TLDR at bottom
I work for a parts company and my job is to deliver, pick up returns from the shops, take payment for COD shops. Several shops have a credit account with us and their accounts are either paid at end of Day, Week or Monthly. I’d like to note that these shops have been customers for a long time and the SM gives them a lot of leeway. And after working there for 3 months shy of 2 years, I know who to give the same leeway too. And 4 days per week, I scan & sort the retail inventory and the various parts to restock the shelves. And on one day is a pallet of oil, antifreeze, lubes, etc. so, that makes TWO pallets I have to scan in between deliveries.
Now, keep in mind that I am in my late 40’s. I have a boomer mentality in regards to; being punctual & limited absences & zero call outs. I, also plan 2-3 months in advance for vacation. These trips are non-negotiable. I live here in a expensive State & fly back to visit my adult daughter & grandchildren. I married into a wonderful family here but I miss my daughter & the babies very much.
My job doesn’t pay very well despite having made awesome profits during the pandemic and struggled with staffing the entire time. I was hired on the 3rd year of the pandemic. Gas prices had skyrocketed & it wasn’t profitable doing the gig jobs that I prefer doing and absolutely loved. Now, I know how to budget & honestly felt I did better financially working gig jobs rather than at minimum wage which is $15. I got a .45 cent “Merit” raise & THAT pissed me off SO much. I was extremely reliable. Commercial Shops that I delivered to absolutely adore me. I’m fast, humorous and go the extra step for them. If a part that was ordered is wrong, I ask why. I ask for measurements, take pictures and bring back samples to show my Assistant Manager of Commercial or the SM. THEY are the ones who take the orders & find the correct part. Point is? I go above and beyond.
This past Friday was a milestone birthday. I worked on last year’s birthday in which I also had a argument with my husband. It was a crappy birthday. I ham did have every intention on working this year’s birthday because we had planned my party for the next weekend. But then a owner/mechanic from a shop snapped at me over my trying to collect for 3 invoices that I had personally delivered AND gave him the leeway to not having to pay at that moment I delivered the 3 separate orders. This guy is a a COD & does NOT have a credit account with my company. We are supposed to collect on every order and if corporate came in & did an Audit, my SM could be written up or fired.
My stance with these men that I deliver to, is that I’m not their therapist or whipping Post. No man should EVER yell at a woman. And especially not one who delivers their parts & has zero Authority or any opinion on how this company should conduct their business. I have already gotten one guy who was yelling toward me but not AT me, to apologize. He was mad at my SM. Next day, I called him out on it. Told him only a coward would yell at a woman but not walk right up to the SM & yell at him. Cause that is who he is REALLY mad at. And he did apologize. I accepted it. He & I are on good standing.
So, the other Owner/Mechanic got upset & told me that HE was sick of this! How dare I ask for payment. I took a big breath and glared at him before leaving. I literally don’t get paid enough for this stupidity and I WAS just doing my job. I radioed the SM. And instead of handling it like he should have, he just told this, “Did I TELL you to collect? YOU allow him to wait until later to pay. And you shouldn’t have told him that you get off at 4 and was NOT coming back.”
WHAT. THE. FUCK…………….
I don’t need to ask permission to collect on a COD. That’s why he likes me so much is that I am responsible and don’t need to be told to do every little thing. AND it’s his neck on the line if Corporate does an Audit. And since I leave at 4, I’ll be damned if I’m going back to collect because the Owner/Mechanic decided he will pay after all. He can either pay the other driver or come on down and pay in person.
So, my SM is ok with his only female employee being yelled at. Despite my watching him call out a customer for trying to insult his male retail counter employees & stating he isn’t going to listen to insults toward his employees.
Well, people. Turn about is fair play. If his retail guys can call out and be late constantly, play on their phones & skip doing retail cleaning & restocking? Then I can short them a driver on a Friday and spend my milestone birthday getting a massage, a facial & cruise around the Mall whole drinking a fruit smoothie with boba. ( And it was a really nice day btw. )
The next day, I was getting some extra hours working at another location. And chance would have it, I had to go to my store to pick up a part that the other location didn’t have & then deliver to their customers shop. I gave a cheerful “Hi!” To my SM. Him? He, and n a monotone, said, “oh hello.” 🤣
Dude sounded a bit cold towards me. I wonder if it was because the Friday was SO busy that him & the other (two-faced snitch) driver was stressed out of their minds. 🤞
TLDR: After nearly 2 years of perfect attendance & punctuality, I called in on a Friday for my birthday when I knew it was just the other driver & the SM. Who were alone for most of the morning as my way of sticking it to them both for my SM not supporting me when a commercial shop yelled at me nor for paying me the same as his males retail employees & supporting them against shitty customers. And the driver for being a dirty snitch.