First, I am not in the US. I am also a government worker, and I have good pay, great healthcare, retirement and time off policies.
This issue goes back to when I was first hired, six years ago. My job is shift based, and since I work outside city limits -technically- transport is assured, from my house to work, and back.
The issue is with the driver. This guy is hired by an external company, but in reality, he was a nepo hire by my direct supervisor (he is related to his BIL). This guy routinely is late by at least 20 minutes. So imagine working a 12 hours night shift, sitting in an office chair, only to have the driver that is supposed to bring your relief, and take you home, come in 30 minutes late. More often than not, it’s up to an hour late.
At first I was shy (my first ever job, straight from college, and only 22), and my supervisor used to guilt trip me with a sob story, how he is underpaid (he is paid more per hour than I do), how he has no relief so has to work 24/7 (for 30 minutes in the morning, then 30 minutes at night), how he never gets to go on vacation (we routinely take cabs to work for a week each year, so he can have days off, even if he gets paid for them)….
But I started getting tired of the same thing all the time, so I started complaining. Then I became the bad one, since no one else is complaining, and I am trying to bully the poor driver.
Finally, February of 2022, I started recording when he picked me up, how late he was, and how long he had to wait for me (so I could go through things with my relief).
Today, I will be working a 24hrs shift, so I politely asked him to come on time tomorrow. He didn’t like that, started going off, so I just got out and didn’t engage.
But then I printed off all his late arrivals for that last year and 2 months, went to my supervisor, and told him that the next time he is late or disrespectful, I am going over his head and involving the union. He tried to convince me that he was just stressed and started on the sob story, I told him that I was ok with being a petty villain. He tried to tell me that all involving the union will do is to get him fired, then we will have to pay for cabs while a new driver gets hired, I told him that I was fine with that, and he has my whole hearted permission to blame me if anyone else complains. Finally he tried to calm me, so I just stood up, told him that he knows my decision, then said I will be going back to my desk, and my work.
Now I am itching for the driver to come late, so I can follow through on my promise.