Pros
It's a job Some of my colleagues are great Capable workers can climb the ranks Two paid tea breaks per 8 hours
Cons
Very low pay compared to other sites, and incoherent pay grades. Those with extra skills and responsibilities are paid the same or only slightly more than unskilled agency workers. Likewise, those working shifts which has them working weekends, bank holidays, nights, and other antisocial hours are usually compensated only a few pence more for their sacrifice. Office staff have nothing but contempt for the staff on the factory floor actually doing the work. Since we are non-unionised and have an onsite agency with its ready pool of migrant labour, management get away with treating us like dirt. Subsequently several long-term employees have left due to shift changes and suppressed wages. Machinery constantly breaks down and is never replaced or properly repaired. Most of the workers (agency and contracted) are Eastern European, who prefer to communicate in their own languages (Russian is the lingua franca.) This can make for a difficult, uncomfortable, and even downright hostile working environment for others. If the management had any sort of respect for its employees, it would institute an English-only policy to ensure workplace dignity. Likewise, the Lithuanians and Latvians who run the onsite agency blatantly discriminate in favour of their own kind and are rude and unhelpful towards locals and other migrants--it seems they only give locals work when they are absolutely desperate for staff, and then try to get rid of them as quickly as possible. On of the few factories in the area without a full canteen with menu. The microwaves and machines we are supplied with are usually broken or empty. Unfair when people are working 12 hour days!