December 10, 2009
The Plan of Attack
Okay. I talked with Head first thing Tuesday morning to broach the idea that I'm being discriminated against because of my socio-economic status. He said that, yeah, that's probably the case, but HaRpie #1 hadn't come right out and said that she wants to give the job to someone needier.
She mentioned some single mom who is going to be out on the street and can't afford to buy milk for her kids, but only in the context of "We need to give laid-off fulltime employees preferential treatment." Which is still a complete load of crap, but whatever. Hey, I need to buy a WEDDING for my stepdaughter, but you don't see me cryin' about it! Go steal the damn milk if you need it that bad. Sheesh!
Anyhoo, unless we can actually get her to say that some specific person "needs" this job more than me, proving discrimination is going to be hard. And I think the HaRpies are too clever to let themselves be caught doing anything illegal. But Head is going to keep his ears open for an opportunity.
In the meantime, he DOES have a plan to stick it to the HaRpies, based on our organization's current financial situation, which is -- according to an email sent out on Monday -- worse than our "worst scenario" predictions. So on Wednesday, there was a meeting of executives, discussing another 5% budget cut. More on that in a moment.
Now, in HR's move to bring back this supposedly homeless single mom to the fold, HaRpie #1 went to Vice Treasurer and magically had enough money put back in our departmental budget to hire a fulltime, benefitted employee to replace me. Nice, huh? No money to pay Wenchie what she's worth, but plenty of money available to boot her ass out! And what the hell alternate dimension are they summoning money from for our budget??? Fuckers.
So at the meeting on Wednesday, all the executives were instructed to bring line-by-line specific numbers and explain exactly how they are going to cut still more money from the bone. Well. In front of God and HaRpie #2 and Vice Treasurer and everyone, Head said the following:
"I have already cancelled two trips I was scheduled to take in January. And we are going to have Wenchie remain with us on contract, rather than hiring a permanant person to replace her."
Without batting an eye. God, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall! Needless to say, no one dared to challenge his excellent money-saving strategy.
Now, this doesn't solve the problem of me continuing to work for peanuts. And it WOULD be nice if they got the money to hire someone permanantly, and that person was ME -- but still, this is better than nothing. It at least buys us some time. And once I am established, perhaps we can work on the more-money thing.
Also, apparently, even tho' I haven't actually SEEN this contract, a contract has been drawn up, and I am officially not a temp anymore. I am "contract." Which means nothing, except that I don't have to clean out my desk today. Yes, I am going to demand a copy of said contract, if only to be an asshole because HR are SUCH fucking sticklers about all their little made-up rules.
Anyhoo, I know this contract thing is effective because HaRpie #2 informed Head that, now that I am contract, I can work five days a week if I want. Now, I don't really want to. I have a principle -- if I'm not getting benefits outta you, you're not getting fulltime outta me. However, I kinda think that this is a test, for HR to see just how serious I am about this position.
Luckily, Head was like, "Well, she's not going to in December because there's so much holiday stuff going on!" But come January, I am going to work five days a week, just to prove to the HaRpies that, yes, I do, in fact, NEED this job, despite my affluent-suburb area code.
It's still complete crap that I should have to prove ANYTHING other than the fact that I am damn good at my job, but whatever. If it'll keep the wolf from our door, I'll do it. However, despite having won this battle, I have no delusions that we have won the war.
Don't let them put the blender away, JB!
Comments
Heard about what's happening, that is some serious bull @#$%. Hope it works out for you.
Posted by: Mord at December 11, 2009 09:08 AM