Flexistentialism Welcome Guest | Login or Register

Ok, so I’m officially boycotting Jim Beam brand bourbon.

Here is why.

For those who don’t want to read the article, in a nutshell, Jim Beam management is requiring all assembly line workers to urinate only while on assigned breaks. Urination breaks during the day that aren’t taken during their official breaktime leads to discipline, and 6 offenses results in a firing. People with medical conditions can appeal for more lenient policies, and women who are mensturating must apply for additional bathroom time with Human Resources.

Basically, it has totally dehumanized the employees, treating them at best like children who are in need of potty training, and at worst, like dogs who need to be housebroken. The company even advised the employees to practice peeing at certain times of the day on weekends, so they would be used to it at work.

Its this sort of denial of basic human need that is a serious problem in many of our work environments. Having women report in when they are mensturating? Since when is that your boss’s business?

The original reason given for the policy is that they were worried people were taking smoke breaks, and calling it bathroom breaks, but I think there are better solutions to this than denying everyone the right to urinate when they need too.

The factory has been cited by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, but the factory is appealing the citation, claiming that the policy is fair and appropriate.

So, does anyone know of any good labor-friendly bourbons? I could sure go for some environmentally safe, recycled bottle, labor friendly bourbon right about now.
—Link from Mefi—

Feed on comments to this Post