Working Us To Death

I think if weathermen were honest they would admit to being able to detect definite atmospheric changes on long, holiday weekends.

Maybe its in my mind.

We drove up to Maine yesterday. Carol drives, I look around.

People everywhere. Backyards, front yards, porches, on the road, off the road, talking, laughing, barbecuing, gathering.

Jeeps, motorcycles and 'vettes.

I feel a letting go, a peace, a release and a relief that is palpable.

People seem happy. They seem loose. They seem human.

I feel it in the air.

It is a sad commentary on our repressive society that a three day weekend is so coveted.

This is a list of the number of paid vacation days employees are required by the government to receive around the world: Australia 20, Austria 22, Belgium 20, Canada 10, Denmark 25, Finland 25, France 30, Germany 24, Greece 20, Ireland 20, Italy 20, Japan 10, Netherlands 20, New Zealand 20, Norway 25, Portugal 22, Spain 22, Sweden 25, UK 20, US......................0.

That's right - companies in the United States are not required to give their employees any vacation at all. And the way the working environment is going in this country I wouldn't be surprised to see that becoming a trend.

In fact it already is, as companies maneuver to employ as many part time employees as possible.

Why?

Part timers have no rights. They don't exist. They are human resources designed to be used up and cast aside.

Don't give me that "the United States is a world leader because of our work ethic" crap. We are now way down the list in many areas one would consider basic, like education, infant mortality, health, poverty, etc.

In fact the only thing we seem to excel at is exploiting the workers and the poor in this country. 

Another aspect of this that bothers me is that, although a three day weekend is a sweet and beautiful thing, I believe the number of people who actually get to enjoy one is shrinking rapidly and drastically.

I would love to see a comparison between now and twenty years ago summarizing the number of people who actually get three day weekends, and even more depressing than that, weekends at all, off.

I am positive the number has shrunk by a ridiculously large percentage.

Anyway........................I began composing these words with the intent of telling you about our day in Maine, the three day weekend Carol and I are enjoying, and the intense joy a lot of people experience at being away from work for three days.

I'll have to do that in another post. I'm too pissed off now to get back in line with happy human emotion.