I Love My Job
Not everyone hates their job. So if you’ve got a great boss and a great workplace, tell us about it!
We want this to be a site everyone can enjoy, so please keep your comments on the up-and-up.
Fix My Job! – TidyTweet Search
- If #UndercoverBoss is a reality show, why does it feel like a fantasy? From the #FixOurJobs blog - http://bit.ly/d2jJWh #fmj araw (AmericanRightsAtWork)
- Undercover at 1-800-FLOWERS: What about flower workers abroad? http://bit.ly/bKBwgU #fmj #undercoverboss araw (AmericanRightsAtWork)
- Have you seen @ILRF's letter to @1800Flowers CEO? http://bit.ly/aufsBB #fmj #labor #unions araw (AmericanRightsAtWork)
Blog
May 11th, 2010 | Workers’ rights sacrificed “At the Altar of the Bottom Line”
Cross-posted from Blog at Work:
Stressed. Exhausted. Exploited. Abandoned. In a new book, Tom Juravich exposes and examines the degradation of work in the United States today. At the Altar of the Bottom Line, based on in-depth interviews with workers, lifts up the experiences of working people from diverse sectors of our economy.
Juravich, a writer, researcher, and professor at the University of Massachusetts Labor Center, spent six years interviewing workers in four different occupations:
May 3rd, 2010 | Join us at the Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference
Cross-posted from Blog at Work:
Want to hear innovative companies discuss the importance of working with unions to support workers’ rights, sustain the environment, and benefit the company’s bottom line?
Join American Rights at Work at the 2010 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference taking place from May 4-6, in Washington, DC.
We’re proud to join our partners at the Blue Green Alliance as a sponsor and convener of this event, and excited to host a panel highlighting real-life examples of how working in partnership with employees and their unions helps companies weather turbulent times while increasing demand for green products and services.
Our Socially Responsible Business Director, Nikki Daruwala, is moderating the panel and will be joined by Michael Peck of Gamesa USA; Molly Bordanaro, Senior Vice President at Gerding Edlen Development, Inc.; Ron Kenedi, Vice President at Sharp Solar; and William “Butch” Johnson, CEO of Flambeau River Paper.
Please register and join us at the session “Partnerships That Work: Good, Green Employers” on Tuesday, May 4, 2:30-4:00 p.m. at the Hilton Washington Hotel.
We hope to see you there.
I’m a freelance writer and my own boss/employee. I set my own hours and decide how much my output will be on a daily basis. I found a wonderful client and am looking for additional clients.
This company provides basic health coverage for its independent contractors, a rare thing in this industry. I have been fortunate to find my own health insurance, tailored for the self employed.
The only thing I could ask for, in good conscience, is higher pay per article. And the main client is looking at ways of providing that for all its independent contractors.
I work for the postal service (which, mind you, is a business and NOT tax-payer funded) and the conditions are great. It also helps that the pay is great.
Me and a few of my co-workers joined together to form a union against a very established and well known aerospace giant,this company violated so many of our
Constitutional rights, used wrongfully terminated employees to intimidate the work force inside of the plant,used unplanned raises to bribe workers,plucked out strong employees with large payoffs and used the personal hardships of its employees to build a false level of compassion, this organization had so many labor charges filed against them and yet they were allowed to continue these illegal practices. A lot of good,faithful,hard working brothers and sisters ultimately suffered because the system that was put in place for them failed them terribly. Can anyone explain to me where the justice is in that?
T.Brown Texas
While I can’t say that I have complete job security–Does anyone??-I now work in a place that appears to be perfect for me. I teach business classes at a vocational college near my home, and I love it. My hours , however, and the time I am assigned to work are not the best, and I need more working hours. I currently work from about 5 in the evening until 10P.M., and I am staying with a friend right now and helping with some things in this household so that I can pay my expenses and begin to pay off debts from this last year. I was laid off twice, and only earned $18,500, and what made things worse was that I had two children looking for a job at the same time–one is a college graduate from a major Texas university. In my new teaching posiition, I have support from the administration for the first time in all of my years of teaching. I also have free health insurance, although I pay for dental and eye care. My dream now is to be no longer UNDER employed!
