Oh, the meaning of Christmas spirit in a toxic environment

[ButterBailey]

Working in frontline emergency care, working over Christmas has been the norm as long as I can remember. It seems though, over the past years the workplace Christmas spirit has changed. Once it was those that worked would celebrate together, now it's an increase of 20 year old in the job, with toxic management. 

Christmas within the workplace of increased instances of alienation, bullying, belittling, and exclusion. Christmas parties are only for the cliques, management is largely made up of 20 years old who are their mates, that protect each other. Its about altering rosters so certain individuals can have time together, it's about management providing overtime to mates so they have extra money at Christmas.

Although this mostly goes on throughout the year, with those involved being promoted. This time of the year is when workers are away from family, at a workplace on Christmas, being excluded becomes more painful.

This year has made it even harder, a partner who has lost their job, special needs kids requiring ongoing medical costs, and having my hours reduce to accommodate, any means of extra money through work is blocked by the manager who provides it to her mates. Saying anything has only created are more hostile environment, where I have been informed by the staff they will push me till I'm living in a gutter. Making ends meet is already tough enough, there is no Christmas gifts under the tree this year, and scraping together what little cash is left to make a special meal. Yet I get to go to work and deal with the acceptable bulling within the service.

[Glisten]

@ButterBailey join your Union. Do nothing, nothing changes.

I’d rather be buried standing up, than spend all my life on my knees.

[ButterBailey]

@Glisten Actually I am. Yet when the senior union delegates are the ones coaching them, it's a little hard to fight. And when you do speak up and say anything, and ask for union assistance, you can guarantee that things will be made harder, and you are looking at not just the lose of income but career and livelihood. It's easy for someone to say join the union and fight without actually knowing the circumstances. I'm fighting to just keep food on the table and a roof over my families head.

[Glisten]

@ButterBailey the cost of living and housing is outrageous, it is a world of Haves and Have Nots.

The easiest solution is victim blaming.

A Union that does NOT fight for inclusivity, is perpetuating exclusivity.

I invented Boxmas to take pressure off my family after they got married.

Before that I invented Orphans Christmas. Anyone and everyone was welcome to come after Christmas Lunch. All they had to do was bring a plate of leftovers.

We had blowup pools, blow up palm trees 🌴 Bucket 🪣 cocktails 🍹 and a mattress on the floor and a blanket 🛌
I create meaning for the relationships I want.

For those that exclude me, I tell them that it is kind of them and I admire that they included x,y and z, in their festivities 🥳 

I always take the time to point out when someone does something nice for someone else. Especially when I think they don’t like me.

People are quick to focus on the negative. I choose to focus and build on people’s positives, but not to my detriment.