Let Them Eat Cake aka The Rock and the Hard Place

For those who have been following the drama at my work place, well a few weeks ago we (the miffed customer service crew) sent a letter to the owners of our parent company explaining our unhappiness with our current situation. One of the CSR leaders got a call from the matron of the company (from her lakehouse in Michigan). She might as well as just patted us on our collective heads like we were grumpy toddlers. Her words were "empathetic" but meaningless. She'll "talk to her son when he gets back from Europe" and "you know how Jack (our immediate ceo and thorn in our sides) is." When asked what our next step is she said "Sell more magazines, dear."

Let them eat cake.

I just picture Marie Antoinette lounging around in her palace which she owns due to the labor of the little serfs.

So basically too bad, quit complaining and get back to work.

After jack (nasty thoughts come to mind) yelled at our supervisor, he told her to send around a memo. Not enough money to hire more employees which we desperately need (or give raises which we need more) but he's saying that everyone HAS to put in 2-4 hours overtime a week for the next 4-6 week. I don't think they could force us though.

And now the Rock and the Hard Place. I signed up for the overtime. I have an enormous amount of work to do and I've been doing overtime the past few weeks anyway. Several of my coworkers are saying this is it, we have to make a stand and not do what they're "forcing" us to do (overtime) and let the work pile up. Basically, though, I need the money. If I can't get a raise, the only way I can do that is to work as much overtime as I can. I get flak from my coworkers though. I can see their point. If I didn't need the cash I'd join in. We're being treated horribly by this company, but what choice do I have? This job works with my available work hours, I doubt I'd find another that would.

So, unless I suddenly get all sorts of offers for my writing and make tens of thousands of dollars, I have to stick with what I can.

And risk the wrath of my coworkers. Or join them.