I just got in to report for work.
I'm late and do you want to know why?
The darn train can't accomodate the number of people going in for work. And come to think of
it the government says that we're in a fiscal crisis yet based on my experience from that
train ride that I take everyday it seems as though almost everyone is off in a hurry to go
to work.
This sucks because being late means that the minutes spent on travel time would be docked
out of my salary, which is already below my cost of living since I wasn't able to report for work the past week because I got sick.
Come to think of it if it wasn't for that horrendous train ride I would have been able to report for work earlier because the location of our office is relatively near the MRT
station. But sad to say it wasn't that easy the MRT is always inefficient. It always fails to come on time. Its trains are too small to fit everyone humanely or comfortably. Its
cashiers on their ticket dispensers are grouchy and the like. But still its the best alternative to traversing the traffic congested path of EDSA. That fact is what makes me captive of that rail system. I think it really sucks.
I can remember our project leader now when she would read the company's rules and
regulations etc. She'd always give this high emphasis on the lates part and how it dampens
our production. And that's what always seems to hold us yoked with the burden of work.
Production. It's all that matters to our bosses. Its what counts. Nevermind the quality or
the humanity of the employee as long as he or she can meet the quota and if they've done so
or more in a consecutive manner they'll be giving you this higher quota so that you'd be
more maximized. That's how it works. I have to report for work yesterday because our project
needs to meet this quota for our client that's in the USA who doesn't give a rat's arse
about holidays and stuff.
It helds us captive.
I can remember how almost if not all of my boses saying this all too familiar lines:
"I don't care how much it takes, if it takes overtime fine. Just don't file it but make sure
you get the job done."
"I don't care get it done whether it be by hook or by crook, deadlines are to be met."
"I don't care if it would mean that you'd have to wake up at 3 in the morning so that you
won't be late we need to meet a given production."
"Absences and leaves need to be filed in advance even sick leaves, which are considered to
be as LWOPs (Leave Without Pay) for temporary employees, but see to it that you'd give a
medical certificate for your sick leave."
And so on and so forth.
It sucks.
Such statements reflect how bosses see their employees.
They're resources, very much the same as oil, land and money.
A better description would be as cattle, that they can milk.
I remember one boss who made this analogy of us employees as workers in a production line
that stamps metals. And that very much describes how he sees us. No more no less.
It's what I hate about capitalism. Human beings are at a higher level whenever they have the
money, the land and the guts to pull off some grand money making scheme to earn more money.
They'd invent, influence and even legislate laws in the existing government (that they
apparently control, which is called bureaucrat-capitalism) to make the law work to their
advantage. THat's where contractualization, lower cost of living allowances, price hikes, no
health care and all those other fiascos that causes the lefties to march to the parliament
of the streets fit in.
It's because it sees people as commodities as capital as resources that they can extract
work off and milk to their advantage.
And the sad thing about it is that it helds all of us captive and it sucks.
I know I ought to be thankful or feel in debt to the company that its given me a job since a
lot of people around me are unemployed or underemployed. But just the same I cannot help but feel this way. I am human and emotions is what makes humans separate from animals, its what makes me at the very least higher than cattle (which is what a lot of the powers that be
think of me). I feel weary and tired and sick of it all at times. And I know its wrong to
feel this way. But I hope and pray that I'd see the silver linnings and the light of what
this means in my life and how it is being used by God to mold my character so I guess for
now I'd be asking God to help me struggle with these negative emotions.
I'd be off to work for now...
posted by m35b @ Tuesday, November 16, 2004
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