Having finished Crime and Punishment I've spent much of my free time over the last week trying to reduce the dusty pile of books awaiting my attention.
I enjoyed Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed.The author took various low wage jobs to see if she could survive on such as nurse aide,Wal-Mart employee and house cleaner.She finds it difficult to make ends meet,even when she holds down two full-time jobs at the same time.The lack of low priced accomodation seems to be the major obstacle.Unable to save for a bond or deposit she faces renting more expensive weekly rental options.
Medical costs and on the job injuries also place a strain on a tight budget.
She writes at length about the training and strict management systems of various employers and has a graphic description of the various kinds of shit she encounters as a cleaner.The book was written in 2000 so I dont imagine things have improved much under the current administration.At Wal-Mart she was confronted with the term "time theft".A concept whereby employees do something that doesnt benefit the employer such as having a lunch break,a toilet stop or merely talking to customers....
Monday, January 30, 2006
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1 comment:
they should a reverse calculation of time theft as in the time the company keeps them at work, every momement that they are on the premise should be stored in there favor!
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