I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!

Duplicate post.

Was anyone else here lucky to grow up with Schoolhouse Rock? I can still recite the preamble of the Constitution - as long as I can sing it. xD

Well, we'll see if I'm still employed next week. My coworkers have recently been complaining about unpaid labor practices that have been going on for as long as the massage studio has been open. The therapists are expected to come to work 15-20 minutes before their scheduled shifts to set up their treatment rooms and review notes. Then we have mandated 15 minute breaks in between each session to sanitize the room for each client. However, we only get paid for when we are actively massaging clients - not for all the ancillary work we do.

So I started researching up on labor laws to see where we stand, and what we might do to get paid for ALL of our work. (And this isn't even touching the times when we don't have a client booked during our shift, but we're still expected to be in the studio for our full shift in case we get a walk-in. Unfortunately, that's debatable whether our time and presence counts as "labor" to be paid for.)

Well, word of my digging got up to my regional director, and she called me to discuss it. "So I heard from a fly on the wall - I can't say who, I hope you understand - that you're planning to sue over unbooked shift hours?"

"Hm, no, I'm not planning on suing anyone, and it's not over unbooked hours. I understand that that's a very complicated matter. However, there are legitimate concerns over the requirements to come in early and the cleaning breaks between sessions, and the fact that we are not paid for our labor during those times. I'm still researching options, so I haven't brought it up with Bob (the franchise owner) or made any decisions on which actions to take."

I then went on to explain that when I do move forward, I am trying to aim the responsibility for the policies with the corporate umbrella offices and not with the franchise team. I have documentation that those directives came from the corporate levels and were administered to the franchise owners in turn. I am more than happy to say that it isn't Bob's fault. But I am not going to let my team be taken advantage of and not get paid what they deserve, even if it is "the way we've always done it".

If it all goes tragically south, I know I have whistleblower protection against any retaliatory actions. But hopefully it will go a lot more smoothly than that.

Miriandra,

I’m a tad too old for Schoolhouse Rock and my daughters are a tad too young. Happily, my younger dd was in a school production of Schoolhouse Rock and I was the property master so that’s how I learned the songs!

Perhaps if we revive a few of the songs from SR, it will help some folks actually learn … Hey, learn about the USA!

As a teacher as well as a former flight attendant I have belonged to a union for almost all my working life. Unions are not perfect but everything regarding working hours, pay, time off, medical insurance, etc. is clearly spelled out in the contract. I was the union rep from my school site and compliance was always critical. Any contract violation is nipped in the bud. My heart goes out to you. I support you and your efforts 100%.Take care.

Forgiveness is an act of love. As I forgive, I release negative energy that may manifest as resentment or anger. I open the way for something positive to happen. If I feel wronged or annoyed, I release the impulse to judge. The lines of communication remain open, and understanding flows freely. Relationships with family, friends and colleagues flourish when I act with compassion and easily forgive. I relate to others in harmonious ways. I exercise the same forgiving attitude toward myself. If I have erred, I learn from it and move on.

unattributed

Miriandra: I apologize for using an offensive term to describe massage therapists, forgive my ignorance please. My massage with the chain was years ago so pre-covid and while the MT was very good, I hated how they treated customers with trying to pressure you to buy a monthly plan, etc. When I worked full-time it was difficult to schedule one so no monthly plan for me. I had surgery on my left shoulder to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff with PT after. I still was having mobility issues 2 months after surgery and when in AZ on spring break scheduled a massage at one of my favorite places, NAMT. When I asked the MT to be careful with the shoulder she asked what PT had done and I told her. She did an exam of my shoulder, identified the problem area that was causing the mobility issue and told me it might be uncomfortable but she was going to get rid of the "knots" I had. Well, at first it was uncomfortable but she kneaded and stretched and when she was done I could finally lift my arm over my head. She explained how PT used to include massage but it had "fallen out of fashion for them" and this is where MT's could be the solution. She was right and I had less pain even the next day. I still thank her for what she did. One massage versus 8 weeks of PT and I could raise my arm again.

