Hello John,   
      
    JM>> Your personal tools are YOUR responsibility. Why should the   
    JM>> company pay for your handtools?   
      
    BK>> Some do. Depends on the work. Some jobs the tools can be easily   
    BK>> damaged.   
      
    JM>>> Wow, Bet you think that's earth shattering news.   
      
    BK>> Does that mean you don't understand the idea behind supplying   
    BK>> replacement tools?   
      
   JM>Example. I buy a new employe a $30.00 long china bristle professional   
   JM>paint brush. Tell him it's his brush, and to take care of it. A week   
   JM>later I tell him to paint something and he tells me he doesn't have   
   JM>the paint brush because he didn't do a good job cleaning the brush   
   JM>and it got hard.   
      
   It is cheaper to replace the toothbrush or paint brush or whatever   
   else is needed to do the job rather than the employee.   
      
   Trying to force an employee to pay for tools that are needed to do   
   a job will serve only to drive the employee away, thus forcing the   
   employer to find another employee capable of doing the job that   
   needs to be done (in addition to buying a new tool).  And what fool   
   of an employer would want to do that, as the cost of training a new   
   employee would be far more than the meager cost of replacing a tool.   
      
   JM>He didn't buy it, doesn't care about it, this applies to cordless   
   JM>drills, tape measures, levels, damn near every tool you give to SOME   
   JM>employes.   
      
   There is no such thing as a cost-free business.  Tools that aren't   
   used remain in pristine condition, but nothing gets made.  So what   
   good are tools that are in perfect condition?  Better to replace   
   tools as the need arises, with products continuing to be made and   
   sold.  At least that way a business can remain in business, as the   
   business of business is to make a profit, not operate at a loss.   
      
   JM>In the case of the paint brush, I told the young man he could buy a   
   JM>replacement, quit or be fired.   
      
   You have to spend money in order to make money.  Preferably   
   other people's money.  Employees do not invest in an employer   
   by giving an employer money.  Instead, an employee gives an   
   employer time.  An employer provides everything else in exchange   
   for that time.  Not just money, but also tools, clothes, etc.,   
   whatever is needed for the workplace.   
      
    JM>> I guess you are right Bob. I guess in my 30 years+ dealing   
    JM>> with private sector contractors I have learned nothing.   
      
    BK>> IF you believe contractors will let them get away with that, it   
    BK>> would seem so.   
      
    JM>> You on the other hand, who I doubt has had very much   
    JM>> experience in dealing with private sector contractors,   
    JM>> knows it all.   
      
    BK>> I have 45+ years dealing with management. I find they don't   
    BK>> allow dragging out jobs. Those who do such don't get jobs again.   
      
   JM>Management. ah, yes.   
   JM>The first fallacy of Management is the presumption that it exist.   
      
   What is capital?  Capital is nothing more than frozen labor.   
   Without labor, management cannot exist.  Think about it.   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)