@alyaza is MIA currently, but this weekly thread has been so awesome to see and keep going; so I am making what would be her typical post for this week. Alyaza; stay safe friend, I hope everything is okay.
I recently recieved a bit of offhand news that has made me a lot more relaxed about an important meeting I have at the end of September.
I was speaking with a person I used to work with about a trip he and his fiancé took recently when he caually mentioned out of nowhere that the HR manager at work retired at the end of July. That random little fact sent my mind into a whirlwind for a couple days.
Just over a year ago I had been terminated from my job as an apprentice at a place that builds automation assembly lines. That termination came after I had brought up concerns and frustrations with how the company had begun treating people after covid arrived. I also brought up concerns about workplace culture and how toxic it had become.
I had been terminated approximately 10 months after the monthly employee meeting where I first confronted the GM (General Manager) about how apprentices were being treated poorly and not learning the proper skills. This is important because once people start retiring, there is going to be a huge skill and knowledge gap.
After that monthly meeting, I had a meeting with the fairness committee followed by a meeting with the HR manager with the fairness committee member on “my side.” That second meeting was basically me getting belittled and blamed for 3.5 hours.
Unhappy with the results and dealing with my declining mental health, I reached out to the corporate HR manager about the abusive management at my company and this manager made a huge effort to help me. She taught me all my rights as an employee, encouraged me to get help through the corporate employee hotline and when that failed, set up a meeting with me and her boss while beginning an investigation into the abusive environment at my company. Unfortunately before that meeting, my company terminated my employment.
I retained a lawyer and after about a year of some back and forth (things got delayed significantly because my lawyer got covid) I finally submitted my wrongful termination case against my company to the labour board. Up until this point I felt so uncertain and stressed about everything and was really doubting my decisions.
About a month after my submission to the labour board, my company replied back with 16 pages trying to have my case thrown out and attacking my character. They also responded through an outside law firm and not the corporate in-house lawyers. About 1.5 months after my submission, the HR manager retires. I found out she was scheduled to retire in 2024.
Suddenly my mediation meeting with the labour board and my company doesn’t seem so intimidating. Corporate refused to legally support my company and the HR manager retires early and is now back home in Central America. A key figure in all of this who conveniently will not be able to attend the labour board meeting.
I have no idea if those two things are related to my case and I may never truly know but it sure is convinient for me. I did leave that company in good standing with corporate so I’m left to believe that corporate has been taking serious action with my company. Action that may have also included updating workflow, security and logistics (costing the GM and management huge money), and cracking down on workplace safety issues (costing the GM and management even more money).
After covid arrived, my dislike of corporations only grew but I think it’s pretty humorous to watch corporate turn it’s back on my company. It’s beautiful in it’s own bureaucratic-hellscape kind of way.
My goal at the labour board meeting is going to get my job back and hopefully getting a public apology at the monthly employee meeting while sending a problematic manager to a training course regarding abusive behaviour. After being forced to confront my own mortality through their abusive and negligent behaviour, money means nothing to me. No amount will bring back the dignity this place took from me and the others who work there. I’m hoping my actions are able to throw some power back into the hands of the employees and other workers there as well as bring more awareness to mental health issues.
And to think, I probably wouldn’t have gone down this path if it weren’t for the head fairness committee member telling me that I should just suck it up. That I should just wait for all these problematic people to retire. He told me I couldn’t change anything. His attempt to de-escalate the situation by demotivating me may have backfired slightly.
Work is going crazy because 1 project got behind schedule and then another project got behind schedule as a consequence of the first project going off. Waterfall workflows, man.
But it’s looking ok. As long as I keep lifting afterwork and vibing out when I’m too tired, I think I’ll be ok lol
Thank goodness for flex hours and wfh though. I don’t know how I’d survive without being able to take a massive break away from it when it gets to be too much
A bit stressful, but I’m doing okay. I’m in the middle of moving right now. Got all my stuff out so now I’m just cleaning. I’ve got until September 1st so I feel like I’m in a good place!
Hang in there. I had all mine pulled a few months ago and after the 2nd or 3rd day my mouth still hurt but I felt so much healthier overall. I lived on smoothies and mashed potatoes that first week. Only regret was not having it done years ago.
I agree with your assessment of C/C++. I like using C because lt makes you have to really understand what you want to do. Then explaining it well enough for the computer to do it. It’s not easy but it’s good. Lately I’ve been enjoying Golang. It is becoming my favorite language to just get stuff done in.
It's been alright I guess. Though, I started catsitting for my old housemate today and she's been overfeeding them to a crazy degree. I basically raised one of the cats, so it's pretty upsetting.
Sallie Mae has been calling me every morning at 8:15 and every afternoon around 2:00. I would be having a better week if they didn’t harass me every single day (and yes it is every single day).
It’s been a good but intense week so far. Back to work with a 3 day intensive python course, which was interesting (and a long time coming, I have asked for training for 3 years now). Looking forward to putting it into use now I understand the basics.
Otherwise not a lot to write home about. Looking into new choirs prior to the new term starting, in one already but quit the second one I was in as the music wasn’t to my taste.
My partner got infected with covid on vacation and now I have it too, so the weekend isn’t going to be as fun as I had planned :(. Other than that the week was pretty good tho!
Average week except for blood test results. The doc said I start taking care of my health now, or risk heart attack at 40 among other health complications. I need to do some more tests and see other specialities… start taking caring of stuff I haven’t for years.
I really need to move my ass. Both figuratively and literally.
Shit like this sucks when it starts to catch up with you, because it’s never at a good time. I sent a single blood pressure reading to my GP and they immediately demanded a full week’s worth as I was borderline hypotensive, so I’m also hoping that shit isn’t too fucked up and need to move my ass in more than one way. Just waiting on the energy from my ADHD medication to start to boost so I can actually start to function though which sucks…
You got this. I have committed to myself to go and get a proper checkup and bloods in a couple of months (life is HECTIC at the moment)…and I am kinda dreading the cholesterol readings. Got heart disease in the fam and I am getting to that age. See ya back here for boot camp in November?
I retired as a roller derby skater in late June, and since then, have just really been enjoying my free time and not committing to anything. It’s wonderful. It’s also a tad weird.
Of course, with the heat index getting up to 115 here, I haven’t been able to do much, so I’m just enjoying my wonderful apartment.
Pretty decent, finally started my ADHD medication so I’m mostly waiting for that to start taking effect, it’ll probably take a good month or so which sucks because I am so fucking tired of waiting but I don’t have much other option.
It was a rocky start but it’s going better now and I’m looking forward to the weekend! :D This week has been a shining example of how when things start to pile up and feel impossible, giving it a little time can really turn it around. When things are not going well it really helps to remember that things aren’t stuck like that forever. Sometimes it feels that way but it’s not true. Not sure if anyone else experiences that feeling but unfortunately it is one that seems to keep coming back.
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