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I
wish to react to a "reaction to GEM article"
sent by Pascal Stil
on 31 December 2005.
I
myself used to work for that "electronical sweatshop"
(why the hell [do] some people call it like that,
Mister Stil?) last year, and without knowing the author
of the 1st article, I recognised the appalling working
conditions he described.
Indeed,
despite the company's "gadgets", such as
the nice colours and shapes of the seats and walls,
the "values" on the mouse-mat (Customer
focus, Recognition, Integrity, Fun), you'll get quickly
that you're just a pawn to the management, a machine
they want to program to make as much money as possible.
On
your contract - if you ever get one - you'll see your
tasks aren't really described.
You
have to be "FLEXIBLE".
That's
to say they can move you from a section to another
whenever they like it, from one day to another.
You'll
read also that your wages are low, that you won't
get any sick pay, that the over-time work is paid
at the basic rate, that your breaks aren't paid.
You
have to be PRODUCTIVE.
Then,
on the ground, you will get poor training, actually
your co-workers are going to train you. And you'll
receive your "stats" every day, your quality
scores every week. You feel you have to improvise
but also back to school.
Quickly
you will also seize the hierarchy comedy, some team
leaders are buddy-like, others are authoritarian,
but all of them are always watching you and putting
pressure.
Concerning
your job itself, it's only marketing stuff - sell
what people don't need.
If
you don't ask some questions like "Do you want
to receive future offers," ooops "Do you
want to benefit from our free information service?",
you'll get a 0% and no bonus.
You
have to be COMPETITIVE.
Wearing
constantly your headset, you are part of that system
which divides and intensifies work, makes the working
conditions insecure makes things be blurred. Yes,
Mr Stil (future manager?), you can get sacked anytime,
like Morten I know several people who didn't know
their rights and "disappeared" suddenly,
dumped like shit.
You're
not happy?
But
the management is listening to you!
Every
Monday, you can attend the lunch with the big boss
himself, and put forward issues like, the sun keeping
you from reading what's on your screen. Be sure he'll
take notes.
You
also meet regularly your team leader, such a nice
and polite watch-dog, who kindly asks: "What
can we do to make you happier?" (!)
Lastly
you can go and talk to your representatives who have
just been elected at the Employee Consultative Body,
which as its name means, will be consulted (once a
year?) but won't be able to negotiate.
You
have TO SHUT UP and SMILE.
You
have to PRETEND.
What
if you don't? What if you try to talk with your co-workers
and to organise the place?
Then
you're a disturbing employee, a trouble-maker, a "bad"
element. That's why your emails are controlled, and
you're told off if you criticised publicly the company.
Eventually
they try to get rid of you as quick and discreet as
possible, but if they feel you know your rights (you're
such a bad element!), they make an effort: they wait
until you're tired to work there, by the way, they'll
help you be tired.
You
really have to shut up.
And
the end, they're relieved you're leaving, actually
so are you, because you've got some dignity!
But
you also feel unhappy that that sad comedy goes on,
treating badly other people, taking the piss out of
our ancestors who died for our rights.
The
problem is that most of the workers, oh sorry, the
"agents" want to leave and therefore don't
want to get involved in anything to defend their rights.
And
they seem to ignore we're still part of the working
class. Economic lobbies, politicians and mass media
did a good job, but the struggle is not over, we are
not so stupid, we just need to wake up.
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