Shift manager snapped, sent me home tonight(Language, LONG).

[Terry]

So as some of you might know, there have been a number of contradictions going on at this shit hole McDonald's that I work at(been there 2 months). Anyways, I was supposed to work 4pm-11pm tonight. I worked on the grill from 4pm-8pm and took my break from 8pm-8:30pm. Well, when I came back the shift manager wanted me to go to 2nd window drive thru. Now before I start the story of what happened, please read this thread if you haven't to get some background information about the problems I've been having with the runners in drive thru:

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=21088

// Start

Me: Mi
SM = shift manager
AM = 2nd assistant manager
GM: General manager(not present, he's on vacation)

NOTE: SM is also the manager that said that crew members weren't allowed to eat in the dining room. This was explained in this thread:

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=21493


When I got to the window, the person was waiting for their drinks, so I give them their drinks. SM was my runner. The person ordered a McChicken, a fish sandwich, and 2 medium fries. This car's time was already up to 300 seconds, so I assumed that SM already knew what the person ordered, especially since there was only a few items. What do I do? I push the "serve" button because I'm thinking "Oh great, better push the serve button so the runner doesn't get mad at me", as explained in 1st link above. So I go ahead and do it, AND:

SM: Terry, don't do that, you have to wait until you have the entire order at the window.

Me: Alright.

So I finally hand out the person's food and the next person drives up. I hand them their drinks. Now, when an order first comes on the screen, there is a green box around it. Until you take that box off, you cannot serve the order, it won't let you. There's another button which is green that you push to take that box off. Nobody had taken it off yet, even though this person's time was 350 seconds. I went ahead and pushed it AND:

SM: Terry, I told you not to do that(no she didn't, this is something completely different).

Me: I just took the green box off so it would be ready to serve.

SM: You're not allowed to do it until you have the order. It's a rule and I'm showing you the right way. You HAVE to follow the rules.

Me: Oh, okay, well more people need to follow the rules then because every time I'm the drive thru server, the runner gets mad at me if I don't serve it quicker than 20 seconds.

SM: I don't care about what the other runners tell you, just do it the way I tell you.

Me: Well, the runners are always getting mad at me when I follow the rules and that's creating a hostile working environment for me. If a manager sees this happening, then they need to speak to the runner and tell them not to.

I guess she saw this as telling her how to do her job, aka "bossing her around".

SM: Look, if you're not going to do what I'm telling you to do, then you can just leave!

*Thinks to myself "Um, did I say I wasn't going to do what you told me to do?"*

Me: See, you're getting mad at me because I'm trying to set things right. People keep getting mad at me no matter which way I do this or that. I'm going to talk to GM about how people aren't following the rules.

Apparently she saw this as a threat, SOOOOOOOO:

SM: Get out.

Me: What for?

SM: Get out now. I'm sending you home.

Me: I'm just doing what you're telling me, could I have an explanation.

AM: Terry, she's sending you home, so just go. I don't want you to come back until GM comes back from vacation(which is TUESDAY).

Me: I'm scheduled to work tommorrow.

AM: No, you can just wait until GM comes back.

Me: What?! This is crazy. I'm trying to do things the right way, in yet I still got people getting mad at me, and now you're telling me I can't come back until Tuesday.

SM: Why aren't you leaving? Do I have to call the cops to get you to leave?

Me: No, I'll leave, I just would like an explanation.

AM: She's the one in charge right now, and that's all that matters, so just go.

Me: Ok fine, I'll be back up here Tuesday to talk to GM.*Walks out*

// End

So anyways you must be thinking I'm pretty pissed off right now. Yes, I am very pissed off! What the fuck are they doing taking away all my hours like that?! I have made my decision that both SM and AM teamed up against me. All I was doing was expressing my opinion about how things were going on, which as an employee, I am certainly allowed to do! There's even a sheet of paper in the break room that states "We encourage employees, both new and current, to provide any feedback about store operations".

