Author: Moby

I’m seriously considering resigning my post w/the Union chapter at work. I currently hold two positions as Treasurer and Steward. A lot of the members constantly whine about problems but do nothing to contribute to a solution. I swear if I hear “what as the Union done for me lately“, it will happen sooner than later.

A Union is only as strong as its members and ours is pretty damn weak. Frankly, the Officers do most of the work and everyone else reaps the rewards and I’m getting tired of it. I have other priorities I could focus on that are more important to me but I stick with it as I’m a firm believer in “don’t bitch about a problem if you do nothing to be part of the solution“. However, I am beginning to feel completely undervalued and unappreciated for all the work I do (as well as the other Officers). The VP has also expressed an interest in resigning so I know if I go, he’ll follow suit.

For a position that isn’t paid and requires a lot of my free time, it would just be nice to hear members asking what they can do to help vs. constantly whining. Yeah, we have problems. Yeah, we have our work cut out for us. I’ve expressed to the membership on many occasions that they are the voice and strength of our chapter and w/o them, we have very little power. Yet, they continue to wallow in petty squabbles and act like high school children. This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way and who knows, it may not be the last. I just need to vent I guess.

Well, it’s my weekend. It was a short week thankfully. Work has been overly stressful as of late. The irony is it isn’t the callers that are causing it. Management is trying to stop the bleed off of employees by implementing a new schedule that has most of the members very upset. Personally, I don’t care however, I live in the city, have no kids and it really isn’t a burden for me. Not so for the bulk of our work force. Seventy percent of the employees live outside the city, some as far away as Sacramento. This new longer schedule will push some to quit or retire. We are already facing critically low numbers, we really can’t afford to lose anyone else.

The new director means well but she is out of touch w/the center and is trying to patch the problem w/ideas from her previous and much smaller comm. center. I pray nothing critical happens in SF as we are woefully underprepared. If something like Katrina happened here, while I’m quite sure the delay would not be the same, our center would probably collapse under the extra burden.

With that in mind, I’m starting to check out surrounding agencies to see what kind of lateral programs they offer. The sheer lack of concern and respect has really begun to weigh on me and I’m fed up.

Some days I like work and others I hate it. This week I hate it. It seems to be a never ending struggle w/drama.

Our dept is using so much overtime we are in danger of exceeding our normal operational labor costs. A first in the history of any city dept. Yet, the chief negotiator for the City had the audacity to tell us we don’t have a recruitment/retention problem. Ironic huh?

Add to that, the almost daily bombardment of pettiness and it tends to wear on you. I don’t think it is asking a lot to come to work, plug in, do my job and be left alone. One would think it is a no-brainer. One would be wrong. Seems like every week the dept comes up with a new way to rob us of what few perks we have left. If it wasn’t for my upcoming schedule for school, I’d seriously consider looking at other agencies.

I could go on and on but it serves no purpose and I hate whining. Weeks like this just re-enforce my determination to go to school and get out of here.