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# /soothe
any reason?
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:42, archived)
# A few.
Not being able to get work,
having cold feet most of the time because the weather isn't warming up,
not having anything to do over the weekend on account of a lack of friends,
being bored out of my tiny little head.

And some other reasons too.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:44, archived)
# *joins up this this line ...*
except for not being able to get work - I have a 'job' it just bores me out of my tiny little skull.

gah.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:46, archived)
# I have a job
but I don't trust my colleagues or company anymore since they accepted not buying an african woman a drink when she wasn't around as racism, which is gross misconduct and I could have lost my job over (which is in care, which would have marked my record and I'd potentially never have worked in the industry again).
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:50, archived)
# !?


(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:53, archived)
# Aye
the eventual findings was obviously that I didn't act in a knowingly racist manner, otherwise I wouldn't have my job now, they have to fire you over gross misconduct...but at no point did anyone admit that it was ridiculous to even consider that it was, my final meet with the investigator was presented as a learning curve for me so I could look at my behaviour and avoid future occurances...which obviously can't happen since I didn't do anything to begin with so has just left me feeling vulnerable around a staff team that is two thirds African (and clicky as hell), also- how can you trust a company that would let it go that far?
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:58, archived)
# *shakes head*
I thought they'd punched her in the cnut . . . and then put you together again the next day


(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:00, archived)
# If you were buying drinks
Then surely it was outside working hours and not a works matter?

Or are your meetings held in the local pub?
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:00, archived)
# ahh, the 'Ken defence'
I like it
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:03, archived)
# No, it was a service user party
We were at work, supporting our clients, and I was in charge of buying them a drink. As part of that it was accepted that if a staff member wanted one then we could use the guys money to buy everyone one drink.

She didn't even come to me to ask about one, she just went to my manager (who was actually off duty) and complained that everyone else had a drink.
It always strikes me that it says much more about her sensitivity looking out for racism than it does about me that I couldn't have told you how many members of my team were white and how many black, but her first thought on realising she was the only one without a drink (which she wasn't) was that she was African, so the only person without a drink was in an ethinic minority
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:07, archived)
# it obviously has nothing to do with that if that's the first excuse anyone comes out with
to think along those lines means you are looking for that as a reason.
She didn't like you.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:10, archived)
# ffs
were the rest of your team all white?
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:10, archived)
# Hahah, no
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:12, archived)
# jesus
did you have any support from them?

I can't believe this went as far as it did
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:16, archived)
# Nope
I had to threaten not returning to work before they would even agree to release a statement implying I had been cleared of 'an accusation' and with that was a clear order not to speak to me about it, much as they suggested I wasn't allowed to do either. Heh, bugger that, I have no desire to go flinging accusations of my own around, or drag up the past, but I was missing for over 7 weeks during which there were a LOT of rumours suggesting things about me- I'm not going to let that get buried over.

I work with a team that is over two thirds African, it's not in my best interests to let them believe I'm a closet racist.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:23, archived)
# Sell the story to The Scum for £10k

Bastards!
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:10, archived)
# "knowingly" what a load of crap
but then only white people can be racist apparently

this will follow you to your next place of employment no doubt

I fucking hate employee cliques, it's like being at fucking school at times

*sends out hug*
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:03, archived)
# Aww, thanks
Apparently it is wiped from my employee files now, but as I said- I don't trust them anymore.

The thing that really got me was that to work with vulnerable adults (which I do) you have to go through checks, one for criminal records and one for exactly this kind of dismissal- her perception of me not buying her a drink could have lost me my job and made damn sure I was never likely to get another job in the only area I currently have experience and qualification. That seems pretty harsh to me.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:11, archived)
# the classic "race card" as the americans say
instead of coming up to you and saying "where's my drink" she had to pull that crap

and yes, "Extended Disclosure" would bring stuff like this up.

A company that is willing to put you through this, and then calling it a "learning experience" (to my mind "we blame you but there's nothing that would stand up in court") for being slandered by someone with a chip on her shoulder isn't worth a fuck.

And she'll try this again, as part of her cliquey power trip persecution complex.

Shit like that detracts from the suffering of real victims of racism, she should be fucking ashamed of herself, but then folk that are that into themselves have no shame.

You really need another employer
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:22, archived)
# :(
some people need a slap
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:53, archived)
# thats.... harsh
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:54, archived)
# they are idiots then
it's a shame that being fucking thick is not counted as misconduct.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:57, archived)
# you can't tell someone whose fucking thick that they are fucking thick
as it is "creating a hostile work environment"

meh
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:59, archived)
# Hahah, true.
To be honest it's just annoying because I was suspended for 7 weeks over that and (shamefully) the stress is still affecting me now in the sense that I just feel vulnerable at work and it dragged up a whiole load of depression stuff that is only just beginning to settle down again- but there are people in the team who my manager has told me he would have fired many times over by now if he could! but my company has this odd policy of not letting managers have any power other than pulling people onto disciplinary, and that's too harsh because it's instant suspension and would just get thrown out again if the reasons were too fickle.

It's the old United Nations shit again from WW2- stop doing that or...we'll ask you again!
You need consequences to actions and apparently my company hasn't clicked onto this important factor yet. It made my experiences even more bizarre :)
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:03, archived)
# thats *really* harsh. 7 weeks????
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:05, archived)
# They had to investigate it thoroughly
I got called back a couple of times because my story didn't match hers well enough- ie I said that I liked her and we got on pretty well at work, where as she had obviously said something very different. I practically got called a liar! hahah, so much for being allowed your own opinion.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:16, archived)
# find yourself another place of employment
this shit is really really harmful for you

it's only a job, it's not worth your health, ever
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:07, archived)
# I know ;)
and I fully intended to. When I got back I told my manager I was actively looking for work elsewhere, but since then I've been offered the chance to get a qualification that would otherwise cost me quite a considerable amount- I've decided I can wait another 6 months to get that before I go. fuck 'em, they can help me get better paid and appreciated elsewhere :)
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:17, archived)
# \o/
happy ending! (fingers crossed!)
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:19, archived)
# yay!
:D

result

good, fuck 'em! that's the spirit!
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:24, archived)
# this is bollocks
I've read all this out to my girlfriend and she's stomping round the flat swearing about how disgraceful it is

but all strength to you for handling it
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:09, archived)
# Aww, thanks
and sorry to hear about your experience.

I've been at the fore of defeating racism before, I really do find it dispicable, but political correctness has just gone too far with this. I'm of the opinion that positive discrimination can be, and often is, just as harmful as negative discrimination.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:20, archived)
# companies are shit
I got a warning for writing (anonymously) nothing bad about my old company (which I didn't mention by name) in my blog, which at that point had a readership of about 3 people

which is minor compared to your experience, but still testament to the wankiness of certain people in certain corporations
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 14:03, archived)
# *pats*
/has supportive shoulders when required...
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:46, archived)
# You'll be needing to remove
the epaulettes first. You could have an eye out with those.
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:48, archived)
# NEVER!
Polishes his gold stipes
(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:51, archived)
# It's free to get into Silverstone Circuit this weekend
and you can see my Uncle drive a Ferrari . . .

we could even pretend to be friends C]:0D


(, Wed 23 Apr 2008, 13:54, archived)