CALM Working World

WORKING WORLD BELIEVE-IT-OR-NOTS

* They're not slaves, they're "helpers"
* The old heave-ho
* Keeping temps in their place
* What about nose rings?

They're not slaves, they're helpers

CALM

* At the University of Guelph in Ontario 100 students donate their labour for up to 10 hours per week as "peer helpers" with various university departments. They're not paid a wage, but they get free photocopying and other perks. They do various jobs like reception and simple administrative work. Apparently, there's no shortage of volunteers, because the students are so anxious to get some sort of experience they can put on their resumes.

The old heave-ho

* The list of terms used to describe getting fired continues to grow -- as does the number of workers who are victims of "indefinite idling," "skill mix adjustment," and "chemistry changes." A recent New York Times article referred to a "requested adjustment" -- requested by the boss that is. How about "coerced transition." That must be fun. Or "selected out." Sounds like the stockyards, doesn't it? Plus the ever-growing list beginning with the letters de -- as in "decruited," "degrowing," and "deselected." It's downright despicable!

Keeping temps in their place

* A temporary worker who was chained to his work bench for more than an hour is suing his one-time boss/jailer. Bobby Northington was in his third day on the job at Hambleton-Hill Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee when his supervisor chained and padlocked him to his workbench after he walked 10 feet away to give a piece of gum to a co-worker. He says the supervisor ordered him to put his right leg next to the table leg, then, "wrapped the chain tightly ... and locked it." He says he was chained for 70 minutes. He quit, and filed a suit charging, "false imprisonment, outrageous conduct, and an abusive work environment."

What about nose rings?

* In Lake Mary, Florida, postal service managers gave one day's notice before enforcing a "no jewellery" policy. Some workers had to have wedding rings cut off their fingers because they had worn them so long they would no longer slide off.

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