To Quixote Re: Problems at work because of SPW
I truly believe (with 99% certainty) that I could, with one Email to the appropriate people, put a stop to the abuse and/or have this person terminated as an employee. I would need Giolanda's permission and some specific information. I think Giolanda has started to address the problem herself. Very Good! But she should document every instance of abuse in writing, noting that she likes her job and doesn't want to leave, and present a memo to her supervisor. Absolutely no more than one page; most of the actual details can come out as needed. I have stopped non-work related abuse before with one Email to the right people ( because I knew they would care about the problem ); I don't know what happened to the perpetrator, and I don't care.
Perhaps things are not so easy there. Here, some documentation is generally required to terminate someone. That documentation can be nothing more than a written complaint by Giolanda, letting her supervisor and Human Resources know how serious he problem is for her, as well as another person willing to supprt her allegations. Typically employees in the U.S. are "at will" employees---the employing company can terminate an employee at any time. And I have no doubt that this ability is sometimes abused--outsourcing of jobs to other countries, perhaps even Greece, a country that allows abuse of their employees ;-). Actually, the Greek, Greek Cypriot people I've met were very nice people.
The word "terminate" is preferred; I suppose it could mean killing someone--we Americans have not quite reached that point ;-), at least not in the workplace. The full phrase, which I should have used is "termination of employment for cause". Its meaning is more explicit and it sounds so much kinder than "fired". The effect is the same :-(. I've never enjoyed firing people--never had a party to celebrate firing someone. In place of the word or phrase above, what word would you use?
As for the person who _may_ have tried to sabotage my car, it was not a matter of productivity that got him _fired_, if you prefer ;-). It was his failure to properly review data collected in our as part of our Quality Assurance. Time was not an issue. Data quality was. I talked to him several times, showing him problems with his processed data. I spent at least one full hour with him showing him a very obvious ( to anyone ) problem. I honestly tried to help him ( and others ), but some people never quite get it. Yet, I still feel as if I failed him, as with many other people I terminated ;-)! SPia or just simple guilt? In the end, I had to fix his program after he was terminated.
I very strongly think a person/or at least I has/have an absolute obligation to follow moral or ethical rules...no this is all wrong. Morality and ethics are quite relative. I think a person has no right to damage another person's property, simply because they feel wronged. Up to a point, I will simply walk away when I feel wronged. Giolanda should not walk away--she has very reasonable, legal rights and options with which to stop the abuse she has had to endure. I think she has started that process.
I was also "scrapped" like a machine from the same lab. I was not fired; I quite. The pressure of working 60 to 80 hours per week, working in the middle of the night at the lab, pulling all-nighters at home on Friday and Saturday nights. I was told I would be unable to work with these relatively new managers, but tried and endured their abuse for 2+ years. I know as well as anyone what it feels like to be treated as "a baby treats his diapers" when you're putting in twice the hours and effort your supervisor is. I really didn't not leave voluntarily, I was pushed, although probably not intentionally. I haven't worked as I Programmer since July of 2002. Recently, my windfall was making $50 ( I didn't want any pay--I just wanted to help the old guy ) putting in bales of hay for a 90 yo farmer who just can't do the work anymore. Now, I have not forgot the names of the two people who pushed me out of my programming/project manager job. Both may see me again--I think they'll wish they hadn't. Hey, "I Ain't No Angel"
Yes, I have wondered about our incarceration rate. I suspect that having 1% of our population in jail ( and, I think, the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world ) has more to do with our extremely draconian sentences for minor crimes, not to mention our government's attempts to control our behavior to a high degree--no, we Americans are _not_ free. I'm an American, but not a pro-American.
American businesses are obsessed with efficiency, maximizing profit and have a "take the money and run" attitude ( one major reason our auto companies are in very deep trouble--failure to reinvest ). People are disposable. Does it matter if our economy is doing great, if not all Americans are benefiting? For me the answer is "yes, people are actually the only thing that matters". For corporate executives and shareholders, the answer seems to be "no". And I agree that our "quality of life", which should not be confused with "standard of living", is not very good. Abuse in the workplace is a quality of life issue!
Have I gotten OT? You can Email me if you like. My address is in my first response to Giolanda, I think.
I hope Giolanda keeps us up-to-date on what is going on. If she can favorably resolve the problem at work, it would be an enormous emotional boost for her _and me_.
