This post is prompted from a comment left by Steve Jeffries on the Victorian Kitchen Garden article.
Steve said, "I would urge all Land Based workers, join your Trade Union, protect yourself from this attack on your hard earned rights, for which people died. After all, your bosses organise, so why shouldn't you?"
It's an interesting comment but I feel it has been made with little thought for land-based business in the United Kingdom; quite honestly, if a trade union existed, many, many very well run land-based enterprises would go to the wall.
All workers have a right to protection but, having employed heavens knows how many people over twenty-one years of business, I know first hand how manipulative and destructive some people can be.
I'm not a communist and I can see where abuse of powers can lead to dangerous social conditions but, what I do understand is, we all need a mentor, we all need a father figure and we all need guidelines and rules to live and work by - the abuse of the power by those who apply those rules is another matter completely.
Whilst there were surely many abuses of power and human rights in Victorian times, I would prefer its ethos to today's society; one only has to turn on the television to witness how today's young have become hypnotised by the want of material wealth and fame rather than become rich on a wealth of knowledge.
I have tried the charitable route personally. I worked with the probation service and took on three people who had a long history of crime and drug dependency.
One didn't turn up and we never saw him; one turned up and was as good as gold until the tag had been taken off then absconded and abandoned a works vehicle near Portsmouth (some 60 miles from our base) and we never saw him again.
The third - a young lady - she took petrol from cans, sold a works mobile phone and travelled many hundreds of miles in our van when she should have been working - The abuse I and my family endured on the evening she came back with here mother to return the uniform, complaining because I had to terminate her trial period because of her behaviour, was extremely unpleasant.
I think that the vast majority of people who work in land-based industries, do so because of a passion for the outdoors, plants and for the satisfying lifestyle it brings - these people are self-starters, disciplined, eager to work and learn and they give as much (if not more) than they take.
But there is a transient element...a kind of non-professional journeyman who I'm sure would make the most of a trade union - It would spell disaster for our industry.
But this isn't all about what I think...do you have a view; is the Victorian work ethos too outdated or is it a model we could adopt or will a trade union's protection be welcome?
Recent Comments