modules

Driving home from work about 15 years ago I’m listening to the radio. A woman—researcher, social commentator, whatever—talks about the way of the future for humble workers. Modules.

The increase in part-time and casual jobs means workers will construct incomes from work modules. At lunch the other day Andrew tells me he has three jobs—two days a week at a southern community health service, one day at an eastern service, and two days lecturing at a university.

So far I’ve applied for one full-time job. I put a one-day-a-week job in the bin. One is three days a week, and the other casual—a half day or evening as required and no work (and no income) during school holidays.  And I’m about to begin volunteer tutoring with AMES. Piecing it together won’t be easy.

Tomorrow I go to an interview for the casual job. It won’t pay the mortgage, no matter how many half days or evenings I work. Two days a week of reliable uninterrupted income would keep me afloat, with my business just bridging the gap. The business is irregular but up till now it just covers times when the bank balance nudges empty or a big bill crops up.

It’s a strange society where so many complain of being asked to work too long, while many of the rest of us try to manipulate work modules into a mosaic that helps us picture exactly who we are. Andrew tells me he struggles with it.

In 2003 I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday in community health and Tuesday and Thursday in tertiary education. No two days of continuous identity. Both jobs suffer and so do I. Now instead of being two workers, I might end up being four.

    

Rock on.