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5/13/1974 - Rules by Richard J. Balzer

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Br aclway Lot Saus Masso 01905 H Mr Richard H Nolte Immtitute Current World affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York 10017 Western Eleetrle Merrimack Valley employs I0 people R The company could believes eoerate efffcfe7 without establlshim pamphlets dieal everae issuramee tultim paget pleas Ivea aumSe Deeple werkia teeter eerta rules relatiems meeessary thattbuslmess oftCompamy competed orderly mammer Ifare employees preteetedo foumded Richard Balzer Institute Fellow exploring effects social economic change lower mlddle class America RJB dealaettrules dwrrs reactionst theday lunch andtend theday Itisaelelentw fhamdllnK large reups Igamwork cursurssr Jaek calledmedanoth worker JIs talked safety about absenteeism He about cpamy eeeted ething epamy eected Kettim atyrnchesreadytworkat6 hesaid If I arrive fifteen minutes early caught minute Jack elamed would clock heeeetedustee Inrworkareatill lastthinK Jack there plant minute breaks I exact imyrseat andreadyt workwhentellmarkimtheend ftreak Wanting right tried fifteen minutes before A M startln meant hadtogetpat5 wasamazedthatm matterhearly seemedtoarrive dmumevfDerealreadsitting gamearlymoralmcudfcoffeerasmoke Afewplehabltally minute puaehla early If decide extra minutes flnls beard Jan punch mlmute mlmute paychecks Repeated lateness money payckeek aetlee It sufficient reason replanted workmyalarmdldm tgooffomormlng andwhmIwokep itwas Instead SIb panicked hurried thrsuh brusi myteeth and8iIDpimnmYclothes andwasttedeerinless fiminutes IabdSoreadandateitemtway pushintheear speed limit mirror pellcemam keart peundlm Xt usually takes thirty minutes drive plant I eertalm I crazy rolled parkim raced imtetlamt Sie allewd redced laughable quick welkin Sewkat reath I reached dlscr someonehadpunchedme Imtdayawomantoldmesedpunched In She flared A11 names citanged RJB Xtt brief experience punching someene meraim Her frequencyaround lunchtime especiallybyplewhchoose cafeteria Since while peram inupstairs cafeteria people Te Y I ertulmte I rushed I about minutes I elked amazin I close II rsupervisor bench Glad could today I related suoervisor remark elder wrker He shook disbe Lek going rushing If I couple times I I going myself Bell I years glvlmg medals I break punching against rules leavim early aaimst rules People begin cleanim about mimutas workplace cleaned their majority people clock cards poised hands waitimK three As cards clock placed their slots arefen addash waitin RjB limed uched I meetlyitill Ihtthecementntherside I Kan opened summer startedte I seemed traffic always fifteen minutes I sweat stalmed In I decided mapazie while before parklm Nevertheless quickly My teaaim iaamattpt teattru eaniagas aeeldents andtheempy haslenhad aruleaainstruaniaKimt pleat deelded strictly emfree The apaay crackdown rumminE senda memeramdum areumd restatn Yt pheteraphers around decumemt rumnn fma11F posted supervsers cerrdera menterse Te stepped people raaing plant However instead running variety quick walkim teehaioues Mayo develed withthe pervlsersstaadiintcorridors eplesldeUntil passt statloas people Intparkla their feetstartmgmerea dmrequicklyand walkurms TMe ether avoid leave early If leave early clock properly money eecassenally worker minutes early aaetr worker clock remer nervously waitla clock Swantedteetheteseernewaadhildand shedidm twast fiEMt crowd asked I puaeM Met I andfiveminutesferethreeseeamwalkiaKtetexitnear herear TMe which start alsornsmarklntebeKinaiaEmadtendeftheday stwotea minute Mreakm efirst ether Is Int afternoonfromI0 rlntMeseefflalMres rules pertaimia smekia relaxed smoke In desiated areas You supposed break ethetleally thansydvetbeim twardyIrchairefretell aamuaeingtheendfthereak Inpaetiee epledn telrworkareasuntlItebellsua Ssuperv verystrletaboutstartiawrkasseaast break Isver Jack reaetia depended pmwproduction aerally IenK retraed prptlywhentheIIraa Hev eeassi Ifyure little ymIEtfindhimbver veryourenehwaftinKfryu He rarely anythia leaked stern RJ8 eleek restricts persenal mevement reduein perieds which things allwed It rutinlzes regimemting persomal meeds workinF umdoubtedly reduces wrkin peeple cemin leavin early Its resenee rules surround create htility wrkers As Ira dentt tells where where start tstep An therwomantId reforced tllveytheelkamd theirrulea ewaymamywerkers react presenttiaeelk efibreutwaste ektremeve atleastpartCfaneassinaldmrfrteleek entrl company aside minutes durinF person vendin machimes TWemty minutes minute reaks Sm theeretieally twemty mimutes