the first time I got fired

I was in a serious Mood last night.
Mum tried to remind me that it was probably hormones that were causing some of my upset.
But probably not most of it.

I found out I got fired from ACC. Which was probably my favourite job.
I got fired because we are unionized there and you can only be absent for 10% of your shifts. And I was at 10.3 %.
Which would make sense, if they didn't constantly require me in for shifts that I already told them that I couldn't work. It's a very bizarre system.
I say "I can't work that day"
they say "You are required to work that day. if you don't work that day it will be held against you"
I say "but I still can't work that day"

They require-in the newest workers to work shifts when they don't have enough people to work them, which protects the people who have been working there for years (even if they are terrible workers).

It is a very silly system because they end up firing good workers, who they actually need. On my last review I was praised on everything except attendance.

Also, near the end of the season this year it appeared that they were quite understaffed as there were a couple of times where they required-in upwards of 15 people. It is unfair that I would end up fired because of their poor HR skills.

And finally, I was usually the first to volunteer to come in for a shift I was not scheduled for if I was available. I came in on extremely short notice (3 to 4 hours) almost weekly during the whole winter season. Shouldn't that count for something?

As you can tell, I'm a little upset. Mostly because I quite liked that job and the people.. and this was the first winter that I actually made-do and didn't almost die on the streets.

Now I have no idea what I'm going to do this winter.
Any suggestions that don't have to do with
a) serving (esp until 3 a.m.)
b) retail
c) minimum wage
would be greatly, greatly appreciated.