Blame Your Boss

Three council workers in South Wales have lost their jobs because of using ebay too much; apparently around two hours each day when they should have been working, they were instead trawling for bargains on the net. No great controversy there, right? If somebody were to spend two hours a day watching DVDs in the office, nobody would think it at all untoward for them to lose their job, would they?

But no. The council was also partially to blame, according to union boss Mark Fisher. Some people get addicted to certain websites, you see, and it's the employer's responsibility to ensure temptation is not "put in the way" of staff in this regard.

That's right: self-discipline and resisting temptation are virtues that council workers in South Wales should no longer need. It isn't your own responsibility any more, folks - if you waste your own time, and company time, that's just your boss's fault for trusting you to behave like a responsible adult.

I can't help wondering if the union would have stood up for the workers if they'd been spending two hours a day on cigarette breaks. That at least is a real addiction; but then again, smokers are the new lepers so I can't imagine anybody kicking up a fuss.