I'm in construction, where some old school attitudes will not die. Where taking punishment is a rite of passage and being difficult to be around is worn like a badge of honor. There are two established workers at the company I'm with who are not foremen or leads (because they're so difficult to work with and treat everyone around them like dirt) that are beginning to seriously impact my wellbeing outside of work.
I'm pacing around stressed and angry, snapping at my friends and loved ones. I find myself unable to focus on the things I care about because I'm so wound up and strung out from the week. My brain constantly feels foggy and I feel myself drifting off ruminating about all the times I was shouted and degraded during the previous week.
I'm 3 weeks away from being acquired by my company as I've been contracting through a temp agency. When I'm picked up I will likely get over a $4/hr raise, which, for me, will be life changing. I'm also starting school in 4 weeks, so I'll only be working for this company 3 days a week. These are the reasons I haven't started looking for a more lax and laid back job.
The guy who runs the company is one of the best people I've ever met. One of those guys that just radiates goodness and deals with everything with poise. I don't want him to deal with my problems, since if you whine to the bossman you will automatically be on everyone's shitlist, but I do want to feel secure knowing that if I stand up for myself I won't immediately be shown the door for disrupting the power structure.
I don't know if I'm just venting or looking for advice
Maybe examples of people who stood up for themselves against workers who are stuck in their positions because they don't know how to play nice with people.
Because I'm getting really close to snapping.
I was just thinking about telling the worst one, in a respectful way that he can't continue to treat people the way that he treats people. We've had moments of understanding between each other too so I think I can come to him like a friend, “Hey man, I think you're a good man and you can treat people better than you do. You know I care about you, but if you don't show me respect I'm not going to show you respect, you have to be more mature when we work together or I'm not going to work with you.”