Wholesales shun mothers, 'old' people
A number of wholesale stores in Kingston's busy Cross Roads area are refusing to hire people over 23 years old, claiming that they are old, a Sunday Observer probe has uncovered. At the same time, at least one store owner is averse to employing women with children as, he said, mothers are unreliable.
(Click here to read the rest of the slackness these people are keeping up.)
You've got to be kidding me? Dem tings still going on in this day and age? Maybe it's because I'm in America why I'm sitting at my desk fairly trembling in disbelief. If anyone tries that here it would be a straight lawuit before they'd even finished explaining... or so I'd like to think. Clearly it's because this is happening in Cross Roads and below why no one has jumped up to high about it in Jamaica. Because I definitely know that had it been upper middle class or upper class being subjected to this kind of treatment in New Kingston it wouldn't go so. And probably the same thing goes for over here too. (Yes people, the first blush is gone, live here long enough and you see that the same tings that gwaan a yard, happen right over here big and bold in the U S of A.)
But no, I'm sorry, maybe it's because my pride hurting me because I'm now on my way out to pasture at over 24 years old — with a child no less! — lawks, life looking bad. Is this what Jamaica has come to? I'm sorry to pull out the emancipation, slavery and independence card, but really now, after all that, we come to this? Just last week I was explaining to my boss about Jamaica's national heroes and what they went through, especially about Nanny of the Maroons who alledgedly caught a couple bullets in her backside.
The sad thing is that the "old people" (have to put it in quotations because that over 23 stipulation is madness) and the mothers probably had something to do with it too, cause you know we're a stubborn set of people from day and nuff people love skull work and school whenever they can. At the same time though I know I have to thank God because I have a boss with two children who understands that sometimes stuff does happen. Like week before last I hadn't even been at work 10 mins after coming in late because I had to stay home with the Moo, when braps is the day care that calling, telling me to come back for her because she had "uncontained" poo again. Nuff people not so understanding. I don't know what irks me worse, the wholesale manager or the Pay and Conditions Employment branch manager who carried on about the law. Slack and out of order.
But such is life on the rock.
Update: October, 28, 2007
Interesting, don't you think, that this story ran in Friday's Gleaner?
'Labour laws need to be amended'
Nevertheless, I'm sure that laws must exist dealing with what the Sunday Observer investigative piece covered. And if they don't, it's a crying shame and a sorry indictment on our country.
7 comments:
This is more than outrageous. I can't believe this sort of backward mentality is actually being encouraged. Where are the laws to protect persons against this form of discrimination?
Thanks for sharing this article. I'm thinking of blogging about it from another angle.
Jamaican Dawta: Hopefully later today or tomorrow I'll have some time to look into the law side of things. I just find it hard to believe that in this day and age there is no law to pre-empt this sort of behaviour.
The sad thing (in addition to the Pay and Conditions Employment branch manager's behaviour) is that there probably IS a law, but there isn't any knowledge about workers' rights — just like most of us know nothing about the Jamaican constitution.
Reality of it is that Jamaican legal system moves so slowly and by time cases are called life has moved on. Sad though...
scratchie: I think that might be the saddest part of all. Because just because life has moved on doesn't mean that the point should't be pursued. But then again, how much does it cost? If it's going to empty your pocket to prove a point when you've already moved on, then I wouldn't bother either.
first of all, the guy's interpretation of stability is oh so flawed. i manage a bank and i can tell you for certain that young workers can be some of the most unstable parts of the workforce because of the lack of maturity...more so than our mothers in the workplace. this guy won't be in business making any real profit for long if he is going to discriminate like that. that's just ignorant. it has been statistically proven that the older you are, the less you will be likely to take off from work (all else equal). So mi nuh know weh him a chat bout, but mek him gwan bad and as soon as the bad press really start fi lick im, den maybe him will change him tune. cho!! now i'm upset. *kiss mi teeth*
Aurie: I agree with you that his logic is flawed. but to play devil's advocate, obviously he's had some experience with "unstable" mothers that have led him to that conclusion. it's really sad though that he sees fit to generalize and paint ALL mothers with that brush.
I have been to these places before and wondered myself why the staff all were all young girls..
what a shame.
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