Problems with co-workers

Alright so, to start with I'm and 18 year old male, who just graduated high school and I'm leaving for the Marine Corps in now January, in the now meantime I work at a chemical plant as a landscaping technician (not my dream job, but hey it's money). This isn't extremely pertinent, but I'm the only white worker. The rest are Mexican of origin. So lately, err, from the beginning I should say, I've been the center of attention, constantly picked on racist remarks etc... Most of the time playful, but often annoying and just harassing, I've asked them to quit, and it never ceases. I've had twice where they wanted to fight me, as of today it was because I didn't have any cash on me to pay for steaks that were already bought. I don't have any cash on me and I said I was gonna pay tommorow, well he kept talking shit, bowing up on me, saying "lets settle this". I just replied I'm not gonna fight you over something stupid. What do I do if this continues?

 

If you work at a chemical plant, you should have an HR person. Bring it up to them in person. See what your options are. If they don't do anything, you're leaving anyway.

 

Welcome to the real world. If you can't handle a little ball busting from some illegals how in the world do you expect to make it in the Marines. I know Drill Instructors have been told to dial it down a notch or two over the past few years but what are you going to do when some jar heads yelling in your face and then another one is yelling at you from your side then your Senior Drill Instructor starts yelling at you from behind.

 

prob shit his pants and cry.

 

i'd let it go. the job is short-term anyways. in the end, you are moving on, and they will stay behind digging holes and picking up dogshit.

legally, you can drop the HR bomb on them.

 

Screw it, Kick his ass seabass. Your gonna be a Marine right?

 

What?

 

Yeah until his 6 buddies jump in.

 

Better idea,record or video tape all the rascist comments and threats and file a lawsuit against the motherfuckers and the owner for a having to work in a hostile work environment,live the rest of your life as a rich man. It works for Reverend Al and his buddies. I know some chick who was being sexually harassed and she sued the shit out of them all,she recorded the harassment on a tape recorder was admissible in court since she had many recordings of it.

 

... ^^^ ... This ...
.

 

aint that right,lots of slick lawyers will take up your case

 

Wasn't there already a thread on this?

 

its difficult being young in work. you cant do anything about it (short of the hr route) until a: you learn to deal with it, b: you acquire respect with a little time, c: set up a time and place to settle it. in most the instances I have seen, the guy who sets up the fight for outside of work wins as the other guy wont show.

or the guy will laugh and say hes just fucking with you and you will be forever known as the guy who wanted to fight over something stupid. (notice how it turned around)

just roll with it man. hold your own for another week or two as relaxed as possible. don't laugh too hard at the jokes they crack but a little smirk is cool. racism is a huge part of blue collar work so you can turn it around a little bit too. its supposed to be fun and games, don't take it too far. nobody wants to get fired, they are just messing with you trying to figure you out.

 

Yes I posted it here first but "moved" it to another discussion area so more could read it quicker ya know?

 

Couple of thougths.

* Go with it. I would never let anyone see that anything they said bothered me at work and for the most part that is true. Although I'm lucky and work with a great group of guys, once you let someone know you are bothered by what they say, you've made yourself a target. Further, these are my work buddies not my family or loved ones. The shit they say really ISN'T the important to me. Fuck'em if they can't take a joke.

* Legal / not legal...Green Card? Mostly a joke....but.

* Most people will not respect a dude that goes to HR (ever) rather is blue or white collar so think long and hard about that but if you're leaving.

It's just part of the real world man. You will run into shit that you have to deal with and for the most part letting shit roll off your back is best when it comes to those who mean little to you.

I'm not sure how much, without reporting it first, you would stand to gain by a filing a case against your employer. I'm betting the dudes you work with are pretty low on funds and without you giving the company a chance to fix the problem...are you in any protected catagory?

 

Oh OK and my tip to you on your coworkers is buy them tacos but put ghost peppers in them...you won't be seeing them making fun of you anymore