I love my job because it enables me to run down, catch and make these unscrupulous scumbag employers pay back their employees for screwing them in pay! I have been in the “working pool” for over 16 years, and I can honestly say there is no better feeling than fighting tooth and nail for workers, and hand-delivering a fat check to each one of them and their families after their employers realize that we will not stop until Justice is attained.
KUDOS to you and your gig!! Definitely keep it up, it looks like there are a lot of folks on the I hate my job section that could use your expertise to ensure safe working conditions and appropriate compensation!
I lost my teaching job and no only work in my part time job at a cultural institution. It was my full – time job until I went into teachig and I worked part time there for the past 10 years.
Two years ago I was told that I would get full time status and benefits, thn informed by the department head that my department wasn’t considered “Important” enough to warrant my promotion, but next year I’d be “first on the list”. It’s yet to happen. I’ve been bypassed by less experienced, younger, and mostly male workers. But that’s not the worst. Those of us who work directly with the public are constantly reviewed despite the fact that we can’t get raises – in fact, after 18 years and an MA, I’m still making $8.79 an hour – and there are people who are getting paid worse than that! When we bring up the issue of raises we are told there’s no money – yet Management gets big hefty ones each year and earn 4x what we do. Because of the economy, most of us are unable to find other jobs, and untrained volunteers are constantly brought in to do our work – a not so subtle message that we can be replaced with free labor.
As I was reading your “Fix Our Jobs” rant site, IT has be too ease to say what it is I hate about “THIS” job . Compared to a “carrer that turned into a job”, I now have a job that has turned into a career !
As a “Q.A. Person”in the Aerospace Industry, working for “THE” largest defence contractor in the U.S. Pride was some thing I had in my “JOB”, what I did!
I could not feed “MY” family or myself on what that job paid in “Southern Colorado”.
NOW, I have a “JOB” that I have greater pride in doing !
A UNIONIZED JOB!
Railroading!
TRUE the “Management Style” of employees as a “Liability” rather than, as an “Asset” is clear.
I count My blessings I “fell” into this “JOB”!
And now as a “TEAMSTER”, I ask that the representation “WE” have to restore the “PRIDE”,respect and earning power that made a difficult job more bareable in the 1970′s versus “TODAY”!
I don’t have a comment on my job, but I wanted to pass along something that I don’t see mentioned much in discussions on fixing the job situation: the amount of jobs going overseas. Last night I was with a gathering of some friends and of the 3 women I was sitting with, 2 had lost, or were about to lose, jobs that were being outsourced, one overseas. Another woman told of a close relative whose job was being sent overseas. I’ve heard this story many times and have to wonder what is being done about this aspect of job loss? Isn’t there anything that could be done to penalize companies who move part or all of their jobs overseas?
I am grateful that I am 72 and not working under these conditions. Of course when I worked, we all smoked and I sat in that all day. The last few jobs I had did not have breaks, except for lunch, a full hour, but they were 7 hour days. If we worked on Sat, it was for half a day, all day with the pager, but there was a day off during the week to compensate.
Going further back, no one said anything about cigarette breaks, lunch was always an hour, and being on the east coast, start time was never before nine am. When we had our own business, we controlled time spent at work, and frequently my husband and I alone, worked beyond five pm quitting time. But we put the phones on the answering service so we could concentrate on whatever was keeping us there. As for employees, I never forgot how important a good worker was, complimented them for caring about our small company, and gave them raises before they were even thinking about asking. Tho we didn’t have much money, there was always some for employee Christmas gifts.
I felt I was always a good worker, and, when I had the opportunity, a good boss.
Thank you personally for your generous kindness towards your employees. I remember adults in my childhood who were kind like you. It’s sad that today how heartless people can be.
