#biohazardous toucan enclosure was not on my bingo card for this workplace's events

[beaversatemygrandma]

An update on whatever the hell has been going on at work. It's dumbing down to shit boss, some union words being said, and a very very intimidated newbie.

So after the mass firing, some things have been said and the bosses are now aware that we're all pretty fucking miffed about one person in particular. This guy was my favorite safety operator (crush as part of it possible, but also the only one who could talk ANYBODY down from a panic attack), the safety operator MANAGER's favorite and self-trained operator, and basically a friend all around the entire fucking zoo. This was somebody who made their face known throughout everywhere in the four or five months they worked there. And the boss fired them for a single safety liability that did not cause a problem and could've been easily fixed if somebody didn't just walk past it and snitch on the radio. The woman who was being saved was having a stroke, the small thing that was forgotten was honestly forgivable. Then apparently a backlog of a sexual harassment report (tbh it was some bullshit, basically just being openly queer in a conversation), accidentally pocketing sharpies that were needed, unprofessional actions (the role is supposed to be a relaxing yet knowledgeable person, you don't want a man with a no-shit-taking business vibe teaching you how to zipline) It was a warranted firing, but not a necessary one or one that was even logical to do when it was done. Because the cited reasoning happened THREE WEEKS PRIOR with no punishment other than a "hey you did this wrong" With this context, it's just a whole frustrating thing because it has literally been three whole weeks since they even made any major mistakes other than maybe being 3 minutes late every few days.

Anyways, there was another person fired that day, which was a logical firing. Registers were short and tasks were never fully completed. Yes. Bad employee, understandable. Then apparently in the zoo, there was somebody in the education department for gossiping (somehow related to our operator?), and somebody in maintenance (those guys are treated like dirt by the bosses tbh.)

Anyways, the whole zoo, especially our weird ass little department, is basically a burning fire. Now guess who is stoking this fire?

Current closest work friend bc the two others were fired that day: The ex-con who is honestly a pretty damn great guy. Basically the one other part of the deal of if that operator got fired, we'd be the leverage to keep their job. Sadly, this was done on a day that neither of us were around. He was on lunch and I was off for the day. There was no available leverage. We had a deal and the managers knew we were all close so no cigar.

Either way, this guy is getting petty with stuff. He's bringing up every little thing that is slightly too dangerous and disrespectful to our department. It started with the unfair treatment of the one safety operator who doesn't support his coworkers and snitches (tbh he should've been fired but the boss sees him like a younger version of his bad son who could be guided in the correct path. It's a super awkward version of nepotism really...) THEN was yesterday and the day before. One of the toucans has avian pox. Our department is in a slow season, so slow to the point that weekdays we're just kinda There not doing anything. So, we get asked to help inside the zoo. We were tasked with clearing out the bamboo from the toucan enclosure.

This is where it gets fucked up.

We already started on this before somebody said "Hey, this bamboo cannot be used anywhere else in the zoo due to the transmission of this disease. Don't worry, it only affects birds. You'll be fine." AFTER the man with chickens was already inside the enclosure for three hours. Well, okay, we've got to sanitize the entirety of him now and he can't keep his work shoes anywhere outside his house. Wish you would've said something sooner. Yesterday, we're all bored and clearing out the cut bamboo and taking it out to the dumpsters bc it has to be MORE than just quarantined when a bird keeper comes up and tells the operators that it wasn't just avian pox, but a parasite that is actually transferable between birds and mammals. This bamboo should be treated like radioactive waste and disposed of carefully and quickly. This news STOPPED everybody from continuing. Everybody here has animals and, well, also cares if they get some freaky ass foreign parasite that is transmissible by the toucan shit all over this bamboo. Our entire department has touched the bamboo at this point. We're sanitizing everything with a vet grade chemical that kills even parvo.

Anyways, the friend here who's stoking the fire is the man with chickens and now has the knowledge that it's not just the chickens he needs to worry about but him, his daughter, and his cat as well. Dude creates a group chat with Every Person in our department, warning us about the parasite. This includes the managers, just not the big boss. The office manager contacted the big boss immediately and started asking questions. The zoo owner is now in on this. We were literally put in danger without notice. Besides, even with just avian pox, it was a stupid idea to put US in charge of that in the first place when the safety operators' job is just to wander the entire zoo to make sure our aerial stuff is still treating them well. These guys get places, even in the trees. Basically everywhere in the zoo and everywhere there are birds. Stupid idea. Without warning. The zoo owner is now even aware of this.

But back to our own department. This guy is also just doing slightly spiteful things around the place, just planting little words in between the managers. Just something that raises the awareness that our department's boss isn't a good boss. Straight up, I heard an argument between the office manager and the safety manager about the firing of the last operator. The seeds were set.

But the one thing that we're currently trying to remedy without the boss is the new guy. The new operator who was mostly only hired bc he's friends with the fucked-up-nepotism guy. Now, he doesn't seem bad at all, hell, we actually like him better than his friend. He's quiet, he's chill, and he's learning quick. The problem: His third day he witnessed a mass-firing. He's starting to relax, but I have yet to see him even talk to a manager with more than a few words at a time. He's at least joking around and chatting when it's just me and the friend. I'm just hoping that he not only opens up a bit further, but also gets a little louder. Volume-wise. My ears don't work and the quiet is literal. Not to mention to be the one who talks to people on the course, you Have to have a big voice. They have to hear you 40ft up. I just hope he does well because he does have big shoes to fill around there.

But on a more positive note, I currently am getting together plans for me to go on the course myself. With Others. Specifically the final friend and the two people that just got fired. Partially to spite our boss, partially because one of those people is my most trusted safety operator and I'm not doing it without them. They understand that they got rid of the good one. I need that person for my panicky nature up in the air... Literally. The only one who could talk down people from panic attacks. And the most calming thing they can do is literally just infodump on you about something (last was herbology. For a half hour. It was fascinating.)

I also got to hold our office corn snake. He tried to steal my glasses while attempting to bury himself in my hair. Cornelius Dog himself tried this after nestling between my jacket collar and neck. Very chill guy. Then proceeded to try to get into my coworker's bra after she helped me get him off my head. This snake wasn't able to be handled two months ago, and now he's getting places he shouldn't on people. He's okay with people now. He doesn't understand that the titty is not an appropriate place to go in a workplace.