In Our Words Canadians Reading Together

John MacIntosh At Work

PAM COOPER

John wakes to the sounds of the alarm. He gets up and does his usual routine. He has a shower and gets dressed. Then he leaves for work.

John arrives at work and gathers up his notes. He has to attend a union meeting in about ten minutes. John knows the President of his local union. He has to try to defend the employee, regardless of his own values.

The employee, Phillip, is charged with theft. John has to try to get the employer to be lenient. In his heart he knows Philip should be fired. Six years previously John lost his job through a layoff. With no income, he knew all too well the hardships.

When John was growing up he had three older brothers. John was always small in stature even when compared to children his own age. Growing up for John was at times very rough and tumble. At an early age John learned to defend himself. I guess that’s why he can always relate to the underdog.

John walked into the large meeting room and sat next to the employee, Phillip, who is charged with theft. Don, the company Representative, took his place at the head of the table. The meeting began with a statement from John. He tells the employer “Phillip is very sorry for causing a problem and regrets his action. He has been a long term employee with no previous problems.” Don, the Personnel Manager, states that the company wants to fire the employee. From the look on his face John’s blood pressure is raising, his cheeks are flushed.

The meeting becomes very argumentative. It appears John is using the adage a good defense is a good offence. The Manager is emphatic that the employee be fired. John asks for reimbursement and a suspension for the employee. The employer wants the employee to be suspended for two months without pay. John manages to get the punishment down to one month with pay. The meeting is finally resolved.

I passed John in the hall and he’s still fuming. He tells me that he was in a union meeting for most of the morning. John says, “I have to try and calm down! I have my own job to do and the paperwork keeps piling up, meetings or not!”