Item
NO Oral History, 2022/05/10
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
NO Oral History, 2022/05/10
Description (Dublin Core)
A working student describes his experience at a golf course during the pandemic. He discusses the reaction to the pandemic at his workplace as well as hardships faced by his family.
Recording Date (Dublin Core)
May 10, 2022
Creator (Dublin Core)
LT
NO
Contributor (Dublin Core)
NO
Event Identifier (Dublin Core)
HIS459
Partner (Dublin Core)
University at Buffalo
Type (Dublin Core)
oral history
Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)
English
Consumer Culture (shopping, dining...)
English
Conflict
English
Education--Universities
English
Education--K12
English
Environment & Landscape
English
Food & Drink
English
Health & Wellness
English
Home & Family Life
English
Labor
English
Public Space
English
Social Distance
Curator's Tags (Omeka Classic)
mask
golf
employment
unemployment
susceptibility
social distance
sanitation
motivation
Collection (Dublin Core)
Environment
Language & Communication
Working Students
Date Submitted (Dublin Core)
05/10/2022
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
05/10/2022
Date Created (Dublin Core)
05/10/2022
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
LT
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
NO
Location (Omeka Classic)
14215
Buffalo
New York
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
Audio
Coverage (Dublin Core)
April 2020 - Present
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:07:07
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
LT 0:01
Alright, so it is Tuesday, May 10, at 8:45pm. And I'm here with NO. And just for the record, I have your permission to record and post this on JOTPY. Is that correct?
NO 0:12
Yes, you do.
LT 0:14
Alright, how old are you?
NO 0:15
I am 22 years old.
LT 0:16
And did you work during the pandemic?
NO 0:18
I did, I worked for a golf--municipal golf course back in my hometown.
LT 0:23
Were your working hours affected in the early months of COVID?
NO 0:28
They weren't affected in the early months of COVID, because, um, there was only a certain amount of us that were employed. So like the schedule was kind of set. But like, I would say that at certain points, because of COVID, my schedule did have to change, like my hours did have to change from like, I would either work a morning shift, and then I'd be switching over to a night shift, stuff like that. But I wouldn't say like it impacted it severely.
LT 0:56
And has your transportation method to work changed since the outbreak?
NO 0:59
No, I've had a I mean, I have a different vehicle now. But I've always had a vehicle, my own vehicle that could transport me from A to B.
LT 1:08
And did your employer reduce the amount of workers present at the workplace at one time following the outbreak?
NO 1:13
No, he didn't reduce it. Actually, we ended up actually getting more people at a certain point, because we--he did--he was under employed at the beginning. Um, so yeah, he never really fired anyone because of COVID. But--
LT 1:31
Uh, were you expected to follow strict cleaning procedures like wiping down countertops, sinks.
NO 1:36
Yep, yep. So we worked in a, like a pro shop. So you had to come into the pro shop. Every time somebody there was like a barrier every time somebody came in, they made us wipe down the counters and stuff and before we had to leave the place we had to make sure we cleaned the counters, vacuumed and everything. So yeah, I would say that definitely probably affected it. So--
LT 2:03
Uh, did you tend to see an increase in sanitary awareness among coworkers aside from what they were expected to do as far as cleaning countertops and stuff like that?
NO 2:16
Actually, it--it was different for me, because most of the people that I worked with, were all friends of mine at the time. So I mean, prior to working there, I mean, and the start of the pandemic, we were all kind of together. So I don't think anyone's like cleaning habits really changed other than the fact that we had to wear a mask, but it's not we were, every time we touch something, the other person was like "I wouldn't touch it, because you just touched it." Like it wasn't like that.
LT 2:44
Uh, did the tasks assigned to you at work change due to the pandemic? Were you doing anything differently or pretty much the same?
NO 2:52
No, it was pretty much the same. Cleaning down carts, taking golf orders, selling drinks and food, stuff like that, nothing really changed because of that.
LT 3:04
And did you happen to see a big turnover of employees? Did people start to leave in big numbers or even join in big numbers because of the pandemic?
NO 3:13
See, I wouldn't--I don't know if it was because of the pandemic but at a certain point we gained like four or five new employees. Um, I don't know if that was due to the pandemic, because they were all high schoolers that joined the staff because it was a it was a golf course. So um, but at a certain time, we a bunch of us that also leave but that wasn't for COVID; that was because of school. Yeah, I don't think COVID was the cause of either of those things. But I--I could be wrong.
