An overworked, burned-out Reddit user who claims they work 12-hour shifts every day secretly recorded every task on a spreadsheet for four months and then emailed it to Union Representatives as proof of union policy violations.
The frustrated employee, who shared the experience on the subreddit, r/TrueOffMyChest, said that they documented 108 tasks across four machines and seven areas. They shared that the spreadsheet showed crews were being asked to complete more than 32 hours of work in a single 12-hour shift, and that each crew often had just one person assigned.
The employee claimed that things had gotten so bad at their job that they did not feel guilty reporting the issue.
“I’m about to break my job and I don’t think I’m sorry about it,” the worker wrote.
According to the post, the employee started keeping a detailed spreadsheet around four months ago after management repeatedly told workers to “manage their time” better. Instead of arguing, the employee decided to document everything. The worker called it “malicious compliance.”
They tracked how many tasks had to be completed during a shift, how often those tasks came up, and the minimum, maximum, and average time each task took. They said that each of the 108 tasks takes anywhere from five minutes to four hours, excluding travel time.
The spreadsheet showed that the total work done during a single shift exceeded 32 hours. However, each crew had only one worker unless a trainee joined, which they said was rare.
Despite the pressure at work, the employee claimed that they loved their job and were anxious about the email “blowing up in my face.” They also opened up about the toll their job took on their physical health.
“I love my job, don’t get me wrong, but we’re all exhausted and have eyebags for days. I’ve lost a ton of weight going from around 180 pounds to 150 from the manual work alone,” the employee wrote.
The worker then said that conversations during shift changes mostly revolved around problems from the previous shift and unfinished work awaiting the next crew.
The Reddit user then claimed that their seniors at work get much more pay for far less work. “I pass by them several times a shift and most of the time they’re sitting around waiting for their next gig,” they said.
The worker said they hoped the complaint would lead to better work conditions, including increased staffing and fairer pay.
“I’m hoping this will help,” the employee concluded their post, adding, “I’m hoping we’ll be allowed the people we need and the pay we deserve. Wish me luck!”
Reddit users commended the employee for their decision to go to the Union with proof.
“The spreadsheet part is honestly impressive,” commented one user, before adding, “Spending 4 months tracking tasks just to prove what you already knew must have been exhausting, but having actual data when you go to the union hits different than just complaining. They cannot really ignore hard numbers.”
“Good luck! You’ve done the right thing by going to your union. It sounds like you have a good case,” somebody else said.
