How Our Economy Turned Me Into a Saturday Night Slave Wench.

[dustbunnie]

So here I was, a reasonably happy 5-year emp of a large Corpie... happy in the sense that I sort of enjoyed my work, often went over and above the call of duty on many occasions because I felt like I was part of a creative team and we were all friends so staying extra late was no biggie. It was often fun. I inhabited a very spacious, very private cubie next to wrap-around windows, which I affectionately referred to as "the loft."

Six months ago, I and many others were abruptly offered the disconcerting privilege of being laid off. Since then, I've come to see that many of my brothers and sisters working in similar positions at other Corpies are out on the street with me, all struggling to pick up contracts. The less talented have become rabid, like stray dogs. Others like me are worried, struggling, but doing relatively okay.

Three months ago, I started getting frantic calls from the few (junior, underpaid) emps still employed at my ex-Corpie, offering me all manner of projects they're ill-equipped to handle. I'm thinking to myself, okay, so what's wrong with this picture dustbunnie? I'm still working almost full-time for them, at a pittance of what I was making, and no benefits. It's irking, but guess the one upside is I get to flop around in my sweats many days.

My name got passed around to other departments, and tonight I find myself working with a new employee, on a SATURDAY. I'll be done in an hour, but looks like she's at it till all hours, and has more of same to look forward to tomorrow. I asked, and she said since she started, she's worked seven days a week.

All that to say, is this the new reality? Everyone gets laid off and hired back at drastically reduced sale prices, and the Corp newbies are indoctrinated into the seven-day work week right away? What happens to restaurants and bars when all the patrons are busy slaving away all weekend?

I know I'm a newbie here, and this has probably been discussed to death, but it's like watching a train wreck, from inside the train. It's at least a little cathartic to vent.

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. That's the way it is at the big CPA firms, they just suck.

[dustbunnie]

5. I know, it's rampant everywhere.

I used to be a committed spender, now, every cent goes to necessities ONLY. Everyone else around me is on the austerity program as well. And if the domino effect continues, who's going to buy all the goods and services Corpies depend on for mega-profits. Do they have a combined master plan? If so, it's not self-evident.

[Hydra]

2. Welcome to DU

And while your story is crazy, everything I'm seeing lately is crazy. It really does seem that the corps have declared open season on us, and we didn't get the memo. I got cut 3 weeks ago on a second round of cuts this quarter, along with a few in the upper tiers.

And then I make the mistake of watching the Senate now and then. Failed SAN check!

[w4rma]

3. Cthulhu fan? ;) (nt)

[Hydra]

10. You can keep those tentacled weirdos away from me!

Actually, I bet they have one of those "Deal with the Devil" programs. I'll have to look into it :evilgrin:

[dustbunnie]

6. Guess eventually we'll all pull ourselves up by our pipi long stockings.

I feel the same way. It's almost surreal, and can't believe all the hundreds of thousands of us won't revolt eventually, or at least figure out some way around the current mass enslavement/layoff routine.

Friends in countries with universal health care are suffering as well, but at least they and their families' basic health needs are still being met. I also know of some people here who are forced to stay in crappily recompensed, deplorable working environments because they can't afford to lose whatever benefits they have. Especially these days. I think our lack of a decent health care system is tied to corp enslavement as well. (Am I naive and everyone knew this already?)

I empathize with your situation btw. Very much! Good luck to you. And thanks for the welcome. :)

[Hydra]

11. Actually, my situation could have been much worse

So I'm making sacrificial offerings this week. I went back to my work to pick up my tax info to find out that my boss had been fired not two weeks after I got cut, and the next in line for the position didn't like me(I don't put up with assholes well). I could well have been fired two days ago and no chance for unemployment.

As for the lack of universal health care, you'll notice that in the places that have it, workers don't put up with as much(walk from a job or riot, for instance), so it is very much tied in. Good little slaves get a doctor's pass, the bad little slaves get nothing. I don't use conventional medicine after the 3rd time they almost killed me, but I feel for the people who need it.

[SoCalDem]

12. People WILL take to the streets to KEEP what they have,

but it's not as likely for them to do it, so that someone else can GET care..

[Hydra]

13. I used to think that was true

But one of the greatest "wtf" subjects for me is how people are stripped of everything they have, and then declaring that to resist is not the answer.

I'll say it again- :wtf:

[SoCalDem]

14. Because we have no cohesive unity.. we have bought into the "individualistic" crap

people here are usually NOt exposed to union labor, and are used to going it alone, so when they fail, they think they are still alone..and since we are so "me-centric", we also tend to think that our circumstances are always the worst..much worse than anyone else's.:(

[CrispyQ]

26. Yes! This is a huge part of the problem - that we don't value community.

Individualism is fine, but it thrives within the construct of a healthy community. We've lost site of that fact & as our communities break down we see the result in our individual lives.

[Historic NY]

4. Wait a minute your now a private contractor...demand a contract.

[dustbunnie]

8. I did... finally.

I'm just amazed at how quickly everything changed, and how widespread it is.

