Underpaid or overworked?

[seckle]

Just curious. What situation fits you?

[marsyas]

underpaid and sick of work.

[product]

underpaid and underworked

[seckle]

do you think that superpower countries like to keep their people over worked and underpaid to control us?

[drew]

its midnight, been here since 10am busting my ass. doesnt make any difference towards a promotion, and will still get some looks for coming in at 10:30 tomorrow

[the mighty spanner]

DEFINITELY overworked and underpaid

[shonky]

do you think that superpower countries like to keep their people over worked and underpaid to control us?

I read "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich and "Willing Slaves" by Madeline Bunting, and I'd say it looks far worse in the states as there's less of a safety net to assist those in really low paid jobs. Willing Slaves indicates that overwork also leads to the breakdown of relationships and families through being too tired and not having enough time to socialise.

http://www.anxietyculture.com/contents.htm - somewhere in here there was a detail saying that 60% of people attending soup kitchens in the states were actually working. There's also an interesting statistic for this country that said that even though unemployment has decreased, poverty has actually increased, which indicates that work does not lift people out of poverty of itself. Also a large percentage of working people cannot survive without borrowing to make up the shortfall between the cost of living and their wages.

It's also been mentioned that long hours do not lead to higher productivity due to the fact that exhaustion affects concentration levels. The longer hours are generally not concentrated work, but more of an effort to be in first and last to leave to show bosses commitment to the job. When the UK was afflicted with strikes in the 70's and a 3 day week imposed, productivity wasn't really affected.

I'm actually in the position where my workload's fine, but my wages barely sustain my existence. After my rent, council tax and utility bills are paid, it's 2/3 of my wage gone. Mind you I chose to go to a 28 hour week, as with housing benefit, I make pretty much the same wage as I would for doing 5.

I have noticed that I'm much cheerier doing less hours, and feel less of an urge to buy goods to trigger that reward function in my mind that I used to when I was doing five. I don't think it's necessarily a determined effort by the superpowers though, just how things have evolved. Don't think mainland europe generally has as many problems as I think workers' rights are more enshrined on the continent. Apart from the minimum wage, our government seems to have rejected most actions that would improve the situation for britain's workforce.

[elgato]

do you think that superpower countries like to keep their people over worked and underpaid to control us?

I don't think it's necessarily a determined effort by the superpowers though, just how things have evolved.

i agree. in the UK at least, i think its just that govt is just too shit/doesnt have enough incentive to change things. there is obviously a degree to which vulnerability of interest influences how much is done to change the situation (i.e. those in power rarely will bare the consequences of the poverty gap), and how quickly, but to view it as a positive, 'conscious' imposition of order i think gives them too much credit to be honest.

i would say that there is a stronger argument regarding superpowers' (both govtal and corporate) intentions and actions in the rest of the world, (who relative to us must be much more overworked and underpaid). )

[m9918868]

For the ones wanting to read up a bit on these matters, Loïc Wacquant wrote some good articles on the wellfare-workfare transition under neoliberal policy.

Here are some articles.

[elgato]

For the ones wanting to read up a bit on these matters, Loïc Wacquant wrote some good articles on the wellfare-workfare transition under neoliberal policy.

Here are some articles.

heavy, thank you

[fooishbar]

cannot complain about my job. or my boss.

[__________]

unemployed and underpaid

[theverdict]

underpaid and put up with too much bullshit.

[jim]

Underpaid and completely underworked, unchallenged, bored, etc. :/

[theverdict]

Underpaid and completely underworked, unchallenged, bored, etc. :/

im with ya on the unchallenged and bored part.

[j_j]

[kidlogic]

Underpaid and completely underworked, unchallenged, bored, etc. :/

im with ya on the unchallenged and bored part.

Me too, I spend about 75% of my time clocked in on this and other forums. I usually get most of my work done by 10a (I get in at 8:30a) and then after that Im just handling the small amount of work that trickles through...

[guerillaeye]

my work is on the outsource tip.. and my job is going away soon to other people who are willing to do the same amount of work for less pay.. which will leave me with no work and no pay.

god bless america!

[fooishbar]

cannot complain about my job. or my boss.

why not, would they cut your wages?

it's challenging, i can't think of how the conditions could be better (short of the office being in melbourne), they seem to like me, i get along well with them all, and my work is fun and what i want to do.