After 34 years as a grocery checker, I’d better enjoy my work! But jobs like mine are going away—we are being replaced by do-it-yourself checkout stands, where the customer does my job. Rather than have me represent our company, have a pleasant interaction with the customer, and dutifully make certain that each transaction is handled correctly, they are placing the burden of checkout on the customer. Are food and drug prices going to go down? They haven’t, so far. And yet, here we are in desperate need for jobs in our community, and these giant corporations take the money and run instead of helping to provide employment. Most of these larger employers also have government contracts, accepting WIC vouchers and SNAP benefits—which laid-off grocery workers will need if our jobs keep getting eliminated.
Because we have a union that represents our workers, we have better than average benefits and wages; I have earned a defined benefit pension on which I hope to retire someday. But for those workers just starting out in the grocery industry, there doesn’t seem to be a very bright future—and odds are when I leave my company, no one will step up to take my place because my job will disappear. There are fewer careers in the grocery industry worth pursuing; there are jobs but they are far less substantial than what I have enjoyed. These giant corporations should be giving back to the communities where they do business by providing good paying jobs with benefits, not just part-timing people to death while taking advantage of government-funded safety nets. People will work hard to keep a good job.
I have had a number of jobs that I have hated to be sure. No breaks, no lunches, etc. I consider myself lucky now to not only have found a job (I’m an academic, and the job market in my field has been tough for a while now–about 5 or 6 years at least), but that it’s a job I really like. I have benefits for my family at a reasonable rate, great colleagues, and a tremendous amount of support. My pay isn’t the best, but it isn’t the worst, either. I didn’t get involved in my field to make a million!
I have students on a regular basis who are worried that their BAs or BSs won’t be enough, and it’s a sad state of affairs.
I hear a lot of horror stories, and have lived some, too. I worked for a convenience store after college that paid minimum wage, offered no benefits, and didn’t even let us take breaks or sit down. I know that the government works with the corporations, but it’s time you ALL worked FOR us, because we’re doing the work that makes you profitable.
My school led me to believe a BA was enough to do all these awesome jobs, but unfortunately it was only good for the one thing I KNEW I didn’t want to do in or out of college. Now I’m pursuing a MS in a totally different and broader field that will triple my pay and make me more attractive to just about any company across the globe. Too bad I wasted 6 years of my life getting a lousy 4 year degree that is now in a dump somewhere and almost completely useless!
I work with outstanding people..we are pushed to take on more and more tasks (despite no pay raise for 10 years) – my coworkers manage to accomplish all that we are asked to do, maintain a sense of proportion, and even have some fun.. the people we work FOR are another story altogether
Many of us love our job. We just have a clear distain for the the employers (disguised as corporations) that we do it for. Employers who take the joy out of our contribution to our society, and place a stress on our waning enthusiasm while their cash register rings through our efforts despise their growing harassment and thankless avarice. Many of us do it for society. We do it to take care of our families. We do it because we are the true heroes of our world.
What is Congress going to do? Our government is the parent figure leading corporations as children into a likened pardign. What will they say? To my dismay their words echo in my heart”don’t do as I do do as I say”while they play their perverbial violins as America burns.
A Rivera
Hi,
I actually work at a company that is a model for treating it’s employees fairly. Even when there are layoffs, which is not often, and fairly based on positions that are no longer required, as opposed to laying off people who are not liked by management – this company provides job search assistance, generous severance, and COMPASSION and EMPATHY for the fact that they are putting someone out of work.
On a daily basis, employees are made to feel that their views are heard, and IMPORTANT, even when those views are contrary to the corporation’s goals. Employees are also given credit where it is due (in fact people go out of their way to pat each other on the back, instead of finding excuses to tear each other down). This is management and non-management.
My faith that this is how it should be has been proven time and again by this company, and I am VERY grateful to have my job. My biggest hope is that corporate America will change it’s focus from how much salary and benefits (not to mention flesh and blood!) they can squeeze from their employees to swell their coffers, and start understanding that its their employees that make them profitable on a daily basis!
Thank you for this forum – I appreciate the chance to air my views.