[MadMaddie]

7. dustbunnie

I am convinced as others these Mega corporations are destroying America.

I am of the school of thought that they should fail. These corporations have become so bloated, greedy and they could care less if America fails.

* has ushered in the era of Corporations turning against employees and Unions. We also now have a Repuglican minority in Congress that is attacking employees.

Small and Med sized companies can hire and pay employees good decent salaries.



Welcome to DU!:hi:

[dustbunnie]

9. I think you're right.

Even in the five years I was at mine I watched the yearly disintegration of humanness. And yes, the greed-induced pressure on emps and daily floggings got harder to witness and to bear. Those junior emps at mine went from 5-day a week, plus some late nights, to 6-7 day weeks, late nights guaranteed every night. Hope they flop as well. They're killing people.

Funny you mention it, but have been working with smaller companies as well... wow, night and day! Maybe this will be our future.

Thanks for the welcome! :hi:

[Lorien]

17. I agree. And the mega corporations are doing all they can to kill the smaller

corporations. My favorite client was MGA Entertainment. They make those horrid Bratz dolls- or they did, before Mattel brought a lawsuit against them and stopped them. Even though the products they made were stomach turning, they didn't deserve that! They were very good to their employees, very professional, and very responsive to their contractors. I really liked everyone who I worked with there, but it's hard to say what will happen to them now. :-(

[1776Forever]

15. I had a "dream" the other night - It was one where all the little people got together & formed

businesses and told the BIG boys to bug off! Would it work? I don't know but it sounds darn good!

Could you possible check the stimulus package and see if there is something in there that could help you start your own business?

Good luck!

:hide:

[hankthecrank]

23. or form co-ops

Farmers in small towns formed co-op to buy things together.

Maybe they only needed said item part time didn't need to own it just use item some times spread out the pain

Buying things in bulk. Or buying things right from the people who make it.

Today's version trading labor, cost of buying things or together. Or not owning something just using it when you need it.

word wide unions, co-op

[Lorien]

16. Welcome to the life of a freelancer/ contractor

I do have to admit-it wasn't always like this. I've compared notes with my fellow freelancers (illustrators, animators, designers), and back in the Clinton era we worked hard, but not seven days a week all the time. We took two month vacations to Europe in those days, and we had six figure incomes. Now most of us are making 24-45k a year and we're all working seven days a week (when we have work). Most are doing 80 hour weeks now. We have no vacation and no social lives. It's one hell of a way to exist, I'll tell you that!

[shrike]

27. I hear ya, Lorien

I look back at the Clinton era with nostalgia. It wasn't perfect, but you're right, we worked very hard but made lots of money. Still had time for ourselves, took great vacations. Now I'm expected to produce more for less.

[TWiley]

18. The irony of the Republicans "moral supremecy" is this

They want to legislate personal morality of the individual, and take a hands-off approach to the legislation of the morality of capitalism.

They are so worried about who is having sex who and how they do it, but overlook the white collar screwing of an entire nation and how that is done.

on edit: furthermore they call their belief "freedom and liberty" and accuse democrats of government infringement into the lives of the individual. Ass backwards practice of ideals as always

[Lorien]

28. A bumper sticker I made a while back:

Profit is seen as the ultimate goal and ultimate "good" in this Nation, and the wealthy are more entitled to profit than the rest of us. NOTHING has intrinsic worth anymore- not nature, not beauty, not art, not life, not time. Endangered species? What is it's worth in cold hard cash? Is the Grand Canyon worth more than a new development? Both Republicans and DLC Democrats embrace this new Libertarianism, where "freedom" only belongs to those who can afford it.

[TWiley]

30. RIGHT ON! So few people actually get the difference between the parties.

But, you nailed it. It really is as simple as that.

[KitSileya]

19. Welcome, dustbunnie!

To me it has been obvious for quite some time that the whole financial crisis is going to give American corporations/repukes the ideal opportunity to turn the majority of Americans into serfs. That's what they're aiming for - not only the total destruction of unions, but making Americans little better than slaves. No rights whatsoever, working for a company at their pleasure, no benefits other than exploitative ones (health care only insofar that you daren't ask for more in case that makes you lose your job), no overtime, less pay, less of everything except tasks, in fact. How is that different from serf in feudal Russia and Europe of old?

[tom_paine]

20. I am sure this is Our Bushie Rulers Plan -yes, they seem to rule whether ostenisbly in power or out

making sure they don't miss the opportunity to feudalize the Old USA in the coming Greater Depression.

I mean, look what happen in the last Great Depression?

The Bushies were DEFEATED (though not prosecuted or publicly exposed as the High Treasonists they were "for the good of the county") in 1934-5, when they tried to overthrow the government, expel FDR, and put a Nazi-style government plus economy in place like their old pal Hitler.

Prescott Bush, due to his long, warm ties with Nazi Germany, was slated to be Ambassador to Nazi Germany from the Fascist States of America...had the Bushies succeeded. They didn't.

