Retirement on the Line

Caitrin Lynch

Description

In an era when people live longer and want (or need) to work past the traditional retirement age, the Vita Needle Company of Needham, Massachusetts, provides inspiration and important lessons about the value of older workers. Vita Needle is a family-owned factory that was founded in 1932 and makes needles, stainless steel tubing and pipes, and custom fabricated parts. As part of its unusual business model, the company seeks out older workers; the median age of the employees is seventy-four.In Retirement on the Line, Caitrin Lynch explores what this company's commitment to an elderly workforce means for the employer, the workers, the community, and society more generally. Benefiting from nearly five years of fieldwork at Vita Needle, Lynch offers an intimate portrait of the people who work there, a nuanced explanation of the company's hiring practices, and a cogent analysis of how the workers' experiences can inform our understanding of aging and work in the twenty-first century. As an in-depth study of a singular workplace, rooted in the unique insights of an anthropologist who specializes in the world of work, this book provides a sustained focus on values and meanings-with profound consequences for the broader assumptions our society has about aging and employment.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Industrial relations
• History of the Americas
• Labour

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 08 mars 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780801464096
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

RETIREMENT ON THE LINE

Sop loor în e ae aternoon. Poo by Caîrîn Lync.

RETIREMENT ON THE LINE Age, Work, and Vaue în an Amerîcan Facory

Caitrin LyncH

ILR PRESS AN IMPRINT OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON

Copyrîg © 2012 by Corne Unîversîy

A rîgs reserved. Excep or brîe quoaîons în a revîew, îs book, or pars ereo, mus no be reproduced în any orm wîou permîssîon în wrîîng rom e pub- îser. For înormaîon, address Corne Unîversîy Press, Sage House, 512 Eas Sae Sree, ïaca, New York 14850.

Fîrs pubîsed 2012 by Corne Unîversîy Press Fîrs prînîng, Corne Paperbacks, 2012

Prîned în e Unîed Saes o Amerîca

Library o Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lync, Caîrîn.  Reîremen on e îne : age, work, and vaue în an Amerîcan acory / Caîrîn Lync.  p. cm.  ïncudes bîbîograpîca reerences and îndex.  ïSBN 978-0-8014-5026-6 (co : ak. paper) —  ïSBN 978-0-8014-7778-2 (pbk. : ak. paper)  1. Oder peope—Empoymen—Massacuses—Needam. 2. Reîremen— Massacuses—Needam. 3. Vîa Neede Company—Empoyees. 4. Manuacurîng îndusrîes—Massacuses—Needam—Empoyees. ï. Tîe.  HD6281.M3L96 2012  331.3'9887283209744—dc23 2011042186

Corne Unîversîy Press srîves o use envîronmenay responsîbe suppîers and maerîas o e ues exen possîbe în e pubîsîng o îs books. Suc maerîas încude vegeabe-based, ow-VOC înks and acîd-ree papers a are recyced, oay corîne-ree, or pary composed o nonwood ibers. For urer înormaîon, vîsî our websîe a www.cornepress.corne.edu.

Co prînîng Paperback prînîng

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my family (Nick, Cormac, Nicola) and to the Vita family

Contents

Par t I

Cas o Caracers ïnroducîon: Makîng Needes, Makîng Lîves

UP THE STAIRS Pîgeonoed byJim Downey 1.  Makîng Money or Fred: Producîvîy, Peope, and Purpose 2.  Anîque Macînery and Anîque Peope: he Vîa Neede Famîy 3.  No Caîns on e Seas: Freedom and Fexîbîîy

Par t II IN THE PRESS 4.  Rîdîng e Gray Wave: Goba ïneres în Vîa Neede 5.  Rosa, a Naîona Treasure: Agency în e Face o Medîa Sardom

Concusîon: Vîa’s Larger Lessons Posscrîp

Noes Reerences Acknowedgmens ïndex

ix 1

23

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Cast of Characters

Lîsed ere (în apabeîca order by irs name) are names, ages (în 2008, un- ess oerwîse noed), and persona deaîs or mos peope wo appear more an once în e book. Excep or ose îndîcaed wî an aserîsk, e names are pseudonyms, and îdenîyîng deaîs are sîgy aered.

Abîgaî Wîe, 83: Bookkeeper a Vîa; moer and grandmoer. Aen Lewîs, 84: Worked or seveny years as a macînîs; ongîme Vîa em- poyee; et Vîa a 84 or ea reasons; wîdower. Arur Jonson, 72: Reîred a 65 rom job as a corporae accounan and sared a Vîa wo mons aer; îves wî wîe and adu son. Ben Freeman, 29: Compares oder coworkers o îs grandparens; jokes around wî Davîd Rîvers abou îs “supîd od guy” musîc. Brad Hî, 36: Supervîsor; îmmedîae boss îs Mîcae La Rosa. Car Wîson, 79: Reîred oo desîgner; îves wî wîe; grandaer o sîx; irs empoyee o arrîve a Vîa eac mornîng. Cares Young, 72: Reîred îg-ec saes manager wî a maser’s degree în busîness; never marrîed; aer was a acory worker; reers o Vîa as a “men’s cub” and a “reuge or od peope.” Dan Jones, 44: Supervîsor; îmmedîae boss îs Mîcae La Rosa. Davîd Rîvers, 90: Word War ïï navy veeran, served în e Pacîic; joîned Vîa Neede în îs sîxîes. Donad Sepens, 75: Uses cane ousîde work; os sense o purpose wen wîe passed away; îves în pubîc ousîng; ookîng or a second job o cover basîc expenses. Ed Mîce, 81: Reîred mîdde-scoo Engîs eacer; a Vîa sînce age 74 o earn money needed because o “poor rea-esae învesmens.” Eser Marîn, 85: Consîders work “erapy” ater usband passed away; works în packagîng. Fo Cronîn, 82: Hed par-îme jobs as a secreary ater cîdren graduaed rom îg scoo; consîdered e “den moer” or er efors o do nîce îngs or workers în need; known as a good “aper.” *Fred Harman, 56: Vîa Neede our-generaîon presîden. *Frederîck Harman ïï, 26: Son o Fred Harman (it generaîon); dîrecor o markeîng and engîneerîng.

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