理性化、性別與消防員的勞動過程

Abstract

在現今台灣社會中，消防工作幾乎囊括所有「消除」與「預防」危險之情事，包含於第一線搶救災難、執行救護與為民服務，還有各種預防災難發生或確保救援工作運行的業務。本研究運用資料分析、田野觀察、深入訪談與工作日誌等研究方法，欲回答：消防勞動如何可能？也就是說，是什麼機制使得消防員一方面順利克服緊急救援現場的危險與不確定性，另一方面忍受各種繁瑣、低成就感、甚至可能是無意義的例行勞動？ 本研究發現理性化管理制度、學長學弟制與性別分工是使消防勞動可能的三項不可或缺且互有關聯的機制。首先，消防勞動的理性化，指的是為了達到效率、可計算性、可預測性等目標，所設計出的一套包含科層制與標準化的管理機制。一方面，消防上級透過明確的層級組織、監控科技與評比制度，對各分隊進行嚴密且有效的勞動控制；另一方面，標準化救災與救護過程，透過固定且明確的任務編組與標準作業流程，以降低緊急救援過程中的危險與不確定性。 然而，理性化並不如宣稱那般全面且有效。一方面，它沒有辦法完全消除救災、救護過程中的危險與不確定性，以此消防分隊召喚學長學弟制，讓資深學長負責作戰編組的關鍵位置，並將經驗傳承給學弟妹；另一方面，消防分隊以學長學弟制與性別分工來緩解高度理性化的後果。將高度理性化、好上手但繁瑣、制式與低成就感的業務分配給不具有消防核心能力的資淺學弟與女性。值得一提的是，以時間序列作為劃分基礎的學長學弟制，雖然將男性劃分資深學長與資淺學弟，界線之間仍有流動性，且彼此共享了同為男人的想像共同體。相對地，以生理性別為劃分基礎的性別分工，阻絕了生理女性進入火場等救援前線的資格。因此，學弟有機會透過消防核心能力的培養與累積，晉升為學長以擺脫業務勞動的束縛；而學妹則可能因為被排拒在核心救援勞動之外，而長期受困於性別化的理性鐵牢籠之中。

This research aims to examine the labor process of firefighters and indicates the mechanism of turning labor power into labor in Taiwan. I conduct fieldwork, interviews, and data analysis to explore why and how firefighters handle manifold duties, which include dangerous as well as tedious ones. My research shows that the rational management, the seniority, and gender division of labor are three integral and inter-related mechanisms, which essentially operate the labor process among firefighters. In order to increase efficiency, calculability and predictability, they form two ways of rational management. The higher authorities control over the fire brigade through the hierarchical organization, technology and the rating system. On the other hand, they build Standard Operating Procedure and training system to minimize the potential danger and uncertainty in the labor process. However, the rational management does not always work perfectly. On the one hand, the rational management cannot erase all the danger and uncertainty in the process of the firefighting and Emergency Medical Service. Therefore, the managers in fire brigade assign the senior to do the key job in flames, and to teach the junior how to fight, too. On the other hand, rational management also makes firefighters struggle in the boring and routine work. Therefore, the seniority and gender division of labor are to solve the outcome from over-rationalization. That is, the mangers assign the junior and the women, who do less rescue work, do more routine work. Interestingly, the seniority divides people by individual working experience, while the gender division of labor divides people by sex. Therefore, the male-junior can become the senior someday by learning the knowledge of firefighting, and then they will be free from the routine work; while the female-junior may struggle in the routine work, since they do not have the opportunity to prove their ability of firefighting. Max Weber said when the rationalization starts to run, no one can escape from it. But I found the power relationship decide who stay in the iron cage. In this case, iron cage is gendered.