argh..

[NotaGoth]

Ok I seem to whinge more and more but..

I had to come home from work today.. Why? Because its so frigging well hot! "toughen up" I hear you all say. But should we really be forced to work in an environment where we are having to lean against something all the time incase because our heads are spinning and we are ready to pass out?

I know for a fact that I am not the only person who has walked out on the job today, and we are the ones who lose out. Yet they are the ones who aren't supplying us with a comfortable work environment, let alone an appropriate environment for the product.

Where I work the product is meant to be kept at a certain temperature. "Chilled" but this is not happening. During winter they freeze us half to death and rant and rave that the product isn't cold enough. During summer they absolutely COOK us, yet nothing is mentioned about the temperature of the product. WTF? I just don't get that. When temperatures aren't met, numbers are tampered with to make it look okay to anyone "important" who may need to take a look.

When ever MAF turns up, its always announced visits so we know they are coming. The boss has us all stop working and run around and clean the place til it is spick and span.

Not to mention employees who don't wash their hands, blow their noses and continue working without washing hands, employees who package dropped product, scratch heads, or cough on hands and don't wash them etc.

Seeing what goes on in the place with my own eyes means I NEVER buy any product from the company for myself, my friends, or my family.

What should I do? Quit? Ring someone and tip them off bout the type of environment we are made work in? ring someone and tip them off bout the dirtiness of the place, and wrong handling of product? Or leave it and sit back and wait for them to get caught?

[Magua]

I think you should tell us the name of the place so we can steer clear of it.

I'd have words with MAF, surprise visit.

[Colapop]

It seems to me you've got one of two options. One; you can just accept it and become bitter and unfulfilled or you can change things ie. work place. Have you been there long? You said something about a possibly new job a while back. It is important that you make the choices you're happy with.
It sounds like KFC - if it is I'm not surprised. Andf don't thnik anything will change, been there done that.

[NotaGoth]

I think you should tell us the name of the place so we can steer clear of it.

I'd have words with MAF, surprise visit.

Can't mention the name of the place for certain reasons.

Well I was quite suprised that MAF has never done a suprise visit during the time I have been there. Which is quite a while. :S

[NotaGoth]

It seems to me you've got one of two options. One; you can just accept it and become bitter and unfulfilled or you can change things ie. work place. Have you been there long? You said something about a possibly new job a while back. It is important that you make the choices you're happy with.
It sounds like KFC - if it is I'm not surprised. Andf don't thnik anything will change, been there done that.

This is my 4th year working there. The job offer I had a while ago I did not take up. There was something I didn't like going on. I now currently have my barmaid job back, and a waitressing job, on top of the job I am talking about. But the waitressing and barmaid job don't offer enough work to be able to support myself. I like the job don't get me wrong, but there are just some things happening there that definately should not be.

Not KFC.

[Colapop]

This is my 4th year working there. The job offer I had a while ago I did not take up. There was something I didn't like going on. I now currently have my barmaid job back, and a waitressing job, on top of the job I am talking about. But the waitressing and barmaid job don't offer enough work to be able to support myself. I like the job don't get me wrong, but there are just some things happening there that definately should not be.

Not KFC.

Nothing changes without someone doing something. If you are going to say/do something say/do it in a way that is polite and shows your care about the outcome. (don't know about hugging the boss afterwards though - haha)

[NotaGoth]

Nothing changes without someone doing something. If you are going to say/do something say/do it in a way that is polite and shows your care about the outcome. (don't know about hugging the boss afterwards though - haha)

Yeah well if I did I was hoping I could do it in a way where he/she wouldn't know it was me. Least that way I could keep my job. I'm sure I could manage to still look them in the eye afterwards.

[kro]

Go to see someone in charge, not a supervisor, or floor manager, but someone who you know can make the big decisions, make all this known to them, and politely suggest improvements.

Type up, and print off a summary of what it is you want to say, date it, sign it, and take it into the meeting with you, and give the manager a copy of it, and for goodness sake, keep your piece of paper, because if nothing changes or improves, thats your biggest friend in the whole wide world.

