Labor in the Office – The Alliance

Thanks to my kid, I’ve watched every season of The Office several times and there are instances which fans debate regarding changes in direction, writing, and other topics which I don’t notice. However, I can say the change in the feel of the show from the initial three episodes to “The Alliance” are obvious to me. The first three shows focus on serious topics more closely, in my opinion, than the fourth. Don’t interpret this observation as criticism, however. Had the show continued as the first three had, I suspect things would have turned out much darker and more intense. Adding more levity, pop culture commentary, and character development benefited the viewers.

In “The Alliance,” we find Dwight, worried about downsizing and loosing his job, seeking to establish an alliance with Jim. The reality show, Survivor, was a pop cultural focus at the time (according to the Office Ladies podcast, the two shows had close ties) and it’s established Dwight is looking to somehow “eliminate” his fellow workers he feels threaten his employment. While Dwight’s antics are pretty naive and silly, it does raise the issue of competition versus cooperation.

In Dwight’s view, the only way to succeed is to, somehow, defeat those around him. He’s looking to “win.” Regrettably, this is the perspective of competition many those raised in capitalist-dominated societies hold. How often have people heard of one company “dominating” another? How about the soda “wars?” Hell, Gordon Gekko’s repulsive greed in “Wall Street” was idolized and celebrated! Is it any surprise someone might believe success is determined by who “wins” or “looses?” It’s a false dichotomy which abolishes other alternatives. In our case, Dwight is more than willing to toss his fellow workers under the bus to protect his job.

There is an alternative to competition. Instead of working to defeat one another, workers can work cooperatively with a sense of solidarity. From a Utilitarian perspective, isn’t it better to maximize everyone’s benefits? I’d say it is. Doing the most good should be the objective. From an argument from Egoism, isn’t it best to ensure your individual well-being by protecting everyone else's as well? I’d argue it is. If we were discussing vaccines, this would be called “herd immunity.” We’re talking about work, however, so call it Solidarity. (To be honest, getting your shots is a form of solidarity with your neighbors and community.) By working together, the workers in the office could, both, protect everyone’s job and, in so doing, protect themselves as well. This is the essence of Unionism. While often obfuscated with discussions of pay, benefits, or contracts, a union’s reason for existence is to improve the working conditions for all its members.

Dwight, however, is the reactionary buffoon he is so the idea of working with others would be entirely foreign to him. Similarly, shows like Survivor would flop if all the contestants refused to compete with one another and, instead completed their tasks cooperatively and then shared the rewards. Take a moment, though, and ask yourself how much of this desire for conflict through competition is taught and how much is instinct. With television shows, professional sports leagues, schools, and corporations constantly reinforcing the narrative of conflict and competition, I get the inkling we’re more cooperative than we give ourselves credit and certain powers-at-be need to continually reinforce the win/loose message to maintain their preferred hierarchy. Time and time again people have come together and accomplished great things. It’s by separating us, through competition, isolation, and emphasizing our differences that the ruling capitalist class maintains its unquestioned authority. Divide and conquer, it's one of capitalists' favorite weapons. One against which we can defend. There really is power in a union – Solidarity, our ultimate superpower!

Downsizing has lowered morale in the office. Aware of this problem, Michael turns to an old (at least in the U.S.) management stand-by – the party. In what I like to call “pizza-party-ism,” or the tendency of management to try to distract from a problem with a cheap perk – like a pizza party.

I know there are a lot of workers out there who know exactly to what I’m referring. Hell, you might be reading this on your smartphone at some pizza lunch provided by your boss. Are they doing it out of the kindness of their heart or are they hoping to improve morale for a little while because they aren’t paying a living wage or because on-the-job injuries are still a problem? Doing nice things should be encouraged. But using things like a party to cover for unacceptable conditions is disingenuous. So, enjoy that slice but keep an eye on the boss and their motivations.

In this episode, Michael is aware of the impact downsizing is having on the workers and he decides to throw a surprise birthday party for Meredith, Supplier Relations, a full month before her birthday. Naturally, she is surprised and the party is initially a success but eventually fails. After realizing this, Michael then tries to impress everyone by bragging about a donation he (accidentally) made to a walk-a-thon in which the Accountant Oscar’s nephew is participating. Activities like these, as absurd as they are on television, are common place in reality and, like the show, they really don’t fix anything. What does? Fellow workers acting together.

Love The Office? Think I’m missing something or noticed other labor-related topics? Let me know! You can reach me at @unionlegion on Twitter, @I_Will_Wobble on Mastodon, or union [dot] legion (at) nym {dot} hush [dot] com.

Previously: Health Care