So, in this post, I was bitching about how Hubby had gone back to third shift and I was really quite unhappy about it. And then, the next day, in this post, I decided rather than cry about it and expect the worst, I needed to just suck it up and make the most of the situation. And I have been. And things have actually been pretty okay. I thought once Hubby went back on third, he was going to become the cranky crabass that he used to be before the wonderful switch to 2nd. But he didn't. I tried to be quiet when I got home from work, and I let him get himself out of bed. He didn't need me to be his mother. If he's not up by 8:45, I harass him and tell him to get going. And for the ten minutes that we're in the same room, all is well. I even get an 'I love ya' sometimes. So, third shift turns out to NOT be the root of all evil in our relationship.
Meanwhile, he's been HATING being back on third. I think he forgot how much he disliked his boss (who really isn't a boss, but more like the guy who took over after the old boss left. He doesn't have a lot of authority. He's also foreign, and I don't think that he gets it that the guys walk all over him.). Hubby also was put on a new machine, doing something that he'd never really done before. It's still a cutter, but rather than cutting strips into labels, he was cutting massive sheets into strips. He needed time to learn the new job. But before he'd even start working for the day, the boss would be in his face, telling him 'You're going to cut 5 million tonight, right?' (I'm making up a number there, but the idea is that the number is bigger than what he used to do on the machine that he knew well.) Hubby automatically takes offense. Like the boss is riding him. They've had this argument many times before and it has always escalated to the point where they end up in the office, Hubby tells boss's boss that he's 'doing his job, get off my ass,' and boss's boss agrees with Hubby, telling boss to leave Hubby alone if he's working. Phew. That was a mouthful.
At any rate, after two weeks back on third, he was ready to do whatever he had to do to go back to second or even first shift, if it meant getting away from the boss. Boss's boss told him Sorry Man, you're stuck where you are. Just do what you do and ignore boss. So, two weeks ago, Hubby tells me, 'I have to adopt a new motto at work. It's no longer going to be about producing large numbers. Nope, now my motto is 'just cut'.' The idea being as long as he was doing something, it didn't matter what his output was and it didn't matter what boss was saying, he was doing what was required of him.
Side note: Hubby can be a stubborn pita. And he has major authority issues. In the 9 years we've been together, I've seen him get fired, laid off or quit at least 4 times, and all were related to the boss atm. I hope he realizes that my salary, even WITH his potential unemployment is NOT enough to pay the mortgage and all the bills. I think that's what 'just cut' was all about...At least I sure hope so.
So, that's what it's been. Third shift isn't the devil, from my perspective, but third shift boss and work has become the devil for Hubby. Poor guy.
Today, he announces to me that starting Monday, he's going back to second. (Hooray!!!) He says that the company is not doing so well in these financial times and that they're shutting down third shift completely. That's kinda scary, but he's still got a job and he's going back to second, so this is all good. I'm pretty happy and he seems to be, too. Oh! And third shift boss...He's getting demoted to a more physically strenuous, lesser paying, kinda crap job. Needless to say, Hubby's pretty stoked about that.
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