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For many of you, what I am about to relate is nothing new, for you have had to deal with this for some time now.
First, I must say that, in this economy, I have to count myself lucky that I still have a job. I know what it is like to be jobless, with bills coming nonstop, and the internal pressure that increases with each passing day of unemployment.
I work in the restaurant business. I've been working at my current job for a year and a half. When I started, I had a decent amount of hours and I made a good, not great living wage. I'm the guy who never slacks, always finding something meaningful to do. Whenever someone would call in sick, I'm always available. Having had to go into debt to buy a newer car, I'm always hungry for more hours. In my time there, I have initiated sales campaigns, and have even gone door to door, trying to drum up business in my area, to stave off the bad economic conditions. I have successfully initiated procedures that streamline the way we conduct business. I'm never late, and never take a day off.
My thanks? Aside from all of the promises made to me that have since been broken, I have seen my hours cut, almost in half, not received a raise or a promotion. In fact, yesterday the regional manager came to the restaurant and basically told all of us that our efforts were not good enough, that, even though our hours had been drastically reduced and our labor force cut by a third, (to the point of ridiculousness) they expect us to keep up the same standards, or heads will roll.
I've been in the restaurant business for quite some time and know what it takes to do quality work. There are so many tasks to be done, and so many people needed to keep a full service restaurant in tip top shape. It cannot be done with skeleton crews that have had their hours cut.
It's a squeeze play and this company knows it. They know that they can get away with it in this economy, with so many people out of work. I can guarantee you that this company will still maintain their profit margin, only it will be on the backs of it's employees, who have given their best.
I can forget about a raise and a promotion. I'll be lucky if I can keep my job, what there is left of it.
Joe
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