LT 3:42
Uh, were your wages affected at all by the pandemic?
NO 3:45
No, no, nothin' wage wise. Still minimum wage and nothing changed because of that.
LT 3:54
Uh, in your opinion, did you find it difficult to juggle both your personal life and your working life during the pandemic? Did things stress you out?
NO 4:00
See if I was working at a job that required more out of me I would definitely say yes. Because not only was I combatting that, but combatting shit with my family. But, so I since I worked at a golf course, no. No, it wasn't. The golf course, really wasn't that hard of work. It was more stuff to keep me busy during the pandemic.
LT 4:23
Uh, were you--so you said that you weren't really you didn't have your wages affected? Did any family members have to go on unemployment or--
NO 4:33
Yeah, my father actually lost, he lost his job due to the pandemic they, uh, couldn't keep him on because of new regulations. So he ended up losing his job. They ended up firing a bunch of people. And he actually had to go on unemployment for the maybe the entirety of the major impact of the pandemic. So yeah, but I, none of my co workers none of my co workers did that. And but my father did. So yeah.
LT 5:10
Did you find the workplace to be more cold and less friendly because of kind of the isolation after the outbreak like with mask use and even with social distancing? Did you see people less willing to talk and interact with other co workers?
NO 5:24
No, no, no, as I said, prior a bunch of us were friends prior to that so it wasn't like we were really scared to talk to each other. And even the people that came into the shop, to come want to golf, they were pretty outgoing. And a lot of them were, I don't know, older gentleman, so they really didn't like following mask regulations and stuff, so they they really didn't care like they would come up and talk to you get like really close. It wasn't there was no like, nobody was like, keep your distance while you're talking to me. I don't know why. You know, it wasn't like that.
LT 6:02
Did you ever experience a lack of motivation to come to work or even keep your job at any point during the pandemic?
NO 6:07
Yeah, yeah. [Laughs] I would say all the time. I--the reason I kept it is because I needed the money, obviously. But like, motivation during the pandemic, for me it was at an all time low.
LT 6:24
Did your family experience hardship? I know you said your dad lost your job. Is there any other complications due to the pandemic?
NO 6:32
I wouldn't say that anyone else in my family had any, I would say it was only my father. My mom, she'd never lost her job. My brother actually got a teaching job during the pandemic. And the three little ones were in college, so it wasn't really like, "oh, you guys need a stable job or something like that." But I--I think my father was the only one that was like truly impacted employment wise by the pandemic.
LT 6:59
All right. Uh, do you have any questions for me?
NO 7:01
No, I don't have any questions for you.
LT 7:03
Alright, thank you for your time.
NO 7:04
No problem.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Alright, so it is Tuesday, May 10, at 8:45pm. And I'm here with NO. And just for the record, I have your permission to record and post this on JOTPY. Is that correct?
NO 0:12
Yes, you do.
LT 0:14
Alright, how old are you?
NO 0:15
I am 22 years old.
LT 0:16
And did you work during the pandemic?
NO 0:18
I did, I worked for a golf--municipal golf course back in my hometown.
LT 0:23
Were your working hours affected in the early months of COVID?
NO 0:28
They weren't affected in the early months of COVID, because, um, there was only a certain amount of us that were employed. So like the schedule was kind of set. But like, I would say that at certain points, because of COVID, my schedule did have to change, like my hours did have to change from like, I would either work a morning shift, and then I'd be switching over to a night shift, stuff like that. But I wouldn't say like it impacted it severely.
LT 0:56
And has your transportation method to work changed since the outbreak?
NO 0:59
No, I've had a I mean, I have a different vehicle now. But I've always had a vehicle, my own vehicle that could transport me from A to B.
LT 1:08
And did your employer reduce the amount of workers present at the workplace at one time following the outbreak?
NO 1:13
No, he didn't reduce it. Actually, we ended up actually getting more people at a certain point, because we--he did--he was under employed at the beginning. Um, so yeah, he never really fired anyone because of COVID. But--
LT 1:31
Uh, were you expected to follow strict cleaning procedures like wiping down countertops, sinks.
