To Strike or Not To Strike - - That is the Question

Since our Spring Break last week was kept to a home-bound level due to the ever-looming possibility of strike at my company, Lola and I are even more so experiencing the need to travel. When I adopted her from Russia in December 2007 I told her the plan was to return to Russia to visit her family every other year. This is the year. I have found the most wonderfully reasonable airfare and our favorite hotel is available for the days we wish to go (right after school is out, and before her family goes to their dacha for the summer). HOWEVER, with the possibility of an impending strike being dangled above our heads like the Carrot of Doom, it seems futile to even dream about a return trip to Russia, much less even dare to look at the fares and hotel rates. I wish I hadn’t checked prices and dates, because it all was so affordable I now am beginning to resent the control being imposed upon us by good ol’ Corporate America and the existence of unionized workers.

Part of the employee force in my company is unionized. The union and the company are presently negotiating to fashion a healthcare plan that meets both their criteria, among other issues. If at any time during the course of negotiations the workers choose to strike, my fellow colleagues and I will immediately be required to work 12-hour days for 6 days each week to take ownership of the duties of those who will be on strike. We have been advised NOT to take a vacation that is more than four hours’ driving time away because if a strike is called we will need to return to Atlanta ASAP to be ready to work. So if the strike is called on a Friday night, we have to be in bright and early on Saturday morning. If it’s called on a Saturday morning, we must come in to work what would be the remainder of our new shift on Saturday afternoon.

Basically, it’s a guessing game. There may not be a strike, but then again, if I’m be-bopping around Russia and one is called I may as well kiss my job goodbye. Lola is not happy about this whole issue, and frankly, I’m incensed (I refuse to get up on my soapbox for this one), but there is nothing we can do but wait…

AAAARRRRRRRGH!!! My only hope here is that everyone comes to an agreement SOON and life as we enjoy it can finally continue.