Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe
I think it's because most blue-collar employees realize that management views them as little more than dispensable losers. If they do a good job, they will get no raise or promotion or decent benefits, and if they do a lousy job they can look forward to the same.
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I find this interesting. When my dad was allowed to join my mom and me in this country after a stint in Siberia and finally the Kruschev "thaw", he got a job at a medium-sized envelope manufacturing co., barely speaking English. It was unionized and, naturally, all jobs were described as to duties and compensation. You didn't have to do more than your job description and could not be paid more or less than what was bargained for. But my dad, not knowing that (or not used to that) would do whatever was needed, description or not, with a great attitude. The owner got to really like him, even payed him extra under the table. When 10 years was up and he qualified for Soc. Sec., he retired, much to the dismay of the owner who wanted him to stay and offered more money under the table. Before that, my mom had raised me by herself working at Hudson's department store. She also was a hard worker. At that time the store was not unionized. When recession occurred and layoffs were necessary, the bosses knew her situation as a single mother and kept her on and furloughed others who had more seniority but worked there as supplement to their husband's income. I have had several jobs from small businesses to large ones. The small business tended to value the exceptional worker. The big ones have what I call cog or slot jobs, mostly union negotiated and described. Anyone can fill them, one cog can replace another. Has it always been this way?