Unsubstantiated hyperbole, you say?

No, dustbunnie. As part of your Welcome to DU, I am going to share with you a piece of VERY censored history, backed up by the researchers at the BBC and the National Archives records of the 1935 Joint Committee on UnAmerican Activities, which investigated the Bushie High Treason, found that all accusations were substantiated by testimony and evidence, then buried them for decades "FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY."

This allowed the son and grandson of the Nazis' greatest American allies to, like Hitler did, gain the executive power and destroy that nation of liberal American weaklings from WITHIN, just like Hitler did to Germany, after HIS Bushie-like attempt in 1923 to take over Germany failed and he switched to the "destroy from within" strategy.

Hitler is unquestioningly smiling down in Hell at the massive successes of his Bushie Proteges, using HIS propaganda methodology, updated and mightily strengthened with 70 years of marketing and psychological research

Seems crazy and can't possibly be true? Guess again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/document/document_20070723.shtml

I threw that in because I think that's a logical first step to understanding what we are TRULY up against in the modern Republican party, which long ago sold it's decency, intgrity and soul to the KKK and the Bushies, America's Greatest Nazi Allies.

Here's the second important read: placing the Bushies and their follwers in the continuity of history through decades of psychological research tht soret of inadvertantly reveals this amazing an universal human truth regard the portion of weak-minded authoritarian followers and thoe who harness their power throughout history.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

Like the Bushies and their Dittoheads, Hannidiots, and Savage Weiners.

Welcome to DU. As in the move "Matrix", you may live to regret taking the "Red Pill of Truth" that I am offering you. Or you may be ecstatic at knowing what so few know, seeing what so few can see.

Good luck, and Welcome to DU! :toast:

Check out the links. Take the "Red Pill"...if you dare.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. Welcome to DU!

[nashville_brook]

22. welcome dustbunnie! your story is VERY familar. are you a designer or marketing creative?

that's my line of work, and since i entered the workforce in 1994 i've seen this same scene play out in a multitude of incarnations. there's moving the company from a high-wage area to a low-wage area (and since i lived in TN for many years, i got in on the low-end of the scale). there's the cutting-from-the-top scenario that you describe -- i've also been on that end of the stick. there's the merger that moves the marketing/advertising department to another city. there's the agency that loses it's sugardaddy client.

then there's the myriad ways you get screwed as a new hire. you sign up for contracting and they turn the position into an office gig with phone-answering duties. there's the 9-5 gig in a department that's so understaffed you can't possibly do your job in a mere 8-hour day. and finally there's the job interview where they wonder why you have so many notches in your job history.

yes, this is the 'new' reality, but it's not new. it's quite old. and speaking of old, just wait until you have 15 years experience and find yourself looking for work in a world where 5 years is most asked for.

i feel like the only constructive response to your post is "unionize," but this is a nearly unworkable answer as there will always be a crop of people willing to work for less, work longer hours and work without a contract.

wish i has something more to offer than recognition of how bad it is.

[upi402]

24. Since unions were busted by Republicans and corporate Dems

it is the new work model. That and a scratch it out, illegal, underground economy. It will likely get worse as "Democratic" leadership grabs its ankles for their corporate masters. Sorry if it pisses anyone off the read it, but it's what denial and delusion have brought us.

[CrispyQ]

25. Welcome to 21st Century Feudalism!

I highly recommend Thom Hartmann's book, "We the People: A Call to Take Back America." It's a quick read as it's written in a comic book fashion. He offers a quick refresher course in civics & a whole lot more.

Thom states, "...when the wealthiest in a society take over government and then weaken it so it no longer can represent the interests of the people, the transition has begun into a new era of feudalism."

Later he adds, "Once the rich & powerful gain control of the government, they turn it upon itself, usually first eliminating its taxation process as it applies to themselves." Sound familiar? Tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts. (For the rich, of course.)

And later, "The most important function of tax cuts is to deprive government of oxygen. The result is that the government must then turn to private corporations -- the new feudal lords -- to administer the Commons." This is exactly what we've been seeing for the past 30 years. Unlike times of the past, however, this transition will not be regional, but rather global.

I wish everyone would read this book because I think a lot of Americans have forgotten about our Commons - national resources that We the People hold in common. Privatization is basically theft of the Commons for the profit of a few. One of the critical points that Thom makes is that our government is also a part of the Commons. And when they privatize our government, what recourse will we have?

Here's the website for the book & there a couple of free excerpts. I also included the Amazon link.

http://www.we-the-people-book.com/main/free_excerpt.htm

http://www.amazon.com/We-People-Call-Take-America/dp/1882109384/ref=pd_bbs_sr_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234111525&sr=8-10

Welcome to DU, dustbunnie! :hi:

on edit: spellcheck!

[rvablue]

29. Welcome to DU, dustbunnie! Hope we read more from you, you're an excellent writer! n/t