[Histonet] It's no wonder. Long reply

[Rittman, Barry R]

I agree with many of the comments but you have to look at the big
picture of what is going on in industry as a whole today. 
The concept of teamwork is a great one and one to which I fully
subscribe. This is a symbiotic relationship, a two way street if you
will in which everyone benefits. What has happened in most industries
including our profession is that while "we are a team" or "we are a
family" if the cutting edge phrase, the bottom line has become the major
driving force with less and less regard of how we to get there. 
This has resulted in everyone having to do more. 
I am essentially a basic scientist and love teaching but as with most of
my colleagues my teaching load has doubles over the past two years. I am
fortunate in many ways in that my department chair has also given me
some salary increase. However the student/faculty ratio is increasing in
all of the institutes of higher education with little recourse for those
who have an increased load. Administration in many places has increased
dramatically. I believe that administration is necessary and some
increase is necessitated by increasing federal and state regulations but
it seems to go far beyond that.
Over the past several years there has been a growing need for both
parents to work and for an increasing number of single parent families.
Thus priorities have changed. The need for extra income and for a
desirable workplace is even more important. No one wants to go home late
and do housework or to have to deal alone with a discipline problem with
children. 
Fifty years ago work was the major force in people's lives. Today
because of financial and other pressures this is no longer the case.
Work may be important but it is no longer the number one priority in
most people's lives. There is a life outside work.

I think that most of us in this profession feel that we no longer have
much input, nor do we often benefit appropriately from the current work
situation. 
As to some previous comments that we are lucky to have a job. While we
may be lucky to be employed, many of us are older than the hills and
have extensive experience. The employer is in most cases also lucky to
have people with our experience. It's a two way street.

I am not sure that you realize the drastic shortage of professionals in
Histotechnology and also of basic science teachers. I feel that
histotechs while they love the service portion of their job also need to
feel that they are valued. This is not necessarily in the form of huge
salary increases but in the attitude of supervisors and administrators
up to and including those at the top. Opportunities for training and for
learning outside what in some instances is a narrow field of work is
critical. 
It is however dangerous to generalize as some workplaces do an excellent
job in this area.

Let us have some input into how things are done. After all we are the
troops in the trenches, while policy and other decisions are often made
by generals sipping wine in a comfortable area. 
This is an easy task and fits into the concept of teamwork.

PS I do not consider this bitching - wife told me not to use the term as
it is gender specific.

Barry