Work is a core activity in every day life and is essential to individual identify and links individuals to each other and in society’s core (Kalleberg, 2009). Work also reveals a lot about social order, and the changes that cause all kinds of problems and issues for individuals as a whole (Kalleberg, 2009). Work has long been a central field in sociology, with classical sociologists such as Durkheim, Marx and Weber addressing work in their literatures (Kalleberg, 2009). One practice of work, that is now a normal part of everyday working life, is the concept of “precarious work” and the rise of temporary jobs, which raises criticisms and concerns from many. Precarious work is defined as “employment that is uncertain, unpredictable, and risky
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Additionally, unpredictability of long-term plans, the idea of just having one career in a lifetime is now long gone (Hatton, 2011). Educational decisions can also become more difficult, with students’ unsure what subjects to study in order for them to lead onto a good career when there is so little certainty about what jobs will exist by the time they graduate. Many students are also employed in precarious work whilst studying in order to fund their university education (Kalleberg, 2009). An implication or effect of precarious work is the rapidly diminishing tradition of workers’ unions, who effectively help and support workers, and give them a sense of work security (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). Higher union density is associated with more equality, thus, if there is a declining union density, workers become more vulnerable to inequality (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). The lack of workplace and social representation via declining union density, is a central element in producing marginalisation and vulnerability of the worker (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). Young workers and migrants are especially vulnerable to precarious work and the effects it has on them (Wilson & Ebert, 2013). Migrants, in particular have come to occupy many jobs that use precarious work practices …show more content…
In particular, many dreadful stories have emerged from Amazon employees with examples of bad conditions at work, near impossible targets to meet, and people dropping on the job from heat or extreme fatigue (Jamieson, 2015). When it comes to low-wage positions, companies like Amazon are now able to change the size of their workforce at any given time to meet consumer demand, it has estimates of 90,000 full time employees but brings on an estimated 100,000 seasonal workers to help handle the peak (Jamieson, 2015). Many of the seasonal hires of Amazon come through a temp agency, and contract the work to these staffing companies, companies like Amazon use temp agencies so they can benefit from paying them less money and having fewer benefits, and hiring and firing them whenever they please (Jamieson, 2015). Precarious work is now the standard operating model for the entire service industry, and if companies don’t use this model, it sends their costs up (Jamieson, 2015). The temp model and precarious work can also extend from the service industry. In the era of maximum production, employees can track the workers’ performances and dispose of any workers who don’t meet their needs (Jamieson, 2015). An example of precarious work conditions and the effects it can have on people is the case of the life and death of an Amazon temp worker. Jeff was a temp worker who picked and fetched items for an Amazon
Additionally, unpredictability of long-term plans, the idea of just having one career in a lifetime is now long gone (Hatton, 2011). Educational decisions can also become more difficult, with students’ unsure what subjects to study in order for them to lead onto a good career when there is so little certainty about what jobs will exist by the time they graduate. Many students are also employed in precarious work whilst studying in order to fund their university education (Kalleberg, 2009). An implication or effect of precarious work is the rapidly diminishing tradition of workers’ unions, who effectively help and support workers, and give them a sense of work security (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). Higher union density is associated with more equality, thus, if there is a declining union density, workers become more vulnerable to inequality (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). The lack of workplace and social representation via declining union density, is a central element in producing marginalisation and vulnerability of the worker (Arnold & Bongiovi, 2012). Young workers and migrants are especially vulnerable to precarious work and the effects it has on them (Wilson & Ebert, 2013). Migrants, in particular have come to occupy many jobs that use precarious work practices …show more content…
In particular, many dreadful stories have emerged from Amazon employees with examples of bad conditions at work, near impossible targets to meet, and people dropping on the job from heat or extreme fatigue (Jamieson, 2015). When it comes to low-wage positions, companies like Amazon are now able to change the size of their workforce at any given time to meet consumer demand, it has estimates of 90,000 full time employees but brings on an estimated 100,000 seasonal workers to help handle the peak (Jamieson, 2015). Many of the seasonal hires of Amazon come through a temp agency, and contract the work to these staffing companies, companies like Amazon use temp agencies so they can benefit from paying them less money and having fewer benefits, and hiring and firing them whenever they please (Jamieson, 2015). Precarious work is now the standard operating model for the entire service industry, and if companies don’t use this model, it sends their costs up (Jamieson, 2015). The temp model and precarious work can also extend from the service industry. In the era of maximum production, employees can track the workers’ performances and dispose of any workers who don’t meet their needs (Jamieson, 2015). An example of precarious work conditions and the effects it can have on people is the case of the life and death of an Amazon temp worker. Jeff was a temp worker who picked and fetched items for an Amazon