Persecution

This was a bad week for the whole office, mainly because there was an internal mail sent by our new pointy haired boss trying to restrict our freedom. Needless to say, it caused us a lot of grief. We're still griping about it.

Here's a small sample of the oppression of the bourgeoisie upon us. (Yes, if you know me well enough, I swore for 1 hour straight, and drowned my sorrows in very bad Johnny Walker the rest of the night, bitching to a largely unsympathetic industry guy who laughed at my plight).

Office Timings - Monday to Friday: 0900 hrs to 1800 hrs (inclusive of 1 hour lunch break from 1245 hrs to 1345 hrs).

9am?!!! Who in their right mind comes to work at 9am in this industry?! On a regular day, there is very little or no market until after lunch. And then the market starts, and ends at around 2am, when US closes. How about those of us who watch the night market? Who pays our overtime?!!

On working days, staff coming in office after 1000hrs or leaving office before 1600 hrs, will be debited half day leave.

What are we? Mcdonald's?!!

An attendance register will be available at the reception and all staff must enter their signature with time at entry & exit on every working day. The receptionist will make a daily attendance list and send it by email to all supervisors before 1200hrs.

No, actually we're a farking factory!

The manual filling up of attendance slip will be replaced in due course by a computerized system currently under construction.

Argh!! Oppression!!

Under Part IV of the Employment Act, an employee is entitled to 11 public holidays a year. Following are the 11 gazetted public holidays and 2 half days:

Two days for Chinese New Year.

One day for New Year’s Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji, Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day, National Day, Deepavali, Christmas Day.

Half day for New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve

Acceptable in theory, but our operating days should be governed by the operating days of the oil market assessment agency, because if the agency isn't working, nobody quotes, and there isn't a market, and then we're just sitting on our asses doing jackshit. Case in point: today.

All staff going on leave must give ample prior notice on their planned leave dates (preferably 3 months).

In that case, in theory, I should be planning my leave for APRIL next year now! *cry*

This should not coincide with the leave dates of his/her immediate department colleague. Every department has to be properly manned/attended at all times. The criterion for this is that each department has to be manned by at least 50% staff at all times.

If the trading department has 2 traders, 1 analyst and 1 risk, can the 2 traders go on leave?

“Proper notice” [pertaining to leave] means that you call and obtain approval from your supervisor unless a verifiable emergency makes it impossible for you to do so.

A robbery is not a verifiable emergency. Certainly is an emergency though.

If you fail to give proper notice of absence, as explained in this policy, you may be subject to stern disciplinary action, which may include immediate termination of employment.

Ooh. Scared!

All supervisors and managers are advised to make themselves available to attend such calls.

Instead of going for business meetings to negotiate multi-million dollar cargo deals.

For a planned half day leave application from Monday to Friday, working schedule will be as below:
• AM leave - begin work at 1.45 pm*
• PM leave - leaves at 12.45 pm*
• Leave application emails for half days must be stated clearly whether it is for morning or the afternoon period.

In which universe can you get more anal than that?

Today, in frustration, the traders brought the whole team down for a meeting in Conrad Hotel, and made the company pay for it. After the meeting, we all trooped back to the office, to find the pointy haired boss sitting around the trading area, pretending to have a conversation with the Indian chap, though we were sure he was there checking to see if we would return or if we'd gone off work early.

I wish someone would tell him it's not how hard you work; it's how smart.