Big Business

Has anyone else noticed a wide spread change in the way some business handle their employees? It seems that businesses have either forgotten or given up on the idea of providing "good" customer service. They have cut their costs to a minimum and still there is not enough profit to make upper management happy. So, what is left.... if costs are as low as possible, efficiencies are as good as they can get, then the only thing left is the labor costs. What seems to happen is lower wages are being paid and more is expected from the employee. Benefits are being cut or not offered and the "do whatever it takes" mantra kicks in. Now we have a workforce of people that are under paid and expected to devote everything they have for the betterment of the company, with no hope of advancement or compensation. How can anyone expect a quality product or service when the people manufacturing or performing the service feel as if they are under appreciated and/or taken advantage of. I recently saw a broadcast of a University lecture about the "Collapse of the Middle Class". I believe it's happening. Today it takes two incomes to support a family. That doubles the risk of something catastrophic occurring putting the family into financial ruin. A CNN report showed that 41% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and tens of millions are living below the poverty level. How are people suppose to prosper when wages and benefits are low and cost of living increases. How do you making ends meet or provide for a family when the federal minimum wage is $5.85/Hour and the national average for a gallon of gas is $2.80/gal? Ahhhh... I know, I've heard this one.... "Get an education" Wrong..... I will be the first one to stand up and say getting an education is a wonderful thing for a person to do. I myself returned to college and finished my degree later in my life, but let me tell you that once I got that sheep skin the bucks did not start flowing in. Certainly not enough to compensate for the ten's of thousands of dollars it cost and the student loan payments to pay it back. An education is a great achievement and I would suggest it to anyone, but please don't believe the college job placement services that will tell you that you will be making the big bucks as soon as you graduate. A local community college in my area will claim great wages for their graduates and advertise in the local paper for the same job at much lower wages. I guess it all boils down to the fact that the old saying of "A good days pay for a good days work" is long dead. Today, through the vicious circle of lower wages, poor benefits, employers expecting workers to do anything and everything for the good of the company and giving little. Then wonder why their workforce doesn't give a crap about quality or the level of service they are providing. Today, it's more like "A meager days pay for a gut wrenching days work."