You Don't Know You're a Slave

This is directed more to salaried people then hourly although it doesn't mean that abuse doesn't exist at all employee levels. 

Meryl Streep is once again appearing in the movie Prada. When I saw the original years ago I found her character at best disgusting. The person I was with admired her and didn't like the "weak boyfriend" whom I admired.

The boy friend was a decent human being. Streep's character wasn't. The friend who admired the Streep character is doing the work once assigned to several people without reward. At least, unlike earlier slaves, she isn't whipped.

It was only a movie, but how many working situations duplicate the story line?

Another friend is now doing the work of four employees that were with her company when she started and have since left with no salary adjustment for herself after she took on their responsibilities.

They, like many other salaried employees today, are modern slaves of the 21st century. The might be able to change jobs unlike formal slave but conditions can be the same from company to company.

Employers are stealing from their employees

Both friends are being abused by their bosses, not sexually or physically, but these companies are stealing from their employees' time and lives. It is time and lives that people sell to employers in return for salaries and benefits.

When a job, under normal conditions can't be completed within the required hours over and over again without recompense, a robbery of time and life have been taken place.

People are told that to give their all to the company is the way to get ahead. No matter the sacrifices an employee makes, the higher ups would not hesitate a mini second if their bonus is in jeopardy to let employees go. Especially in large corporations. No matter how profitable the company might be, the benefits are not filtered down to most employees anywhere proportionate to the effort the employee puts in. The only thing that counts is the stock price to top managrs and their bonuses.

There are times when extra work for a special project makes sense for the good of the corporation. It does not mean that the extra hours should be the norm day after day, week after week, month after month, etc. Those making the effort should be rewarded proportionally to their effort. How many are?

Note: Disney 's CEO makes $45 million, but is letting 1000 serfs er ...employees go. 

What about those with professional careers?

What about the doctors (especially residents), lawyers, teachers,  nurses, journalists, etc. who give their employer so many hours in addition to what their contract requires. For many, they love the work and the knowledge they gain. They have studied long and hard to be good at what they do. 

No problem if the pay matches the hours. A doctor won't stop in the middle of an operation because his hours are up. The same with a lawyer preparing a case, or a teacher a lesson plan.

Their lives generally and are even more deserving of awards especially teachers and nurses. Some are poorly paid

Sold a bill of goods

A friend did a study of women's magazines during WWII. Many of the articles were about how wonderful it was for women to work. Yes, their labor was needed for the war effort, but the moment the war was over the articles were about the joys for women staying home. The population was being manipulated to fulfill the perceived financial needs of society. In this case it was at the expense of the women who wanted to work, but the women who wanted to be wives and mothers were happy. 

Qualified women in professional jobs couldn't get jobs no matter their qualifications. Now they can often at lower pay. One of my bosses said he preferred to hre women. They work harder for less money. 

At another company women were hired at lower levels with the same credentials as men. When a male boss left, a woman would be promoted sometimes at half the pay. Since it was a raise for her she took it and worked harder. 

Note: hourly worker have another set of problems.

What is scary is how many people give up so much for what those paychecks can buy.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY!