The Benefit of Autonomy and Control: A Positive Characteristic of the Home Health Aide Position

Home Health Aides’ (HHAs) are one of the fastest growing workforces in the country, yet the industry struggles to recruit new aides into the field and retain current workers. This study explored HHAs’ experiences with the level of autonomy and control granted to them within their day-to-day work. Findings from six focus groups with 37 HHAs showed that many aides select home care because of the control and independence the positions offer. Interacting one-on-one with clients and being able to self-structure their daily tasks were major benefits that drew HHAs to the field. Additionally, the HHAs highlighted the control they have over their schedule and the flexibility the position offers to enable them to accommodate other responsibilities, like childcare or other jobs. Being able to decline a client because of travel distance, the hours required, or not feeling that it is a “good fit” was also a welcomed aspect of the position. Despite complaints about the job, such as low pay, lack of benefits, and limited support, many of the HHAs admitted staying on in their positions because of the flexibility, autonomy, and control provided. Findings highlight the value that HHAs place on autonomy and control and the potential benefit that these job qualities have for promoting greater recruitment and retention of the home care workforce. Amplifying opportunities for these aspects of the job may thus entice new individuals to pursue a career as an HHA, as well as help to maintain those individuals currently in the position.

The Forgotten Labour of Craft

Over the last decade, firms positioning themselves as craft or artisanal have proliferated in the urban environments of the Global North. Selling themselves as community hubs, friendly neighbours, anticorporate crusaders, and environmental stewards, craft industries – craft breweries, artisanal bakeries, heritage clothing manufacturers, and the like – have effectively insulated themselves from critique. Hidden beneath this veneer, however, are the accounts of countless workers detailing experiences of harassment, overwork, low pay, and discrimination. Motivated by the methodological orientation of workers’ inquiry, this article recounts attitudes and experiences offered by craftworkers and craftspeople about their working conditions, motivations, and attempts to organize in craft industries, particularly craft brewing. Worker testimony reveals a profound disconnect between the optimistic industrial mythologies offered up by craft discourse and the rigid hierarchies, unequal division of labour, and toxic cultures many observed in their workplaces. Contrary to the pervasive artisanal allure that motivates many workers to seek out work in craft brewing and similar industries, the research presented here also suggests new levels of working-class consciousness and solidarity emerging in these industries and profiles attempts by craft brewery workers to organize their workplaces and fight to improve conditions. Au cours de la dernière décennie, les entreprises se positionnant comme artisanales ont proliféré dans les environnements urbains du Nord mondial. Se propageant comme des centres communautaires, des voisins amicaux, des militants qui luttent contre les entreprises et des gardiens de l’environnement, les industries artisanales – brasseries, boulangeries, fabricants de vêtements patrimoniaux, etc. – se sont efficacement isolées de la critique. Cachés sous ce vernis, cependant, se trouvent les récits d’innombrables travailleurs détaillant leur expérience de harcèlement, de surmenage, de bas salaire et de discrimination. Motivé par l’orientation méthodologique de l’enquête ouvrière, cet article raconte l’attitude et l’expérience offertes par les artisans sur leurs conditions de travail, leurs motivations et leurs tentatives d’organisation dans les industries artisanales, en particulier l’artisanat brassicole. Le témoignage des travailleurs révèle une profonde déconnexion entre les mythologies industrielles optimistes offertes par le discours artisanal et les hiérarchies rigides, la division inégale du travail et les cultures toxiques que beaucoup observent sur leur lieu de travail. Contrairement à l’attrait artisanal omniprésent qui motive de nombreux travailleurs à chercher du travail dans la brasserie artisanale et les industries similaires, la recherche présentée ici suggère également de nouveaux niveaux de conscience et de solidarité de la classe ouvrière émergeant dans ces industries et décrit les tentatives des travailleurs des brasseries artisanales d’organiser leur lieu de travail et lutter pour améliorer les conditions.

