it's going to be one of those weeks

got to the ferry terminal this morning at 6 only to find out that due to a “bearing” problem, the first sailing was cancelled. knowing this would only mean a huge hassle getting to work on the 8:20 (because of the way busses work on the other side), i decided to return home and work from here – i have a big policy document i’m working on that keeps getting dropped to the bottom of my to do pile, and home is about the only place i can force myself to work on it (less distractions from other work demands).

on my way home, i decided to swing by the roberts creek breakwater and watch the crescent moon go down as the light broke the clouds – and snapped a few mediocre photos – wishing i had my tripod and trying to keep steady on the wet wood railing. the one at the top of the post was the best of a sorry lot….. gorgeous fresh morning though – and i felt almost fortunate the ferry broke down and i got to spend a few minutes just soaking up the early morning air at high tide.

i suspect it’s going to be one of those weeks where the union takes up more of my time than my actual paid work. not only do i have a whole day of union-management meetings on thursday, and union convention friday-sunday – i just got off the phone with a member whose supervisors have requested her presence (avec union rep) in a meeting first thing tomorrow morning. i suspect it may be a termination hearing as they are being very evasive as to the purpose of the meeting.

this gets my stomach all in knots for three reasons: 1) the supervisor and the manager in this case are both people who are allies to me in the workplace – it’s harder for me to be objective even though we are all clear on our roles in a case such as this; 2) i have represented this member in the past in disciplinary matters (there have been several), and she really does nothing to help herself at all (she even lied to me during preparation for one hearing); and, 3) i hate seeing anyone lose their job or be disciplined for any reason, and i hate being witness to this type of emotional event in other people’s lives who i’m not particularly close to.

99.9% of the time the members i represent in hearings and grievances are people i feel i can really go to bat for, but every once and awhile there are the cases where it’s just hard to fight – it becomes a case where i have a legal “duty to represent” – and that pretty much sums up the role. it’s a little like being a lawyer in that way – even if you think the person is guilty you still have a job to stand up and argue for them – except i don’t get paid a lawyer’s wages. so that’s tomorrow morning scheduled already, though it probably won’t take more than an hour at best…. it’s a hell of a way to start the day.

*sigh* – it’s not even noon yet and all this to write already! back to work i go.