12:45 a.m. - 2004-05-25
Work Issues
There was a brown haze covering the moon last night and an acrid smell of smoke in the night air. Worrying when it is that serious. This time of year prairie grass and forest fires are a big concern. This was the forecast for the summer in one of today's e-papers Fire.
Today was crazy where the election was concerned. My second in command called early and wanted to go look at the office I'd found. He was a bit cranky and critical about things, but quite frankly there aren't a lot of options around waiting and negotiating for "better space". We don't have the luxury of any time at all. When I talked with the second in command at Elections Canada he told me he wanted my office open on Tuesday. My second in command is a perfectionist to the nth degree and that is one of the reasons I asked him to work with me, but today it seemed he wanted to test everything I said. Pop quiz I guess. I don't mind someone doing that but I expect them to reciprocate with assistance where I am "weak" or to back off completely. Hopefully it's just jitters. The last thing I need right now is someone around who is negative or passive. I asked him if he would take on a couple of tasks for the day and the response was a flat no to one and a grudging ok to the other. I can't have that continue, everyone in my office pitches in wherever the need is there is no management/worker split.
When I got home the phone started ringing and just never stopped. Most of the time I was on one line, with another call waiting, the cell phone and fax each ringing, and e-mail pouring in on both computers. Staff were dropping by all day picking up work and supplies. They are all working from home until the office has the telephones installed. Talked to my printer and did some planning with my team who will co-ordinate the door to door registration of electors. They've got one of my favorite jobs so I enjoyed the opportunity to keep my hand in that part of the endeavor. The cats thought the meeting was pretty entertaining too. Faxed all the application forms from city census workers to the appropriate Returning Officers - at least those who had their fax machines on - two piles left to go.
One of the people I really like in Ottawa called me to let me know I had carte blanche to sign the lease tomorrow. Usually we have to fax it in and wait for approval. One of the other people I like working with with from head office called to let me know that whatever resources I needed to deal with the heavy growth in my Electoral District would be available on request. That's a good thing, because I was planning to go ahead with what is requied by law and ask for forgiveness later if I had to. Another e-mail from head office told me my back pay would be in my account by Wednesday. I had put in a claim for one of the staff who had helped during that time too. She got a call today saying they lost her paperwork could she send it in by fax. Sigh. I had the email confirming receipt in March so I sent it to her so she knew that I hadn't let her down. I think the finance department in Elections Canada needs a major audit followed, likely, by a good shake up.
The one difficult thing to do today was writing the e-mail to my supervisor about my downtown job. When I'd talked with the number two person at Elections Canada on Sunday I told him that I was going to offer to make myself available to the contract I had that was actually paying my wages as requested. He didn't like that but he can't prevent me or order me to quit. I explained that I really loved the work I was doing and that I didn't want to lose this position if it was possible to satisfy the client. My long term work life deserves as much consideration as this short term work. However, I also can't put my supervisor in a position, by trying to hang on to the job, where it compromises his ability to fulfill the terms of that company's agreements either. I just told him what I though I could continue to do as well as what I can't do. I guess all I can do now is wait for his response. Time for bed dear diary.
�
�
