Re: IT Union

Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Sat, 28 Feb 1998 17:42:48 -0500


> James Rogers wrote:
>
> > Why does a person's labor become suddenly more valuable after 40hrs/week?
> > As far as I can tell, it doesn't and therefore should not receive
> > compensation above the usual. If at some point you feel that your work is
> > not being fairly compensated, you can complain, stop working, or quit.
> > Making unusual compensation compulsory after a certain number of hours is
> > unwarranted interference.

40 hours is the generally accepted mark at which most people start to draw the
line, as it then starts to become difficult to get the required amount of sleep,
feeding time, personal business, and quality family time beyond this point.
Personally, I don't mind working about 45 hours a week so long as the last 5 hours
are time and a half, but beyond that, expect to be paying me a lot more. My time
belongs to me, and the employer who thinks the can dictate beyond that point will
be preaching to an empty seat. You want any more of my time, expect to pay for it.
In this case, I have more stringent standards than the law. For people like us who
have no difficulty earning a living wage, it is not a big deal. The law is to
protect the marginal population from exploitation by sweatshops and farmers.

>
>
> I think your missing a very important point here. Regardless of what is fair
> compensation or not, the fact remains that the company has *taken away* money
> from a more a powerful group. Because companies need IT workers more than IT
> workers need that company, why haven't IT workers realized that they are the
> ones who really have the power? You would think, that based on the IT shortage
> trends, that IT workers would counter any company plot to exploit them. Those
> with the testicles in their hands control those who own those testicles. It
> just makes plain economic and political sense.
>
> Paul Hughes

--
TANSTAAFL!!!
   Michael Lorrey
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