not pass the law. They are obligated to help ENFORCE it. That's their JOB. They FAILED. I spent an unpleasant 4 hours of sitting around, collecting overtime, non-communicative with a staff that has the distinction (over a period of months) of NEVER ONCE NOT EVER having arrived for relief on the dorm by the time Mickey's hand reaches the 12. NOT ONCE have they been less than a few minutes late, and oftentimes has called in with -- no other way to describe it -- BULLSHIT excuses and screwed me and others over into working unplanned overtime. Note -- it's not MY job to chew his ass out for being late and sitting there with eyes closed while behind the desk; that's why the 5's and 6's get paid the Big Bucks, I was led to believe. But oh, no... some people are Special. So special, in fact, they're really not EXPECTED to have to do their job. Who's being fooled here?
Grrr. I was so angry for being so jacked around that I basicly wouldn't have told him if his hair was on fire. At the end of my 12 hours, I made a twisting motion with my hand and said "Get me outta here."
At that point, did I care about my co-non-worker, the unevenly-applied damn ratio, the kids he/we couldn't/didn't control, or TYC in general? Precious little. Blame me? Here to tell you -- if and when YOU put in for 5 days off a month for the past 3 months and don't get ONE DAY off while co-workers do -- YOU try not to feel bitter, undervalued, punished (for what?) and all that stuff... and let me know how it works out. Walk a mile in my shoes, y'all... feel my blisters.
Wasn't told I was expected to pull a 12 a few days ago by any supervisor, nor did my schedule reflect it. Came to work the usual time, and was informed I should have been there 4 hours earlier. Ahhh. Communication breakdowns are common on this dorm.
Then, was told I had to stay for 4 hours PAST my otherwise 8 hour scheduled shift. ??! Best not to try to argue/make sense/explain/negotiate with someone who's -- HELLO!!? -- not listening. Well, OK. Screw me, AGAIN. I'm pretty used to it, and who am -I- to complain?
Towards the time when my shift would normally have ended, I call the ODS -- any hope for getting any coverage so I don't have to stay late? Will see, they say. Oh, yeah, right... sure. Thanks. Bitterness sets in, but allright, will do what I am told, obey the reasonable request, and just shut up... for the time being.
After a couple of hours, I call again. The kids don't have school, there's the other staff and a case worker in her office -- possible I might be able to go? OH, HELL NO!!
The ODS starts going hysterical how they need to "keep their ratio". The ratio! The sacred ratio!! Gotta keep it 12 to 1! But wait a sec -- what about that ratio when it comes to those 5 hours I was just on the dorm -- BY MYSELF -- with 19 kids? No one bothered to send me in any reinforcements when the visiting staff left after a few hours due to illness. Not one word was said like "Gee... we don't have anybody to maintain a 12:1 ratio and we're really sorry, but manage the best you can". Oh, no.
So YOU TELL ME -- how does the ODS get to decide what the law relating to the staff/youth is, and when/how to enforce it? Since when do they get to PLAY GOD with my having to deal with the increased potential dangers of working on my own? They just get to pick and choose?? Don't they care about me OR the kids??? When did the voters of the State of Texas die and leave THEM in charge??!
The ODS did not pass the law. They are obligated to help ENFORCE it. That's their JOB. They FAILED. I spent an unpleasant 4 hours of sitting around, collecting overtime, non-communicative with a staff that has the distinction (over a period of months) of NEVER ONCE NOT EVER having arrived for relief on the dorm by the time Mickey's hand reaches the 12. NOT ONCE have they been less than a few minutes late, and oftentimes has called in with -- no other way to describe it -- BULLSHIT excuses and screwed me and others over into working unplanned overtime. Note -- it's not MY job to chew his ass out for being late and sitting there with eyes closed while behind the desk; that's why the 5's and 6's get paid the Big Bucks, I was led to believe. But oh, no... some people are Special. So special, in fact, they're really not EXPECTED to have to do their job. Who's being fooled here?
Grrr. I was so angry for being so jacked around that I basicly wouldn't have told him if his hair was on fire. At the end of my 12 hours, I made a twisting motion with my hand and said "Get me outta here."
At that point, did I care about my co-non-worker, the unevenly-applied damn ratio, the kids he/we couldn't/didn't control, or TYC in general? Precious little. Blame me? Here to tell you -- if and when YOU put in for 5 days off a month for the past 3 months and don't get ONE DAY off while co-workers do -- YOU try not to feel bitter, undervalued, punished (for what?) and all that stuff... and let me know how it works out. Walk a mile in my shoes, y'all... feel my blisters.