Are working conditions getting worse?

Employers are asking more and more from their employees, burnouts have become a common phenomenon, stress is part of everyday life, salaries can't catch up on the cost of life, social benefits are a luxury, etc.

Is it just me or do employers want the most perfect and devoted employee and that employee won't receive much in return? I have a feeling that jobs with security and good conditions are very rare or exclusive to certain professions.

I remember people saying countless times "you'll see when baby boomers will retire and there will be plenty of new jobs available". From my experience, when someones retires or quits in a workplace, his tasks are simply distributed to the other employees. Young workers who just graduated happen to learn really fast and eventually become more competent than longtimers. Of course, the longtimers will keep their salary and social benefits while the employers will never doubt their skills.

I don't see myself afford a house someday, while it was the opposite case for my parents/grandparents. The world is getting worse, people.

in b4.

sesame rain

I work for Target and they actively manipulate employee schedules to minimize labor costs so our manager receives monetary bonuses. They also prevent employees for reaching the hours necessary to be eligible for the company health insurance. Without the affordable healthcare act we would not have health insurance at all.

Despite this, management forces employee enthusiasm and commutation. They give poor reviews for the tiniest fuck ups (also to prevent raises). I get harassed by supervisors because I pace myself and don't hurry up.

It's a lot of bullshit to put up with for 8.50 USD per hour, and no guaranteed hours. I'm living at home on 400 dollars per month. I fantasize about shooting myself in the head on their doorstep a lot.

yikes that's dark.

why don't you stick it to t he man?

I don't see too many problems in my workplace.

The work itself sucks but the workers make good money, have benefits, pension plan etc.

There are tons of good jobs out there you just have to look hard and be qualified I guess?

Also it helps that:

• Country:Canada

I've been at my job a while--working in a warehouse, the only pluses are it's nearby and leaves my brain free to think--but definitely don't consider it safe. If they found a way to replace us with robots or something cheaper, we'd be gone overnight. A company is only ever loyal to its money, and we're all replaceable, especially if it's cheaper. Not that I think I'll be fired/let go any time soon, but management changes, with them changing how quickly they'd be willing to turf out the workers, long time employees or otherwise, to save a few pennies. My dad was made redundant after 27 years without even severance pay, due to the company going under. All he had was a gold watch for 25 years service, which turned out to be fake gold. Loyalty, eh?

I'm to begin the process on buying my own place, after a few years of saving, which was managable as I'm frugal to begin with, plus I'm quite happy with buying a flat, the one I've gone for just within range of the stringent amount of money banks are willing to lend for a mortgage. And I'm only able to afford this one due to a deal the UK does, a 50% shared ownership, which means I buy one half and pay rent on the other. You would think this would be expensive--somehow, it works out cheaper than renting a place on its own.

I can imagine how others, with similar low wages but wishing to own a house for their family or otherwise, would be entirely despondant in such an age. Especially with renting costs so high, saving on the side, in particular the amount required for a deposit in England let alone elsewhere, and the low wages companies are paying with no shame, it's no wonder things are pretty grim. I might be content with a flat, not needing much else, but for others, it's a horrible scenario and one I feel much sympathy for. It's going to have to come to a head soon, too many people left out for something or someone to rise up and start some kind of movement against this. I won't be surprised when it does, either.

maitake: I know the feeling: I'm at home now, and might be able to leave finally after all this time, but even so sympathise. All I can say is save what little you can and eventually it'll mount up. Just having a bit of money to the side, if not much, gives you some relief.

  On 7/25/2015 at 6:33 PM, maitake said:

I work for Target and they actively manipulate employee schedules to minimize labor costs so our manager receives monetary bonuses. They also prevent employees for reaching the hours necessary to be eligible for the company health insurance. Without the affordable healthcare act we would not have health insurance at all.

 

Despite this, management forces employee enthusiasm and commutation. They give poor reviews for the tiniest fuck ups (also to prevent raises). I get harassed by supervisors because I pace myself and don't hurry up.

 

It's a lot of bullshit to put up with for 8.50 USD per hour, and no guaranteed hours. I'm living at home on 400 dollars per month. I fantasize about shooting myself in the head on their doorstep a lot.

I've learnt to live a double life - make sure your life outside work is as fulfilling as possible within your means. There are some great things you can do for free - even hobbies that really aren't that costly. Just keep busy in life and whilst you're at work you'll be more willing to put up with whatever is thrown at you because you're really looking forward to finishing work so you can begin a project you're doing in your spare time. At the same time, try and find a job that you will enjoy a little more.

We're fucked in the long run anyway due to technological unemployment (machine automation and AI improving as time goes on). Governments aren't looking at solutions to this problem right now.

That's good advice there.^

  On 7/25/2015 at 7:26 PM, doublename said:

That's good advice there.^

This is what I think the future looks like, only much uglier:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_sink

  On 7/25/2015 at 7:21 PM, Bread said:

 

  On 7/25/2015 at 6:33 PM, maitake said:

I work for Target and they actively manipulate employee schedules to minimize labor costs so our manager receives monetary bonuses. They also prevent employees for reaching the hours necessary to be eligible for the company health insurance. Without the affordable healthcare act we would not have health insurance at all.

