a long time ago, i started working as a shipper/receiver attached to the F&B Department for a casino. it wasn't very busy and there was two of us, so we got the job done. it's a long read, but the set-up is worth it. i promise.
our duties included:
1. receiving all deliveries for the kitchens, the bars, the theater, and essentially whatever else came in
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putting damn near all of it away. fresh food, frozen food, dry food, beer, kegs, paper supplies, etc.
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stocking all the bars on property.
like i said, there was 2 of us, so it wasn't unmanageable. it went on like this for a couple years, until the guy i was working with moved to maintenance.
by this point, i was in pretty good shape, so i just viewed the increased workload as a challenge. it took a while, but i got to the point where i was capable of managing the entire property's demands and having more than 3 hours a day with little to nothing to do. i firmly believed in working smarter, not harder, so i'm very good at managing my time.
this went on for a few years.
then the casino decided to rebrand. in the year, year and a half leading up to the rebrand, my workload began increasing. exponentially. it was getting harder and harder to meet the bare minimum requirements, let alone reaching my own goals.
it was too much. i was leaving work sore and tired and in pain. the following conversations occurred over the course of about two months, between me and the department head. i should also mention that i'd been wage capped at 15$ for nearly 4 years at this point, while doing the work of at least 3 people:
me: so, i did some research on warehouse jobs with duties similar to my own, and the median wage is about 21$. what i was thinking, though, was that you could bump me to 17/18$ next pay period, and give me .50 raises every six months until we reach that median.
DH: why would we do that?
me: because the workload is unbearable. i can't meet my job requirements anymore.
DH: if you can't put stuff away, put it away the next day.
me: there are deliveries every day now. most of what i'm receiving is perishable. i have to put the food away. this has to be done.
DH: leave the bar deliveries out and deal with them when you can.
me: the head engineer will shit bricks if his hallways are blocked for longer than a few hours. he will call the fire marshal. he's done this before, and we get cited for a pile of stuff.
DH: we'll get the cooks to put their own food away.
me: the kitchens are whited out nearly all the time now because there's a 'not a hiring freeze hiring freeze' in place.
DH: i think we're going to table this for now.
me: (in my head) strike one, chief.
____two months later___
me: so i was following up with my immediate supervisor and he informs me that we have 16 hours available per week that's being unused.
DH: and?
me: and i was thinking we could hire me a part-timer to help out on the busiest delivery days and have them come in on, say, a saturday or sunday to help with barstock. you know, to restock after a busy friday and saturday night. whoever it is can focus solely on that. it'll be of immense help.
DH: that's not going to work.
me: why not? it's right there in the budget! we've had part-timers before now.
DH: that's being removed from the budget. you're doing fine. everyone's very happy with how you're doing things.
me: i need this help, DH. i cannot do this job alone anymore.
DH: you were willing to do it solo before, but with a raise.
me: yes. and i still am. i want to be compensated for being worked to death.
DH: ahah. anyways. a raise isn't in the budget, and neither is a part-time employee.
me: (in my head) strike two, motherfucker.
___one month later___
DH: the bars aren't getting their stock on time anymore.
me: (sweating to death and praying for it) yep.
DH: they ran out of kegs last night.
me: (seeing stars because i've literally shifted an entire bar's worth of product in 2 hours) you told me i should only do what i was capable of doing.
DH: bar sales suffered.
me: so …
DH: so you're going to have to do better. we can't have this. your work is suffering and if you don't pick up the pace, we'll begin actively managing you
me: i see i see.
DH: glad we had this chat. i'll be following up with you later today to see if you're where i want you to be. if you're not, you're going to need to stay off the clock. you need to ensure all your work is done.
me: (ask not for whom the bell tolls for it tolls for thee)
___3 days later___
me: so …
DH: mmhmm?
me: here is an inter-departmental transfer form. i've been interviewed by and hired by Security. as you can see, they are giving you 2 months to replace me. at the end of this two months, i will no longer be in F&B.
DH: what?
me: i cannot stress to you how important it is to increase your minimum wage, which is still sitting at 11.75$. it's 2014. that wage and this workload? you won't find anyone.
DH: this is unacceptable.
me: i gave you every opportunity to let me help you. this is it. 2 months i'm done.
DH: what can we do to convince you to stay?
me: can you give me 19$ in the next hour?
DH: no. it's not in the budget.
me: well, that's totally unfortunate.
DH: 2 months isn't enough time.
me: wellll, i've got to go ahead and do the absolutely bare minimum so that all the departments can mentally and physically prepare themselves for 2 months from now, when you don't hire anyone to replace a guy who's been doing the work of 4 people for the last 3 years and have to do it all themselves.
DH: what's going on here?
___
so, every day for the next two months, various department heads outside Security would come up to me and ask me what they could do to keep me in F&B. i would always tell them the same:
give me 19$ an hour. hire a part-timer. let them work 18-24 hours a week. give me an extra week vacation.
they all laughed and told me i was dreaming. i laughed and told them 'enjoy having to bring in multiple people from your departments to do my job for me, which will ultimately absolutely increase your payroll'.
which it did.
and it took them 6 months to find someone to replace me, and i immediately poached him to Security, which fucked them hard.