Making Work Right

#263: Unions, Improved
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I've been extremely lucky at work, in not only belonging to a union, but a union as they should be.

The difference between ordinary unions and ideally configured unions, like mine, is that I'm paid a salary to do a 'normal' day's work.  If I'm productive, doing that work in less time than normal, and if I don't make any mistakes, I go home early.  My salary, meanwhile, is based on careful measurement of how much time it takes for the average, unhurried employee to do my work.

Where this measurement, or 'time management', is different from most work is that I'm in control, backed up by my union.  I'm happy, even enthused to go to work.  My unconscious, 'auto-pilot' mode is set to 'super efficient', rather than to a 'slow down' (or they'll give me more work) setting.  Once in a while I'll prefer a slower pace, which is no problem, within reason, since I'm paid the same.  My time is mine.

Everyone should have a union like mine, and a work arrangement that encourages a self-directed pace.  No employee should be subjected to an imposed fast pace, or, like most union members, an excruciatingly slow pace to avoid doing more work, or to extend overtime pay.

The 'time management' methods now being used to force workers to hurry, could just as easily be used to determine the cut-off for a normal day's work, at which time a worker is done for the day.  Or, if that worker chooses, a normal day's work ends after 8 hours.  For some jobs, like teaching, time management algorithms won't be the answer, but an overwhelming percentage of jobs can be so reconfigured.

What keeps us from a nation dedicated to these ideal unions?  Political organizing.  Simply put, there is no reason why employees can't control their own time, and reap the rewards of their own increased productivity, rather than this productivity being inflicted upon them.

The Unions-For-Salaries movement.