I posted this about 2 years ago, but thought I would display it one more time, because this is an important workplace topic that is being talked about in my local environ. Here is the whole piece:

For 15 years, I was a member of a bargaining unit, a union, and Nursing hammered out an agreement every few revolutions around the sun. We earned 1 sick day a month, had 3 weeks of vacation, holidays, education days, and who knows what else. But there was an undeclared and secret rule; "don't use your sick days too much". You would be shocked to see how many sick hospital personnel, go to work, because they are afraid of "calling in sick", because this might garner a reprimand, that would go into their personnel file. Talk about a freakin' walking, talking, fomite under power!

A Bitter Pill

A reprimand
If you are ill,
Is what I call
A bitter pill,
Though I know the system
Gets abused;
When reprimanded
I feel used.

I know my Nursing
Contract states,
That I'm allotted
Sickness dates,
To use at my
Mature discretion,
Without requiring
An employee confession.

So please don't try
To threaten me,
With some secret
Unit policy,
Nor threaten my yearly
Pay raise portion,
Or I will charge you
With extortion.

Fibril_late; 5/94