Well got a bit of a shock this afternoon. Went into work, worked my ass off on getting the material for McD's finished, but got a call from my wife that I hadn't been paid again. So once again, engaging in our usual fortnightly ritual, I contacted the Boss's to find out why I wasn't paid and what was going on. Bit frustrating, because every two weeks for the last year and nearly a half, I have to go looking for my wages. I'd even reminded them the day before that wages were due, and she'd said they were being paid that day. So I got another excuse about how they were waiting to hear from the bank and they're hands we're tied again. I guess the promises of frank openness about what was going on had gone again, since we were once again being told nothing. I again expressed my unhappiness that I was not paid since I have a family to support and all. She said it was going to be paid today (Friday), but once again it means I don't see the money till Monday/Tuesday because the bank doesn't process over the weekend. She offered me a cheque but said it would take 3 days to clear. I said that didn't really help me, but go ahead and make the payment, and just sort of let it go. Few minutes later, get a call back saying she'll cash a cheque and deposit the cash so I should see the money immediately. I thanked her for resolving the issue, and hung up thinking it was finished. Few more minutes later, the Head Honcho rings up and goes apeshit at me, and I get terminated. So just to recap - I lose my job because I asked where my pay was?? Go figure!? In 14 years I have never been unemployed or terminated from a position.

I've put up with late or missing pays, no superannuation in over a year, poor working conditions, and ridiculous amounts of stress due to overwork, and dealing with debt-collectors, egomaniacs, stupid deadlines, and general stupidity, and still that doesn't buy me an ounce of respect. Okay I get it that the company is not doing well, and I understand it has dire money issues, but that's not my responsibility. I turn up, I do my work, I should get paid. It's there responsibility to ensure that I am paid and looked after, and mine to do the work properly. So I'm not sad about the job, I don't even want the job back. Hell, I'd have probably gone soon anyway, since things just weren't getting better, despite the promises. I'm just disappointed at the childishness of it all. I'd have thought that my patience, dedication, and hard work would have at the very least bought me a civilized redundancy. Is it too much to ask for some notice, and my pay when I leave, perhaps a handshake and a friendly parting. Instead I get commanded to vacate the premises immediately, I lose all my personal data due to lack of notice, still don't get my pay, or my leave entitlements, or superannuation, and here I am stuck now.

I've since investigated legal options and was dismayed to discover you can't sue them for wrongful dismissal in Australia because the company is under 100 employees. So basically, where is the incentive to work for a small company? Absolutely none! As a worker I have next to no rights at all, and can be dismissed on a temper tantrum of an employer. That's really sad. Now my only recourse is to lodge a form with a government agency and see if they can recover what I'm owed for me. Also I can lodge a complaint with the Employment Ombudsman. I don't know if that's going to do much, but maybe it might be a way to warn other people who follow me of what they might be getting themselves into. Since I was never given any such warning, just promises of an awesome leadership position, travel, good wages, training, all of which was slowly revealed to be lies.

I've written this out so I can unburden myself. I'm going to let it go now. I've let it eat away at me for too long now. I hope for the sake of the other employees that are still there that things improve for them. But I won't hold my breath...