Thank God I don't live in this town....

[ellid]

Or I would be in jail for strangling the pizza shop owner who refuses to hit his shop.

In Washington state. In JANUARY.

*shudders*

Comments

[ladyaelfwynn.livejournal.com]

If I knew someone who worked there I'd advise them to all quit on the same day. Just walk out and let the wife with the heater deal.

This has got to be a crap place to work. Not just because of the heater. I hope that what the owners are dishing out comes back to them, hard.

[varianor.livejournal.com]

I love the reporter on that story ferreting out the bit about the owner's wife. Classic "do as I say, not as I do" crap. I would wish bad publicity upon him shuttering his place of business except that would presumably put other people out of work who don't want to be fired.

[rwday.livejournal.com]

Wow. Ebenezer Scrooge would have been proud of this guy. It really ought to be illegal to create working conditions that were held up as shameful in Dickens' time.

[aunty_marion]

They could always do the typical Bob Cratchit/Victorian thing and take their own coal heaters in...

[islenskr.livejournal.com]

But, that's right on the coast and winter there is mostly rain. I seriously doubt it gets that cold in the shop. Bet there's a little bit of exaggerating going on there.

[nazrynn.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't doubt that the discomfort is real when the treatment has been documented and confirmed.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

According to the National Weather Service, it's averaging in the mid-30s in Lacey, Washington, right about now. That's milder than it is New England, granted, but even with the pizza ovens going that place likely doesn't crack 45 degrees during the day.

Not pleasant.

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

DISCLAIMER: Yes, I'm aware that this is a toxic boss; no, I'm not trying to defend him.

That said, IF turning off the furnace is part of the closing procedures (dunno why it should be, although I have heard of places where staff need to make sure that the furnace's "overnight" setting is on), and IF the designated employee(s) didn't do it, then corrective measures should be taken.

BUT.

Appropriate "corrective measures" would be having a conference with the staff involved, or updating the closing procedures checklist (dunno whether a pizza joint would have a Policy and Procedures manual, but if it's a chain, then it's possible) and making sure that all staff are familiar with it. Making the staff peons (note that the owner's wife/accountant has a space heater :->) work without heat is just passive-aggressive bull$h!t.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

*****

Y'know, my neighbor works at/runs a local pizza shop. I'll ask him next time what their procedure is.

[briony530.livejournal.com]

There cannot be that few jobs in Seattle that people working in a pizza joint can't find other employment. They should go. Preferably all at once.

[samantha-vimes.livejournal.com]

So, what you're saying is, you've missed the reports of people cutting back on eating out as much because they are worried about the shaky economy, making folks more likely to buy take n bake pizzas from the grocery store. And the credit crunch, which makes it harder for start-up businesses to get loans. And you've never been poor enough to rely on public transportation, and therefore limited the areas you can search for jobs at.

I recommend the book Nickled and Dimed to give you a glimpse at problems faced by low wage workers.

[briony530.livejournal.com]

Quite an argumentative tone and an awful lot of assumptions to make about someone you don't know at all.

[samantha-vimes.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was, and I did wonder if I was being too strong. But I really though hard and couldn't see any other explanation for the assumptions behind your statement. If you'd like to explain how the local economy differs from the nation at large, I'm open to understanding.

Otherwise, I was assuming that you didn't mean any harm but have in mind an ideal version of free market economics wherein the worker is fully empowered and mobile (and able; an employee with, for instance, social anxiety would find a job search much more difficult than someone who interacts well with strangers and therefore interviews well).

It's taken years of reading progressive works for me to reach a point where I automatically think of complexities that could hurt other people.

[briony530.livejournal.com]

There are always complexities and neither of us know any of the particulars relating to this handful of people. I think it would serve this guy right if they all found other jobs and left him high and dry (and cold). That's all. I am not looking for a sociological discussion or to defend my background. 'Nuff said.

[xrian.livejournal.com]

I'd think the state Labor Department might have something to say about this.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Not just Washington state. In Eastern Washington state... in a year where it's been damned cold even on the western side of the mountains.

Have I mentioned recently how much I wish that the vast majority of people on the eastern side of my state would just move to freaking Texas or something so that the rest of us wouldn't have to be embarrassed by them anymore? People hear about shit like this and they don't understand that east of the mountains is effectively a whole different world from Seattle.

That said, if I were close enough to him to do so, I would happily boycott this asshat and egg his storefront for you.

Dominionism in Wasilla

[(Anonymous)]

I would like to chat with you about your concerns. I have written a book about Palin and her Dominionist connections and clearly share your concern about Plain's dominionist beliefs and associations.

Feel free to respond to leahlb@gmail.com

regards,

Leah