I work for AT&T as a sales rep. We are unionized.
I’ll try and keep this as short as possible. When I bid for this month’s schedule I was able to get every Sunday off. This is great because Sundays are the only day I really get to see and spend time with my wife because of our different schedules. Well, we had someone quit so they put me on the schedule for all but one Sunday this month to cover.
My wife was furious and cried because we don’t see each other much but there was nothing I could do.. I was equally mad.
Well to make up for it we planned a big date day on the only Sunday I have off this month. I purchased movie tickets, and we planned to have dinner out that night as well as just being together the whole day.
Well, when I started my shift this morning I walk in the the back and my boss says “hey someone called out this Sunday so I gotta put you on the schedule” so I was like “umm.. I’ve already made big plans that day as well as purchased movie tickets already, I can’t work that day”
her response was the generic “well sorry but we need someone so I have to put you on” (I was the next lowest in seniority so I was their first choice)
Now feeling the fury again, I call up my union rep and explain the situation and ask what can be done. He states “well it’s in the union contract that as long as they give you 48 hours notice they can put you on the schedule, nothing I can do”, I was like “well what do I do? Just never make plans anymore? What if I had purchased a $500 concert ticket?” He just stammered around and reiterated how there was nothing he could do.
So now I’m here. Angry as fuck. Just seeking any advice.
We have a point system here at AT&T so I fully plan to take the points for that day and enjoy it anyways, but it still doesn’t sit right with me… there has got to be something else I can do..