My wife works for a coffee shop in the middle of a downtown area where cost of living is high. She is paid 12 an hour plus tips.
Her manager is the nicest person. The manager defends my wife’s time and energy so incredibly well. The issue is with the business owner.
The business has employees that all seem to be worked to the bone, the coffee shop side of things is micromanaged by the owner to the point where it takes 3 months to hire anyone.
I just don’t think that my wife is treated well as a worker. The owner has managers working open to close with no breaks, and today was just frustrating as the owner walked into the shop saying that their event next door is going on and they have to stay extra and also cannot pre-close anything.
I feel frustrated because as her spouse I cannot directly do anything and it hurts to hear my wife continually working for someone who doesn’t give a shit about her employees or frankly anyone in the coffee side of things.
I’ve told her that she and the manager alone have enough leverage in order to pressure for change but I know that neither of them are the kind of people to be able to confront the owner who is very much a Type A personality.
My wife loves working in coffee and it sucks having to tell her when she isn’t being treated well.
Am I going about being supportive in the wrong way? Do I just need to let my wife handle her own stuff and leave it be?