How To Start My Own Employee Union

Dronelord #632 Thu, Jan 12th 2006 18 [ Read: First / Last ]

So here is some politics for you. I work in a computer room (dont really want to say where, but its a computer room) that services alot of people. We just moved into a new building into a way smaller room.

This new building has a employee lounge. Now, I am a work study (non-employee, but I work just as much if not more than the regular employees there) and we have been allowed to use the microwave and little table in this lounge to eat our lunch. The regular employees never really use the lounge except for the heating up food and taking it back to their office. Plus they can leave and eat or do whatever whenever they want. Now, the empoyee's union at my work for these regular employees, say that work studys are not allowed to use this lounge. I got an e-mail from my boss this morning about this.

We dont get a lunch break in writing, but we just take turns if there are 2 people working eating somewhere else outside the computer room. I wrote my boss, in a nice way, that I thought that not letting us use a microwave was petty and that we need to be guaranteed a lunch break in writing.

What do you guys think? How can a group of workers that are not considered full time employees secure some basic worker rights? I dont want to lose my job because I am in college and I need me some money! But on the other hand, a man can only be treated like a second class worker for so long before something has to give.

Comments: 18

	Jim - #1 Thu, Jan 12th 2006 @ 8:22 PM 4 words
	Hehe, I know where.

Dronelord - #2 Thu, Jan 12th 2006 @ 9:30 PM 170 words

Yes you do. I would like to keep that to myself with people getting fired for blogging and stuff in the recent news. Dude, you have no idea how crappy it is. We are treated worse than homless drug addicts. Really, it's true. Like second class citzens. The bathrooms are all locked now. We have to use the "customer" bathrooms. That is a minor thing, but on top of all the other stuff....it may be the straw that breaks the camels back....5 very angry camels to be exact. My co-workers share and agree with my views and have their own beefs as well. I never thought I would be on the end of the discrimination stick...but I am and my co-workers are too. It totally sucks. It sorta sucked back then...but it keep getting worse and worse...and now its just blatently retarded. Any suggestions on what to do? Comments? I hate asking for help..so that tells you how bad things are!

	Aaron - #3 Thu, Jan 12th 2006 @ 10:13 PM 30 words
	You get a lunch break. Take a look at this: http://www.appleone.com/StaffingSuccess/0203/QnA.asp

Dronelord - #4 Thu, Jan 12th 2006 @ 10:58 PM 385 words

Thats some good info Aaron. It breaks my heart though to see how people that need real medical help are pawned off on work study IT workers. It is totally unreasonable. I have had to call the police three times since I have worked there for people using drugs in the bathroom, people make violent threats against me, and for someone or some people who vandalized my vehicle in the employee parking lot.

But we have no where to go. The cafeteria is at least 4 city blocks away from our new building. Also, out customers have questionable hobbies. Hardcore drugs, extreme mental problems, and organ transplant patients...with mental problems as well. Dont get me wrong, there are the few that need help and I love to help people with computer problems....but it seems that the regular staff....who I might add are supposed to help drug addicts and mental patients...are pushing these people to spend all their rehab time in the computer room.

I watch as they do nothing and take hours for lunch breaks, several smoke breaks, and then they leave way early all the time. The stuff I see is almost an expose' for Nightline or some other news show. It is sad to see corruption.

The powers that be say ..sure close the room if you need to take a break. But they do not provide the support needed. They leave us to argue with people who are not carrying a full deck of cards. They also do not provide this "break" in writing. Which leads me to believe they are just covering their own ass.

Also, I have had the unpleasant pleasure of having someone wait for me in the parking lot at 9:00pm to talk to me. Of couse I talked to the police but without backing from my employer, the police can only take my statement and tell me to call them again in the future if something else happens.

From talking with my co-workers, our plan is to play it safe, do the bare minimum, and finish college if we can.

I am no Cindy Shenehan or however you spell her name, I am not about to protest..yet..lol

	Rob - #5 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 8:52 AM 33 words
	Dude, where do you work, man? You should move to the credit union industry. Decent folk and they don't seem to mind my presence in the break rooms (I am a consultant).

	Shay - #6 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 9:59 AM 58 words
	Yea, my company treats the temps really well. (I say that after reading the nightmare that you endure). I can't believe what people have to put up with in the job industry at some places. I think you just need to quit and find a job that doesn't sound so miserable. Jeez, life's too short!

Dronelord - #7 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 10:08 AM 105 words

Lets just say I work for the governement. I need the job because the hours are ultra flexible and I go to school full time. I guess nobody needs nothing...but the hours I have now work out perfectly for school.