I see their teaming up against me as a retaliation. These managers have decided to take it upon themselves to create even more hostility for me. Not to mention, AM is the manager who makes the schedule for crew members, so I'm thinking there's a chance she might use it against me and take away my hours.

Why the fuck can't managers get the hint that EXPRESSION OF OPINION alone is not something to hold against an employee?! Fuck, I could could say "I think McChicken should have mustard instead of mayo" and I should still be free from hostility! If you see me putting mustard instead mayo on it, THEN you have something against me, but until then, shut the fuck up.

You can bet your bottom dollar that these 2 managers are in direct violation of McDonald's policies and when GM gets back on Tuesday, I'm gonna have some HELL to raise, and I will EXPECT some consequences to be taken against them!

[Secret Shopper]

Sorry to say, I doubt if you'll win this with the two of them united against you. Good luck. Maybe you can leave this job off your resume. It does sound like a hellhole.

[powerboy]

So they sent you home for basically asking a question. Hell, I would be talking to the GM also.

[bigjimaz]

The first thing you'll learn in the wonderful world of Mickey D's is that you do what your told. If they ask you to crap putty balls, your only job is to ask what color and how many. There are way too many high schoolers waiting in the wings that are just chomping at the bit to get your job. It's been like this since I worked there back in the late 60's.

[marasbaras]

Unfortunately, there's only one right way to respond to a McD's manager "Yes, sir" or "Yes, ma'am".

[Bright_Star]

Sounds like they're on a power trip with you caught in the middle.

[lordlundar]

So they sent you home for basically asking a question. Hell, I would be talking to the GM also.

And a throw in to HR. It's supposedly corprate policy to encourage different points of view and to get feedback.

[blas]

You're going to need some serious ammo if you're going to go up against the both of them.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with everyone else. That's how it goes at the Golden Arches and pretty much any fast food joint. That's the way it always has been.

[Terry]

The first thing you'll learn in the wonderful world of Mickey D's is that you do what your told..

The thing is, this is something different than not doing what I was told. I was doing what I was told, but I wanted to tell her that I've been having problems with the runners because they keep getting mad at me for following the rules. By both these managers not being open about my problem, and making it even worse by taking away my hours, they have proven they do not have the mental qualifications to be a manager. This is also the main reason I started this thread:

"Managers: good multitasking skills is only part of the job"
http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=20339

There's more to being a manager than physical qualifications. There's also mental qualifications. Here's a few:

1. Is the manager qualified to determine when a disciplinary action should be taken against an employee AND are they qualified to determine which LEVEL of disciplinary action to take? For example, is the manager qualified to writeup or fire an employee AND determine which of those 2 actions best corresponds to the problem at hand. In other words, does the punishment fit the crime?

2. Is the manager qualified to PROFESSIONALLY handle the EVERYDAY employee situations of the workplace? For example, if Employee A is creating a hostile working environment for Employee B, will the manager take the appropriate action to handle the situation?

3. Is the manager open to feedback from employees from all ranks, whether it be the same, higher, or lower rank? For example, does the manager take feedback less seriously when the feedback comes from someone who is of lower rank? Also, does the manager show irritation if someone of a lower rank provides feedback? For example, does the manager get irritated when an employee of lower rank expresses a difference of opinion? These are 2 examples of how NOT to conduct professional business.

These are the things that should make people question whether a manager is qualified for the position they are in.

If this was a franchised McDonald's, I would have less hope that my case would be taken seriously, but this is not the case. Being a corporate owned McDonald's, there is a lot more people I can talk to. I'm not like most people who are put in the same situation. I'll keep going up the ladder until I speak to someone who will listen.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

If I were in that situation, I'd assume that my firing was imminent and start looking for a new job.

The AM and SM are two big honchos to have against you, and if they can't just fire you outright for no reason they can make you miserable until you leave on your own.

