Source: Reddit
I(35F) lost my job after the pandemic struck and found another working in a meat company. It was much less paid, more tiring and longer hours but beggars can’t be choosers, I have 3 kids to raise and need a job or it would be too much for my husband to shoulder. I was going to continue to work there until I found a more suitable job because the boss of that company is quite an a**ho*e.
Some time ago my niece(19F) was looking for a part-job and since there was a vacancy in my workplace I recommended her to my superiors. My brother’s family is quite wealthy, fully funding my niece’s studies and living expenses and my niece only wanted a job for extra allowance.
My niece soon found out that many of us working there are not paid the standard for over-time and our workload exceeds the norm. She was disgusted by the environment and wanted to file a complaint about the company to the authorities. I begged her not to, not because of my love for the company (I was going to leave eventually), but because like me, many of us there have families to feed and needed the job.
My niece ignored me and ended up making quite a big deal out of it, posting pictures, videos and long paragraphs on social media and filing some reports to “fight for our rights”. I have no idea if it changed anything in the company. However, as a result of this drama, the company decided to dismiss a portion of its staff, and including me, a few other coworkers of mine had lost their jobs. They did not voice it out directly but they have been avoiding me, probably blaming me for introducing my niece to the job.
I have been avoiding my niece too because, despite her good intentions, I still lost my job. My niece had been texting me giving all sorts of reasons that what she did was for what is right. When I ignored her texts, she sent more with long paragraphs basically wanting me to acknowledge that she is right. I really don’t want to blame or argue with someone half my age still living in comfort with her parents, so in the end I replied “I just hope that you are proud of yourself.”
My brother texted me later saying that I was being unkind to his daughter, that as her aunt who witnessed workplace toxicity with her I should encourage her to continue to fight for what is right(still going on between her and the company). I may be unemployed but I am going to spend my time looking for a job instead of joining some vendetta, Am I A Jerk?
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