3 day week?

It has been two days of high drama at work darlings. A time of text message horror and worker pissed off-ness. Anger, innuendo, politics and frustration, and disclosure of my status.

After the BS of the meeting with the factory manager on Tuesday, I went home that night and printed out all my appts since May on my PC. The next day I was given an "Employee Counseling" form, with the assertions from the meeting and a list of the days off in question, since fuckin May FFS. So that night I compared those dates with my records and came to the conclusion that the form was statistical BS. 

I was told at the meeting that I'd had 12 days off in three months. When checking my calendar, I found that half of those days were appts at the hospital. In actuality it was only 6 sick days in those three months, one of them I'd even got a doctors cert for. I became enraged at the way I was treated in the meeting after discovering this, like dirt and a liar. This whole episode I then considered as an insult to my character, and decided I'd not sign the form.

Took it back to work and handed it to my dept head, saying "I can't sign it, it's BS". He immediately said that we would then have to have another meeting with the manager. I said fine, and I'd have to let the union bloke know as I wanted him there.

So, this was going to be another disclosure. I went to the union bloke and explained that there was going to be another meeting so he'd have to attend. I'd already told him I'd fill him in on everything if that scenario came to fruition. So after explaining some of the intricacies of the situation, I ended with: 

"And with my medical situation, I have to let you know......   (he looking at me expectantly).....  I'm HIV positive."

He took it really well. Was surprised and said "wow.....   ", but other than that was unfazed. He's a Canadian, came over here to marry his girl friend here, and now has a kid with her. He lives up the road from work like me in the eastern suburbs.

Later he joined me in the meeting for support. I was able to discuss openly the HIV issues surrounding my absenteeism with the factory manager and my dept head, whilst he sat there listening. He'd advised me not to sign anything, of which I'd already decided on my own accord anyway. I could not, with good conscience, sign my name to such a lie. 

The meeting started with much angst. Factory manager and I got into it. I've always been very forthright and don't pull any punches, no beating around the bush, and told him exactly what I was pissed off about. At one point he's quoting shit from the computer in front of him, and I say "Hello, I'm not a number, it's me, a person". I actually enjoyed telling the fuckwit exactly what I thought of him. It was very refreshing. He may be on six figures and commanding an Empire, but he doesn't intimidate me. 

Towards the end of the meeting my dept head suggested something which I found quite attractive; that because all my appts are on Monday and Tuesday that perhaps go to a lesser demanding 3 day week. Wed to Friday, 3 by 7.5 hour days, totally 22.5 hours per week.I would still be a permanent staff member of 12 years with all my entitlements. 

I stated at that point that that sounded quite attractive. It doesn't seem to be working at the moment as both management and I are stressing about appts and time off. This is an opportunity to get rid of that stress and aggravation. It's not been a good couple of days for me and the stress levels are always a worry with HIV, as it can easily lead to an increase in the viral load. I told them I'd give them a decision on Tuesday after discussing it with friends, and my psychologist that I've an appt with Monday.