Publisher’s gift collection

I have just calmed down enough to blog about this. A collection was taken up for the Publisher’s Christmas gift. I am fine with this; they do it every year for both Christmas and his birthday in October. What I am not fine with is a donation being a requirement. If I want to contribute to a large gift, it is great that I can. If I want to get him chocolate on my own, that should be fine. If I want to ignore his birthday, I should be allowed.

The birthday collection was slowed because the Powers That Be needed to wait until Editorial was paid. OMG! You are not only bullying these poor writers into contributing, but they are also so under paid that they cannot afford to toss in $10 until after pay day.

I surmised during these mandatory collections that a list was being kept. A list of who contributed, and how much. I think this is illegal, not positive, but pretty sure. My suspicions about a list were confirmed last October when I was approached and asked to contribute more, because the contributions were not covering the cost of the gift that was already purchased. I am not even going to address the fact that they bought a gift before they knew what the contributions were.

This pissed me off, therefore I did what any true non-confrontational employee would do; I neglected to contribute this Christmas. I was round-about-asked about it a good 15 times. I refused to budge. I give enough to this office! Just last month I paid for a birthday breakfast celebration for the entire office (with required attendance, I might add). I was not reimbursed for this.

Oh, and there is a kicker, it should have put me over this edge 11 months ago. The gift we all contributed to for the Publisher last Christmas was a poker table, that is still at the office, that the Specialty Projects Manger (better known as Kiss Ass) hosts a party for his buddies at each Thursday night, men only. I am so glad I learned to invest my hard earned dollars wisely!