I just need to vent.I'm on the verge of losing my current retail job where most of the regulars come in specifically to ask questions and learn how to do things from myself and a few other experts in our field. We are woodworkers and very skilled – not paid well but we continue to work because of our dedication to teaching others the craft. The in store workers start at 15 an hour and are expected to have Expert Knowledge and do everything in our power to sell gadgets that make woodworking easier in the short term. The call center employees make several dollars more an hour, don't have to stand all day, and are not required to have any specific knowledge about woodworking. They also have M-F hours and are seemingly instructed that if any customer has questions that the customer is to call a store for the answer. I've personally handled many calls that start with the woodworker saying the call center told them to call our store. I've always felt a little put on by the whole thing. I've learned nothing from my employer about woodworking and could likely teach them things about it. I also have my own part time shop which I am told to never tell customers about for liability reasons (this is fine I guess, I'm there to represent them, not myself).Anyway, The corporate overlords decided to start enforcing a policy that had not been enforced for years and without warning. So they gave many of us “attendance points” for the previous weeks attendance. Completely arbitrary enforcement. I personally had three points walking in as I had come in just over five minutes late as where I am normally fifteen minutes early. This was my second time being late in over three years. I also had a few points as the previous saturday I had gone home very sick – so sick I was unable to drive and had to be picked up. I say gone home sick but the reality was I went in sick because I didn't want to screw over the supervisor that day if they were going to be busy. I stayed long enough to cover breaks and it was super slow – so the supervisor sent me home 2 hours early without me requesting it. It was obvious I was ill. On the day I was told of these three points gained I had also punched in ten minutes early – another infraction and I received another point – 7 points and I no longer have a job.I'm pissed. My call into HR happens tomorrow where I am sure my frustration will get me fired. I'll also ask for a substantial raise that I won't get due to the discrepancy between my pay and the pay of people who get chairs and better perks. I'm considered an “expert” and paid a pittance. We use to get pretty good discounts on proprietary items but that was recently taken away as well. I'm looking for a better job – but that isn't happening as quickly as I'd like. It's hard for me to find work because I'm handicapped so I feel like I'm backed into a corner. I wasn't hired to lift planks of wood, I was hired because of my knowledge – which I will no longer use for the benefit of anyone but my best customers and myself. EDIT TO ADD: When my manager relayed the news he kept saying he was “only the messenger” – to which I told him that he was responsible for his words messenger or not – and if he wanted to be the messenger he should call HR and relay they shit I was saying.
This is really long – TL;DR – company expects Expert knowledge, pays little, and arbitrarily enforces policies that only serve to harm the staff.