[Chanlin]

Just my opinion here, but if it were me I would just quit.

Granted I don't know your situation or how badly you need the job, but seriously, a Mc Job is not worth all that crap. It really all comes back to how much this job is worth to you and how easily you could get another job.

I would seriously give it some thought and ask yourself if working this job is worth the crap your going to have to go through to A: Make your complaint heard, and B: make sure you're doing your job right/well to the satisfaction of SM and AM.

On the flip side one thing you might consider is addressing the issues with SM or AM or both at the same time. Write them, talk to them whatever. Ask to make an appointment with them. Trust me going over their head should be a last resort. They may be power tripping, they may have simply lost their tempers. I would write down pretty much verbatim(minus your personal opinions) the posts you have here into letters, make photo copies of said letters, and hand them to SM and say this is my side of the story and this is why I was getting upset at what you were telling me. If this still doesn't help then talk to the GM, give him copies of your letters and again explain to him what you have told us in your posts as close to verbatim as you professionally can.

EDIT:: If you decide to write letters and want help with polishing them up feel free to PM me.

One last thing, and I hate to say it, but Age may be a factor here. If you are 18 or younger they may simply see your initial complaint as you being an obnoxious/bratty kid. It's harsh but true. If this is the case the letters would go a long way in showing your maturity.

[Terry]

Just my opinion here, but if it were me I would just quit.

I don't really want to quit because I really need the money bad. I'm not the bad guy in this situation, so I shouldn't have to quit. I really shouldn't be in this situation at all because everything I've done, I technically am allowed to do. Here I am complaining about hostile coworkers, in yet these managers are going to lash out at me simply because they don't feel like hearing it. I plan on talking to GM about the lacking of mental qualifications these 2 managers have. I am going to ask that he put them on probation and start observing them. Also, since AM makes the schedule, I will explain to him that if she cuts my hours, I will see this as a retaliation. It is against McDonald's policy to retaliate against an employee who has reported a problem. I will also let him know that if I sense any unnecessary hostility from them, that he will be hearing from me again. If I don't see the desired results from GM, I will ask how I can contact his supervisor. I am the victim here and something NEEDS to be done. If I don't do anything now, then the next person who gets hired is going to have to deal with the exact same bullshit. Those 2 managers deserve consequences.

[Sylvia727]

When you talk to the GM, try to focus less on the punishment these suckagers deserve and more on the rewards you deserve. If you just argue that they should be on probation, then you will appear to out for revenge instead of trying to resolve a problematic situation. You want to do your job, and you want to do it right. You appreciate the great advice your managers gave you and asked for advice on how to deal with rules-breaking coworkers. You're confused about why you were punished for asking questions about this volatile issue. Yeah, that's not quite what happened, but say it anyway. Hint at harassment, don't out-and-out threaten hostile work enviroment lawsuit, because that will just turn the GM off.

What are you really looking to get out of your meeting with the GM? A normal work enviroment with supportive managers? You might not find that at a McJob. I'd be looking elsewhere for work. And be aware that the managers almost certainly bent the GM's ear before you got there, so you're also defending yourself from their slander. Remember, in a he-said she-said situation, you want to be the calm and rational one, not the angry and argumentive one.

Good luck!

[symposes]

The AM and SM are two big honchos to have against you, and if they can't just fire you outright for no reason they can make you miserable until you leave on your own.

By chance Terry, If you live somewhere that allows "At-Will" Employment... pack your bags.

[Terry]

By chance Terry, If you live somewhere that allows "At-Will" Employment... pack your bags.

These 2 managers better have the guts to risk their own job before firing me. Sure, it's "at will", but there's still corporate policies, and I have strong evidence that corporate policy has been broken by these 2 managers. Sometimes it takes talking to corporate to set things straight. Also, based off the responses from some people in this thread, there seems to be a lot of people who are quick to give up regardless of whether or not they have a strong case. If I get fired, do you think I'm going to stop there? No.