u/AlmondNutsies

I am employed on an intermittent/part time basis at a restaurant. We have a system where we can indicate what days we are available to work. I indicated that I am unavailable to work last week. The HR manager messaged me and interrogated me why not (I have never been asked before, even when there have been longer periods I have been unavailable in the past), with an added manipulative and sarcastic tone. My reply was stern and professional, I have prior obligations, but they "did not like my tone". They will not allow me to work until they have a meeting with me, which is more than two weeks after this initial incident. Apparently they have done this with other employees, and I have been advised that this is a form of bullying, unfair suspension without compensation. What are my steps from here, before/when do I lodge a complaint with the CCMA?

I'm thinking of putting a custom skin on my T2E, a somewhat textured finish with the silver blackberry logo on the back - just because. Has anyone tried this with their Titan 2? And is there a company that can make custom skins, or will for the T2E?

This goes for other notable persons of interest/importance in our timeline, Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn, Yuri Gagarin etc. What ever happened to them further in the show? I know the show focusses on the characters we have come to know and love, but I would have hoped that these space pioneers would have amounted to something more in the FAM universe. Last I heard was Neil getting a desk job at NASA in S1, unless I need to rewatch the show.

I'm looking to retire my Samsung S10 after 7 years in favour of a small phone. I use my Blackberry 9100 and Samsung S4 Mini when I go out from time to time, and man the weight and size differences make me long for the good old days. Obviously, these aren't reliable enough for the longer term. I want something that is reliable - software, hardware, customer support, with extended or at least regular updates - I don't want to get a new phone after a year or two from lack of support or the end thereof, especially at the $300+ price. Which company has the better track record, and which phone would be more worth the price? (based on what we know)

The increasing range of Android "dumbphones", especially along the flip phone line, is good to see as is the interest to move away from big slabs.

But people. These phones are still as big, if not bigger than our slabs. And nobody seems to talk about this.

Take flip phones like the Mive or TTFone for example. They are so big you may as well slap two iPhone 13 Minis together with duct tape on the shorter edge. Folded open and its almost double the height of regular phones. Heavy, cumbersome, almost idiotic. What is the purpose really? The presence of Android to give us access to essential apps, or to still allow slab habits like doom scrolling on a phone that is basically the size of two 4 inch screens?

I realise there may be constraints for the amount of decent hardware one can put inside a small casing, especially the battery, and the cost that comes with it. However, is it really so hard to make a flip phone that resembles the conpact style of yesteryear, or at aleast a Goldilocks of between then and now?

The upcoming Bluefox NX Beta, or Aura A1, has found my interest, being the same size as my beloved Samsung S4 Mini. But before I even think of pulling the trigger, I want to know what their track record is like. Reliable phones/hardware? Regular Android updates? For how long? I've been using this Samsung S10 for seven years now, and while I don't intend on having my next phone for that long, it would be nice to not have to buy another after just two years.

Edit: I'm also looking at the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite, and choosing a potentially less reliable company wouldn't make sense

Will the T2E ordered from their website/vendors have a case included with the phone, like a standard clear one? Or is that only for the Kickstarter people and available separately with the "protective kit"?

This is sort of an update to a previous post. I work as a waiter at a restaurant in a certain Western Cape town. I earn R30/hr and 35% of my tips are deducted (10% barmen, 10% breakage, 10% to the hostess paid R90/hr, 5% kitchen), and get paid every fortnight. It has happened three times with me that I get paid less than I know I should, and other employees have expressed the same suspicion. The most recent example, I was paid only R300 for two weeks' work. HR redirects me to admin, admin doesn't answer. Messaging the accountant, they see the R686 in wages for the one week was erroneously input as R68,60, and mysteriously R0 in tips for the second week. I was paid the owed amount but had I not enquired, who knows. The previous times certain members of staff were on leave and had disappearing messages on, so they could not help me. Upon asking to receive paystubs, I'm put through the same HR redirecting me to admin and admin not answering for days until I pester them, upon which I am told that only "permanent employees receive paystubs" and that I should discuss this matter in a meeting with one of the higher managers (Owner's relative). And of course, further radio silence when I ask for their contact details. I have been employed at this establishment for 16 months now on a part time/intermittent basis as per my contract (as are the other front of house staff who are predominantly students). I work shifts every week, so I don't see how I am any different as I don't know of any other "permanent" FOH staff. What is my recommended next course of action in such a situation? Contact Dept of Labour?

I work at a restaurant in Stellenbosch going on 15 months now. We get paid bi-weekly, minimum wage (R30/hr), and keep 65% of our tips; 10% to the hostess (who already gets paid R90/hr), 10% to the barman, 10% is for breakages, and 5% to the kitchen. We get direct deposits into our bank accounts, and no detailed payslips. There have been some inconsistencies in the past with my pay, the most recent example when I noticed my paycheck was much lower than expected, upon asking the accountant I was told an error was made because they missed a decimal point (R68 instead of R686) for the total hourly pay. Recently I noticed that all of my past deposits end with no cents, all ",00". No way that 65% of all my tips every time perfectly comes out to a round number, and while the difference won't land me on Top Billing, it doesn't sit right with me. Especially since we don't get detailed payslips. Is this normal? Or should I speak up?