So, many of you know that me and the bf have been having some issues with employment. 

My boyfriend is currently trying to push for a raise.. and for the past few days I've been helping him do that by doing research at home. 

See, his work has been dicking everyone around ever since they lost their big contract with John Deere when they closed their doors last year, and moved to Mexico.  Ever since then people have been laid off, moved around, all in an attempt to save money.  The company put all of it's eggs in the John Deere basket, and now they are trying to make up for it.  Things have gotten out of hand.

While they were laying people off, one ass kiss, "hey mr.supervisor, lets play golf on the weekends", worker was given a promotion and raise that required no extra work, time, or duties.  People are obviously pissed about that... including my bf who has been there longer, and already works much harder and has more duties than said new supervisor.  There are 7 people currently working there - 3 of which are in management... one is a co-op student who works for his education - no monetary pay.  It seems as though, the only person with a good work attitude and moral is the guy who just got a raise - who mind you just lost the company money by not meeting a deadline due to his working habits.  See, he's meticulous, pays EXTREMELY close attention to detail... which is good... unless you have a deadline to meet... then it's pointless. Because he had to go above and beyond all other workers, in order to maintain his ass kissing strategy, he worked extra slow... because of that he prevented the warehouse from reporting back to the factory that makes their inventory.  My boyfriend said that everyone worked twice as fast, and had to go help the new supervisor in order to try and get it out... it didn't work... because the new supervisor is so meticulous... he didn't want anyone to help him... because they wouldn't do it the slow way that he wanted to.

In addition, they are now bringing truck drivers into the warehouse.  They are faced with "either take a pay cut, or lose your job"... they're just trying to save money.  They currently have 20 + ex-warehouse workers laid off, waiting for a call back.  They won't get it, because that would require the company to pay more, instead of paying an existing worker less.  One person was taken out of the warehouse and put in another department... where he took a pay cut.  This father of 3 asked for a raise... because he was with the company for a combined 20 years... but they gave that raise to the new supervisor.

Now, my boyfriend wants a raise.  He is the one most of the people ask to do all of the heavy lifting... they even leave these duties there for him to catch up on, if he takes a sick day.  It's not that he has a different job title as anyone else working there, he's just seen as the "doesn't complain, willing to work" employee.  He's been with the company for 11 years.  Since he's started they've done their share of illegal activities to him... denying him vacations that he's entitled to under the ESA (Employment Standards Act), they tried getting away with paying him less on certain pay checks, hoping he wouldn't notice... same goes for raises he's received in the past.  Now, when he asks for a raise, the boss tells him that there will be a meeting with everyone to discuss raises.... that's not good.  Either everyone's getting a raise (which I very highly doubt) or they are going to come up with a reason not to give anyone a raise.

So me and him came up with an idea.  For the past week I've been sending my boyfriend emails containing different job listing in the area, relative to the position he has now.  The starting wages for most of these jobs, are around, and sometimes even more than what he makes, yet requires less experience... so if he were to apply, and rightfully get these jobs (he has a lot of experience), he would be able to negotiate wage with these employers in some instances.  I also looked into the average starting wages for these positions, and found similar results.  As I write this blog, my boyfriend is viewing and printing these jobs out on company time.  He also plans to show these to his supervisor. 

At breaks he is asking questions and stirring up the inside politics pot.  "How come this guy got a raise"  "I don't care if they lay me off - EI is a guaranteed 6 months pay".  Eventually he will tell his employer - either you give me a raise, or I look for another job.  He will give no notice... and it's not like we can't move.  It's me, him, and 4 cats.. we want to move anyway... that's part of the reason he wants a raise.

Now he doesn't make much.  32 years old, working for the same company for 11 years, and he can't even afford his own vehicle.  It's really fortunate that our rent is hundreds of dollars below average rent prices, otherwise he wouldn't be able to afford housing either.  See... we live in what most would call a slum.  It's a bad neighborhood, and a small shoddy apartment.  This place hasn't had a single upgrade in at least 8 years... the amount of time my bf's been living here.  So... you know... there's no downgrading in the hopes of saving money... even a shittier apartment would cost more.  He couldn't afford many of the things people of his age have... like a family, a house, a car, savings.  None of it. 

So, when it all comes down to it... my bf will be stirring up shit, he will be up his employers ass for a raise, and if he doesn't get it, he will be doing the bare minimum to stay employed without getting laid off for any fault of his own.  That way, if he does get laid off, he can go on EI.  Hell, maybe EI will pay for him to go to school.... hell he has every reason to get laid off if he doesn't get this extra 20 cents (or lower) an hour.

I don't get it though.  According to capitalism, everyone has a fair chance to make it.  The best get the best.  If you work hard, you can, and will do well.  That's why we have capitalism right?  I really do think capitalism did work, until we privatized everything, and let CEO's do whatever they wanted as their "fair chance" at making it big.  It can't work.  Not everyone can be entrepreneurs,  big executives, or even wealthy.   There will always have to be people who make, and ship our goods.... always.  And to say that everyone has a fair chance to be above that is wrong.  No - not everyone gets the promotions they deserve.  Yes- some people, mostly the lower and middle class, get laid off at no fault of their own. 

There has to be more for the average man.  Fuck the %1 of the population that makes more than everyone else combined... fuck them - they shouldn't have a say.  They are the people society should forget about.   It should also be illegal for corporations to sponsor politicians.... if you look into who the people standing next to our political candidates and elected officials, you'll find that %1 of the population.  They pull the strings... and they don't like democracy.    I do remember a certain memo given to citibank executives regarding the changes in the economy... how they were worried about "one person - one vote".... it also mentioned "riding the gravy train"... and how to keep doing it.   Or how the government bailouts had little to no regulation on how the money was to be spent... and how it WAS spent.... and how some of these companies that received bailouts are still fucked - although the executives were taking care of, thousands upon thousands are still without basic work.

Capitalism allows the big shots to take away from the majority, in order to fix their own mistakes.  When they're fucked - we all need to help them, even though they simultaneously take more away from us.  Profits rise - just like the unemployment rate. 

And we've all been brainwashed.  Nobody, when they are children, think they will not succeed.  They all believe that they will be doing something that they love when they grow up.  They all believe wealth and riches are possible for anyone.  "You can be whatever you want".  Nobody wants to be a factory worker... especially one that is always worried about job security, always fighting for the basics, always answering to "the man".  But those people need to exist...  because of that, we shouldn't be the ones to lose all the time... and shit always rolls down hill... the answer is to always lay off workers - the lower you are on the corporate ladder the more shit you'll have to deal with... and the less say you have. 

I heard about a company who's business IS a democracy.  There are weekly meetings where the workers AND the executives sit together in the same room, and discuss the same issues.  When it comes time to make a choice, THEY VOTE!!!  Can you fucking believe that?  Executive decisions being decided by the majority...  it's not a share holding plan, where if you buy a share you're told that you are a part owner of the company.  With this, you run the company. Your vote, your opinion, has it's place, and directly effects the outcome.  Imagine that.... fuck.  We couldn't even fathom our world without democracy on a government level. We couldn't picture not having any say at all... why do we put up with a dictatorship when it comes to our employment?  Employment and thus income is one of the most important things in our lives. It's the foundation of our existence... how much money we have access to directly effects how we live our lives on basically every other level.  Workers need to have more say... that's all.