I suppose I should start this by stating that I'm a political science major. I fully intend to use my voice and it began when I realized that my supervisor had acted with haste in regards to a piece of mail that I received.
Mind you, everyone got this letter. It was from the CEO of the company thanking people for their participation at an event. Granted, I wasn't really assisting anyone that day. I was doing my job and picking up the slack while other members of my team went out to play direct roles. But everyone received the letter but for some reason, they didn't feel as though I should have received it. They Took it. They threw it away without allowing me to actually read the thing (granted, a collegue of mine let me read theirs) and it was as I thought, a broad letter thanking everyone for having even worked that day.
I really sat on it. I thought I could let it go but I couldn't. Instead, though I knew that they had thrown it away, I asked for it back. (They could have retrieved it from the trash and apologized) instead, they grew wildly upset, especially when I asked for the manager's interpretation as to gauge whether they were right in taking my letter and throwing it away. (They werent). Boy fucking howdy did they blow up.
Not at all what I expected as for weeks we had been like two peas in a pod but right in that moment, they had become unhinged. They snatched my colleagues paper out of his hands. It was in that moment when I paused. I drew in a breath, and then told them that we needed to continue the conversation in the conference room (as we were disrupting other people working). We go into the other room and she just keeps going.
I get it they were defensive. They felt attacked so, I shut it down. I told them what they wanted to hear and shut it all down.
But from that point moving forward, their demeanor has changed. I've found my hours cut. I find myself being micromanaged and today, I was written up based on an assumption which from my point of view is just the result of festering animosity and resentment.
Now, I have to think about what to do next. I would let this go…but I won't. I think that it's important to stand up for ourselves, especially when facing adversity while climbing over the sticky wall of childish animosity.
I've decided on speaking to my manager directly about the issue and seek out mediation because it's getting stupid. I just want to do my job. If I can't find any common ground with my manager, I suppose I will have to file a complaint with HR and just bring hell onto everyone. All because of fucking letter.
I swear…I should have let it go but what kind of precident would that set? I'd be a carpet and I'm through with being walked on and alway acting in a way that compromises who I am and what I stand for and I just can't stand bullshit.
What should I do?