Manager put me on a PIP, now I’m getting a nice bonus for doing extra work!

A few months ago, my manager blindsided me with a PIP. Everything in my nervous system was telling me to just deal with it, not to “rock the boat,” not to engage in a power struggle, etc. Just find a new job, cut my ties, and jump ship. But, my performance has been adequate at worst, so this PIP made no sense to me.

Well…I’m so glad I decided to fight anyway. I even reached out for help from my union rep, who found my situation/story very interesting. With my union, I’m allowed to have my rep join my PIP meetings - even if that means my manager has to bring in a rep from HR as well.

It was uncomfortable, but in the following PIP meeting we stood up against my manager, and defended the extra work I’ve done this past year. We basically said it makes no sense that for several months this past fall/winter, my manager had me do coverage work outside of my job description for a position at a higher job level, and he was asking me to do it again for another 3 months despite putting me on a PIP. How could he sanely ask me to do that extra work if he’s currently claiming my performance was lacking so much at job with less duties? I wouldn’t have brought up that past work I did if it wasn’t for the CAP and my union rep. I was just swimming along believing my manager when he said the extra work was in my job description. Well, it wasn’t, and thankfully my union rep pointed that out.

I’m glad HR was in that meeting. My union rep and I have a strong feeling it was her that recommended my manager give me this bonus. I didn’t request this bonus (although after speaking to the union I did plan to eventually), it’s more like shut-up money. It’s a really nice mid-4-figure bonus.

So…to my manager - thanks for putting me on a PIP. Just look at what you started. Is it shut-up money because you and HR can tell I’m considering a retaliation case?