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I don't know if this is the best forum to post this thread on, but if there is a better one, I have no problem with it being moved. Here's my situation, and I'm sorry this is so lengthy. I just wanted to be thorough.
In November, 2010, right after I retired, I went into the Salt Lake City Visitors and Convention Bureau to see if the people staffing the information desk were employees or volunteers. I was told that they were both. I asked to speak to the manager (I'll call him Joe) and told him I'd like to volunteer one day a week if they could use me. He said they definitely could and I started almost immediately.
For two years, from November, 2010 through October, 2012, I went in once a week every week. I worked along-side full-time and part-time paid employees and had pretty much the same responsibilities they did. I didn't ever open the doors in the morning or lock up at night, but other than that, I felt pretty much like one of the rest of them. Our responsibilities were primarily to assist tourists coming in for information, giving them maps and explaining the light-rail system within the downtown area, suggesting how they might best spend their time and recommending places where they might have a bite to eat or shop for something they needed. We would spend anywhere from about five minutes to about forty-five minutes with each individual, couple or group that came in, just taking turns so that nobody was made to wait for a long time in order to be helped.
I absolutely loved it. It was just right up my alley and I looked forward to it every week. Besides, I was good at it. Really good at it. In the winter time, though, it got to be really, really slow. We get a lot of visitors in the winter, but most of them are here to go skiing and know exactly where they're going and how to get there. There aren't many tourists who wander in looking for help, the way there are in the summer. After two years of working one day a week year-round, I asked the manager if I could possibly just come in during the summer months when the need was greater than in the winter. They have extended hours in the summer and I was willing to work right up until closing. I also told him I'd be happy to help out on short notice if they needed me to cover when someone was sick or out of town. I'm proud to say that I was probably more dependable than many of their full-time employees.
Joe agreed to let me to just work summers, so I left for the winter in October, 2012. The following May, I called the center and asked to speak to him. I asked him when he'd like me to come back to work for the summer. He told me that I could come back any time, that they'd love to have me. I worked one day a week from mid-May through mid-September in 2013 and 2014. I volunteered to work two days a week for the next three summers -- 2015 through 2017. When I told everybody goodbye last September, I said, "I'll see you all next summer!" I left with the understanding that I'd going back right about now (i.e. mid-May).
During the winter, I spoke with one of the part-time workers on Facebook (I'll call her Sarah), who told me that two of the full-time employees, both retired men who were pretty much just working there in order to supplement their retirement income, had been let go. I'd become really good friends with one of them, so I texted him and asked him what was up. He said, "Well, I went to check on next month's schedule to see what days I'd been assigned to work, and my name wasn't there at all. That's how I found out I was being let go. I didn't even get a Trump tweet." In talking to him, I learned that this winter, especially, had been really, really dead, and that the cutbacks were due to budgeting issues. Several other people were let go and the gift shop management merged with the visitors' center management -- all under Joe.
Well, a couple of weeks ago, I texted Joe on his personal phone with the following message: "Hey, Joe! I understand you've had to cut back on your personnel because of budget issues, but if you could still use someone who loves to work for free, I'd really like to come back again this summer. Please let me know, okay?"
A week went by and I didn't hear from him. I texted him again, saying, "Hi, Joe. Sorry to bother you. I'm just trying to get an idea of what my plans and commitments will be this summer. I really have been looking forward all winter to coming back this summer. I enjoy it so much! If you really just can't use me, I'll be disappointed, but I will understand and will let the matter drop. I really would appreciate your letting me know one way or the other, though. Thanks so much."
That was last Wednesday. No response.
At this point, I'm considering several options and would just like some input from some objective, disinterested parties -- you guys. Here's what I'm considering doing...
1. Calling the visitors' center directly and ask to speak to Joe. (I've been texting him on his cell, and it's possible, though probably unlikely that his number has changed during the past year.) If I did this, I'd probably just tell him that I've been trying to reach him but thought he might not have received my texts. I'd just ask him whether he could use me this summer or not. That might put him in an uncomfortable position, but it would be his own fault for ignoring my texts.
2. Messaging Sarah and asking her to ask the the guy who's more or less unofficially second-in-command (I'll call him Sam) to give me a call. If he did so, I'd just ask him what's going on, whether they anticipate such a slow summer that they really can't use me or whether Joe is just being Joe (more on that in my next-to-the-last paragraph), or whether I might actually have been texting a number that Joe no longer has. Sam and I have always been on excellent terms. I like him and I know he likes me.