 

Despite this, management forces employee enthusiasm and commutation. They give poor reviews for the tiniest fuck ups (also to prevent raises). I get harassed by supervisors because I pace myself and don't hurry up.

 

It's a lot of bullshit to put up with for 8.50 USD per hour, and no guaranteed hours. I'm living at home on 400 dollars per month. I fantasize about shooting myself in the head on their doorstep a lot.

 

 

We're fucked in the long run anyway due to technological unemployment (machine automation and AI improving as time goes on). Governments aren't looking at solutions to this problem right now.

 

Machines require service men, creating jobs in technology/IT/call centers/etc.

Every developed nation sees a shift from primary/secondary industries into tertiary as technology advances. It leaves some people unemployed while others that grew up with technology (usually a younger generation) employed.

It's not a new phenomenon.

  On 7/25/2015 at 6:33 PM, maitake said:

I work for Target and they actively manipulate employee schedules to minimize labor costs so our manager receives monetary bonuses. They also prevent employees for reaching the hours necessary to be eligible for the company health insurance. Without the affordable healthcare act we would not have health insurance at all.

 

Despite this, management forces employee enthusiasm and commutation. They give poor reviews for the tiniest fuck ups (also to prevent raises). I get harassed by supervisors because I pace myself and don't hurry up.

 

It's a lot of bullshit to put up with for 8.50 USD per hour, and no guaranteed hours. I'm living at home on 400 dollars per month. I fantasize about shooting myself in the head on their doorstep a lot.

My coworker worked at Target for only about a month before he got let go. Judging by your post and the way he described his time there, sounds like the maltreatment of employees is universal, not just at certain stores. I hope you're able to find a more liveable alternative soon. I'm also gonna boycott Target from now on.

I've worked in the rental business for almost a decade now, and it's technically part of a government (DoD) organization. I have a good boss and good crew to work with, but the pay still leaves something to be desired and often times the clientele can be a royal pain in the ass. Yesterday in particular was physically and mentally draining. My boss actually has no control over my pay raises though. But I still get benefits, which is nice.

Fuck target!

I'm happy they failed here in Canada.Less than 2 years lol.

Yeah I don't think I'll ever go back to Target. Or any place where I know their employees get treated like scum, for that matter.

Not to get too political, but seems like the US is increasingly becoming a third world country, except to the ones in charge or with the most riches - maybe both in some cases. But that's already obvious.

did you guys simply try getting rich? you don't need to work if you're rich so you won't have those problems.

  On 7/25/2015 at 8:16 PM, eugene said:

did you guys simply try getting rich? you don't need to work if you're rich so you won't have those problems.

It takes a lot of work but to be blunt it is possible.

Rich is a relative term anyways. What do you consider rich?

I have a friend who built a used car company and it now has appr 10 locations and he's a millionaire. He's 26.

Edit: all he did is work hard and make good decisions in response to the local economic conditions etc. I'm just simply saying it is possible to get rich.

Dunno, but it's saturday night, and various conditions are getting worse for me. I'm slurring, dribbling and drooling everywhere. Fuck yeah!!

The zero hours work contracts thing, where you are a slave to your employer? Fuck that. Pretty awful to be in that situation I would guess.

I don't know if working conditions are worse, that depends on where on gods green earth you work. All i know is that during my 8 hour weekday shifts (9-5) I'm only doing about 2 hours of actual work a day since getting an assistant who likes to stay as busy a possible. In that regard i'm bored a lot of the time so the hours drag on and on. Sometimes the days feel like they won't end. It's like being in a perpetual state of Rubin Farr threads.

think about that flat screen tv tho, its worth it just to watch a marathon of "Arrow", great tv shows out there, its all worth it.

work.consume.work.consume

once hackers release the entire gmail database things are gonna get cray

  On 7/25/2015 at 10:41 PM, Deer said:

 

 

work.consume.work.consume

yup

Such is life for pretty much every living thing I can think of. Only difference is humans get to consume entertaining things rather than just working to survive.

yes working conditions are getting worse

class struggle and all that

nothing much to say really

Statistically at least we are working far less hours? I'd say as a condition that's fairly significant?

Note: this statistic is factors out unemployment. It's only among employed people.

  On 7/25/2015 at 10:57 PM, StephenG said:

Statistically at least we are working far less hours? I'd say as a condition that's fairly significant?

 

Note: this statistic is factors out unemployment. It's only among employed people.

 

yes, minijobs, 1-day contracts and 0-hour contracts are the best thing ever

also a huge chunk of what you can buy in Canada isn't made in Canada so that stat doesn't mean much really, not because Canadians don't work but because offshore labour is essential in order to keep the economy going

anyway, capitalism shifts its crises and its ugliness around, which everyone already knew so it's not really the most exciting topic

you really are a berk stepheng lol

with love