If your working conditions are not optimal, and there are economical ways to improve them, they are required to do something about it, but you need evidence to show you have asked for the improvements to be made. The requests must be reasonable.

This is what I would do anyhoo, but I'm a grumpy old bugger, with too much time to grumble.

[Colapop]

Yeah well if I did I was hoping I could do it in a way where he/she wouldn't know it was me. Least that way I could keep my job. I'm sure I could manage to still look them in the eye afterwards.

Easy - write a letter annonymously (sp?). Send a copy to the manager and a copy to head office or the regional manager. KFC and the others really don't like bad publicity. They work on the principle that 1/20 will complain but the rest will tell as many people as they can. So write a diplomatic letter outlining your concerns in a polite a respectful way.
(That's good tip for getting free food too.)

[limbimtimwim]

During summer they absolutely COOK us, yet nothing is mentioned about the temperature of the product. WTF? I just don't get that. When temperatures aren't met, numbers are tampered with to make it look okay to anyone "important" who may need to take a look.

So the level of management at this particular site are aware of the problems, but the higher levels are not..? Just a guess. Perhaps tell them in an anonymous fashion. Pulling rank makes you feel like a real asshole, but bleh.. Think how much worse it'll make bird flu or something like that if it breaks out.

[NotaGoth]

So the level of management at this particular site are aware of the problems, but the higher levels are not..? Just a guess. Perhaps tell them in an anonymous fashion. Pulling rank makes you feel like a real asshole, but bleh.. Think how much worse it'll make bird flu or something like that if it breaks out.

Higher levels are aware of the environment. We were told a year ago that air con would be set up. This has still not happened. When I left today I told my supervisor exactly why I was going home. I spent last week wetting myself with a hose to keep cooled down, not good at all. As for, coughing, sneezing, and just down right uncleanliness, supervisor is away, things are done in front of and yet nothing is said.

[NotaGoth]

Go to see someone in charge, not a supervisor, or floor manager, but someone who you know can make the big decisions, make all this known to them, and politely suggest improvements.

Type up, and print off a summary of what it is you want to say, date it, sign it, and take it into the meeting with you, and give the manager a copy of it, and for goodness sake, keep your piece of paper, because if nothing changes or improves, thats your biggest friend in the whole wide world.

If your working conditions are not optimal, and there are economical ways to improve them, they are required to do something about it, but you need evidence to show you have asked for the improvements to be made. The requests must be reasonable.

This is what I would do anyhoo, but I'm a grumpy old bugger, with too much time to grumble.

Its ok I'm a grumpy old bugger too. As above rather they don't know its me though. I'd be black marked til I quit.

[kro]

Its ok I'm a grumpy old bugger too. As above rather they don't know its me though. I'd be black marked til I quit.

Hehe, that's what I hoped you'd say. If you document your requests, and they start "leaning on you", document that as well, and then throw that info at your manager, and voice your concerns about being leant on, If that fails,then place a phone call to the labour dept, have a meeting, show them all your paperwork, and you will most likely walk away with 10-15k. Step 2 is to then quit, and get a better job, and a damn nice motorcycle to ride to it on.

The thing is, if the job itself doesnt suck that bad, stick with it, and ask for the changes, no point in ditching a job you like, but you are in a position of power, don't think you have no clout, because you have shiteloads of it, you just need to know how to use it.

[SixPackBack]

Kittie do you have an OSH committee, by the sound of it I would imagine not. Your Employer has a legal obligation to look after your health and well being and to provide a healthy, safe environment for you to work in.
Question your Employer over your discomfort and inform them that you find present working conditions unacceptable, if he is not prepared to change contact www.osh.govt.nz . This department will be on his doorstep ORDERING him to change.....trust me the system works!

[James Deuce]

If it's over 33C you can go home.

Anything under that is considered OK by OSH.

I fall asleep, fast asleep, at 27C so that just doesn't work for me.