“An organisation that cannot afford to fully pay for its production costs is
an organisation that should already be out of business.” — Random Usenet contributor
It’s hard to believe that such a thing would be necessary, but today is Go Home On Time Day – a reaction to findings that Australians are working more unpaid hours overtime each year than they get in annual leave.
While the campaign itself seems a little condescending (the idea of a “leave pass” is ridiculous to the extreme, because it’s utterly demeaning to think that someone should have to ask permission to go home at the end of the day), the sentiment is sound. No business would ever expect any supplier to provide them with goods for free, so why should they expect this of their employees’ labour?
Naturally, the Australian Chamber of Subjugation doesn’t like it at all. They’d much rather have people sign up for slightly raised pay-packets that give the employer carte blanche to work them for as long as they like.
My advice? Become a contractor, and charge by the hour. No one ever dies wishing that they spent more time in the office.