durim matters A sense greatly influenced bythesupervisr sattitude NeuralwmtIdmethatteyhadked forbosseswretywereafraidtet eysaidtheyalmthad askpermissimtoototheat Ireermedayatlunch fells watehim supnesed watehim predeti I O B hastitswe teevensiantwherewe reimt Or superviser YeU pretty athreemrvendinmchimeswbemeverywanted Nertheless mestsur umeeeupied flnlsed restless sothID ccupy fumetieas Maypeopleusetheathrems place readamrninpaper Im thinks ueptitl I watched sllnDed newspaper umder shirt Kelng athrm I weuld small maazis mevle magazlaes In purse I earrled pperaeks Te bathroem place importer infrequently fered brkem Smkim restrted certai areas eertaim tisefd Basicallyyarealledtekeenlyrlntetwe asmears batemIstheplacewremamybreakt esmkim place occasional might because eneuh Althuh aIlewed Mest bathreem Itts chela smekmr Therefere often filled I speak authorlty about women bathreems athreeas there times durln itreule stall Y listenin rustlin paper watch smoke vettclesed stall Like aaiast sekin there ether rules which cmpany which chseses either enfsrce seleetiveiy strictly TWs rules aaiast fakin ellectiens aaist selin plant There states there eellectins Dlant The rationale clleeti R peeple therwise seial pressure Se eempamy restricts nlamt celleetins United Fund which aided manaKemeat effort cllect plant plaat ellecti restricted emerffencies If weren plant Drablv overwhelmed 4aily eetins Ia plalt where there I0 people which smene family Yet within small Kreups etins permitted There elleetiems inaway parties serigus illnesses deaths werkers family Often cards ackaewledin cellectle pested Js agast cellectiems selectively emfereed ellag tplat Is effectively eereed existence sense weren tkusand thias plant tefletries insurance Peepleareawareefterule 5uttyreakit latarea where there usisses R3 B I9 RJB Ome which sister They pepula On front ceuld marne imscribed refleetiem creatin pattern Om eeuld paimted picture speuse irlfremd Muff It I pepular The ether busimess I watched busimess One yemer werkers Im Kelf humtim eeuple buddies They weuld water traps eeurses areud Mass achusetts Vermemt New Hmpshire retrieve erramt ballSe Ia Jly Jeel begam briagiag small balls weuld ethers I The spread quickly Jeel belmK visitedymere There rules cempamy feels strely abeut emferce Tese rules imclue drimkim strictly emfereed mpamy emplees drimklmsaddprelemse Aeeuelinservicekaseemestablished these admit Strm latiens Nevertless lauhlmly abeut these werkers after lumeb litete astrellteutparkilot Beim amlimg immediate dismissal The ambllm eempaay centered tnumbers ether raeketeeted aware large pepulatlem attracti racketeers cepa7 wants prefect weers aalmst limits eeuld gbling under eomtroe That deesmet amblln Kees Fer hewever limited small Fer three three aditateacheak emwhe ceuldttIreietteMutt receptacle ewemam played censtemt wiere After series abets cellected rpetasai IeemhereIeneuh tebeeed atthlse Tere plavag durnK lumeh Suppeeedly meneV cbaae It bettia Most workers talked realize rules However number rules company employed oppressive ORe usually roland outterules toldme erearetoomaruleshera t0sjust reakla Amotlsr someone reprtmamded breaki durmg afteras break mversati about rules Mary thirds chamKi stand stuff Jack gives Im Imdiately metDiane ecamleek atrall hewants lltake herti I I brought taught followwt Esther questlems ekids different afraid Jeanne I The comply change Te years ifywere pants little dress short started sqawkln there really dress Ruth looked Tern years would fired wearing their cmpany Jeanne added think Vletnm things started ehaaia marking break sounded eaded seats Hie Tey walls classes experiments their schedules You think rules around after Probably As schools ehanKe structure family chames patter socialization ebame facterles The company already affected demands yeuer workers looser structures As demands cntinue camges probably Th restrictive rules factory uestern Electric rules public R because majority people enaed aetlvltes choice Xt unfortunate sltuatien company aware People generally because economic because Eleti ebsly mtold I aSout place II there anthe place dressesIiimotherplacesI0worked Inhere pleedressedwell emeuk teetdaneimKfrty Cmpar_ativelyt Western Fleetric certainly place Nevertheless people interest Te company intricate rules minimize distraction maintsin prdut schedule Im system there tensions etwee company meeds individ meeds By settia rules company helps foster atmosphere Te company power source authority cemes eworkers edinK withintsteture company beees cetamtly eresses itself variety efays For example R usually ropes other workmrs This includes about rules theme This