Keith, at 16:04 on May 19 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

RS> Pity they dont get paid overtime Keef.

BG> Might be time to stick my nose into this argument, I think.  Although
BG> Lyn is the salaried manager of the Springwood Mitre-10 store, if
BG> circumstances (such as absent weekend staff) require that she work
BG> longer hours than contracted, she is indeed paid overtime, and at very
BG> generous rates indeed.  Funny that.

KR> very (:

Yep, and she laughs all the way to the bank too.

KR> i haven't worked regular shift for a long time now, but we run a 24 hour a 
KR> day 7 day a week operation, so everybody has to help. well i suppose that, 
KR> as i write the rosters, i could do less, but, if you want the guys to be 
KR> happy, then you have to be prepared to do some yourself. also, it is the 
KR> nature of mainframe operations that a lot of the major work has to be done 
KR> out of hours.

Quite so.  Indeed, I used to work for Datacard at Alexandria (before they
changed their name to Computer Accounting Services in the mid-70s) as a COM
operator (that's Computer Output to Microfilm for the plebs), and as you
say, most of the work was overnight stuff, and had to be shipped by 0800
the next day.  That place was busier at night than at any other time too.

KR> because of this, i have been able to negotiate overtime pay, the pay is 
KR> generous although, if you do too much, jackboot johnny and the canberra 
KR> homosexuals take too much of it to make it worthwhile.

John "no-new-or-increased-taxes" Howard, you mean?  NFSE.

KR> it would be possible to make 6 figures, but there is a law of dimminishing 
KR> returns, and it is nice to get home sometimes. actually, this is pretty 
KR> acedemic, if current negotiations, come to fruition, i'll be giving up most 
KR> overtime payments in a couple of months in return for a 50% pay rise, and 
KR> no more regular o/t.

Nice to see you'll have finally made it into the realm of the big boys.  :)

KR> what you get in the computer business is very dependent on what you can 
KR> convince people to give you,

Very true.

KR> it is just unfortunate that some are too thick to realise that (:

Things were obviously much different way back in his day...  :)

Regards, Bill

--- Msgedsq/2 3.20