Friday, May 18, 2007

I've got friends in that place

Today P called me.P is a former co-worker at Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto. He isn't former, I am. He calls to give me encouragement and leads on new restaurant jobs. He warned me to look out the management was gunning for me. I got that idea too back in December. My partner K who had surgery in November was off on medical leave and disability pay. I got my schedule cut back with no notice to two shift a week the two weeks before xmas. But I got to work xmas eve, newyears eve and xmas day. The boss told us we needed to work these holidays. Right after New Years he announced we were getting big screeen TVs for the bar before Super Bowl Sunday. Great for business. But but but... what about the xmas party? This was our xmas gift from MSRG. A lecture. Starring R our smiling slightly manic GM. He started out to tell us how lucky we were to have him as our fearless leader as he patted himself on the back and stated how he went to bat for the employees when our payroll was delayed and how we wouldn't have gotten paid for 5 days if he hadn't hand written every check after fighting for our rights with the corporate bosses. After this speech he went on to another one about how we were the worst in the company worst in sales worst in guest averageworst in liquor sales and way way worst in bottle wine sales. As if we were running the place and not the a-holes who never set foot in the place who wrote our schedules wrote the menus and budgeted for stock repairs renovations hired all these managers with gambling jones, sexual predatory habits, and borderline personality disorders. Hey smile because now we are the best because "I" R the GM am here ready to wow the people of Berkeley with my innovations and white paint.
After hearing this lecture for two weeks in a row and never changing it in the least, I started walking out of "fresh talk" when I sensed him going into the assassination once more. It was either that or I would have been fired for saying what I just wrote here.
So, P informs me, the managers keep coming and going but the hourly employees are the responsible ones. P thinks the place will have to close to fix all the ongong problems. I suggested hiring a priest and having the place exorcised. The rats can stay but the evil spirits must go away.

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