What's your response to side project? Something not related to your work. - Is that a way to solve it? (Dec/07/2006 )
My PI always says:
"This is the last time I'm asking you to do this."
I have been doing side project for my PI and other PhD in my lab for many years.
Sometimes, I've to complete them before the PhD came in to our lab.
PI also threatened me by failing my master. A friend has been chased out from the lab because of not doing for free(unpaid).
What should I do?
Heeeeelllllllppppp !
"This is the last time I'm asking you to do this."
I have been doing side project for my PI and other PhD in my lab for many years.
Sometimes, I've to complete them before the PhD came in to our lab.
PI also threatened me by failing my master. A friend has been chased out from the lab because of not doing for free(unpaid).
What should I do?
Heeeeelllllllppppp !
In my experiences, the best way to make sure you get what you want out of your lab experience is to be organized. That means setting short term (have this construct done by Friday) and long term (determine this protein's substrate by next quarter) goals, and sharing them with your P.I..
Request to have a standing timeslot with him/her weekly (or bi-weekly), and give them a typed progress report with what you have accomplished, what your goals are, and how you plan to spend the next week or two. This might seem like overkill, but if you are really having trouble getting your own work done, it will help you stay focused and cover you by letting your P.I. know you're working. When your P.I. is informed of what you are doing and how you spend your time, it's always best in my experiences. It's a lot easier to say "I'm really sorry, but I was hoping to get that ligation done and go through that review article today like we discussed. I don't think I'll have time to work on _______ today," than just blatantly saying no. You can always offer to help in another way with something such as "I can't help so and so right now, but I do have that reagent already made that she can use" or "but I'd be happy to give her a copy of my protocol."
It's helped me -- I hope it helps you!
it was my freind's case. however, he managed to do the requests in such a way that now ALL the PI depend on him, and he even was given a professor post before completing his phD. 
and now it is whom who is threatening and not them. 
take a long hard look at the work you are being asked to do. Can any of that work benefit you in any way? Can you add that additional work to your master's write up or do it teach you new skills?
Importantly if said work is hindering/taking time from your 'work' proper, it is best to inform your PI, that you do not have time to diverge into side projects. You must be focused, with the work you are doing.
And if challanged say that you have X, Y and Z that need to be completed before such and such a time. Thus you also need to be aware of what you are doing, at least for the immediate future.
In my mind (and I may be in error), your PI thinks you have nothing better to do and have plenty of free time on your hands. So you need to demonstrate that you are supremely busy.
Howeve do take side projects that you think are interesting and or beneficial to your work and knowledge base.
Under many circumstances, you don't have any choice. You have to listen to your Boss, do what he tell you to do. That's partly why they hire you, right?
But meanwhile you have to be independent, do sth based on these jobs or your boss's order. If you can do sth that makes sense and causes your boss's interest, you can really make it.
I understand your feeling. Although I have not experienced such case, I have witnessed this happened to people around me.
First, your PI really know how to make full use of his or her manpower, which doesn't cost him or her anything. 
However, always step back and look at thing from another angle. By taking those side project, you learned and polished up your skills. Isn't that you benefit from it? Of course, you should not neglect your own project by doing so.
Therefore, the most important thing is that, you have to know how and when to say "NO" as Cheamps said. 
First, your PI really know how to make full use of his or her manpower, which doesn't cost him or her anything.
However, always step back and look at thing from another angle. By taking those side project, you learned and polished up your skills. Isn't that you benefit from it? Of course, you should not neglect your own project by doing so.
Therefore, the most important thing is that, you have to know how and when to say "NO" as Cheamps said.
It depends on the type of PI and the position. Often the position is called "...with the oportunity to do a Phd (with better formulation). So other work is similar or more important and you can be lucky if it fits to your PhD work.
And the PI: some do it some not. We have one PI, where all students have to work for his personal interests, he says thats the charge for giving my students the opportunity to become a Phd here, show idealism. With another (my PI) we only have to supervise students, give courses etc. But there I learnt how to teach and to give courses. So for me it was ok.
But the style of your PI is a little bit too aggressive, to thread someone is not ok.
And: Many departments/institutes depend on this work, there are not enough technicians etc., so this is done by staff that cannot resist against this. There is no PhD student labour union