Domestic workers in New Zealand and the implications of International Labour Organization Convention No. 189

<p>There are an estimated 52.6 million domestic workers in the world, 83 per cent of whom are women, and many of whom work in poor conditions for low pay. Globally, domestic work is an under-regulated and under-valued sector. In an effort to address the precariousness of domestic work, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention No 189, concerning decent work for domestic workers. The Convention came into force on 5 September 2013. It provides for global minimum standards in areas in respect to which domestic workers should enjoy employment and social protection. The rights of domestic workers in New Zealand are addressed in a number of pieces of legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and the Human Rights Act 1993. Although some categories of domestic worker receive protection under the legislation, others do not. This paper argues that the coverage of domestic workers in New Zealand is confusing and incomplete. For many domestic workers in New Zealand low pay and poor working conditions are a reality. If New Zealand’s domestic workers are to receive the same protection as other New Zealand employees and those domestic workers in nations that have ratified Convention No 189, then ratification of the Convention and associated domestic legislative change may be necessary to bring domestic law into line with international labour law. In the absence of ratification there are a number of options that could be pursued to improve the working lives of domestic workers in New Zealand.</p>

Domestic workers in New Zealand and the implications of International Labour Organization Convention No. 189

<p>There are an estimated 52.6 million domestic workers in the world, 83 per cent of whom are women, and many of whom work in poor conditions for low pay. Globally, domestic work is an under-regulated and under-valued sector. In an effort to address the precariousness of domestic work, the International Labour Organization adopted Convention No 189, concerning decent work for domestic workers. The Convention came into force on 5 September 2013. It provides for global minimum standards in areas in respect to which domestic workers should enjoy employment and social protection. The rights of domestic workers in New Zealand are addressed in a number of pieces of legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and the Human Rights Act 1993. Although some categories of domestic worker receive protection under the legislation, others do not. This paper argues that the coverage of domestic workers in New Zealand is confusing and incomplete. For many domestic workers in New Zealand low pay and poor working conditions are a reality. If New Zealand’s domestic workers are to receive the same protection as other New Zealand employees and those domestic workers in nations that have ratified Convention No 189, then ratification of the Convention and associated domestic legislative change may be necessary to bring domestic law into line with international labour law. In the absence of ratification there are a number of options that could be pursued to improve the working lives of domestic workers in New Zealand.</p>

Juvenile and youth crime: current state and prospects

The official decline in registered crime rates is associated with a high level of its latency, new forms and methods of its commission, «computerization of crime» and an artificial redistribution of public attention to extremist crime and corruption. Russian crime continues to be self-serving, violent, and organized. A factor of its latency is the problem of the young people’s career placing in the job and low pay for their work. The Internet is actively used by «criminal IT specialists» in drug trafficking, deliberately false reports of acts of terrorism; juveniles and young people are chosen as perpetrators of crimes and as victims of crimes. They are also characterized by participation in the organization of prostitution, illegal arms trafficking, and self-serving violent crimes. The family remains both the factor of juvenile and youth crime, and the main subject of its prevention. The adoption of the criminogenic draft law «On the prevention of domestic violence», the legalization of the drug market and the authorization of the use of methadone in Russia are unacceptable. Prevention of crimes committed by juveniles, young people and their families is a priority, it should be based on the developed state ideology. It is based on morality, patriotism, healthy lifestyle, and law-abiding behavior. A return to the priority of international law is essential. This will preserve the system of prevention and suppression of the most dangerous types of crimes using mechanisms of international control and interaction.

Pergeseran Mata Pencaharian Petani

This paper aims to examine the problem of decreasing agricultural land in Namlea village which has become a new infrastructure development area so that it shifts the function of land out of the agricultural sector. The problem is focused on shifting land use which makes workers in the agricultural sector less and less which affects productivity. This study seeks to identify the impact of urbanization and the diversification actions taken by the community on their agricultural land as an effort to fulfill their daily needs. This study uses a qualitative approach and the number of informants to be interviewed is 15 people who are taken purposively. The research was conducted in Namlea Village, Buru Regency with informants including village officials, BPD members, representatives of community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders plus community representatives who are considered to have competencies related to the research objectives. This study uses observation data collection techniques and in-depth interviews. The analytical technique used in this research is qualitative data analysis following the concept given by Miles and Huberman and Spradley. This study concludes that the impact of land conversion results in the limitations of farmers in Namlea Village to access the jobs they have been getting to meet their daily needs and have to do other jobs of course with low pay, all of this is done solely to meet household needs.

