Posted: 11/6/2009 10:55:34 AM EDT
|
Ok a little backgroud here; I work full time for a rinky dink 911 EMS company in PA.
Although it is a paid company, the company was orignally volunteer, and when I started last year still retained a few volunteers who made up the Captain and Asst Capt. The bylaws for the organization (or so Im told) state that in order to be an officer you MUST be a volunteer member. Somewhere along the line we got another volunteer and he was made Lt. After a little while he ended up becoming paid, yet was allowed to keep his LT position. Next thing you know the Capt resigns, so the Asst Capt takes over for the Capt, and one of the paid members (because there are no volis left) takes over Asst Capt. So now 2/3 of our officers are paid while the bylaws state you must be a volunteer. Now with November elections will be coming up, so I would assume elections for line positions would too. I asked my boss, since most our officers are paid now anyway, if the line officer positions would be opened up to all paid members, or just specific members. She stated that the board of directors would have to discuss it and get back to me. First off, out of all the paid employees (officers included) I have the most time working for the organization, the most amount of classes/certifications, the highest education, the most experience in the EMS field, and previous experience as a line officer with another dept. So you ask why have I not been considered for an officer position: 2 reasons. 1. Im 21, there all old retirees (I dont think they feel Im mature enough because Im young, even though I have proven I am, and our officer have proven themselves incompetant by calling a workable code, its under investigation by the council). 2. I am not best friends with the boss and I dont kiss ass. So my question is: If she were to come back to me and say that they are only going to allow certian paid employees to run for officer positions, is that not some form of discrimination? I can see if they set some standards that you had to have X amount of time with the company, or X amount of time in EMS. But to simply say we are going to let him run for the position and not you. That kinda urks me, and I see it as being wrong. And do you guys think I should approach my boss and try to explain that it would be discrimination to open it to some employees and not to all. Im trying not to ruffle any feathers because I truely want to get into a position, as I see that these people running it are very incompetant, and I would like to make things better. Oh it gets better, I just found out that one of the "paid volunteer officers" is also a member of the board of directors, so it looks like my hopes of simply being allowed to be considered are going to be shot down. |
| Wow... Sounds a bit like a place I used to work for. Talk with your supervisors if you must, but it sounds like a typical good old boys club. Your only 21? You've got a LOT of years ahead of you. Unless your really attached to this place, I say eject and find a new gig. Not a good sign of a good place to work if at 21 you have the most time there... |
|
Quoted:
Wow... Sounds a bit like a place I used to work for. Talk with your supervisors if you must, but it sounds like a typical good old boys club. Your only 21? You've got a LOT of years ahead of you. Unless your really attached to this place, I say eject and find a new gig. Not a good sign of a good place to work if at 21 you have the most time there... Yeah, tell me about it. EMS isnt my career, Im still going to school for Crim Just, so I will stay there because its low call volume and I get paid to sleep and do my school work. I am fully aware the org is a joke. I would like to help turn the place around, but since thats prob not gonna happen Im jjust there for the mulla. |
|
Quoted:
Wow... Sounds a bit like a place I used to work for...Unless your really attached to this place, I say eject and find a new gig... +1  been there.
That's one bass ackwards system. If you can't initiate change or have no support I say ride the money train. Especially if its not your career path or a place you want to stay. Places like that are doomed to fail if they don't become progressive, that mindset is poison. Don't beat yourself up over it and be careful because "if you argue with an idiot some people may not know the difference" |
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.