lol. Too funny. You can call me anything you want and I'll never go to HR.
Learned my lesson. One foreman was calling me Wedo which to me is a slight slur. I do have a name so use it. I told him this and he blew it off by saying it was Spanish for White Boy. I asked him if it was ok if I called him "Brown Boy". He didn't like that. The guy who was sabotaging me for a couple months, when I finally got called back to work I met up with him and asked him, "Are we gonna have more problems or not?". Apparently he'd matured a bit, apologized and said, "No, we're cool now" and true to his word he left me alone, was friendly and congenial from there on out.
Good end to the story.
I've found the best way to counter harassment is to confront it head on. Not with vitriol or hatred, they've enough of their own. I just ask them what the problem is. Demand they treat me with respect due any other person. I give respect in return, don't try to "get even" or retaliate. Just stop the bullshit and let's focus on the job. I can get along with almost any normal person and if I can't, I should look at how I contributed to the situation and make some sort of outreach to smooth things over. I've brought presents to guys who I've offended, been first to help them when I see a chance so they know, I bear no animosity. Over and over I've seen this approach work and only seldom have I been unable to make peace and usually such a person if left to their own devices will go on to resolve the issue themselves by getting fired.
(post is archived)