Tuesday, August 3, 2021

The Empire Strikes Back: Just Following Orders

 

"What a coincidence! I'll just be following orders when I pull the
lever and watch your necks snap. History is funny like that."


Saw senior management today for a totally unrelated issue. As meeting wrapped up, they noted they had no record on file of my COVID vaccination status.

Me: Decline to answer, thanks anyhow.

Them: This is what we're getting as guidelines from the Califrutopia Department of Public Health.

That was their killshot. They really think they can tell employees to jump off a cliff, and then point to the state and say "They made us tell you." Um, ...sideways with a dull rusty chainsaw, bucko.

Me: This company hasn't done anything stupid with regard to COVID from last year until now. You really don't want to start doing stupid things now just because the state recommends them. You're going to get a lot of pushback, including from me, of a kind you don't want.

Them: We've already gotten a lot of pushback.

Me: My second call, if you follow through on this, will be refusal on all grounds, and a telephone call to someone with "Esq." after their name. I won't be tortured, and I won't be singled out, on capricious and arbitrary grounds, nor tolerate a hostile workplace environment. The state may be pushing this, but management and employees here are where the rubber is going to meet the road, and you'll end up paying a heavy price to "go along". Please, pass those concerns up the chain.

Them: But...but...but...reasons!

Me: In so many words:

"Don't push it, or I'll give you a war you won't believe. Let it go."

Them: Good talk! Bye!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Well said. I need to use that format too.

Chip Anderson said...

Good luck. Our esteemed governor here in Louisiana is pulling another masked bandit move. A hospice nearby wants me to be jabbed in order to do IT work for them. Seriously, people are just dying to get in. That won't happen.

Anonymous said...

Mildly curious on the unabridged content of "In so many words".

June J said...

Standing up to tyranny is the only answer.

Bear Claw Chris Lapp said...

Ascension St. John hospital Tulsa last week stated mandatory vax. Maybe that's where something starts when there is no one to care for patients. I know of another hospital system on the east coast also stated same with deadlines for both before years end.
God Speed Aesop.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

The reality is that the first company who has an employee who suffers serious harm (or God forbid, death) due to said company requiring them to be vaccinated will be sued into the ground. I am sure legal firms are already gearing up for the potential flood of lawsuits.

John said...

"Don't make me angry. You won't like it when I'm angry."

And they said it's not easy being green.

Aesop said...

JW,
If you think that's not coming back in about a meme-second, you're crazy.

John in Indy said...

I'm not sure that for these people that I wouldn't want at least a 1" diameter rope, and a drop of no more than 3 inches.
Gives them more time to consider their errors.
John in Indy

Aesop said...

@John,

I like the way you think.

Rick said...

You: I won't put up with your gruff.

Them: Does the term, At Will mean anything to you?

Aesop said...

"At will" only works when you randomly fire someone.
When they try it "for cause", and that cause is found egregiously lacking, firing is "retaliation", and you've created a "hostile workplace environment", and engaged in "unfair termination" and "mental stress and cruelty". The penalties for that are legal costs, all back pay with interest, and treble damages, both real and intangible. And getting your position back, if you so desire.
Seen it with my own eyes, more than once.
Multiply that times hundreds or thousands of workers, plus their own legal fees when they lose, and you're talking real money for the company(ies). like 10-11 digits real money.

Long before that, I'm retired early, comfortably, with a substantial nest egg.

Dealer's choice.
Me, I'd rather earn my retirement the old fashioned way.

But if they want to make my new job Norma Rae, that's their business.
And I'll be there to collect the paycheck on that, too.