TwoQTs

..in more ways than one.

Yes, it's sunny outside & the temp has risen to a balmy -20-something C. Supposed to be up to 9 in the next day or so.. on with the melting yet again!

As to my life, other than the girls, my life sucks.

Work: no word from the union since last week when they told me they'd asked for J's immediate dismissal. J must know a little b/c he's trying to be nicer. NICER.. sucking up a little mingled with the usual snotty remarks & threats.

I prayed like crazy.. God, send me to Produce... PLS!!! I walked around the corner--
I NEVER walk thru Produce normally unless I'm shopping.. & there's a T-stand saying 'FT produce needed ASAP.' I talked to the supervisor who told me he'd ask Ken our boss (store mgr) about my wage... I could likely go there as an ass't & maintain my wage. Less responsibility, no Jim, learning something new. My shifts may be not quite as nice.. one month of nights, then one of days then one of evenings. Rotating. Last time it was all nights.

Pluses: mgt has already been after me to take Jim's job should they fire him. I don't WANT that job!! The meat dept is in a huge mess!! I've done my absolute best to keep that dept together. I've been able to increase our sales. I'm SICK of doing all Jim's work & him getting the credit. They all KNOW it's me. With M leaving next week, we'll be left with four of us meat cutters trying to do all the work.

More pluses: mgt's also been telling me to get out of the dept so Jim can flop miserably. Karma's a *****. I would LOVE to kick back & watch him fail on the spot. He can't order chicken, sausage, doesn't read the emails, doesn't try to increase sales or decrease shrink. He'd have a huge amount of shrink, can't do price changes, can't wrap. His shrink would skyrocket b/c he way over orders everything. He can't enter a code into the scales. He'd be completely screwed.

Biggest plus: meat cutters may be phased out. This is a HUGE concern of mine. A cutting facility for all Loblaw stores in central/southern Alberta was built 4 years ago. They actually bought out all the meat cutters at that time. They couldn't get cutters at the facility so bumped the wages up a LOT so they'd keep the cutters in store. As it is now, some Loblaw chains have their meat pre-cut at the packing plants. Walmart doesn't cut meat. Save-on doesn't cut meat. Costco has a hiring freeze on cutters as it looks like they will be bringing in pre-cut/pre-pkg as well. We are guaranteed our meat cutting positions only till Aug. 2012. Then what? They could buy us out again (I was only making $9/hr back then) & we could keep our jobs, but it would be a huge pay-cut that I can't afford.

Thus, moving to produce with my current wage would preserve me from losing my meat cutter wages if we are phased out.

I know it may seem like running away from the problems. However, I cannot take any more verbal abuse. He uses the schedule as a weapon. If I ask for a certain shift & tell why why, he'll deliberately change it to screw me over. E/o says 'oh, he can't do that' but he does.

As to Human Rights, they want witnesses. J is careful not to be super nasty around others. If I filed a complaint today even so, it will not be heard for up to 2 years! I want action sooner than that. I can't take any more.

I am mostly concerned about the actual shifts. Need to get more more info. However, with meat cutting in jeopardy, this may be my way to maintain my wage.

As to my personal life, don't have one. I just wish I could have a friend. I get to church once a month b/c I work Sundays. I just wish I could get a break of some sort. Even at church ppl aren't used to me being there so no-one says much.