The letter that let me go

Christine Metivier
August 16, 2010

Spirit Cruises


Dear Christine Metivier,
I am writing you because I believe my manager Renato Barreto is picking on me and disrespecting me. He has been doing this since he became manager. When I was a waiter with him I thought, he was an ok guy. He was a little uptight but, when he had a couple drinks in him he was ok. Yes, I did watch him drink on the job several times before he became manager. I couldn't believe it when he was promoted to manager. A server named Julia told me that she doesn't know why she wrote him a letter of recommendation for the job. Then she told me she wishes she hadn't. 95% of the wait staff, runners and bartenders agree with me in that, Renato is an incapable and mean manager. I personally have witnessed him roll his eyes at customers. To their face. I don’t think he really knows how to communicate to the customers. The reason I haven't come to you before is because when I’m not at work or sleeping I am busy on my stories and finding publishers as well as openings in the film industry. Plus, I never wanted to bother you. Now I feel I must come to you for help. I will briefly try to describe the issue that transpired.
At the start of my shift on Sunday night Renato and another manager were sitting at a table in blatant veiw with several servers watching and listening. Renato Then proceeded to tell me to sit down and sign his paper. At first I thought, he finally got what he wanted and was going to fire me. When he told me he was “writing me up” for leaving early this past Saturday night I could not believe my ears. I worked an extra twenty minutes past my clock out time that night he accused me of leaving early on. I have my hours printed up to prove it. I refused to sign his paper reprimanding me. Nowhere does it say that I must stay until the glasses are all finished even if it takes another hour past my clock out time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not afraid of hard work and a little over time. I have stayed late before and gladly helped for hours after my clock out time when Mike Moss and I were the only two people moving all the tables back onto the boat. This was after the CSI shoot.
I believe it was wrong of this guy to have me “written up” then single me out and purposely attempt to make me look like a delinquent worker. He wanted to punish me in front of the staff becuase alot of people are starting to dislike him so he’s looking for a whipping boy. I did nothing wrong. I had just found out, at my clock out time that Saturday night I'm acused of leaving early on, that he was going to add on another duty for the runners to complete before they could leave. The chore at hand was to place water glasses on all the tables. For one, we had never done that job before. It has always been a server duty. Second, I had plans to meet up with an old friend otherwise I would have stayed an hour past the time I am supposed to clock out. I had made plans for after work and am not obligated to stay that long past my clock out time.
The runners should not even be doing glasses in the first place. Everything was faster and more efficient when the runners did the table clothes and the floor. Now we have to wait for the servers to put the table clothes on the tables before we can put down glasses. Then when they finally get the table clothes on they can't see the floor to sweep. If you go on the Bateaux and look at the floor under the tables it is hardly ever swept well. The servers are in no hurry to finish because they still have another hour before they have to clock out for the night. Somewhere somehow the chores on the Bateaux have been shifted around so much that it makes it harder for stuff to get done. That is not the main issue I want to address.
I ask that you please speak to Renato about his tone towards me. Renato insinuated that I sit to urinate because it takes me too long. Natalie and another runner were witnesses to his cruel remarks. I have said nothing about his brazenness and crudeness til now but, every person has their breaking point and last night was mine. I told him I was not signing his “write up” because, I don’t deserve to be written up. I was not in the wrong by leaving after my clock out time. It is obvious this guy does not want me around and has done his best to try and get me fired. I am a hard worker and bust my hump every time I clock in. You guys watched me carry all those heavy glass racks on the Atlantica.
The brass tacks of this letter is that I would like to pick up some shifts on another boat if possible or help out with sales. It is not mentally healthy for me to go to a job where the boss hates me and tries to humiliate me for no reason. Please let me know your thoughts on my “write up” and handling Renato’s illegitimate spite and impertinence towards me.