Wingapo!

I’m always scheduled for Saturday sandwich which sucks because I hate the sandwich shift for one, and for two, that’s the busiest day of the week in the co-op deli. Last Saturday, Cely, who was my in charge that day came over to help when there was only two orders in. I told her that I was just going to take my time today and not rush anything so I wouldn’t get stressed out because I lose my shit on sandwich every time. She must have been in a bad mood that day or something because when I said that, she snapped back, “Don’t take your time. I don’t want to be here helping you all day.” So I told her that she didn’t have to. She threw down her gloves and said, “Fine. You’re on your own.” and I didn’t speak to her for the rest of the day. I worked Sunday. I had Monday and Tuesday off. So, yesterday, Wednesday was my first day seeing Kelly W., the deli manager in approximately five days. She asked me to see her up in her office, and when I went to go talk to her, she asked me what happened on Saturday. I was confused at first because that was four days ago, and the small confrontation with Cely didn’t cross my mind at all. To “refresh my memory,” Kelly asked what happened when Cely came over to help me on sandwich. I told her exactly what happened, and she said that it was concerning because if we’re busy, I need to speed up. I didn’t bring this up, regrettably, but there have been complaints coming in about people’s sandwich orders getting mixed up or just plain being made wrong (not by me, of course, because I am just so damn good), AND ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS WAS TO SLOW DOWN AND TAKE YOUR TIME TO GET IT RIGHT. So, why am I being berated? Because Cely went and tattled to Kelly W. I tried to say that anything I said wasn’t meant to hurt anyone’s feelings or even turn out like this because all I wanted was to not be stressed out by something as ridiculous as a sandwich shift but Kelly W. interrupted me by saying that I didn’t hurt Cely’s feelings, I frustrated her on a work level and if I was just so stressed out maybe I should be taken off the shift. WELL GREAT. YEAH, DO THAT. I FUCKING HATE SANDWICH GIVE THAT SHIFT TO SOMEONE ELSE. Then, she proceeded to tell me that Fridays were busy too, but she wasn’t getting the same response from them. David is sandwich every Friday. David hates the deli as much as I do. David is certainly not going to go to Kelly W. to tell her that he’s too stressed out on sandwich. David tries to avoid Kelly W. at all costs like everyone else. Or should I say, everyone who isn’t a lead because instead of handling any situation, the leads go to tattle to Kelly W. instead. I get that she’s the deli manager or whatever and that she needs to know what’s going on in the deli, but she sits upstairs all day “working on the schedule” and I’m pretty sure the majority of “problems” we have in the deli can be handled without her input. Which would be the ideal way of managing things, wouldn’t it? Having a workspace with employees who can problem-solve themselves without making a big to do and running to tell “mommy?” I love working at the Co-op, I do, but I absolutely hate working in the deli. So, why don’t you switch to another department, you ask? Because once you’re hired in the deli, you’re stuck there. There is no chance to move around. Other departments let you switch or even work part time in two. The deli is the most inflexible about that. I would not be able to work part time even in the deli and somewhere else. Why? Because THE OTHER DEPARTMENT MANAGERS DON’T LIKE WORKING WITH KELLY W. We get treated like such shit in the deli. By everyone. By our manager, by customers, and even by other coworkers in other departments. I have lengthy fantasies about working in grocery or produce, even in cashierland! I am always hearing about how they love their jobs so much. I wonder what that must be like. Now, there is a “happiness” committee that has formed and their purpose is to listen to employees thoughts on what would make them happier at work. I am making it a goal today to write anonymously  (because I have a fear of losing my job altogether) what kind of bullshit goes on in the deli, desperately hoping that something will actually get done about it so I don’t want to literally harm myself every time I work. Sometimes, I even think about falling down the stairs at work so I can collect L&I and work on the third floor filing shit forever. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE THOSE THOUGHTS. EVER. Tumblr, I realize that this entire post means nothing to you because I can never truly describe what it’s like working in the Skagit Valley Food Co-op’s deli, I just needed to get it out.