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Mrs Kay explained. “Sally does work here, and now, so do I, and John does too. And I don’t think that it will be too long before we have another family member on the team.”
Karen, realising that her mouth was open, promptly closed it. John – Mr Kay –
had been an engineer before –
Mrs Kay interrupted Karen’s train of thought. In practised tones, “While other companies talk about work-life balance, FabCola’s family-friendly policies really do bring work and home together.”
“How so?”
“At FabCola, after initial training, the whole family can work and swap shifts at the same company. Sometimes we all work on the same shift, or one of us might stay home to do the housework, while the rest of the family works here. And if one of us is sick, another takes the shift. The sky’s the limit here: if you have the will, FabCola has the way!”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re free from union obstruction here: we can work as much as we like. Last week I worked 144 hours.”
Karen gasped. “How on earth could you do that?”
“It’s easy,” said Mrs Kay. She took a small vial of pills from her apron pocket. “These blue ones keep you wide awake for 72 hours. Then, pop a red one for four hours of condensed sleep before getting back into your next shift. We’re all on 72/7 now: there’s no going back!”
“Shift rates?”
“Well, no. The whole 9-5 thing has gone right out the window. If you can work 72 hours straight without side effects, then what rationale is there for penalty rates? They’re outdated. I mean, if you’re not being inconvenienced, what right do you have to ask for more? It’s all got to be fair. And FabCola supplies all the pills you need, and at a competitive price, too.”
“But what about little John?” asked Karen, referring to Sally’s three year-old brother.
Mrs Kay beamed. “Oh, he loves it here too! There’s a nursery out the back.”
Karen was taken aback – she’d been orphaned at John’s age. “But who looks after him; keeps him company? You certainly wouldn’t have much time.”
Mrs Kay explained some more. “He doesn’t need me. There’s a flatscreen above his crib, and they have these really neat educational toys.”
“What like?”
“Well, there’s one that actually has him wrapping toy burgers in real wax paper, just like I do out here.” Wistfully, “He’s so lucky to be born now, with all the advantages he’s getting. By the time he’s five, he’ll be fully trained for an entry-level assistant’s position.”
Karen was horrified. “What about school?”
With authority, “FabCola is a registered educational provider. He’ll be able to learn and work during his shifts. Of course, he won’t be eligible for the real money-grabbers – the 72 hour shifts – until he’s twelve. It’s something to do with dosages and body weight or something. So Karen, are you ready to stop wasting time sleeping and attending uni? There’s a whole new world waiting for you here, and a family, too!”
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