Posted on 05/10/2010 2:21:26 PM PDT by LowOiL
Today I was fired because "I wasn't a team player" and "didn't fit in". I worked for an eccentric "Christian" man in his 70's, I myself am Christian also. I will call the owner "Old Mac" for simplicity.
The place I worked as an mechanic was in a fabric mill (no more detail is needed, you know how hard the textile industry has been hit lately). The majority of the mill is illegals and some legals (from Mexico and Guatemala), with about a 30% other population of mostly white fixers and managers.
I worked a second shift and had only met "old Mac" casually before. Stories of his strange behavior ran deep but I never believed them before. Stories of how "old Mac" once saw a fellow on the loading docks lounging around and didn't like it, so he walked up to him and asked him how much he made and was answered XXX per week. Mac calculated the amount in his head, paid the fellow cash and said he was fired. The fellow took the money and left and Mac later found out he didn't even work there, he was just a delivery man.
Anyhoo... my story is one night "old Mac" came in at lunch time (we work 8 and 1/2 hours a day, 30 minutes are suppose to be lunch time and he does not pay us for it). I used to go to my truck and eat lunch in the cab in the parking lot. I would "allow" the "illegals" to go outside too since it was their lunch time too. I didn't see there was any problem, since he wasn't paying them. Old Mac came in and was furious, he did not want "little Mexico" outside his doors and that they were in the mill and he could be fined XXX amount of dollars. They were not in the mill, but they could be he reasoned. I was flabbergassed, I couldn't believe he was doing this. He often ran the air system so the illegals could run their machines during their "lunchtime" but any work they did was not time and a half pay like the law requires. Also us fixers (me and another fellow) were expected to repair the machines during our "lunchtime" and not being paid for it.
I asked "old Mac" if he owned us during the time that he was not paying us, he slowly looked at me and said I was "not being a team player" and that "it set a bad example for the Mexicans" at lunchtime and that they were NOT allowed to go outside whatsoever.
I told "Old Mac" that it was not right to keep me his "slave" during the time he was not paying me. He grumbled off and today I was told I was fired. I was handed my paycheck for the last week and told to leave. I argued that he was not "Christian" what he was doing and that I would bring up the subject to his church on Sunday.
I went to get my supplies and tools and booklets and say bye to everyone and as I left the back door I smelled tire smoke. A police officer had just tore into the parking lot and was waiting close to where I was parked. I guess "old Mac" had called the police on me. I never said a curse word, I never even called him anything more than "Sir". I was Christian about the whole affair, but I was not ran over by him like he wanted me to be.
My question fellow Christian Freepers is this... What is the precedence (protocol) for presenting my case to his church. I do not belong to his church (Baptist) but I am a fellow Baptist of a neighboring church. I have read before somewhere that I am allowed to address their church elders and then I am allowed to address the church next if that fails. I have talked to their pastor (nice fellow) and he said actually I had no Biblical right to talk to their church in that manner since I was not a member.
I seek godly knowledge from fellow freepers.
Please.
Yes, that is what I was referring to when I posted.
I have no idea what is in your heart, that's between you and the Lord.
Sorry, if I offended, I did not intend it that way.
“WWJD? Standing up for yourself is fine, punishing the wicked is best left to God”
Punishing the wicked is best left to God? Would you also fail to report a rape or a theft?
I’d say forget the Church and call INS. If he’s requiring work off the clock its illegal but will be very hard to prove. Especially after the INS shuts him down. Although they may not do anything.
I would be burning up the phone lines reporting him.
I am all for it. I almost wish he would PM someone here he can trust so they can toast this SOB.
In these small towns you need to be careful about being a crusader.
A very good question.
Here's a way to tell: Try to have a few merciful thoughts toward the guy, really see it from his eyes, put yourself 100% in his shoes.Imagine his problems, feel his cares.
You'll probably notice that after a minute or two, your mind will want to quit that and go back to your grievances. Let it bitch for a minute, then go back to putting yourself 100% in his shoes. Do this until you are no longer interested in justifying your side to yourself.
It doesn't mean you might not be justified, only that you are no longer interested in repeating your position to yourself. Then you will be in the position of acting without revenge.Then you can act in a way that will best serve you and him, and all the other people that work there as well.
Your point is well taken. Thanks for your advice.
FWIW, I would have called ICE the first I saw the mexs.
If you didn’t call it in, you are part of the problem.
Sorry, just IMO
As others have said, file anyway. Make it clear on the form that he did not quit but was terminated “due to lack of work”.
Let it go through the process. Hopefully there was a witness or more people told the same thing.
Set him up with a male or female hooker. Pics do not always tell the truth. And I am not known as a nice guy. Does the end justify the means?
Peter 2:18
Christian advice.
Macs more than harsh - he’s committing crimes along with robbing him of wages. Satan came to kill, rob and destroy.
Deuteronomy 24:14
“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.
Roger that. Mac is a significant mission field. Y’ just can’t say what God has planned. But obedience to the word is paramount to working His little miracles...IMHO
Not just California. Old Mac owes back pay with interest. Possibly penalties too.
Mac knows what he is doing and he has a church, a pastor. There is NO reason he has to submit himself to being robbed. Going back to his job as you suggest, he is being an enabler to this man’s sins.
Put this behind you and move on with your life. Do not waste any more of your time over this.
I’m not suggesting it. My boss commands it. Everybody seems to want to call in the Roman garrison. Jesus taught another way...that takes a little more faith.
Seeking advice is hardly a waste of time - moreso, when it’s about his and his family’s livelihood.
Commands what? Not sure what you are implying.
If this job feeds his family, rash action is, at least, imprudent. I now he was fired. But if he’s in a bind, he should go back. The alternative is not good.
Dire circumstances suggest a job where the boss ‘steals’ five cents for every dollar I make is better than standing in line at the welfare office.
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