Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
6.5
Carrying Out Additional Work to Ensure Financial
Independence
Underpayment and/or overwork are typical of many exploitative political and eco-
nomic systems. In particular, underpayment is used in WPR systems, probably to
enable PoPs to maximise their profits. Exploitation of workers also makes them feel
vulnerable and probably less likely to question the system. As a result, many work-
ers in WPR systems, including ICT and automation pioneers, needed an additional
job in order to survive (Wojsznis 2013, private communication).
Leading Designer 4 could have easily obtained additional work in ICT and auto-
mation, similarly to most of the other pioneers. However, he preferred to continue
the practice of working as a freelance translator that he had started while a student.
This had a number of advantages and, in particular, made him financially indepen-
dent of the PoPs in ICT and automation. Fortunately, PoPs in different areas of work
were totally independent of each other. He was accepted by the local PoP in transla-
tion, as his main motivation was financial and therefore comprehensible to PoPs.
This financial independence meant that Leading Designer 4 was in a position to
reject incompetent decisions of the PoPs in ICT and automation without needing to
worry about his family's financial security. He obtained approximately equal
incomes from design and translation but spent only about a quarter of his time on
translation, as it was much better paid. This solution is not suitable for all designers,
since it requires possession of another totally unrelated skill in an area of work that
pays relatively well. Otherwise, too much time would lost from design work.
However, the need to reduce the amount of time spent on design in order not to
experience overwork was the other main problem.
In the late 1970s, IASE obtained a large order to provide automation for the
Żarnowiec nuclear power plant which was then under construction. Leading
Designer 4 was invited to join the project by the local PoP. However, he soon
realised that the design teams included a mixture of competent and incompetent
designers. Although at that time he had too little knowledge to recognise the ethical
and other problems associated with nuclear power, he was aware that competent
designers were essential for this type of safety critical application. Leading Designer
4 withdrew his whole team from the project as he recognised that the design
approach was unsatisfactory and therefore highly dangerous and courting disaster.
He was therefore not surprised by the subsequent accident at Chernobyl. A local
PoP tried to put pressure on him through the threat of losing his job but desisted
when he realised that this would enable Leading Designer 4 to earn twice as much
by working full time on translation. His colleagues who worked full time in ICT and
automation were totally dependent on the PoPs in this domain for their continuing
employment. Action taken against them by PoPs would therefore also result in the
inability to obtain any work in automation and ICT and therefore total loss of
income. They were consequently vulnerable to pressure from PoPs.
As a professional English translator, Leading Designer 4 had to ensure that his
knowledge of English remained current. This knowledge was also valuable in
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