Credit Union...hmmm, yeah I am sure they need a guy with sweet computer skills and ninja skills as well...lol.

My mom is temp at HP, they treat her bad. I am not a fan of temp work though. It seems that you could be let go at any time for any reason.

But we shall see.

Jim - #8 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 10:56 AM 123 words

In an effort to keep your place of employment hush hush I will only use initials in this post.

What does P. think of the situation? I haven't spoken to him for a little bit, but he never struck me as someone who would put up with this kind of treatment for himself or those he supervises.

Not being actual employees,and needing the position you are in more than they need you to be in it... (let's face it, they could just as soon close the room.) means you are pretty well powerless. Of course, if you get asaulted or vandalized on your employer's property I would think they'd have some responsibility there.

	Rob - #9 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 11:04 AM 49 words
	Help me understand here - what does your work (programming, I assume?) have to do with drug addicts in the parking lot? Jim - can you shed light here? Dronelord is justifiably afraid to divulge that information, but it sounds like you have a more solid position in the same company.

	Rob - #10 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 11:08 AM 65 words
	By the way - I usually just eat at my desk. Anyone is welcome in our break room, but most times I just either work while I am eating or read a book at my desk - in the breakroom, people are chatty and sometimes I just don't feel chatty. Sometimes I just feel like a downright aloof sumbitch and I just want to read dammit.

	Jim - #11 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 11:24 AM 28 words
	I no longer work for the company in question. I will respect Dronelord's wishes and not divulge. Sufice it to say, I know he is not lying.

	Rob - #12 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 11:46 AM 48 words
	Oh I don't think he's lying - I am just curious. I am surprised that there could be companies that behave that way toward others. But then again, I have never been in a union, and it could be that was the union that imposed those rules.

	Jim - #13 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 12:26 PM 35 words
	I didn't mean to suggest you didn't believe him, I was just saying that I was once in his place, and although it wasn't this bad, it had the potential back then.

Dronelord - #14 Fri, Jan 13th 2006 @ 10:47 PM 236 words

Jim, that person you refer to is pretty ticked as well. He is seeking employment elsewhere, but still works there until he can land a job.

It is so petty, but its weird...we are also shunned from walking down a particular hall that passes by some counselors offices to get to our computer room. I take another hallway to get there. These same counselors come to us for computer help and stuff alot and we were happy to help, even though this company has their own dedicated full time IT Staff, but that was then.

Also, I didnt know that they disliked us or thought less of us before. No more free computer help for anybody anymore! Not even my mommy..lol. Well, I havent become that synical yet.

Besides current and ex drug users, through sexual deviants in there as well. Since the implementation of a new firewall, porn in the room hasnt been an issue for awhile so the hardcare perv's went elsewhere.

I do not want to burn my bridges...no matter how crappy that bridge may be. I wouldnt want my employeer to say something bad about me when they are called by potential employeers for me. So I play it cool and grit my teeth as best as I can.

Where is Jimmy Hoffa when you need him? LOL.

Dronelord - #15 Sat, Jan 14th 2006 @ 10:32 AM 196 words

Oh man. I got another e-mail from my boss. Since myself and my co-workers have all sent e-mails to him telling him how ridiculous we are being treated...the regualar employees union and the regualar workers will be having another meeting to determine if we can use that stupid microwave and table.

In the meantime, the option is to go to this other building and use this tv break room area that is for the homeless people. And he even said that we were welcome to bagels and mufffins there...oh and even the use of their microwave.

I know why he is being so generous. All that food is donated goods from companys. So of course he is generous with stuff that the company never has to pay for and something that doesnt affect him.

Also, who the heck wants to take a break from the people you are helping in the computer room, by going into their shelter and eating their food. Gimmie a break.

Just thought you guys would get a kick out of this "gesture" of good will by my boss.

	Greg - #16 Sun, Jan 15th 2006 @ 11:43 PM 18 words
	you can't use the microwave? cripes. its like they are begging for an 'accidental' computer system failure.

	Jim - #17 Tue, Jan 17th 2006 @ 11:39 AM 43 words
	I wonder what would happen if every one of the people in the computer room called in sick a few days in a row. I'm not suggesting you do this; I'm just wondering what would happen if you did do it.

	Dronelord - #18 Tue, Jan 17th 2006 @ 7:49 PM 21 words
	LOL. No I bet that would just aggrevate things. Now if I didnt need the job...I would do just that.

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