So the day has continued rather more interesting than it has any right to be.
I gave notice at the Day Jobbe today. Alert readers of this blog will have noted my general disgruntlement with the institution in general and my growing alarm at the unfair and disproportionate way in which they are applying the upcoming pay cuts and furloughs.
A relevant passage from my letter of resignation, addressed to both Boss Man and Boss Lady:
“I have been a part of the [Massive Bureaucracy] since 1984, an employee since 1986–first at [the other site over there], then here at [this site over here] since 2005. I have always been so happy and proud to be associated with [the MB]. I’ve built my career here and long looked forward to a solid, secure, comfortable retirement. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with many devoted, fantastic people, culminating with you here in [our little piece of the MB.]
But, as we are all painfully aware, the [MB], along with the rest of the State of California, is in terrible financial straits, and so the recent news of pay cuts and furloughs comes as a disappointment but not a surprise. However, we [Lowly Minions] in particular—some of the lowest paid people [in the MB]—have watched in increasing dismay as group after group have been exempted from the cuts, leaving us to bear the burden. It is a powerful message from those in charge about the value they place in us and our work. … my confidence in the strength, stability, and fair-mindedness of our institution has been deeply shaken.”
In fact, they announced the numbers yesterday: 74% of the staff are getting no cuts at all! Leaving us 26% to carry it all.
Okay. That’s bad enough.
Part of what has made this feasible for me was an incentive program they advertised a few months ago, whereby anyone who volunteers to quit will receive 1 week of pay for every year of service credit. Not exactly a golden parachute, but with my 18 years (I haven’t always been full-time), it was going to add up to a decent chunk of change. Enough time to make a transition. Enough money, if you add my accrued vacation pay (because sick leave, of course, just vanishes, as though it never were), to give me maybe six months off as I figure out what to do with the rest of my life.
I have never not worked. I put myself through college. I worked in high school. When I changed from that other part of the MB to this one over here, I left Other on a Friday and started Here on the following Monday, to preserve my continuity of service.
I have been in two positions Over Here, since I arrived in 2005. I started as a Lowly Minion; nearly two years ago, a position for Slightly More Elevated Minion opened up in the same division. I applied for it and got it. They advertised to fill the Lowly Minion position, received applications, and were about to begin interviewing when a hiring freeze came down. A hiring freeze we are still in.
Bear with me, this is relevant.
So for the last two years, I’ve been doing both Lowly Minion and Slightly More Elevated Minion jobs for the pay of Slightly More Elevated. The pay cut will–yes–take me below the pay I was getting for Lowly. Galling, indeed.
But here’s what happened today. After the shock and surprise and dismay and understanding and teary-eyed hugs from the Bosses, Boss Lady looked carefully at the Quit Now And Never Come Back incentive plan rules, and saw that they don’t apply if you’re going to replace the position. “We have to replace your position,” she said.
“There’s a hiring freeze,” I said. “You can’t.”
“Well, if it’s strategically necessary, I can get an exemption to that. In any event, I can’t argue that your position is not necessary. I have to at least ask for it.”
So…I’ve been working two jobs for two years for the pay of the slightly better one, because we can’t hire; but now that I’m leaving, they can hire?
Don’t get me wrong. I totally understand her position. I like and respect her, and I see what a terrible bind she’s in–a terrible bind I’ve, at least in part, put her in. (That’s the suckiest thing about this whole situation–decent, hardworking, loyal, fantastic people are suffering because of the general craptastic state of our economy and the stupidly, blindly elitist attitudes of our Bureaucratic Overlords.) The only way for her to support my application for a measly 18 weeks of severance pay–and she did sign it!–is for her to argue that she doesn’t need any help to do all the stuff I’m doing. That it doesn’t need to be done, or that (god forbid) she could do it. She, who already works weekends and nights just to get stuff done.
So we’re going to put the application through, but she warns me that it’s got a slim chance of being approved. She asked if I’d reconsider quitting in light of this.
Well, no. I won’t. I am so fed up with this all…I am so totally out of there. The next two weeks are going to be hard–yes, my last day will be 9/11. Ha. And if it doesn’t get approved, I’ll figure something out. Between the temporary spousal support and the accrued vacation, I can make it. I can pick up small jobs here and there–I already got an offer for one. I can make this work, and I can stop supporting the delusions of the powers that be that they can keep squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the lowliest, most devoted members of their community and that we’ll keep sitting there and taking it.
I was so excited about making this move–sad, but excited, and looking forward to my future. Now I just feel pissed off and crappy. And even more ready to move on.
Guess I’ll go try and commit some fiction now…