I have a great job. I am paid well, given good benefits, and a fair amount of trust. One of my bosses makes an effort to praise my work regularly, and she means it. She recognizes my strengths, and gives me work that plays to them. Work will always be work, but if I can’t be paid for doing what I want to do–doing this for pay is almost the next best thing.
P.S. I know how incredibly lucky I am!!
I was a 25 year airline pilot with United Airlines.
Considering the now abysmal state Mr Glen Tilton has reduced this once proud corporation to, retirement is now the best job I’ve ever had.
I lovED my job initially over 10 years ago when my wholesale employer was a company driven by an owner who cared about people as well as the bottom line. This man interacted with his employees (over 200) individually and in groups to inquire “how things were going” and share company information honestly. There was much teamwork, shared enthusiasm, rewarding work and pay.
When the company was sold to an investment firm (due to the negative swing in the economy) my employer became a hard core corporate ruler. No longer were people treated with respect or given support, feedback or acknowledgement for their accomplishments. Management no longer created a positive “from the top down” company atmosphere. No longer were employees informed about the company business plan, given clear direction of individual or department roles and responsibilities. Instead, employees felt threatened and daily in fear for their jobs as new management suddenly objected to basic processes that had been in place for years. We were treated as if we were unskilled, lazy and an expense instead of an asset. Very little direction was given to long term employees to get us on board with the new business plan. Employees were replaced at lightning speed, often with friends of new management. The bottom line had clearly changed to focus strictly on corporate profit and we saw the demise of honest communication, support for employee family needs, an attitude between management and employees of us against them. Upper management acted like hatchet men, looking for scapegoats for problems, almost always found at the ground level in highest paid positions. The new managers were hired at top pay by officers who operated by blackberry and were largely absent from company premises. Management was not held accountable for lack of presence, absent leadership and inadequate organization. Departments no longer had flow and purpose. Upper management was flown in weekly from two states away, housed in an expensive local hotel and given free dining and limousine service to take them two blocks to the office. Meanwhile, salaries were reduced, raises non-existent and many employees (ages 50+) were downsized after being treated badly & told their jobs were unimportant. We had felt like we were at war. Remaining employees feel that today as they hold their breath in fear of the loss of their jobs. This is corporate America, seemingly a status quo for today.
I love my two part-time jobs BECAUSE (1) small businesses – one a retail store w/ 2nd branch, do the accounting on my own time for an especially lovely owner who appreciates his staff and (2) small consulting practice owned by a polite and considerate gentleman, shrewd enough to get the best of his employees by working with them, not against them; lots of freedom, flexible schedule, fair to high wage. What’s not to love? Why isn’t every job like that? No reason not to be if workers are willing to learn and apply skills and most are.
I am very fortunate to have a job I love to do. I have been doing the exact same job, in the exact same industry for 30 years now. I have been a Teamster for the entire time, employed by 3 different companies. However, it’s the employers management that I don’t find any logic in. In these present times, the necessity to curb expenses, and make productivity more efficient is a priority. So when management enforces productivity times, it should make sense. This is where the old saying of ” stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime” hits me. My company continues the practice of sending numerous 50 foot trailers, per day, per week, traveling 400 + miles en route to our home terminal, with absolutely nothing inside the trailers short of sailboat fuel. Nada, nothing !!! At the same time these trucks are traveling back to our facility, 3rd party contractors are traveling in the exact same route to make deliveries to our stores. So, my company pays my wages to make the return trip, and also pays the 3rd party to travel the same path. This has been going on for YEARS !!!!!!!
I love my job because it’s interesting and even fun sometimes. But moreover because it’s a union job! I work as a stagehand in Seattle. I work backstage at concerts, theatrical productions and conventions.
Making a decent wage with benefits and training (there are frequent technological changes) along with the dignity and voice at work makes it possible for me to keep doing what I’m doing.
I don’t understand why anybody who is a wage earner would not to work under a contract. Every single major financial move we make -buying a car or house, borrowing money, even getting a cel phone involves signing a contract, yet most people will go to work for someone with merely a handshake.