I keep seeing people complaining about the total BS that employers do, and wonder when we are going to figure out this basic, universal truth: workers have the power, not employers. Oh sure, they do everything (in)humanly possible to gaslight you, to coerce and intimidate you, to subtly or blatantly threaten you, all to maintain their thin grasp on control. None of that changes the fact that no one can actually force you to work, you could just choose to lay down and let life happen. Not a great choice, but still yours to make.
Allowing our employers to manipulate, control, and abuse us most often happens because we act individually, fear poverty, and don't have the knowledge and courage to do anything else. That's where unions and even things like this sub can help us. Why do so many people come here asking for advice that they should probably be talking to a lawyer about? Because we need a supportive community to back us up against the tyranny of our employers and a capitalist system that puts profit at the top and workers at the very, very bottom.
So I wanted to point out a few mistakes where people are literally just handing power over to their employers. I know this might be focusing on the negative aspects here, but hopefully people will see this as encouraging them to stand up for themselves and collectively stop letting our employers control us. If we all started doing these things, we would take back power even without unions (but unions are still crucial. Please, please join a union if at all possible).
-Calling Out: You don't need a doctors note. You don't need a good excuse. You don't need to find someone else to fill your shift. Why? Because you're a grown ass adult, not some little child playing hooky from school, and it's the manager/supervisor/owner's responsibility to cover for workers who will inevitably miss work (because we're not robots).
If you have a legitimate need to call out, then that's that. They don't need to know the reason, so stop giving them opportunity to argue with the WHY and just let them know how it IS. This goes all the more for scheduling vacation time or maternity/paternity leave. Make it absolutely clear to begin with that you will be taking that time and it's not up for manipulation negotiation.
-Covering: Similar to calling out, unless you are specifically hired on as a floater/sub, then it's not your responsibility to make yourself available whenever and however your employer wants. Even if you are a floater, you're still not a robot to be activated with the push of a button. Act professional, calm, and unwavering while you tell them when or if you will be available.
Think of it like this, they are asking for you to provide a paid service. Would you go into a restaurant that was understaffed and demand that they call in a waiter from home to serve you? Having an employer/employee relationship does not give them the right to abuse your availability.
This includes taking work home with you or answering communications outside work hours. That's illegal in Europe and for good reason. Don't let your employer think they can get away with stealing your life from you. No matter how much you give, they will always want more.
-Safety: For the love of God don't let your employer put you in an unsafe environment. I worked a job that had me handling hazmat situations without the proper safety gear, which could have resulted in severe sickness or even death. Your job is not worth your life or good health. That goes for mental health as well.
You're the one who gets to decide if you're in an unsafe situation, not them. The vast majority of the time, if you think it's unsafe, chances are your employer is doing something illegal. Again, calm, professional, unwavering communication as to the fact that you will not be doing it. A lot of this is kind of like dealing with a child throwing a tantrum.
-Pay & benefits: You are the one providing the service of a work force to your employer, so you are the one who gets to decide what you are worth. This one is harder, because obviously they still have to make a profit, but they can always afford more than they are telling you. You have the right to negotiate in good faith.
Remember that you have the legal right to discuss these things with your fellow employees, just as you have the right to talk about unionizing. Do not let them gaslight you into thinking it's “unprofessional.” I was a contractor for many years and one thing I noticed is that since a contractor decides their own rates, clients were more than ready to talk about pay as soon as possible. Talking about pay is the definition of professional, unless you are a volunteer.
-Morality: If your employer asks you to lie, quit. If they show themselves to be immoral in any way, why would you trust them enough to work for them? Don't go knowingly into an abusive situation and then wonder why your life sucks. Lying, cheating, stealing, and all other sorts of immoral behavior that employers get into should show you who they really are.
Consider this, if that's what's on the surface, how deep does the rot go? If an employer is asking you to do something obviously immoral, then you can be sure that they are capable of far worse. Get out ASAP and never look back. Don't wait until you become their next victim or turn into what they have become.
If I missed any of the big ones, feel free to comment and I will add them in an edit. I made many of these mistakes for years for the same reason that most of us allow our employers to exploit us: fear of poverty. If we stand together and change the work culture entirely, then we can put an end to manipulation and exploitation.
It doesn't matter how much they cry or complain that no one wants to work, WE are the ones who decide how our labor will be handled. WE are the ones who decide what we will and will not accept from an employer, so if exploitation and abuse is common practice, then we're not doing enough to stop it. The whole reason there is so much pushback to workers taking back their rights is because they KNOW the truth, that we have the power, not them.
When you stand up to an employer for their mistreatment, you are standing up for every current and future employee that will ever be under them. When we all start standing up together, we do so for the entire nation and for the future of our children.