Ya know, honesty can go a long way with me. Back when I took this job a couple years ago or so, I told them “I need to very other weekend off” at the interview when asked about my availability. They said sure, fine, no problem. Then, IMMEDIATELY, they completely ignored that 100%, and proceeded to schedule me every Saturday and Sunday all day long, forever.
And ya know what? I took it. For minimum wage, and no benefits, I basically never saw my friends and family again lol (who all obviously tend to work Monday – Friday and only have weekends to hang). I grew isolated and apart from everyone. I haven’t met anyone and really sustained a dating relationship outside of the workplace in a while.
And so now, I’m at this terrible, terrible low in my life for thousands of reasons, and I’m desperately trying to claw my way back out of it. I’ve decided one of the things I need is some time to see my family and friends, as well as some time to pursue my real dream and passion as a sketch comedian. Both of which, I’ll need some more weekend time free.
So a couple months ago, I go to my manager and tell them I can’t work Saturdays anymore, just Sundays. I didn’t think that would be a problem, because my manager never has worked a Sunday in years despite it being company policy that managers work Sundays (the busiest day of the week). That’s how it’s supposed to be, anyways. Plus, people say things like “I can’t work Sundays” all the time there, and never work a Sunday again. But see, I’m a good employee who gets the job done well, exceptionally. So for me, apparently that’s too much to ask.
So they say they can’t give me every Saturday off. So I say, “how about a compromise? Every other Saturday?” They say yeah, sure, that’s totally fine, no problem. Fine.
Fast forward to now and I have been schedule on to work every.. single.. Saturday and Sunday ever since, all day long. And every time I bring it up and ask when it’s going to kick in, they say “ohh well uhhh we’re really in trouble this weekend, we really need you.” And yet no sign of appreciation in any form, not even a pat on the back for the job I do there.
And it’s wearing on me. And the shitty thing is, I would just leave them and go to a better company, but this has been exactly the kind of thing that goes down at nearly every single job I’ve ever had in my life – and I’ve had a lot. I think it clearly shows me that our freedom isn’t real here in America. Even if we explicitly explain that we CAN’T work on a certain day of the week (I gave them the false reason of starting another job btw, because I knew they wouldn’t let me have it just to have more time to spend with my loved ones), we’re made to be there anyways. Doesn’t matter if you go to college and have class that time and day, or if you have a second job because this one doesn’t pay you enough to eat let alone shelter yourself, or if you’re literally physically unable to work that much, or if you have a newborn baby and are a single parent, or whatever the reason. They don’t care. And it doesn’t matter. You’ll be there. Or you’ll be without a job and without a means to survive. This doesn’t make me feel like a free man in a free country partaking in a business deal with a company. This makes me feel owned. And I am.