[Jewelry making - Article 00200] - Re: [Orchid] Bench jeweler's working conditions

[David L. Huffman]

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>     Just as any other job, your working conditions depend mostly on
>     you. 

    Easier said than done, my friend. If you are the new kid on the
    block, it's a little intimidating to start throwing your weight
    around saying things like, "hey, let's brighten up this place, how
    about a nice shade of yellow and some lace curtains?" 

    Honestly, though, it really isn't the worker's job to provide a
    decent work space, it's the capitalist's job. I once worked for a
    place where, to help out my employer, I brought in my own tools. This
    went on for a couple years. Finally, when he started buying tools for
    an outside contractor he was using, I decided it was time for him to
    buy tools for his own jeweler and took mine home. And while it's nice
    to have a cheerey paint job and sparkling windows, what we're talking
    about here, as I have drawn from other's posts on this thread, is
    enough space to work comfortably in, enough light so it isn't like
    working in a cave, and enough ventilation that you don't have trouble
    keeping your eyes open for lack of oxygen. And providing that is
    definately the responsibility of the store owner. Sure, jewelry
    making is a bit dirty, but it doesn't have to be a health hazzard. 

    You said, "adapt or move on". One day you'll have a really good
    jeweler working for you, and they'll probably never tell you that the
    reason they "moved on" was that you didn't seem interested in
    providing them a comfortable/productive work space and they figured
    that was indicative of your general attitude towards employees, which
    it might indeed be. Then the next jeweler you'll get will be just
    fine with the place, but he won't be a bargain and you'll wish he
    would find a reason to leave. My advice, based on a few decades of
    experience is, "employers in this business eventually end up with the
    employees the deserve, and then they're stuck with them". 

David L. Huffman
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