The Blizzard and the Boss

As I sit here tonight, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. My little shoulders. No, it's not even because of Bush this time. This time the problem is snow. Lots and lots of snow. And all that it seems to represent.

I'm gonna ramble, I'm gonna complain, but ultimately, I hope to make my point.

In the middle of the "Holiday Blizzard 2006", as the news channels are calling it, (they are apparently required to name every storm that produces more than a dusting of snow) I've come to realize all that snow represents. Let me begin by explaining how my awakening happened...

This morning, when my fantastic boss finally let us leave work, two hours after we should have been allowed to, I drove home at a whopping 15mph in white-out conditions, in a front wheel drive sports-car with good, but not 'snow' tires. After sliding several times and worrying about the jackasses around me, I made it to my street. Unfortunately, I live at the top of a nice little incline, and so had to park my car at the bottom of the hill and walk the last 1/2 mile. In a blizzard. Gusting wind. Snow, ankle deep. In high heels. I did quite a bit of thinking on that 10 minute walk. Mostly to keep my mind off of the fact that I couldn't feel my feet, except for the ice that was forming in my arches.

I began to think about my amazing boss, and how at 9:30 this morning, when one of our project managers, who was on the interstate, called and said we had to leave right then or it was going to be too dangerous, he just shrugged it off. Then, 20 minutes later, when one of our foremen called and said the same thing, he still shrugged it off and said we could stick it out until 2:00. Finally, he was overruled by our Op Mgr, who at 10:30 said "Shut it down". When I called back into the shop, to let my brilliant boss know that yes, I'd made it home, and thanks for nothing since I had to hike in a blizzard to get home, he actually had the gonads to ask if I thought I'd be able to make it in tomorrow, and if not, could I get a ride in with someone. I laughed and informed him that no one is going anywhere tomorrow morning. He said he'd be in, cause his big ass' gas-guzzlin', over-sized, "Bush-Cheney" bumper-stickered, SUV could get through anything. I hope he gets stuck.

I'll stop rambling and get to my point. The mere fact that anyone seems to think that the accounting office of a construction company needs to be open during a blizzard is a stunning example of how far this country has slid down hill. That bosses are actually expecting people to risk life, limb, and property to make sure that a deposit gets posted or an invoice gets mailed befuddles me. When did I give my soul to that company, or any company. All that matters is the bottom line. To hell with the snow, screw CDOT, they don't know what they're doing when the shut down the interstate. How dare they say we peons can't go into work in 26" of snow.

The fact is, everything is being reduced to the bottom line. No matter how a company gets there, how dangerous their methods, how warped their motives, nor how psycho their demands, they are just racing to the bottom. All ends justify their means, according to them. I already work longer hours than I used to, with more (many more) duties, and come next week, I'll get a nice little pat on the back, an "atta-girl" and a raise that will equal about 1/2 of a cost of living increase. And I will act gracious. For this, I was expected to risk my well-being to go into work? I don't think so.

Maybe you'll say I have a bad attitude, but I'm sick and tired of being treated as a mere pawn in some screwed up Titans-of-Industry game. I'm sick and tired of knowing that I am making less now than I was in 2000. I'm tired of seeing my middle-class status slip from my fingers helplessly. Yeah, sure I could get a second job, but the point is, I shouldn't have to. No one should have to. My husband is already working his ass off traveling 75% of the time just so we can make enough money to live a decent life. But, when he is bouncing around the country at the whim of a boss with too much money and too much spare time, how are we supposed to enjoy that life.

If this is middle-class, I don't want to even think about what the less fortunate have to deal with. This country didn't use to be like this. It was never equal, it was never fair, but at least everyone had a chance, however small it may be. Now, we are all slowly sinking to the bottom, with no one to pull us out. And no ropes or ladders to help ourselves.

If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish, you feed him for life. That's all fine and dandy, but it'd be nice if you provided him with a rod, some bait, and maybe even a fish to feed him till he gets the hang of it.

If we require anything of our leaders, it should be a safety net, workplace protections, and labor-friendly policies. Because without workers out there busting butt everyday, there would not be a United States. There wouldn't be anything, except maybe the snow. Piling up, smothering us all, slowly and surely.