The Ones You Leave Behind

I used to think that retirement (well, until I got that kink in my hip) would be an unalloyed joy.  I would sleep until 9AM, watch all the SEX & THE CITY episodes I ever missed, and eat wildly unhealthy food from PANDA EXPRESS. 

But when I get emails from the people I used to work with in my old workplace, I'm just sad.  Almost every message mentions a layoff, someone being fired for the most trivial reasons, or someone departing because they couldn't stand their boss.  As it is, there now seems to be more "management" than there is staff to manage.  We even have "directors" who get paid in the $90,000-$100,000+ range who supervise only one person.

It wasn't always this way.  Many many moons ago (in the 80s, when I was first hired), we only had One Director and one other guy who was in charge of Administration. (I'm not sure what his official title was, but he was not called a Director), and I used to be able to send him funny emails when I asked for supplies.  We also had a feisty Human Resources lady and two secretaries.

Now, we have an Executive Director; an Interim Senior Director; a Senior Director/Chief Technology Officer, and a Senior Director of Administrative Services. We also have a Communications Director (apparently, maintaining the dullish website, and tweeting about exciting library events like brown bag lunches is worth $80 grand a year.) 

Meanwhile, we also have a Finance Manager (that's the accountant, folks) and the Human Resources Executive Assistant (receptionist) who sits at a very nice desk, records the minutes of every Board Meeting, and orders the birthday cupcakes for the Quarterly Staff Meeting.  And of course, the ones who lose their jobs are the lowly support staff, the part-timers, and the *uneducated* creatures without an impressive degree. (Librarians are almost never fired -- most of them leave to escape the toxic surroundings.) 

I wish I didn't have to write this post, because the library is already behind me.  But my friends' uncertain job situation pisses me off, and everyday, I wish I could help them.