Wednesday, November 9, 2022

“That’s Not My Job!”

Having a not-my-job attitude can sometimes be a good philosophy of work. But it has problems too. There is a healthier approach

By Andrew Regnerus, Ontario Construction Coordinator

Labour relations people think more deeply than most when they hear someone say, “Not my job!” (NMJ). Let’s reflect and get a bit philosophical.

First, the picture above (a Photoshopped version of a real incident) is funny. Wow! Things like this happen? And it is also sad.

What do you see?

The line painter just couldn’t be bothered to get off their comfy seat to move the branch.
Was it the line painter’s job to do? Or was the crew short a branch mover?
Was the line painter fed up with many windfall branches after a storm?
Was the line painter union acting in solidarity with the branch mover union? You know, stay out of their work scope or else they’ll be doing yours.

I think the picture depicts a wrong view of work. I’ll get to that, but first let me outline an opposing view: NMJ can be a good philosophy of work.

Stay in Your Lane: It’s Not Your Job!

We are often told to stick to our knitting, to what we are good at, and do our job. This is sometimes helpful: it focuses us on our own work instead of minding others. Had the painting crew moved the branch, the painter could have stayed in their lane—literally!

Work to Rule: It’s Not Your Job!

As a union, we sometimes counsel members to do only their own job in an awareness campaign to draw management’s attention to an unjust lack of resources allocated to our team. Doing the work of others and running all day won’t get us justice!

Covering for the lazy team member makes them lazier and us more tired. Sometimes, NMJ is the posture we should take.

NMJ and Insubordination

Most job descriptions include other duties as assigned. The work now, grieve later principle in labour relations makes any task part of your job when your supervisor says it is. Safety and bad faith aside, until you establish something is not in your scope (e.g., via the grievance procedure), it is your job.

Now, let’s look at the problems of not my job and a healthier approach to work.

A View of the Worker

Regardless of circumstances, the line painter showed their lack of pride in their work in indelible road paint. Although painting that crooked line may come easier for some than others, doing work poorly erodes mental health.

CLAC’s tradition says work and workers were made by a good Creator. Workers are called to do their best to imitate the Creator in all they do. Pride in what you do makes better families, workplaces, and societies.

Common Grace and a Better Place

While the world has plenty of bad—and things much worse than bad road lines—we look for the good. When people work well and treat each other well, it is from a grace that is common among people, regardless of their beliefs. This common grace keeps people from driving cars on sidewalks and allows pedestrians to safely walk alongside traffic.

CLAC, Workplaces, and the Public Good

This common grace tells us that workplaces and other institutions exist for the public good. Your construction, healthcare, or transportation firm and our union, which helps us work safely, with security and good pay, all exist that the public may experience goodness. A straight road line is better for the public good than a crooked one. You can think of better examples based on the work you do.

The Work Community

CLAC sees the workplace as a united community. We have common goals to accomplish together. Those with specialized skill sets (e.g., RN, crane operator) work with others who do many varied general tasks (e.g., PSWs, labourers).

A CLAC line-painting crew would apply straight lines because they work together to ensure the task is performed correctly and safely. Work community emphasizes teamwork. We assemble a car together. We don’t install one small part.

Further, CLAC’s model creates more opportunities for multiskilling. You can learn new tasks, skills, and trades when there aren’t not-my-job barriers preventing you from trying something new.

Conclusion

Carefully mind when it’s our job, your job, and not my job. Work with pride. Work as a team. We are better together.

“That’s Not My Job!”

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