Marionettes

Reading this piece on Pret A Manger's policies with regard to their employees' behaviors--enforced happiness as the article suggests--I thought I was watching a movie called "The Stepford Employees."  Only it's real.  Bone-chilling real.

Pret A Manger--never heard of them before reading the article--is a chain of sandwich shops that began in England and has expanded to the east coast of the U.S.  They're big in what might be called Yuppievilles--those sections of large U.S. cities that cater to young professionals.  Apparently--and this is something I've felt for a long time, as one who spent nearly thirty years in the private sector--your mind and your body are no longer enough.  Corporations are more and more demanding your soul as well, in what is becoming known as "emotional labor."   It's not enough to get the customer what he or she wants, take their money, and thank them.  No, now they want you to make them feel special as well.

It's not surprising that this would be aimed at the wealthy--who else wouldn't just be satisifed with good customer serivice but think they're entitled to a back rub and a hand job, too?  And think those same employees who are damn well supposed to meet their every whim are overpaid at $7.25 an hour?

Perhaps Corporate America could start hiring more makeup artists--they could paint the smiles on our lips, the rosy round circles on our cheeks, and attach the strings to our arms and legs.  Then we could all be exactly what corporate employers are looking for:  inexpensive puppets.

And this has been another installment of "Why We Need Strong Labor Unions...."

Peace,
emaycee