Wanted: Slave for part-time work
October 29th, 2009When my friend was offered a part-time survival job, he jumped on it. He now works in inside-sales for 25 hours/week. He spends 20 hours/week commuting, 5 days a week. And he’s making minimum wage + commissions. And this is for one of the better companies of its type.
But make no mistake, that’s slavery. The company doesn’t have to pay benefits, and my friend works full-time for half-pay, not including $160/month for train and bus fare.
I have no quarrel against part-time work. In fact, I’m looking for permanent part-time work. Because it pays the bills, and leaves me enough of the week left over to use flexibly – doing more work, opting for higher-paying, less-stable gigs that may lead me to full-time employment. I win, and the company wins, only if part-time means 8×3 or 25 hour fixed price projects.
The problem are 4×5 or 5×5 jobs. The time it takes to get ready for work, to commute to work, then commute home can easily add 10 or more hours a week, and that’s not counting wasted time from missed connections and traffic congestion. Part-time work alone is not enough for most people to survive on, yet having to do everything times five leaves you too tired, too strapped, and without enough contiguous time to do substantive work. And of course, it’s bad for the environment to be travelling when you could be at home.
Companies don’t do this to be mean, or in a bid to use slave labor. Most companies hire part-time assistants, organizers, coordinators as a resource for their full-time staff, who also work 5-days a week. But for the most part, it’s just the reality of life that a company’s employees are higher on the food chain than part-time, temporary staff. This isn’t a call on companies to mend their ways. This is directed at you, the part-time worker to negotiate.
First off, cut one day off the week. Instead of working 4 hours, 5 days week, try for 4, or even 3 longer days, which approaches the 8 hours/day overtime limit in California. If the company still needs coverage over 5 days, they can hire an additional part-timer to fill out the rest of the week. You can even cut your total hours if your company’s budget cannot cope. But also remember, by not paying benefits, companies are already saving a lot of money hiring you on a part-time basis. This is for your benefit, but if you work it right, it benefits the company too. Make a business case out of it, and try for a win-win situation. This is sustainable living, this is innovative living, this is humane living, and it’s a living.
Just remember, you may be a bottom feeder, but you’re not a slave. You have just as much right to walk away as a company does to cut you. If you have skills, you are entitled to make a living and keep that roof over your family’s head while you save up for walls and floor too.
Web developer based in Santa Clara, CA