#unionize!!!

[scientia-rex]

I haven't paid off my credit cards yet, but every month I can pay the bill and pay more than the minimum and not just be looking at "how can I make room on these so I can buy food" is a good fucking month. It's been over a year and I'm still so flabbergasted by the feeling. This is why all wages should be LIVING WAGES, so people can LIVE, and not just survive.

[shoezuki]

if u wanna see more writers then hello lol! i’m a recently migrated writer to tumblr and honestly i’m also looking for the writers i knew on twitter who might be over here now. every so often i see a name i recognize and i’m !!! but also in general i think just bc of the nature of visual art vs text block of writing it’s harder to find the fic writers in any social media site compared to visual artists haha. maybe writers will end up unionizing who knows lol

YOOOOOOO WRITERS UNITE LETS FUCKIN GOOOO!!! n ya i feel writing isnt like. So easily Consumed cuz blocks a rext arent so colourful bskzvzbz

[tofumilanesa]

the sharks trying to challenge local elementary kids to "create a hockey team without running out of budget" ... seems unfair considering the sharks cannot do that

[bard-llama]

Welp. Officially got laid off today, along with 56 other people. Knew it was coming, but it still fucking sucks. I’ve been there seven fucking years, and I won’t make it to eight. And none of this had to happen. If the funding emergency is even real - and we still haven’t been presented with proof that it is AND the goal post kept moving - the bargaining unit came up with HUNDREDS of ideas on how to cut costs and raise money to make up the deficit. Management rejected Every. Single. One. They were never interested in saving jobs, they’re interested in building a “new LEE” and getting rid of people that stand in the way of their vision. Because apparently cutting the executive salaries would be “against organizational values” but laying off 57 fucking people isn’t.

I’m sad, yeah, but mostly, I’m fucking furious. I feel taken advantage of for believing in the mission of an organization that is so clearly run by people who do not give a fuck about solving educational inequity. They’re just in it for the power trip and the money and they thrive off of burning the passion out of the rest of us. No wonder they were so against us unionizing. I’m just... fuck this. These fuckers just ruined 57 families’ lives and means of income for a goddamn power trip. And then they have the fucking gall to pretend to care about us as they shove us out the fucking door.

If anyone out there knows Mike Buman personally, punch him in the face for me, will you? And maybe add a knife to the mix, just ‘cause. You can tell him it’s “for the kids”. That’s what he’ll tell us is the reason 50% of the fucking bargaining unit is getting laid off while NONE of the executive staff are. Well, no, he’s a fucking coward and hasn’t said a damn word to us through this whole thing, so he’ll have someone else say it, but that will be the message. “It’s for the children. Sorry you can’t make rent, but think of the children who will be better served in this new LEE! Running like a startup tech corporation is definitely the right choice for an equity-focused nonprofit!”

I call bullshit, Mike. When was the last time you even interacted with a child that wasn’t your own????

And you know what WASN’T in the budget to be cut? The fucking software that PAYS HIM MONEY and every single staff member despises using. Conflict of interest anyone? 

I just. Fuck management. I don’t care where you work or how friendly they seem. They are NEVER your friends. EVER. People in power only ever care about keeping that power. And I have a lot of people I thought were friends to show for it.

As for what happens now... I’m not entirely sure. I’m in a pretty lucky situation, fortunately. I’m already barely paying rent (in a ‘it’s barely being enforced way’ not a ‘I can barely afford it and on the cusp of homelessness’ way) and have a potential job lined up. The severance package is actually pretty good - the union managed to win that much at least. They fought tooth and fucking nail for it, but our stewards at least managed to get us a good deal there, even if they could only save two jobs. THAT’S how unwilling management was to negotiate. 

Anyway, I’ll apply for disability and unemployment and however you spell the AZ version of medicaid, which I should qualify for now, but I’ll have (shitty) health insurance through February, at least. My last day will be Feb 1 and I can’t actually sign the severance agreement until Feb 2, so I’ve got a bit of time.

Gods, I wasn’t crying until I started looking at all the other staff members laid off and just... this didn’t have to happen. This didn’t fucking have to happen!!! I don’t give a fuck what happens to management at this point, but all of my brilliant colleagues deserve so much better and I’m going to miss them so much. And we’re all spread out across the country, so the odds of seeing each other again are pretty nil and that really sucks. ‘cause this - I want you to understand: while management was prioritizing their own agenda, the bargaining unit (115 people) really came together to support each other and brainstorm ideas and work together to problem solve and honestly, it was really inspirational and heartwarming. And we FOUND solutions! We found BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to cut and ways to fundraise! We even came up with more stable funding methods! And management rejected all of them. They were never interested in saving the people of LEE. And that, I think, is the most heartbreaking thing of all, because each and every person poured their heart and soul into this fucking organization and in return, they gave us the fucking finger.

[bard-llama]

WE WON!!!!

My work is now officially unionized! We won by NINE votes and my fucking vote wasn’t counted because of some bullshit, BUT we didn’t need it ‘cause WE FUCKING WON!!!!!!!!!!