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Employer’s Day
Today is a public holiday(Workers day) here, like propably most countries. It requires that employers pay a full day’s wages to all employees for NOT showing up to work. Maybe we should have an "Employers Day" or "Productivity Day" where all employees show up for work, and have a day’s wages DEDUCTED! That should topple a few socialist governments!
Whatever. I enjoy the opportunity to work with no co-workers (co-loafers?) or clients bugging me. Finished a big print run last week, started a new run of 50 reflective chevron strips this morning. God willing, and depending on the beer supply of the cafe next door, I’ll finish that lot today.
Friday we have another public holiday. (Cassinga Day – commemorating a 1000 or so Swapo guerrillas who realized they were not invincible, getting their @rses kicked by a few dozen South African soldiers) That should do nicely to give me the chance to install the new lazer tube on the Mercury. ( It seems like a fiddly job, so I hope the cafe next door replenished their beer supply by then!)
Funny thing is, I’m not an employer. Like most sods, I work for a boss. Normal work week is 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. My employer pays overtime. I spend at least 12 hours a day at the shop, work most Saturdays, some Sundays, and all public holidays – almost. In more than 2 years working here, I have yet to claim a single hours overtime. In my opinion, I’m paid to do a job. If it takes 12 hrs in stead of 8, so be it! At least it does’nt go unnoticed – I get a raise almost as often as a pay cheque! I wish more people realised they could move up faster by working harder (as opposed to joining a labour union, and going on strike for higher wages)
Did I mention I love my job?That’s me. What your opinion on lazy workers, clock watchers and other evils of the 21st century?
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6 Replies
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quote GERT DU PREEZ:Maybe we should have an “Employers Day” or “Productivity Day” where all employees show up for work, and have a day’s wages DEDUCTED! That should topple a few socialist governments!:lol1: :lol1: :lol1:
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Gert, not sure you’ll make too many friends with that anti union talk.
All our shop stewards here in Oz are scottish or English. I don’t know of one that is dinky die aussie.. Lends the impression that englend must be strong union nation. I’d love to hear the comments
When I worked for a boss, I was the same… do’t ever think I’ve claimed overtime… ever.
I love my job too, its not a chore in that sense, but dealing with customers that are convinced they are being ripped off, can get me down.
I’m trying not to work weekends if I can avoid it, even though I’m self employed, but I enjoy going into work sometime after hours because the phone does not ring and you get much more work done.
When we had staff though, only 1/2 really earned their wage, the other half always seemed to spend more time trying to get out of work, than actually doing anything.
Most businesses are the same. You’ll get the good conscientious worker that gives it 100%, then you’ll have the other employees that let him do it.
A pay rise is always a good reward. Over here, most employees make you sign a secrecy agreement, that forbids you discussing your pay rate with a fello employee. That way, the harder you work, the more you are likely to be paid. I think all wages should be productivity based.
The unions don’t see it that way though
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Labor day here on Monday. The Unions members march down the main street complaining about the way they are treated. Usually shout slogans and generally make a nuisance of themselves
Then they sprout on about how the workers are being trampled on by the big business, and they quote the massive attendance figures as proof of the dissatisfaction of the workers.
Last time they organized a mass rally only 2% of the cities population managed to turn up. In melbourne they hired the Melbourne Cricket Ground, hold 90,000 people. They were convinced it would be overflowing as a demonstration of the workers hate of the new wages system. I think 30,000 turned up. What they didn’t report is that they also put on a free concert.
On monday they have another rally in brisbane. They are advertising free BBQ and free ‘fun for the kids with rides etc’. I think most people will go fr the free rides… sorry, I’m a cynic 😕
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Gurt, I think you must be a very rare breed, can’t think of anyone I know would work overtime for nothing. Do know what you mean about some people being lazy though.
I spent 20 years in the Royal Navy and worked what ever hours were required, paid a set wage every month but the MOD said you were employed 24 hours a day 7 days a week so any time you spent not working was a bonus. If a job had to be done it got done, you worked until it was finished no matter how many hours it took, especially when you were at sea and peoples lives could depend on it.
I think I carried that mentality with me into my own business when I left the Navy because I worked long hours pretty much all the time when I started just to make sure customers were not let down.
When I first started I had to employ someone and made the mistake of employing a friend of mine. I had known this couple for a few years and got on very well with them, she was looking for a job and had studied art at college and was suppose to be very good with computers and graphics software, anyway she seemed ideal because with a background in art and knowing her way around a computer and the fact that I thought I could trust her when I went out which would be a lot of the time I asked her if she would work with me.
Turned out to be a big mistake and I ended up losing a couple of good friends. In my opinion she was a waste of space on the computer most of the time and couldn’t use any of the software I was told she could use, but what was worse was that not only did she clock watch all the time but she would be out the door at lunchtime and finishing time no matter what was going on.
On one occasion we were fitting some window graphics in a car showroom, I was yapping away to her and turned round when she didn’t answer me only to find she had gone, the window was sort of half done and everything had just been left lying around, she came back exactly an hour latter and said it was lunchtime so she had gone for her lunch.
I ended up letting her go after far to long when I finally realised she had absolutely no interest in my business at all and just wanted to make an easy living. Now I have sort of started again I am not sure if I ever want to reach the point where I have to employ someone. -
Martin,
I had the same experience! Was’nt doing windows – about 7 storeys up on the scaffolding when I dropped the last good drill bit. Sent the "fingers" down to fetch it – it’s a long way, and I stuffed my knee on a Bandit a few years ago- lit a cigarette, and waited…. and waited.. then I saw the clock on a nearby church showing it was 7 minutes past one. Fingers offed, to have his lunch break, leaving me stranded!
Better still, I went walkabout in Wales after I left school. Came across a caravan parked next to an open man-hole cover, with an A-frame board next to it: "Quiet, workmen at sleep" That about says it!!
Shane,
In this country no self respecting (white) man will ever join a union. It is considered Communist, Liberal and in direct contrast to our work ethic. Maybe that is why we have so many labour problems? My personal opinion is that Labour Unions are an institutionalized form of laziness, non-compliance, and a convienient shield to hide bihind when faced with the realities of a free market, capitalist system.
That said, labour unions form the basis of our gov’ts ruling party. To them every unemployed or underpaid worker is the result of their employer’s "imperiast attitude" Whatever.
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Have to be honest I have never been a member of a union and probably never will, they don’t have them in the armed forces and now I work for myself if I joined one I would be fighting against myself :lol1:
The other thing is that I am never sure if they are a good thing or a bad thing, over the years they have done a lot of good to improve employees rights which I don’t see as being all bad but at the same time it seems to me that they have lost a lot of jobs and destroyed some industries with some of their stupid demands.
In the UK I think membership numbers must be dropping with some unions, since the days when you had to join a union less and less people seem to be joining from what I have read, I have even noticed that one union has started advertising on the TV for new members. Things must be pretty bad when they have to start doing things like that.
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