Job Satisfaction of Health Assistants in Selected Upazila Health Complexes of Bangladesh

Health assistants play an important role in providing primary health care among the rural population in Bangladesh. Their improper working performance can hamper the entire nations’ health care. Proper productivity is related to the job satisfaction and job satisfaction is the result of attitude and behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the job satisfaction level among health assistants working in selected Upazila Health Complex (UHC). 203 health assistants were interviewed through purposive sampling technique from four UHCs in the Dhaka district. Out of 203 respondents, 114 were female and 89 were male where Mean± SD was 38.80 ±7.62. The highest 109 (53.7%) participants had 1-10 years of working experience and 104 (51.2%) respondents had monthly income between 18000 -23000 BDTK. The percentage of neutral, satisfied and unsatisfied participants’ was 65%, 28% and 7%, respectively. There was significant (P < 0.05) relationship between job satisfaction and getting medical allowance, training opportunity and salary. Job nature such as security, meaningless, pride and enjoying, support colleagues such as supervisor and coworkers, acceptance by both the community and oneself were identified as the satisfied items where low and fair opportunities for promotion, low increment, and low pay, no praise, high work pressure, and null administrative capacity were found as dissatisfied factors of job. On the basis of these findings, policy makers and concerned authorities could take necessary steps for increasing the level of job satisfaction of health assistants.

Job Satisfaction of Health Assistants in Selected Upazila Health Complexes of Bangladesh

Health assistants play an important role in providing primary health care among the rural population in Bangladesh. Their improper working performance can hamper the entire nations’ health care. Proper productivity is related to the job satisfaction and job satisfaction is the result of attitude and behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the job satisfaction level among health assistants working in selected Upazila Health Complex (UHC). 203 health assistants were interviewed through purposive sampling technique from four UHCs in the Dhaka district. Out of 203 respondents, 114 were female and 89 were male where Mean± SD was 38.80 ±7.62. The highest 109 (53.7%) participants had 1-10 years of working experience and 104 (51.2%) respondents had monthly income between 18000 -23000 BDTK. The percentage of neutral, satisfied and unsatisfied participants’ was 65%, 28% and 7%, respectively. There was significant (P &lt; 0.05) relationship between job satisfaction and getting medical allowance, training opportunity and salary. Job nature such as security, meaningless, pride and enjoying, support colleagues such as supervisor and coworkers, acceptance by both the community and oneself were identified as the satisfied items where low and fair opportunities for promotion, low increment, and low pay, no praise, high work pressure, and null administrative capacity were found as dissatisfied factors of job. On the basis of these findings, policy makers and concerned authorities could take necessary steps for increasing the level of job satisfaction of health assistants.

Incarcerated Workers’ Self-Organizing Contributes to Abolition Movements against Global Apartheid

Incarcerated workers across Canadian prisons have organized and conducted strike actions. These actions, however, have been rejected by the Canadian state, on the basis that the incarcerated workers are not legally employees. The court ruling ( Guérin et al. v. Canada 2018), while accepting evidence of the prisoners’ material hardships from their low pay and from reprisals for striking, excluded them from the legal protections of employees and thus devalued the prisoners’ labour. The self-organizing efforts reveal the levels of inequality experienced by incarcerated workers in the ruling order of global apartheid, “in which race and mobility feature as primary variables for which heightened security and militarization are the answer” ( Besteman 2020 , 1). This article discusses the effects of prisoners’ organizing in the larger context of social justice. In so doing it examines cultural texts that document interactions between organizers inside and outside prisons and their contribution toward alternatives to carceral cultures. This article argues that the cultural production by prisoners and their supporters express the conditions in which prisoner self-organizing is necessary for larger social transformation. The creation and nurturing of collective relationships with one another, both within and across prison walls, clarify common grounds for liberation struggles, and connect envisioned freedoms to overthrow the various forces that enclose communities and hold significant numbers of us captive.