NO 1:36
Yep, yep. So we worked in a, like a pro shop. So you had to come into the pro shop. Every time somebody there was like a barrier every time somebody came in, they made us wipe down the counters and stuff and before we had to leave the place we had to make sure we cleaned the counters, vacuumed and everything. So yeah, I would say that definitely probably affected it. So--
LT 2:03
Uh, did you tend to see an increase in sanitary awareness among coworkers aside from what they were expected to do as far as cleaning countertops and stuff like that?
NO 2:16
Actually, it--it was different for me, because most of the people that I worked with, were all friends of mine at the time. So I mean, prior to working there, I mean, and the start of the pandemic, we were all kind of together. So I don't think anyone's like cleaning habits really changed other than the fact that we had to wear a mask, but it's not we were, every time we touch something, the other person was like "I wouldn't touch it, because you just touched it." Like it wasn't like that.
LT 2:44
Uh, did the tasks assigned to you at work change due to the pandemic? Were you doing anything differently or pretty much the same?
NO 2:52
No, it was pretty much the same. Cleaning down carts, taking golf orders, selling drinks and food, stuff like that, nothing really changed because of that.
LT 3:04
And did you happen to see a big turnover of employees? Did people start to leave in big numbers or even join in big numbers because of the pandemic?
NO 3:13
See, I wouldn't--I don't know if it was because of the pandemic but at a certain point we gained like four or five new employees. Um, I don't know if that was due to the pandemic, because they were all high schoolers that joined the staff because it was a it was a golf course. So um, but at a certain time, we a bunch of us that also leave but that wasn't for COVID; that was because of school. Yeah, I don't think COVID was the cause of either of those things. But I--I could be wrong.
LT 3:42
Uh, were your wages affected at all by the pandemic?
NO 3:45
No, no, nothin' wage wise. Still minimum wage and nothing changed because of that.
LT 3:54
Uh, in your opinion, did you find it difficult to juggle both your personal life and your working life during the pandemic? Did things stress you out?
NO 4:00
See if I was working at a job that required more out of me I would definitely say yes. Because not only was I combatting that, but combatting shit with my family. But, so I since I worked at a golf course, no. No, it wasn't. The golf course, really wasn't that hard of work. It was more stuff to keep me busy during the pandemic.
LT 4:23
Uh, were you--so you said that you weren't really you didn't have your wages affected? Did any family members have to go on unemployment or--
NO 4:33
Yeah, my father actually lost, he lost his job due to the pandemic they, uh, couldn't keep him on because of new regulations. So he ended up losing his job. They ended up firing a bunch of people. And he actually had to go on unemployment for the maybe the entirety of the major impact of the pandemic. So yeah, but I, none of my co workers none of my co workers did that. And but my father did. So yeah.
LT 5:10
Did you find the workplace to be more cold and less friendly because of kind of the isolation after the outbreak like with mask use and even with social distancing? Did you see people less willing to talk and interact with other co workers?
NO 5:24
No, no, no, as I said, prior a bunch of us were friends prior to that so it wasn't like we were really scared to talk to each other. And even the people that came into the shop, to come want to golf, they were pretty outgoing. And a lot of them were, I don't know, older gentleman, so they really didn't like following mask regulations and stuff, so they they really didn't care like they would come up and talk to you get like really close. It wasn't there was no like, nobody was like, keep your distance while you're talking to me. I don't know why. You know, it wasn't like that.
LT 6:02
Did you ever experience a lack of motivation to come to work or even keep your job at any point during the pandemic?
NO 6:07
Yeah, yeah. [Laughs] I would say all the time. I--the reason I kept it is because I needed the money, obviously. But like, motivation during the pandemic, for me it was at an all time low.
LT 6:24
Did your family experience hardship? I know you said your dad lost your job. Is there any other complications due to the pandemic?
NO 6:32
I wouldn't say that anyone else in my family had any, I would say it was only my father. My mom, she'd never lost her job. My brother actually got a teaching job during the pandemic. And the three little ones were in college, so it wasn't really like, "oh, you guys need a stable job or something like that." But I--I think my father was the only one that was like truly impacted employment wise by the pandemic.
LT 6:59
All right. Uh, do you have any questions for me?
NO 7:01
No, I don't have any questions for you.
LT 7:03
Alright, thank you for your time.
NO 7:04
No problem.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Item sets
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