I worked for this company for 6 months. That’s it. I applied because I thought it would be amazing for my degree (hired as a museum tour guide initially with a degree in anthropology). But no, they made me work in the gift shop while saying, “Oh, we quit doing tours during covid!” I also told them in the interview that I need to be able to sit down because standing for too long is excruciatingly painful. After less than a month, I was written up for sitting (while we were totally empty, too!) and that’s when I began to plan.
When hired, we had to sign a document saying we wouldn’t discuss our wages with fellow employees. Thanks to this sub, I learned that it was illegal and found out that I was making the same hourly wage as someone that had been employed there for 5 years. FIVE YEARS!! Versus my one month. I stayed for the money, but was searching for other work. I constantly told everyone how they were violating countless laws by not letting us take breaks, discuss pay, not honoring medically documented disability, etc.
Fast forward until I submitted my two weeks’ notice- they told me to leave immediately, so I did (more time at home with my pets before my next job began!) Since then, 6 long term employees have quit. They hired a new manager from outside the company, who has no clue what to do whatsoever. There are 8 employees, and the place needs 7 to function properly every day. If someone calls off, it’s hellish, but do the managers come to help? Nope! One of the employees was being sexually harassed, and the owner just said, “Well, your breasts are uneven, so maybe he was just focused on that.”
So I’ve informed my former coworkers (and friends- I do genuinely like and hang out with some former coworkers) that we live in one of the best states to unionize. I’ve been guiding every effort to find the right union and find the right paperwork and documentation to ensure their rights. It’s a weirdly satisfying feeling that I just wanted to share.