information helps sense solidarity workerse That breakin represents simple disreardin order often serves other fumetlons allowln awrrteeressssere efrsenlcntrel hisemv stratin prmetln slidarity worsts ORe clearest examples multi faceted nature breakia smekin Wem I memtl dlsrearded people smoke freely bathr R utsiders emerally suggest coronary cared workers would readln smokin areas Perhaps wltkout tryin understand people smoke athrmom would msslw point Somehow imthebathroombests asense fsafety ofbeimayfromt vlser minutes worker found smoke possibly importantly place whichs desiated Siae feels emeds oneds places 4esiated company epany wishes It ndiaK express personal freed fromtiastitieaal reiatatlea Te solidarity forbidden vilated Once I R supervisor walkmd everyone supervisor quickly wither anythin smokla structured being somethin llegal become satisfying Within certain limits breakln rules disruptive cmpamy It Is Inered Im infrequently major breaekes ofrulesoccurwltlatplant Iftheco amychoseteenforceallof RB Mst workers Ive talked realize rules nuaberseesome esthattheempaays andtwaytheyare ployed oppressive usually roland rules tooua rules It school place place place reaklaE Am reprimanded breakin afterm evrsatis rules Mary thins chamoiS stand stuff Jack gives Xera Im Imdlately wants Diane mttatIwanttooackte itsjsttatwem wasbrought taught fellowwt Eather uestioms ekids different afraid Iike Jeanne II company chane Ten years pants little tight dress short Bt started squawkin there really isnot Ruth looked Tea years would fired wearim Ion their cmpany Joamme added I think Kd Vletmam things started ehamia The marking break sounded eaded seats Rwie Tey walls classes experiments their schedules Yu think rules around after Probably As schools ehanKe structure Family chames patterns seializatlsa ehame R already affected demands yuaer rkers leser structures As demands cntinue changes probably Tere restrictive rules factory uestern Electric there rules public because majority people enaged activities chiee Xt unfortunate situation which company aware People enerally eause eomomle because E1et obsly bitch about place there another place thatl dratherxzerk Iy ntsseps dressesliimetherplacesI Inhereepleedressedwell enough tootdancimKfrty RJ B Cmpar_atively Western F lectric certaimly place Nevertheless people interest eempamy imtrieate rules minlmze dlstraeti maitim prduet schedule Im system there temsiemm cempamy needs imdivid uales By setti rules company helps foster atmosphere Te company pwerful authority cemes eworkers edinte livewithintsteturete eempamy ality eetamty eress itself variety efays For example worker usually ropes other workers This includes shews akout rules break This inforatioI helps build sense solidarity workers That breakin represents simple disregardtn order It often serves other fumetlons allowing wortoeressssee ofrsemalcontrol hisemv demastratimg prmtlmg solidarity Ome clearest examples faceted nature breakimg smekin Wm I mention dlsrearded people smoke freely bathr R utsiders enerally suggest company cared about workers would readln smokir areas Perhaps without tryin understand people smoke athrom would point Somehow smoke andpossiblyure importantly aplanewhichs desiated Siae feels efwtemeds medsimplaces4esiatedyteempany asthe epaay wishes It ftadiaK express personal freed iastitieaal reiatatiea Te sldarity forblddea lated Omen atroem supervisor walked everyone supervisor quickly savtnK anytim about When structured somethin illeal beome satisfyin Within certain limits reakln rules disruptive cmpamy It incredible imfrequently major breaches ofrulesoccurwithlmtplamt Iftheco amychoseteeRr roeallof RJB I9 rules strictly I thlak wmrkers react meatlve their I think peeple pushed Te resietive rules which lmited extent Ive Ne large IRititutlea ceuld fumetem witeut rules Many cemDamy rules widely accepted cause little resemt against aaist eellectiems aalmst selling cause prele eeause rules natdirectlyrelatedttwrksituatieR werkeriscemstatlyem fremted rules nevitable these rlles cause resentmt By estalisbin related cempany tacitly admittin elleves without rules meeds aceemplish weuld ceaxes preductim enlywt menetary reward system severely limitin initlatve ceiee durim wrkim It tells wsrker impessble werker react these Americans eneral sensitive enerechments their indivdual freedom Yet ether werkin D pulatim esely ulted watched cellar wrker Per reassn cllar ascriSed relatively status sciey A delicate belamc exists 5etweea panys erder maintain preduetiem werkers meeds pewerless impetent The rules remain werkers ercise little cntrel their immediate envir ament RECEIVED IN NEW YORK MAY