I work for a public figure in labor rights. It’s the most toxic workplace I’ve experienced. Very few people make it to the two year mark, we’re all expected to work 6-7 days/week 10hr+ days when we’re only paid to work 35 hrs/wk and are exempt from overtime thanks to some loophole they’re taking advantage of. His number two has ranted about unions in the workplace and claim they are bad for work and that unions never get anything for workers. We get yelled at for managements’ mistakes. Some people are misclassified as contractors. The office has stolen money from at least three workers that I know of by refusing to pay people what they’re owed. The labor leader complains to workers about how little money he makes when paid 3-5 times as much as employees and has familial wealth. Half of us work jobs on the few days we have off in order to make ends meet.
I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck since working here, but I’ve had it. It got to the point where I felt the only way I felt like I could get a break was to go to the hospital (bc when we are off, we still get calls about things that need to be handled that day). So I quit. It’s going to be rough. No unemployment, and I’m definitely not asking them for a reference—I wouldn’t trust them to give anyone a reference because they don’t do any of the hard work themselves, just show up to expensive lunches and parties.
But I can’t wait until this labor leader tries to rise higher. Whether they try to get some fancy appointment by a politician or run for office themselves (he or his number two), I’m going straight to the press, and there are decades of workers who can come forward with similar stories. Karma’s a bitch