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Writing.Com Time

Wednesday
February 15, 2012
4:14am EST


Content Rating Notice: GC -- May Contain Graphic Content
Only For: 18 and Older, Not Easily Offended
  >> Book >> Personal >> ID #1563486  |   Show DetailsPrinter Friendly Page Tell A Friend
A Quiet Kind of Chaos
Chaos is that voice at the end of the day that says, "Bet you didn't see that coming."
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Entry #677045, added on 11-21-09 @ 9:57 am EST
   Entry Access Restriction: None.
The day's eventsEntry #677045
Today the union at work finally ratified a new contract. We've been working without a contract since the first of September. There were some issues that needed to be resolved in a timely manner and so administration used Black Friday as an enticement to seal the deal. I've already bitched here about the fact that the union was in favor of giving up our Flag Day holiday in June for the day after Thanksgiving. Well, Admin told them that if the contract was settled this week, they would implement the new holiday immediately giving us an extra holiday for 2009.

Since the contract was ratified this week, we will also be getting checks in December that are intended to offset the cost of our health insurance. Our premiums increased back in September, but without a contract, there was no cost of living pay increase and so we all effectively took a pay cut. So we get a one time only adjustment check for that. Extra income in December is always nice whether it is a pittance or a windfall.

Now as of January first, I will have to work 1/2 hour longer per day. We're going from a 37.5 hour work week to a 40 hour work week and our salaries will be adjusted upward accordingly. I have no problem with this since I routinely put in 2.5 hours of uncompensated time per week. The last selling point in this contract was the addition of a longevity bonus payable on the anniversary of the date of hire. There is a base rate for all employees with at five years in, and it scales up from there with each additional year. Again, the timing of that is cool because my date of hire is two days before my Birthday, so . . . Happy Birthday to me!

In a year when the economy was in the toilet, I don't think we did too badly. I'll try to keep reminding myself of that when I have to meet my new health insurance deductible next year. *Rolleyes*

Speaking of health . . . Tony was processed through MEPS this morning and all seemed to go well. This was the last thing that Tony needs to do prior to the signing and swearing in. Although he received a waiver to the automatic disqualification that allowed him to go through MEPS, the same board will have to review the results of the physical to determine that he is eligible for a full medical waiver. Again, this isn't expected to be a problem, but it will take time. Everything does.

Once the medical waiver is sewn up, a different board will review all of Tony's qualification and recommendations and determine whether or not he gets a commission.

After that, he signs papers and gets sworn in. I figured he would then have to complete Officer Development Training as the next step, but that is NOT the case. ODT can happen at any point during the first year of service. Go figure. With the holidays coming up, I think we'll be into January before Tony becomes a Commissioned Officer in the Navy Reserves, but I'm confident that it will all happen in due time.


****
I forgot to mention . . . the Doctor at MEPS wanted to know why Tony had a voluntary vasectomy at 28.
Tony said, "Because I wanted to keep having sex with my wife." *Laugh*


© Copyright 2009 Special Kay (UN: mkay at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Special Kay has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
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