[Winona Online Democracy]
Hello Jim and Winona Online Democracy,
Jim Galewski raises some good points about people who abuse sick days.
As I see it, we are now talking about two issues. One issue is a basic
human right to take care of oneself and sick family members (sick leave
benefits). The other issue is the problem of people who abuse the benefit.
When I was in school, between 7th and 12th grades, I only missed one and a
half days in all of those years. (I can still remember the reasons for the
one and a half days.) At my High School Graduation, I was one of 3
students who received an award for perfect attendance throughout high
school. I'm a person who doesn't take sick days.
At the same time, my first child has had almost no illnesses in his 3 and
1/2 years of life while my daughter had 11 ear infections in her first two
years of life. Over the last two years, I have had to take sick days to
stay at home with my sick daughter. I do not like being gone but I have to
be. Sick leave is sometimes a necessity in order to take care of younger
or older relatives.
There are many other ways to deal with the problems of those people who
abuse sick days. That issue should be kept separate from the more central
problem of the basic human right to have access to sick days.
Empolyees at TRW and every other company in the country should have at
least 12 sick days, if not more.
Dwayne Voegeli
P.S. Regarding the college professors who miss classes, I think students
should figure divide their tuition by how many days they are in a course to
figure out how much they are paying for each class day (after a small
amount is subtracted for university overhead costs). When a professor
misses a class, the students should be refunded the amount that class day
cost them or the university should find qualified people to be a substitute
for the day.
============================
>From: Jim Galewski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: 'Dwayne Voegeli' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: RE: [Winona] Sick leave -- acting like the two rats?
>Date: Wed, 9 May 2001 10:21:40 -0500
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>I don't think I've ever used a sick day, yet there have always been people I
>work with who use the as though they were entitled to them.
>I'm sure the teaching profession has the same mix. I recall from college
>days seeing a note on the classroom door informing students there would be
>no class, yet I have a close friend who has been a professor for many many
>years who has yet to use a sick day.
>
>I think the "number" of sick days a company offers is an unfortunate
>consideration in job value. I understand the need for the language in the
>egregious union setting, and I see value in families where both parents
>work, but if you are "sick" 10 to 12 days a year You are a pretty sick
>employee.
>If you teach 180 days a year and need 12 sick days... well.
>
>I was hospitalized for a week two years ago. I used vacation.
>My wife had open heart surgery- I took an afternoon off.
>
>I better quit, now I'm starting to resent folks who abuse sick days - those
>are the folks that come to mind when sick days come to mind
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dwayne Voegeli [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 8:25 AM
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: [Winona] Sick leave -- acting like the two rats?
>
>
>[Winona Online Democracy]
>
>Hello Terry and Winona Online Democracy,
>
>Terry Angst asked a question about the number of sick days teachers receive.
>
>In regards to the amount of sick days average working people recieve.
>
>As I see it, average working people can do one of two things. They could:
>
>1. Resent and be envious of other average working people's hard won gains
>and then try to lower them to the sad and pititul benefits they recieve
>from their employer. It's like the two rats that are in the bottom of the
>hole and when someone throws a stone at them they fight with each other
>instead of focussing their energy on getting out of the hole and figuring
>out why someone put them in the hole in the first place.
>
>or...
>
>2. Realize we are all in the same boat together and that we should be
>thankful when anyone receives a more just pay and benefit package. We
>should all work together to raise each other's standards. If people simply
>wait for the rich and powerful to give them more, they are foolish slaves
>who know nothing about the history of kings, queens, emperors, and robber
>barons.
>
>We should all work together to raise everyone's standards across our
>community, country, and the globe. (For the record, I think unions should
>do a better job of raising everyone's standards, not just their own. )
>
>If not, we are acting like modern day peasants who are pitted in a race to
>the bottom against each other while the kings and queens sit back and laugh
>at us. NAFTA, WTO, FTAA, and teacher bashing are all connected.
>
>Will we work together or fight over crumbs?
>
>Dwayne Voegeli
>
>----------------------------------
>
>>Date: Tue, 08 May 2001 16:47:56 -0500
>>From: Terry Angst <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>X-Accept-Language: en
>>MIME-Version: 1.0
>>To: On Line Democracy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>Subject: [Winona] Sick leave
>>Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>Precedence: bulk
>>
>>[Winona Online Democracy]
>>
>>I would be interested in knowing how 12 days of sick leave a year
>>compares to what is offered by the private sector in the Winona area. I
>>am an hourly employee of TWR and am not offered any sick leave.
>>
>>Is 12 days about the average amount for the rest of you?
>>
>>Terry Angst
>>
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>
>
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