Waiting for Honest Answers
Lack of communication at work and conflicts over days off can quickly disrupt one’s peace. A day that could have been handled with honesty instead ended in frustration.
After work, I spoke with the director. Am I right in thinking the maintenance worker will still be on leave this Sunday? Am I right that the restaurant will also be closed tomorrow? They tell me practically nothing! I only find out everything by chance, at the last minute.
Sunday was supposed to be my day off, but now I have to work six days thanks to the maintenance worker! The boss said he won’t compensate me for the missed day off because, according to him, I didn’t work enough hours over the summer. If I wanted to argue, I could ask how exactly he calculates this, because the digital attendance records are far from accurate.
It would have been enough if he had just been honest, saying something like: “The maintenance worker requested time off, and there’s no other option but to call you in on your day off.” I would have understood that completely. I even told him that I’ll stay in November and help for free, but in December and January, that’s not certain. He started arguing that it’s a good deal for me to help out for free since renting a place around here is expensive. I told him I can manage that in Budapest as well. Maybe I’m not eager to go back to Hungary, but I have free accommodation there too.
I guess next he’ll expect me to work on Friday, covering for both the maintenance worker and the dishwasher at the same time. This day has been so infuriating! I just can’t calm down.
Les Baux, October 9, 2024.
I think if the owner doesn’t give me a clear answer about what is expected in exchange for the accommodation, I’ll go back to Budapest in December and only return here if I don’t find a better offer on the coast. That’s it. I’ll let go of the troubles of October and November, but if I don’t get honest answers, I won’t come back.
Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
