As the late great Johnny Paycheck once sang.....




(Artist interpretation of week-end management team )


My career at the Great Pyramid has come to an end. Saturday was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. ( Egyptian reference intended )
I had been having problems since day 1 and had spoken to three different managers about them. Just as I thought all had been cleared, yet another bull**** situation came to light.
After working the past four years for ClearChannel Entertainment, I am quite familiar with how a mega-large company should treat an employee. I'm not saying I was looking to once again be the pampered pet that I once was but I was certainly expecting a little equality.
A fun fact - only 30% of the Luxor staff is of white nationality. It didn't take me long to realize that other ethnic origins received preferential treatment and if I were to complain, I was considered a racist. Case in point - if one is of Mexican origin, one can obtain a special meal from the chef inside the Employee Dining Room. Special meals such as steak were kept behind the counter so the chef could hand them out at his discretion. Just a small annoyance to me actually since I am a fan of chicken and rice but an annoyance enough to cause a black mark on my growing list of grievances. But back to Saturday night......
I arrived at 6:30 and checked the schedule. I was to be down at Blue Man Group. This was on the typed weekly schedule. To the left was a handwritten schedule showing when each employee would take a dinner break that evening. The handwritten schedule was also divided into different stores. I saw my name under the "Logo Store" column and asked the manager on duty what was going on. He clearly stated to me that they were short staffed that evening and he needed me in the Logo Store. If Blue Man got busy, he'd send me down there later on but for now he wanted me in Logo. I asked him AT LEAST three times "Okay, so I'm going to the Logo store, right?" And he said yes. Around 7:00 pm the phone rings at Logo and it's Sam from Blue Man. He's yelling "Where are you ? Why aren't you down here?" I calmly explained what the manager had said to me and Sam hollered at me to get down to Blue Man. I told him to call the manager and discuss it with him. At this point, my confusion was once again setting in, as was my annoyance at the incompetent management team. I asked a fellow employee to explain how scheduling works. He said to me, "Did you read Sam's schedule for tonight?" I said "No, why would I do that ?" He says "Well, you might be the one breaking him for dinner." So, back into the office I went, and this time, I read Sam's schedule. There was my name, in ink, written next to Sam's. Here is my beef - HOW THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO READ EVERYBODY'S SCHEDULE JUST IN CASE I WAS GOING ELSEWHERE??? NO ONE EVER EXPLAINED THIS TO ME !!! Shouldn't that be the MANAGER'S job to let me know I have to go relieve a fellow employee on the other side of the casino for a dinner break???
Sam and I worked out the misunderstanding. HOWEVER, once Sam was at dinner, along came the manager on duty with the lecture on how I should have read the schedule and should have understood that when he said I was to go to the Logo store, he meant, I was to go there BETWEEN SHOW BREAKS OF BLUE MAN. Well, stupid me, I forgot to bring my mind reading helmet !!! I told him that I asked him repeatedly where I was going and he told me Logo. He meekly said "Oh, I apologize, I should have explained it more clearly." Yeah Richard, you SHOULD have, instead of making me feel like a moron and instead of getting Sam all pissed off at me through no fault of my own.
After Richard left and I was alone, I called my husband and told him that this was my absolute last night working at the Luxor. He told me to do what I felt was best and we left it at that.
I got home at 1:00 am and discussed at length my dissatisfaction with the job and my increasing stress level. It's just not worth the aggravation.
As a side note, Sean took me to McDonalds Saturday for a "Go Active adult Happy Meal" It comes with a free "Step-ometer" When I went to work Saturday night, I clipped the new toy onto my pocket as I hoofed my way from outer Mongolia ( employee parking ) to where I pick up my uniform- 472 steps. Roughly a quarter of a mile. Yet another peeve on the list.
Today I typed up a letter of resignation and went to the Luxor. I had to face the woman who hired me. This was NOT fun. She literally cried when I told her I was terminating. She asked why and I told her flat out. I am used to working in a professional environment and could no longer deal with the confusion, the conflicts and the all-around lack of structure that I was working in. She called the manager above her and I told her the same thing. They both asked if I was sure of my decision and asked if I had secured employment elsewhere. I told her I was inquiring in the music industry but didn't have anything solid. She then told me to go apply at Mandalay Bay for a retail position. WHAT ???? So I could deal with the same company in a different casino ? I thanked her for the opportunity she gave me, I hugged her good-bye, she wished me luck and I was off to the cage to get signed out. ( They want to make sure I am not holding on to any company money )
I feel like a huge burden has been lifted and I feel like a let a huge Albatross free. Think I'm exaggerating ? Oh, I wish I was !

As the late, great Johnny Paycheck once sang, "Take this job and shove it......"

Posted: Mon - May 17, 2004 at 05:36 PM      

©