Are you working harder for less?

[feistydem]

I have been putting in so many hours at my job lately and because I am salary, my hourly rate just keeps dropping. I can't afford to hire more people to spread out the workload and I can't afford to buy health insurance for me or my employees. Despite the workload, I had to let somebody go a few weeks back.

Yesterday I worked 15 hours. I am wiped out.

(by the way, I'm just conducting the show -I don't own it).

I keep reading the papers that says things are slowly getting better. Really? For who?

Is it getting better for you? Or are you trying to do a lot more with a lot less, like me and my staff?

[Deja Q]

1. No, but I'm working toward my own murder.

(obsolescence)

[Straight Shooter]

2. Self-employed and cannot believe how much harder I work

Just a few years ago, working until 7:30 was unusual. Nowadays, working until 8:30 or 9:00 is more the norm.

I've had to force myself to take off one day a week because fatigue was making me nonproductive.

It's just that everything keeps going up, up, up. I can't request higher rates because then someone who charges less will swoop in. I've been doing this work for over 20 years and I enjoy it, but it sure would be nice to take a damn vacation.

[feistydem]

4. I hear you!

I was a marketing & communications consultant up and until about 6 months ago and I was so exhausted trying to keep up my old clients and get new ones that I decided to just go get 'a job.' Now I am back to working long hours and for even less money than I was making before.

It's insane!

I haven't had a vacation in a long while either. There's just no time to spare.

[Straight Shooter]

8. No time to spare and no money to go

I'm working on it, though. I really hope this coming summer to be able to take off a week and visit some friends.

I live close to a tourist area and it does make me a bit envious to see all those RVs driving through, with bicycles and kayaks on them, knowing that they're on their way to having a really good time.

Oh, well, I'm healthy and I voted for Kerry! :)

[feistydem]

13. I watch tourist skiers come in and out of my town.

What's really funny, is I used to be one of those people. I moved here because I loved vacationing here. Now I just watch the visitors have fun and curse them when my favorite restaurants and coffee shops are packed.

[quacker]

3. I am working harder....

...more hours and picked up a second job and I will still make less this year than I have for the last 2 years working for the same company.

Technically my hourly wage has not dropped, but my health insurance has gone up and my company has taken away the commission benefits that I came to depend on. Between that, the health insurance and added co-pays and the cost of just living in general going up, I've had a hard time making ends meet this last year. I'm not talking about living extravagantly, it comes down to gas for the car to get to work or dinner.

So, no. It's not getting better for me, or anyone that I am close to. I was just talking to my best friend and she was saying how she is going crazy the last 8-10 months living paycheck to paycheck and depending on credit cards to fill in the gap.

For now I've sucked it up and just moved back home 2 weeks ago. The goal is to be debt free in 6 months.

Q

[serryjw]

5. I have an unusal situation

I DELIBERATELY make $15K yearly BUT have the ability to make double BUT on my present salary I qualify for county hospital. IF I made $30K, I would NOT be eligible and my medical would run me about $10K yearly.........I have no choice BUT to stay poor!How could I ever aford $10K on $30K yearly?

[feistydem]

6. I did that in college. You have to stay just poor enough to qualify

for subsidized medical but have enough money for food and shelter. I payed my own way through school and worked at a restaurant --so at least I got to eat for free.

This system stinks. Hang in there serryjw!

[serryjw]

11. Ohhhhhh...I'm OK......

I have a cute 1 bedroom in D/T Denver and walk everywhere or bus. Not really a BIG problem....thanks for your support.

[feistydem]

16. I'm in CO too!

mountain town.

It's so cold I am worried my heating bill is going to be outrageous.

[serryjw]

17. Do you ever come into Denver.......

We all on DU should meet somewhere D/T for Dinner.

[Straight Shooter]

9. There was once a time I'd be down on someone for "working the system"

But ever since bush, all I can say is, get it while the getting's good.

:thumbsup:

[feistydem]

10. Amen.

because it is 'gettin' away from us.

[borlis]

7. I only work part time but

my husband is working harder than he ever has before. He was let go do "downsizing" 2 years ago. He was the engineering manager of a tool & die company. It was a family owned business and they hired him right out of college and he worked his way up. He was there for 17 years and they didn't give him one dime in severance pay! We were very lucky that he found a job in only 5 weeks. Not so lucky that it paid about $15,000 less than he was making. He was there only about 3 months when the pay freeze started. So last year, no pay increase at all. So far he has survived 2 layoffs there and actually last week he got a pay increase of 4%. So I guess now he is probably making what he was in 1993. There is talk of a bonus in Feb or March but I will believe it when I see it. As for the working harder part, I can't believe how much work he brings home now. He is traveling more than he ever has and does it on his own time, sometimes getting to his hotel at 11 or 12 at night. And when he is in town many nights he doesn't get home until after 7. He is missing our kids sporting events sometimes too. Our dining room table has become his weekend office. Needless to say the other things he should be doing on the weekend and in the evenings (like projects around the house) just don't get done. We don't have the $$ to hire out for every little thing that needs to be done. So Yes, I too would like to see where things are better?????

[Straight Shooter]

14. Maybe all the Dems, Progressives and Indies need their own "Monster" board

A network where companies which believe in Democratic values can hire people who also believe in Democratic values.

It's just a little thought itching in my brain, and I'm too tired to expound any further, but seems to me there ought to be a way to do something for everyone who is working so damn hard and encountering one obstacle after the other.

I'm so sorry, borlis, about your situation. This is the time of your life you and your husband should be making memories to share later in your golden years, not working yourselves into an early grave. Best wishes to you both, and I hope things do start to turn around and improve. It's a dirty shame what bush has done to the American Dream, where we once believed that doing honest work and working hard and taking care of our families and communities would result in financial security. Nowadays it seems the only "secure" people are those who are incredibly selfish and don't give a rat's patooie about anyone but themselves.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi borlis!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[OhioChick]

12. Things AREN'T better here either,

working far MORE hours for the same pay. Don't have much choice......there aren't many jobs out there. Sigh.

[ConsAreLiars]

15. I am paid by the hour and I am working less, but for much less.

The shop is going under and will be dismantled next week. The good news is that I am getting sold along with the equipment to the new owner.

(Good news is the old and new owners are progressive and operate union shops by choice, but the short hours mean harder work - getting everything set up, etc. - and fewer more productive (easy) hours of letting machine churn out its product.)