Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Here comes the stress again....

Ranger is unemployed again.

He agreed to a wonderful job with an energy company, with benefits and all, that was due to start in another month. The company had to let someone in another job go and hired Ranger in his place, with the promise of the bigger job in a month's time.

So, he started this other job with them. They put him on a project that their corporate engineers have been unable to solve -- and he was to learn the job and solve the problem in a week's time. A little ridiculous, you say? Yeah, I say so, too.

But he was trying. Busting his ass. Then, the news reaches him that his promised job, the carrot they dangled, had been given to someone in the company who wanted to stop working in the field.

He spoke to his supervisor about this. Sure enough, the carrot no longer existed. "So, what am I doing here? Am I stuck in this other job forever?" he asked.

"Well, you have to solve that problem. Soon," the boss said.

"But what if I can't? I mean, your engineers can't even do it."

"You'd better. We're not going to pay you until it's done."

You heard right. They are not paying Ranger for the hours he's put in until this impossible problem is solved.

So, he quit. He's thinking of clerking at convenience stores now. And maybe working on his teaching credentials.

I'm making a concentrated effort to stay out of it. He's a big boy and can wear his own pants without my help! Unlike Old BF....

So, here we go again. I'm weary of it, but I'm being supportive and not letting him see that.

4 comments:

Walker said...

That's just ridiculous
Tell them to take the job and stick it with the carrot up their butts.

First priority is for survival, rent money and food, maybes don't feed or keep you warm at night.

By letting him deal with this it will show you what you might be getting into in the future.

Sassy Blondie said...

What the hell kind of job is that? Can they legally do that? WTF? Teaching would offer stability, but does he really want to do it? I see far too many people flocking to teaching because they think it's easy. Anyway, I certainly wish him good luck!

You sound a bit blue, Blogget...hang in there! In some ways, I completely get your situation...

XOXO

muse said...

I'm not sure I have ever heard of a company doing something like that-no offense but the story sounds terribly fishy to me.

I think your idea to stay supportive and neutral is a good stance. Take care of you.

Glitterstim said...

Walker -- exactly my thoughts! I'm seeing him in a critical situation here. How he handles it and the decisions he makes tell me a lot of things.

Sassy -- I don't think it's legal! It's not like he's a contract worker, hired for one project. THAT I could understand. And he's really serious about teaching, I think. He wants to do something where he can "make a difference." That's his ideal. We'll see how it goes. And yeah....I'm a bit blue. I'm tired!

Muse -- I know what you mean! Unfortunately, the oil and gas companies in this area get away with A LOT that they shouldn't. We need them, and they know it and exploit it. My mom keeps wanting me to jump in and find jobs for him, but I won't do it. This is his problem to solve.

Thanks!
BJ