PettySixteen, The Year Of iBrows

Back in July of last year I got fired from a call centre in Barbados, it was an unfair dismissal but not a wrongful one. The procedures leading up to my dismissal were all followed to the letter, but it was proven that the person doing all recordings of my behavior were biased.

Nothing about my case is abnormal, I have a big mouth, I don't tolerate people trying to walk over me and I make that clear with no regrets in life, obviously when placed in a work environment where absolute subordination is expected, I will cause ripples.

Fast forward to October 12th of 2016.

A pair of videos were posted to social media platform, with a woman in work attire, giving a subjectively funny running commentary about being in a bathroom, putting on her work face.

"One eyebrow, one eyebrow, whe de feh?"

 The company that was employing Tammy Edwards, was the local iMart franchise. They were not impressed with her drawing them into public eye (while not drawing on that left eyebrow), while in uniform, with their branding being visible.

According to her own account, she was dismissed following a meeting with management, she stated it was supposed to be a joke about her only having one eyebrow, nothing to do with work, or even the fire drill itself.

Ironic as it may seem, I completely understand her humor, I roared in laughter because I can relate to something like this, as a mother, I've been in the shower and lathering up and heard a child scream out my name, and tore out of the bathroom, body covered in soap, and low and behold, said child is contorted on the chair, fighting with the television remote- "MUMMY!!! I CAN'T GET THE CHANNEL CHANGED!!!" and poor me, now with soap in my eye, in a bare towel, can only leggo the two "rassholes" and "wha de muddacunt" under my breath and carry myself back into my bath, with my heart now finding its way back to its rightful place in my chest.

To make it even worse, let me show you a scenario that happened at the very same call centre that fired me.

Eyebrows on point. Dem on FEH!!

We were on our production floor, my department was the furthest from the exits and around 10.00am the fire alarm went off. Now, we had been coached in how to react in such an event (get up, and make your way, without panicking or rushing and pushing, to the exists, avoid elevators etc). As my department and the adjoining department went on to do what we knew was right, up pops a senior trainer, yelling at us to stay still until we find out if there was a real fire.

She was ignored harder than "Please read Terms and Conditions" on a java software update.

The people in my department all joked at her (privately amongst ourselves) because surely this was not a seasoned veteran, a manager telling us to ignore a fire bell that was actually STILL ringing as we calmly walked past her.

We relayed the situation to our manager and she let us know we obviously did nothing wrong, and it brought up the need for emergency reactive training to be introduced to all members of management.


But, I digress, back to Tammy's situation.

Many people are voicing opinions that Tammy's behavior in the video is an embarrassment to her former employers, she's cussing and carrying on. She's making light of a serious drill and they were right to dismiss her immediately, on the opposite side of the river, we have many people stating it is ludicrous and childish to dismiss an employee for something so trivial.

I myself weighed in on a video, where I stated, "Most companies in Barbados operate on the three strike policy, if you violate their policies three times within a set time frame, you automatically terminate yourself, if you have previously violated their policies and they have carried on as they were supposed to, there's nothing you can do once you cross the final line."

I do not personally agree that she should have been fired, but, that is me, personally. We understand that is an opinion and it can be right or wrong.

It Gine Be Licks Like FEH!!

However, I'm not her previous employer, I have my sense of humor, which appreciates humor based on personal experience and I don't believe in bad publicity (anyone who's seen Mrs. Ramm's Trip Advisor Page can definitely understand that last part, Casa Grande is STILL open and operating) and unless someone can get their hands on iMart's employee contracts, this is a situation where it is up to Tammy to decide if she wants to pursue any case for wrongful/unfair (two separate issues mind you) dismissal against them. From her latest interview in the media, and her social media posts, Tammy could not be less bothered, she's been seen around the likes of international Soca Stalwart and front man fuh ALLAWE  Peter Wiggins, aka Miss Wiggins Last Boy, aka, Peter Ram.

That being said, this also shows you the general tone taken with frontline staff in Barbados, the grunt workers, the blue collars, the women mostly, are faced with commands of "Shut up and take it" or "do your work with absolutely NO demonstration of character except the decent church mouse".

The instant you attempt to be anything but the quiet, humble employee, you are a nuisance, an idiot, a waste.

Apparently ICBL have the BEST Social Media Team
Of All Time.

Social media has erupted with the cries of how she is stupid, how she should have thought about her actions while in uniform, she was cursing and carrying on, and the horrific attitude of hers, dismissing the urgency of a fire drill because of an eyebrow, that she could have wiped off.

What pains me is many of my friends, who echo these sentiments can be found sharing videos of comedic origins, made by unknown American, like a police officer in uniform making jokes or dancing in his full uniform, hat and gun included , and all the while they're dying in laughter.

What pains me, is she is a woman like me, and she was made an example of, over the verbalization of a mental conversation that she found hilarious, that made no fun of anyone but herself.

I have people stating "You must represent my business as I see fit", and I remember standing up for myself in my last meeting in the call centre when I was told that my attitude was too abrasive and confrontational, because I simply would not bullied.

I see people calling her stupid because Peter Ram is just taking advantage of her recent shoot to the headlines, but when it wears off, what does she have? Here I am writing and hoping one day to make it as a writer for someone who appreciates my candor and style.

I see women, stating this is how proper businesses work, you always have to think of the business and how your actions reflect on them, and I remember my friends who joined a union, demanded a raise of pay to reflect the current financial times, and not 1989, and were subsequently FIRED, from one of the most prestigious luxury companies in Bim.

I see men asking "Why do people think just because someone gives you a little time in the studio means money will follow?" and "Looka foolish she, gone and lost she lil pick", when she was a cashier in a brand name franchise in an island where her hourly pay stays between $6.50 and $8.00 an hour starting.

Sure, she stumbled into her fame, cussing moderately (if you know me, Tammy ain't got one rasshole on me in those videos) and probably choosing a bad time, because fire drills MUST be taken seriously (everyone seems to be ignoring the fact that she actually LEFT the building in an orderly fashion through her entire monologue), but, who is to say that this was not where she needed to be? Who is to say that this isn't her time to do something that can be appreciated?

To me, a single mother in 2016, looking at another single mother in 2016, this the perfect time for Tammy to be on FEH!!!!