3. Texting Joe one last time and saying, "Joe! I haven't heard from you, and when I quit last September for the winter, it was with the understanding that I'd be back in May or June. So anyway, I just thought I'd let you know that I'll be there on Tuesday, June 5 at 1:00 P.M. as in past years -- that is, unless I hear from you that you can't use my help any longer." Then, if he didn't respond, I'd actually just show up and let him tell me to my face that he can't use me.
Okay... Here's the thing about Joe. He's very, very intelligent but has talents and skills that are being underutilized. This is probably because of his personality, which is just about as abrasive as they come. I suspect he's never been able to stay long at any other job. Fortunately for him, though, the man he reports to is his father-in-law. Otherwise, I don't think he'd have lasted more than a few weeks at the job. He is obnoxious, a loud-mouth who has to be heard above everyone else in the room. He has a terrible temper, is rude to all of his employees, insults them in front of guests, and has very severe ADHD (this is not just my opinion; it's common knowledge). He doesn't take his meds and is extremely unpleasant to be around. I am not the only person who feels this way about him. Everybody does. I have continued to remain on good terms with him, though, and as far as I know, he doesn't know how I really feel about him. With his ego, he probably thinks we're all just crazy about him. At any rate, his failure to respond to my texts could possibly even be tied to his ADHD, because he has the most horrible organization skills imaginable and can't ever be counted on to follow through with anything unless he does it the second he is aware that he is going to need to.
I really don't want to spend two days a week of my summer someplace where I'm not wanted, but I miss the other employees and thoroughly enjoy spending time helping visitors to Salt Lake City. I haven't just dropped the issue at this point for the simple reason that, right now, I'm pissed. When I think of how much time I have spent working there free of charge, and what an excellent job I've done, I'm just really, really, really mad that Joe hasn't had the common courtesy to at least respond, "Thanks, Katzpur, but things are really so slow around here that we just don't need you any more."
I would just go in one day and talk to him in person.
Definitely don't text again.
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Originally Posted by KaraZetterberg153
Yep.
So you'd do that, rather than just let it drop? Also, am I just being touchy or overly sensitive in how I feel? Or am I justified in being both hurt and annoyed?
Thanks for your opinions, by the way. I really appreciate the prompt response!
So you'd do that, rather than just let it drop? Also, am I just being touchy or overly sensitive in how I feel? Or am I justified in being both hurt and annoyed?
Thanks for your opinions, by the way. I really appreciate the prompt response!
I mean, you obviously really liked working there, despite this guy's personality, so if you want to continue I would just go in and say so. Then you would know for sure.
I don't know if you're justified in being hurt. Especially if you know him to be disorganized. But it sounds like it may not be as fun of a place to work, given all the changes that have taken place.
Don't just walk away and let this rude man get away with jerk behavior.
Thank you! I know I'm not going to accomplish anything by being mad, but I really would kind of like to walk up to him and put him in a position where he pretty much has to look me in the eye and say, "Uh... Hi! Sorry I didn't get back to you. When would you like to start work?" And if he says, "I didn't answer your texts and I figured you'd take a hint. We don't need you," I won't really have done anything I need to be ashamed of.
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Then leave and find another volunteer position. He does not deserve to have you helping him get away with treating workers and volunteers so badly.
Yeah, I probably will. I just can't think of anyplace I'd enjoy working quite so much.
I mean, you obviously really liked working there, despite this guy's personality, so if you want to continue I would just go in and say so. Then you would know for sure.
Well, so far, I've had three of you tell me the same thing. And it wasn't even one of the options I'd considered. So I'm really getting a lot of good feedback and food for thought.
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I don't know if you're justified in being hurt. Especially if you know him to be disorganized. But it sounds like it may not be as fun of a place to work, given all the changes that have taken place.
You know, I'm sure I'd still like it. I like all of the employees, just not the boss, and he's off doing his own thing a lot of the time anyway. I feel like I'm a real asset to the place, even if I'm only there two days a week. I can't count the number of times I've had tourists leave after talking to me and say, "Thank you so much! I'm so glad we stopped by here. You have given us so many fantastic suggestions for how to spend our time. I can't think of another visitors center we've ever been in where we've been given such great service."
Is Joe even still employed there? Maybe the reason that he doesn't respond is that he's left the job.
I'd either call or email the office--just going in might not go over well.
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Especially if you know him to be disorganized. But it sounds like it may not be as fun of a place to work, given all the changes that have taken place.
And if he says, "I didn't answer your texts and I figured you'd take a hint. We don't need you," I won't really have done anything I need to be ashamed of.
