Thomas H. Huxley
Here we have a case, what choice would you make?
You have always dreamt about taking a scholarship in order to get a master degree in another country, you applied a delivered all the documentation and you were accepted, but they require you to attend an obligatory meeting next Wednesday at 9 am, in labor hours... You know that you need to talk to your boss in order to ask him for permission or to take the day as a vacation day. Here is how the conversation evolves:
Employee: Hi Mr. Boss, I'm here in order to ask you if I can take a vacation day for the next Wednesday, is that ok?
Boss: Sorry Mr. Employee, but you know that next Wednesday is our 10 million dollar project delivery to the client, the project that you are in charge of.
Employee: I know that I was planning about doing a handover to other of my coworkers, that way the delivery can be performed that day without my attendance. I really need the day off, is a very important matter to me.
Boss: I don't think it will be possible to give you the day off, the delivery is our highest priority and I don't want a single issue with it. Also, all the other employees are very busy and none of them are available to attend that project delivery... Sorry, the answer is no, you cannot take the day off.
Employee: Can I take the morning? let me explain you... I applied for a scholarship... I was accepted... require meeting... 9 am Wednesday morning... very important to me, I can't reschedule it for another day.
Boss: I understand, but we cannot reschedule the project delivery for another day or hour, everything is already coordinated with the client. I cannot give permission even just for the morning, I need you here all day, sorry the answer is no.
Employee: We need a workaround for this, I really need to attend that meeting.
Boss: I don't want to discuss this anymore, I already explained to you there is no way I can give permission for that day, my last word is no, and please leave.
So here is where the story ends, so the question is: what would you do? go to a meeting and fulfill your dream and probably getting fired for not attending to work or, go to work and missing the opportunity of your dream?
The answer is simple: fuck your boss, fuck the project, fuck the company, fuck the client, you are the only one that matters if you are getting fired by attending to an opportunity that will fulfill you, well then screw them. Please remember, in the moment the company can save a dollar a year by replacing you with someone that can do your job for the lowest salary (I have seen that several times with my own eyes), they will do it!!! they don't care about you, you are just one resource that they will dispose like garbage at the moment that they can save pennies by doing so.
Now is time for us, the workers, to fire back, as I already mentioned in the previous posts, jobs are not a scarce resource, but the society wants you to think that in order to take advantage of you. You are your highest priority, if that means fucking the 10 million dollar project of your employer, generate a bad reputation or even getting fired in the short term that does not matters, what matter is your personal goals and improvement, and you will see, in the long run, that is what pays off.
I hope the story gives an idea of how to proceed in this kind of situations, see you in the next posts. Bye.