Since I was dx with BC I have only had massages provided by a certified BC massage therapist and they do charge more. I was given a passbook to use for BC related issues which included options such as Reiki, acupuncture and massages. I opted to use my passes for massages and tried 3 different MT's. They were all quite good and my favorite was probably the one who had her own business. The only thing I do not like in a massage is when they want to massage your scalp and sometimes it is hard to dissuade them from this. It is not relaxing to me and I hate the oil in my hair. I need to go back to her now that I am fully vaccinated and have more time on my hands. Cost be damned, I am worth it.

So what you provide is a vital and valuable service and you need to be recognized for this. If you need to unionize to get this recognition, do so.

This is off topic; but here is the weather map for where I live right now. Mother Nature has gone off the deep end!

No worries in the least, Betrayal. I trusted that you were not trying to speak badly of the field, and you probably helped several others learn about the currently accepted terms. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by correcting you.

I'm so glad massage made such a big difference for you in your recovery. After my mastectomy, I did a lot of fascia work to help guide the scar tissue so it didn't limit my range of motion. I had a great OT, but even she said that my self-care went far to keep my arm mobile. It sounds like you've found a really good therapist to keep you in top form. If you don't want to have your scalp worked, they really should respect your boundaries, however. Perhaps you could say, "I don't like my scalp massaged, and I prefer not to get any oil in my hair. Instead, would you spend that extra time on my feet?" ... or wherever you really benefit from massaging. It's your hour for healing, not theirs. And you absolutely are worth it!!

Mirianda -- great advice about using the massage time for what you feel really does you the most good. Everyone is kind here and likely no one wants to hurt or otherwise make our friends un-comfortable. Even then, it is nice to know how someone really feels -- so I hope we can keep saying that while offering up the caveat that we don't want to upset or step on anyone's toes. Also, it is the differing opinions based on each persons experiences that color how things are felt and viewed.

I'm reserving judgement on the Ohio rally but expect a lot of the Loon's people will fall in with him -- even though the majority look on Vance as a mistake. I think we will be seeing the hypocritical wuss'es for the most part. Sad for the most part, but likely still helping us. Now if we could just get good Biden's messages playing and re-playing. Until they are cemented as much as the other side's messaging.

Apparently he was talking about toilets again last night in Ohio. OMG -- broken record compliments of the Loon.

along with the mouth, please.

Miriandra: You did not make me uncomfortable at all and I appreciate you guiding me to the correct terminology. I am never too old to learn what is acceptable language. Thanks also for the suggestion of how to get them to not touch my head, I do like my hands and feet massaged.

When I was practicing nursing (retired but still licensed) and teaching students, I showed them how a hand massage on a distressed or angry patient could sometimes be a means to get them to relax. I would offer to do this since touching others, especially hands, can be a violation of their personal space. Then as I was massaging their hands I would ask them to explain why they were so upset. So massage plus listening worked quite a few times to change the tone of the interaction. As a student nurse, we were taught to provide a back rub to any patient who was interested as we tucked them in at night. Now it is taught only as part of a full bed bath, so most patients don't get this experience and most likely it is a CNA providing the bath. Touch is so important to healing, especially in the elderly. One gentleman asked my student if she could sit on the bed (not usually permitted) and if they could touch shoulders. He explained he was not trying to be "sexual" but he missed sitting this way with his now dead wife. She asked me if this was permissible and I asked her if she would be comfortable with this request. She was and I entered the room about 20 minutes later to find them sitting there side by side, shoulders touching and engaged in conversation. He thanked her heartily when it was time to leave, telling her it had been 3 years since he touched shoulders with anyone. Sad but oh so true.

I'm heavily counting on this since Occupy Democrats are pretty trustworthy. I'm oh so glad too. There again, I have to say the media made it sound like there was a fairly high possibility that LePen could get 'there' this time. It was enough to worry me although -- I wondered from the start how a Putin lover could ever get elected for French people. Of course, the scare was in knowing I thought the same thing about the Loon before he WAS elected. He did manage to come to a bad end which I hope with all my heart and soul gets worse. There again -- most of what I hear makes it sound like he and the Reps who were with him are going to skate free. If it has to be that way then I hope they all get voted out of office with such bad reputations for it they never again are a real part of politics.