The Column
My monthly rant about life, the universe, and everything in it
The Column #22
Release Date:
15th March 2005
Synopsis: The problems facing short-term temporary workers.
Permanently Temporary
Every morning he awakes to realise it could be his last on the job, tonight could bring the phone call, today could bring the 'quiet word in the office' which returns him to the employment scrap heap once more.
Nothing is forever, no contract shall be entered into, he is not permitted any sense of security, and the banks don't like his sort. He exists in no-man's land between permanent employment and the welfare state. He knows he would be better off not working and instead putting his feet up each morning to enjoy Fern and Philip, however pride alone wakes him for work; no alarm clock is required.
A walk through town will always reunite him with a handful of former colleagues, everyone gives the customary nod, some give a knowing wink as a mark of respect, and those who have worked with him in more than one place stop for a chat. Often it is a chance to finish that conversation about future hopes and ideas that was taking place at the factory, the morning before the phone call came. He has no office or tearoom to call his own; instead he is an eternal transient, an aeroplane with no landing gear, wondering how much longer it will be until he drops.
If you haven't guessed yet, I am referring to the life of a temporary worker. 'Temps' as they are affectionately known, are adults who are employed by agencies that supply them for short term work other companies, while taking a large chunk of their hard earned wage as a self-congratulatory thank you.
Many people have been cruising the temporary circuit for years, some have even given up trying to find a permanent position and are happy to drift along from one circumstance to the next, consigned to leave any hopes and ambitions at the reception desk of whichever agency they happen to be registered with.
Temps are often treated with contempt by permanent members of staff as they are seen to be stealing jobs, in spite of the fact that they are simply trying to earn a living and make the best of whatever opportunities come along. Temps are expected to turn up and fit in immediately with little or no training, thrown in at the deep end to master a job that they may only have for a day or two, always knowing that some fortunate soul is sat back taking a cut of their wage. Perhaps if the Government Job Centre compiled a database of unemployed people willing to work locally on a short term temporary basis then we could cut out the middle-man, however they are far more concerned with being a benefit processing centre, ensuring that the dossers have their cider money by the time the off-licence opens.
There is a preconception that anybody working for a temporary agency is lazy, low on intelligence, suffering from some kind of allergy, socially defunct, or just an all round loser. In my experience this is quite the opposite; the agency staff I met were interesting, diverse and rich in character. During my time as a Temp I encountered numerous fascinating people, many of them vastly over-qualified for the majority of the jobs in this area. My small group of associates consisted of a man who worked with Community projects in his spare time, a cynical sharp-tongued Anthropology graduate, a Logistics graduate who had just been recruited to work for Marks & Spencer's head office but had to wait 6 months before his job started (and so was in limbo), an ex-soldier who worked his Army-issue socks off, and a lady with a comprehensive knowledge of the fundamentals of Modern Art.
The concept of throw-away staff is extremely convenient for large companies, especially those whose workload is variable, and it saves them a great deal in terms of wages and overheads. The idea also appeals to smaller companies who cannot afford to keep people on long-term due to the inconsistency of their workload, however these tend to be seasonal-based placements which last for a few weeks. Companies employing temps are not obliged to offer holiday, bonus, overtime, or anything considered a remote perk of the job, instead they just dictate to people on a daily basis whether to turn up and graft for a minimum wage, or to just get lost. If a temp works 13 weeks on a placement then supposedly he/she is entitled to one week's paid holiday, however the likelihood of this is minimal given the nature of the work.
In an age where most companies are highly conscious of equal opportunities and political correctness it is quite shocking that they can get away with treating people in such a cruel and callous fashion. Perhaps one day we will all be temporary workers, supplied by an agency for the days when we are needed at work, and held in a state of suspense when things go quiet? It is a worrying prospect and one which should not be ignored. I suggest that the only way for temporary workers to gain equal rights and abolish this prejudice is to establish their sub-culture as an official 'minority', and then claim discrimination against them by the 'majority', resulting in society bending over backwards to accommodate them. Temporary workers of the world unite!