Recent things in and out of the news have gotten me thinking about workplace credentials and when they are required or ignored. I have a few such credentials. First as a Master Maine Guide I have proven that I have the skills to safely take (and return with) members of the public into and onto the woods and waters of the state. I also hold a Coast Guard license that allows me to operate an uninspected passenger vessel with up to six passengers on coastal waters. I have a Transportation Workers Identity Card that serves as identification when in facilities (think ports) that are controlled by security, definitely not Thomaston Harbor. Last on my list is a Commercial driver’s license.
Each of those renews every five years and requires a separate criminal background check for which I am identified by my fingerprints. A variety of crimes would cause the loss of those licenses. The coast guard license also requires that I am enrolled in a random drug testing program by my employer and get certified as fit by my doctor every five years. Because I am in a small random drug testing pool run by the local hospital I am tested usually once a summer (one year twice). While the test is random, I am usually called mid-summer when I am the busiest. Not complaining, at this point, the visit is pleasant and friendly. Usually scheduled first thing in the morning which helps me fit it into my calendar.
Driving and operating a boat have clear rules about drug and alcohol use. Zero tolerance for all but alcohol and a limit half of the rest of the world. Any violation can be cause for immediate loss of license and in my case income.
All of this is to say that something that is as simple as being a working guide has significant regulations. Not fussing here it all makes sense for your safety. But simply observing that lots of other higher paying and more visible occupations have far less if any in the way of rules anywhere near these. I think that we need to think about is how difficult some of this is for working folks while exempting those higher up. Sould we ask for simple equity?
Add new comment