When The Bloom Has Fallen From The Rose

I don't know quite where to start.  In this particular blog, you will probably sense a bit of hurt.  Why?  Well, sit back, grab a cuppa and I'll tell the story.

Hubby and I have worked for our trucking company off and on for five years.  Overall, it has been the best company in the world as long as you worked and produced.

Fast forward to last week....

This will be in the past tense from now, reasons to be explained forthwith. 

A new manager had taken over.  From what we have heard, he got the job because he had the good sense to marry the owner's granddaughter...and, on his own, couldn't find a job.  So, nepotism set in and a job showed up.  Granted, he started last year, out of the blue, but, as of now, he's the new manager.

Suffice it to say, he had never driven a truck nor managed a company.  But, he married lucky.  So, now we had to deal with newbie manager.  It went to his head.  Thought he was a god.  We heard he got a nice big fat raise. 

He denied us our yearly bonus because we didn't produce, that was his reasoning.  Even though we always asked for more miles, we couldn't get them and this dipshit deduced we weren't performing.  Let it be said, newbie manager actually used the word "fuck" and "ass" and "asshole" in our company meeting.  Oh, yes, he sure did.  I had to ask him to not say those things.  I may be a trucker but I'm still a lady when I need to be.  I was very offended.  He did appologize and got very mad.  He'd been called out.  Also, he fired us for about 10 minutes and then said he needed us, we still had a job.

Then, we found out the girl who does the miles, sit down, this is gooood, she is a stripper on the weekends...  As in pole dancer....  I had wondered over that past year why she was getting boob and butt jobs.  The guys had always talked about her and I ignored it.  But, looking back, I now realize how much it was.  Usually, when I walked up to a clump of guys, they would tone down what they were saying.  I mean, I'm old enough to be most of their mothers' and they did respect me that much, at least.  She got a nice, big, fat raise also.  The new manager has turned her loose in the office and now, this broad is on steroids, driving everyone nuts. 

Last week, we took vacay so I could recover from a medical problem.  During the week, we had time to think.  I called up some of the people who'd been fired from the office and found out more of what was going on with the company.  I heard some disturbing things.  Actually, more disturbing than I like to admit.  There is too much to go into, but, my pointed questions to these fired people yielded some unsettling answers....and non-answers....

Now, it takes me a little time to sort things through.  I have to sleep on things when I know something is wrong and can't quite put a finger on it.

Basically, we were too loyal for our own good.  I have learned during my life, look out for yourself, take care of yourself, first.  This company has been so good to us in the past, it was a little like putting a frog in water, turning up the heat little by little, and, eventually boiling the poor frog to death, the frog never realizing what was happening till too late.

So, last Friday, we went in, had to return a GPS unit anyway, and quit.  On the spot.  Never have I ever done that, nor my hubby.  In some cases, it is better to get out of a situation and move on.  The newbie manager was surprised and the miles girl couldn't have cared less.  Now, they have to interview, pull records and so forth.  I'm pretty sure, not sure, the newbie manager kept or split our yearly bonus for himself and possibly to the miles girl (aka:  the stripper). 

We don't think we'll be paid for vacay either.  I know it's the law but it would cost more to get the ball rolling than it is worth.  They don't know I have a well-read blog.  When someone asks me about them, I won't give them the normal glowing report.  But, I'm moving on, too.  Rumor is the company is on shaky footing, news to us.  Life is short, I won't forget this either.

So, hopefully, the rose-colored glasses are gone.  Loyalty is gone.  Trust in my employer is gone.  Thankfully, we had prepared ourselves and will be fine.  It does sort of hurt.  The hurt has gone away a bit.  I feel so dumb for falling for this twaddle.  Never would I have believed this scenario would have happend to us with this company.  But, it did.

This is a lesson to you newbie drivers out there.  Look out for yourself first.  Keep your record clean so you can leave and get another job quickly.  Prepare your life financially so you aren't stuck in a job only to survive.  In trucking, you are number one.  Always remember that. 

Drive safely!