We're all just 'disposable' workers now, magazine suggests
BusinessWeek is full of all kinds of depressing stuff.
Last November, we cited a piece from the magazine wondering if a “Lost Generation” had been created among young workers – those who, because of the downturn, couldn’t even grasp the first rung of the career ladder.
But if you’ve kept up with the story, the trend has gradually moved from, “Gosh, there’s no steady work for anyone fresh out of school” to, “Um, what do you mean ‘fresh out of school’? I’m 40 and I can’t get a job with benefits to save my life!”
Indeed, the era of the Disposable Worker appears to be upon us, as BusinessWeek reports.
According to the news outlet, enough people are now working jobs with no health insurance, retirement benefits, sick days, vacation, severance and access to unemployment insurance that it’s not likely companies will start offering up better positions anytime soon.
“That’s because this recession’s unusual ferocity has accelerated trends – including offshoring, automation, the decline of labour unions’ influence, new management techniques, and regulatory changes – that already had been eroding workers’ economic standing,” the magazine poses.
Things have gotten so bad for employees’ bargaining power that even existing staff/salary jobs are at risk, ones that employers would gladly offload for contract/temporary positions that cost less and pad profit margins.
The way BusinessWeek puts in, companies – especially now – are more inclined to install “just-in-time labour forces than can be turned on and off like a spigot.”
“When I hear people talk about temp vs. permanent jobs, I laugh,” one labour source tells the magazine. “The idea that any job is permanent has been well proven not to be true.”
What is everyone seeing on the subject Canada-wide? Are employers willing to stand by its workforce or are things more like the way employment agency Kelly Services’ CEO, Carl Camden, suggests: “We’re all temps now"?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Pam | Jan 12, 2022 1:45:14 AM
This doesn't appear to be a different trend to me. We may have had a five year period when the employees had the upper hand, but that was definately the anomoly.
Employers have always treated their employees as disposable and when employees became hard to obtain, they were shocked that there was no loyalty. Perhaps they should remember that.
Posted by: Ted C | Jan 12, 2022 7:07:32 AM
So this is news? Companies have been doing this for decades now in many industries - hiring from temp agencies, etc.. Bringing people in from 3rd world countries to work (most of whom dont even speak the language at a basic level) and leaving the onus on the remaining workers to take up the slack, ie., harder work in worse conditions. And come contract time, no raises(maybe a minimum "bonus" of a few shekels if the company made millions, but no raise to salary or benefits), loss of double time as an O\T standard almost everywhere(except stats), and laying off salaried people and keeping temps to do the work. It is why there is little\no pride in ones job, or trade, anymorelet alone loyalty. When you work for a big company, you are but a lightbulb to them - soon to be replaced by a cheaper model. I wonder how house prices can keep rising and people can survive? Its like living in a 3rd world country without the nice weather. Canada 2010.
Posted by: nom | Jan 12, 2022 8:27:43 AM
Judgin by my responce and the 2 above it is obvious that workers are nothing more than a "resource" to be used up and exploited like everything else. It is sad and tragic really, and if one day the peasants grab pitchforks and storm up the hill to burn the castle it will likely be long over due.
Posted by: Don | Jan 12, 2022 1:30:24 PM
Where haveyou been? This is a surprise to no-one. I have been told by several employers that is is called ""human Resources" for a reason. Humans are a renewable resource. No one is indespensible. I am finding it hard to be committed to my job. What I have found is the people who dont care, do the bare minumum,shoddy work, (it is not their company) and I have been left to pick up the slack. I am left either working extra or leaving feeling I have not done my job properly which I have a hard time doing and still feeling good about myself. If I stay and do what is required there is no reward. Employers own attitudes are creating a workforce that just can not care and still remain sane.
Posted by: rick walker | Jan 12, 2022 5:01:21 PM
Excellent example why the news industry and its media are in trouble, they are more than 15 years behind the awareness of the general population. The disposable employee has always existed throughout history. the present destruction of trust ,loyalty, caring,and cooperation by exploit or be exploited philosophy by our politicans and certain business leaders will lead us very soon to a massive failure in the economy, in the family, and other fibres that hold a culture and its civilization together.
Posted by: joe | Jan 12, 2022 11:59:01 PM
Didn't you people notice that the personnel department as it was known is now all called the human resources department.
Posted by: average joe | Jan 15, 2022 2:20:00 PM
The last several years in particular many many companies have been 'outsourcing' local jobs to remote locations in foreign countries because of the supposedly 'cheap labor. If the companies loyalty is to a foreign country and their money is going to a foreign country why would anybody in their right mind support a company that does not support the people right outside their front door!GEET WITH THE PROGRAM PEOPLE. Support your local economy and the people around you not
the foreign theives!