The construction industry

[Amusing Scrotum]

In college I am studying construction and civil engineering, which is a diversion from my original career choice of a plumber because I enjoy the theoretical side of construction far more than the practical side and my practical skills are, well, not great.

Anyway I was thinking about how a construction site would look in a Communist society and something struck me. Foremen, Project Managers, Quantity Surveyors, Health and Safety officials etc. all require an amount of training to do their respective jobs. Now this does not mean your average construction worker couldn't do the job, but if he were to do the job well he would need some training. Therefore if workers' were to vote for their bosses in the construction industry there could be some very bad bosses and unlike other industries where the bosses failings could be seen straight away, it may take decades before a building collapses and the bosses failings become apparent.

This leads me to wonder whether in certain industries there would have to be certain qualifications and a level of training needed before anyone can stand for election as a boss. This to me does contradict some Communist ideals as it does cater to a certain amount of elitism in certain industries.

Therefore I was just wondering what everyone thought were the solutions to the problems certain industries would face when electing a boss or supervisor. Perhaps in certain industries the bosses could be scrapped completely, medicine for example, but the construction industry does seem to me an industry where a degree of supervision is required to make sure there are no shoddy work practises. I would really like to hear what people who work in the construction industry have to say on this, as my construction experience is still in its infancy.

Oh and by the way if anyone can think of a more suitable forum for this, then please move it. Its just theory seemed appropriate to me as this is a theory on how the construction industry would work in a Communist society.

[Lamanov]

I don't see the "bosses" in the communist picture at all. Branch of, in your example, construction workers, choose their representatives to the community. So do engineers, architects, medical staff, etc. In the workplace - however - things operate collevtively.

See, you don't need experts like engeneers or architects to run the construction work or to give orders to the construction workers. They just do their job: architects make general contruction plans and engineers give expert advices to the workers, but they don't command them.

However, if the workers don't do the job in the proper manner, they will not have to respond to the "bosses", because there will be none, but to the whole community.

If, on the other hand, engineers collective makes a bad call which the construction workers had followed, than they would have some 'xplainin' to do.

[Amusing Scrotum]

However, if the workers don't do the job in the proper manner, they will not have to respond to the "bosses", because there will be none, but to the whole community.

My point was that poor work may not be detected straight off. If poor work, by boss or worker happens, the results won't be fully known for decades. Having highly trained people either giving orders or advice seems to me to be a safeguard of sorts.

[Lamanov]

I think you answered your own quetion: you don't need expert bossing - only expert advisory and guidance.

[Amusing Scrotum]

I think you answered your own quetion: you don't need expert bossing - only expert advisory and guidance.

Do you think it would be acceptable for the person giving the advice to bring to the publics attention therefore shaming the worker, if the worker ignored his advice?

[Lamanov]

Originally posted by Armchair [email protected] 10 2005, 07:12 PM
Do you think it would be acceptable for the person giving the advice to bring to the publics attention therefore shaming the worker, if the worker ignored his advice?
I guess it would, if by "public attention" you mean withing the working collective, especially if the work - as I've said - should operate collectively, so any advice should be open to everyone's attention.

Besides, technical details should be agreed upon as the part of the everyday work, even before it takes place, especially in such line of work where precision is everything.

[chebol]

You're not suggesting that all construction under the current system is somehow free from structural problems, cost-cutting-induced faults, dangerous conditions for workers, shoody materials and designs, or illegal and unsafe last-minute "design changes"- mostly inspired by a desire for profit? Are you?

Your view of socialism is a bit flawed, if you think it's about 'electing your own bosses', who then push you around for their own purposes.

Most construction workers I know already know a thing or two about what they're doing, and could probably tell the "boss" and his "experts" a thing or two. Granted, there are some things that are a bit more specific. Why then should most workers remain uneducated "construction workers", while a privileged few become "educated bosses"?

You got your wires crossed or something?

[Amusing Scrotum]

You're not suggesting that all construction under the current system is somehow free from structural problems, cost-cutting-induced faults, dangerous conditions for workers, shoddy materials and designs, or illegal and unsafe last-minute "design changes"- mostly inspired by a desire for profit? Are you?

Of course I'm not suggesting this. The construction industry is famous for cutting corners and shoddy work practises.


Your view of socialism is a bit flawed, if you think it's about 'electing your own bosses', who then push you around for their own purposes.

Your view of the foreman, health and safety officer etc. is slightly flawed. He doesn't always act like a normal boss. Your average foreman etc. has to learn a shit load with regards construction theory, they know more on each trade than most individual tradesman.

Therefore their job on a site is then to make sure that a tradesman is not doing anything wrong or illegal. Ensure that proper practises are being followed etc.


Most construction workers I know already know a thing or two about what they're doing, and could probably tell the "boss" and his "experts" a thing or two. Granted, there are some things that are a bit more specific. Why then should most workers remain uneducated "construction workers", while a privileged few become "educated bosses"?

Of course tradesmen should be encouraged to learn more about their trade. However a tradesman generally deals with the practical elements of a job, however a foreman etc. deals with the theoretical elements.

They do different jobs and therefore have different responsibilities.


You got your wires crossed or something?

Nope.