So, what would you do in this situation?

[Missy Vixen]

I spent the weekend at the conference I have been planning for the past eleven months. I worked with a budget of $40,000.00. This was hundreds of hours of work, negotiations with hotel and other vendors, locating and securing speakers, workshop instructors, and attracting and supervising volunteers. According to the attendees, the conference was the best yet. They loved it. Did I mention that I hosted a party for our volunteers, made sure all speakers received nice speaker gifts, etcetera? I might also mention that the project was done on time and under budget.

The board of directors bought me five tulips from the grocery store as a "thank you". I didn't even get a card.

What would you do?

Here are my options:

1. Say nothing.

2. Withdraw from board as quickly as humanly possible (the conference chair is a member of the BOD).

3. Resign and tell them the next time they ask someone to put their lives on hold for almost a year planning a conference they get NO financial benefit from, it might be a nice gesture to get them even a card with the $4 they spent on flowers.

I haven't been this angry for awhile.
Julie

[Callalily]

1. Is this a volunteer position?

Just curious.

I work for a non-profit, and we log brutal hours, (salaried, no OT) but our efforts are always appreciated.

[Missy Vixen]

11. Yes, it is a volunteer position.

Other volunteers have been gifted and honored. I got five tulips.

I should be able to laugh about it, but right now, it's just not funny.

Julie

[MichiganVote]

2. I would donate them to the President of the Board...with a card :)

[RadiationTherapy]

3. Wait and see, but don't forget.

Maybe it is "in the mail" or something.

[pitohui]

4. i would never be in this situation

i don't work for tips and take the risk of being stiffed, for a job this size there would be signed contract specifying my compensation

you allowed yourself to be taken advantage of and they did what you invited them to do, i don't know what recourse you have now other than to hire a lawyer (which is prob. a waste of time since they will just say "but you were a volunteer") and resign as quickly as possible

i would not be inveigled to UNresign unless I was given a hefty check up front for my past duties and a decent contract for the next year's duties

but they will find another bigger fool willing to work for free who only finds out too late that working for nothing means your work is respected for exactly what you priced it at

i had a friend who worked as a writer for nothing for 20 years thinking one day someone would pay him, he finally had to sit down and not write a thing for another 8 years before he could actually get a paying job as a reporter

meanwhile i was getting paid writing jobs all along

if you want to be respected in a capitalistic society, you get the money/contract up front

the tulips weren't even meant as an insult, yes, they think you were a fool but they thought so all along, the tulips were actually meant as a "wow, she actually did something and we've got to thank her who knew she had it in her!"

we pay for what we value in a capitalistic society, when they asked you to work for free, they were telling you in the clearest way possible that they didn't value you, so it was up to you to respect yourself and say "well i charge such amt to do this, with such amt paid upfront," you weren't willing to do that (too many women fuck us all because they aren't willing to do that) so the story unwound as it was bound to unwind

women, please stop working for nothing upfront, you are not just hurting yourself, which is your right as an adult, you are hurting ALL of us who have to earn money

sounds like they got $20K billable hours for the price of some grocery store tulips

[Chan790]

5. I have an option four.

I know they're going to ask me to plan next year's on account of the success of this year's conference. I tell them that I cannot because I cannot make that sort of commitment and put in that sort of effort again. I know from experience (fundraising event planning in NPO sector is my dream job.) that they will ask me about what commitments I have (trying to work a way for me to do it again...perhaps they can pick up some of the slack, that sort of thing.)

At that point, I simply tell them that I felt my efforts were not appreciated. It's direct and honest, there is nothing wrong or rude or whiny with saying that you felt that you put in more effort than you got recognition for. Few people would put in that much effort to be overlooked and taken for granted.

Anybody who plans a conference for me for several hundred people and manages to come in under cost and have a highly-successful conference would be getting a nice lunch and a thoughtful gift (I worked in literacy so we were big on giving hardcover books.)...minimum.

[pitohui]

6. ' a nice lunch and a thoughful gift "

shoot me now and this is why women don't earn what men earn, because we are happy to work for peanuts

dear god almighty, this size of job should have never been done for nothing and it sure shouldn't be done for a nice lunch and a hardcover book, sheesh!

[Chan790]

7. Um...I hate to break this to you...

I am a guy. Also, if you were a volunteer or a board member and you ever asked me or anybody in my organization for paid compensation for your efforts...you'd be shown the door.

Compensation for your efforts as a volunteer is given; not requested, demanded or contracted. If you don't like your returns on your efforts, don't volunteer for me. I'm better off without you.

[Maraya1969]

8. I assume you are in a salary position. I would add up the extra hours

based somewhat like my salary and send them a bill. Better yet give to whoever is in charge, (that would be you.....second option.... if you still can I would write MYSELF a bill for services renders and give it to them.)

The only way people can walk over you is if you lay down. Stand up my friend! Make some noise.

I have a note on my refrigerator the says: "Well behaved women rarely make history",

[ThomCat]

9. You're a good person, JulieRB.

:hug:

I am glad the conference went well. I hope you have a lot of good friends among the volunteers and attendees. I hope a lot of people recognized your hard work, and I hope it pays off for you in many ways in the future.

Be well. :hug:

[Dangerously Amused]

10. Figure out what you would have made had you been paid for your work.

Toss that figure into conversation with the schmucks when you get the opportunity:

"Wow, you did a great job with that conference, JulieRB!"

"Well, that's what $48,000.00 worth of dedicated volunteer work will get you." and/or "I hope they can find someone to do it for next year."

:)

[amitten]

12. I'm sorry--that is terrible.

Give them a week more, to see if something transpires.

If not, I would voice my disappointment and add that you won't be volunteering for the job again, as apparently the extent of your work is not appreciated.