Montreal reporters get Time and Half on vacation = Lockout

This is the fucking dumbest thing I have ever read. By this logic, sweatshop laborers should be able to meet their needs using 75 percent of their awesome, 25-cent-a-day salary. By your logic, the American dream is dictated by whatever an overlord employer thinks he should be paying you. "I'm only earning $10,000 a year? Great. Now I won't need that health insurance, won't need to do laundry, won't need to take showers every day. Won't need lights. Sounds like a sweet deal to me." Sweet Jesus.

 

He'll be using his unpaid vacation to check up on why 18-year-old's who played junior hockey aren't allowed to be sent to the minors from NHL clubs.

And as for saving money to pay for a vacation, there's a reason that most of the wages for jobs on this board would let most writers qualify for food stamps.

 

You know less about employee relations than you do about hockey.

 

Here's the quote:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/posts/2281891/

Not ignored. But you can't say both "it's a great day because a black man is president" and, at the same time "race doesn't matter, it's the other stuff."

I understand why black persons of all ages are excited by this. I don't see why white persons share the enthusiasm.

I have never been one to champion the "benefits" of diversity. I think living in a mixed-race society creates far more problems than it solves. Just one man's opinion.

 

That must be why Le Journal staffers didn't have to endure the cuts of 2006.

 

By the time the dust settles on this current economic meltdown, $20,000 per year may well be a sizeable amount. Of course, we won't be paying $600-800 per month for rent, either.

 

Seriously ... Of the issues that got the newspaper business into this quagmire--we might start with the invention of the Internet, free distribution on the Internet, classifieds migrating to Craigslist and other websites, the disappearance of so many department store chains that were heavy advertisers, the emergence of big-box chains that forced local stores/advertisers out of business--vacation pay wouldn't even make the top 1,000.

 

Yeah, we'll be working 80 hours a week for 10 cents an hour in filthy factories that will pay you in company scrip that you can only use in the company store. That sounds like your utopia.

There are plenty of reasons why companies offer paid time off. One of the biggest reasons is that employees are actually more productive when they, you know, actually can take a break. That's why vacations are offered.

Such as sick time. Companies offer sick time, in part, so that their employees won't have to choose between losing a day's pay or coming in and probably infecting their co-workers with their germs. Then, there would be more people getting sick. Not only that, but there are some professions in which a sick person could put their coworkers in danger (such as a firefighter).

And while we're on the subject of paid sick time, there are people, you know, who have children. Kids get sick too. Why should an employee have to choose between losing a day's pay or bringing their sick kid to work? Sad thing is, not enough companies offer family sick pay. I'm lucky with my company because they do.

 

It never ceases to mamaze me the degree to which so many American workers adopt the attitudes of management and the posture that leaves them grabbing their ankles while screaming "thank you" as loudly as they can.

Every labor standard ever, beginning with child labor laws, the 40-hour work week, paid vacation, sick time and insurance were earned by people who fought and sometimes died for it.

 

"Look, no offence intended. I make basically the same amount, so I know where you are coming from, OK?
I couldn't dream of supporting a family of three on that income. (Maybe two incomes, certainly not one.) And then people think I should take a job that pays $12 per hour??? If I can barely survive on $16.50, how the hell am I supposed to make it on $12?
My parents are old and retired, live 2,500 miles away, haven't seen them in years. Although the idea of going back and living there is becoming more and more realistic with each passing month. Not having to make rental payments would be a nice relief. Every month that passes I get deeper and deeper in the hole.
I do bust my ass for what little I make, so, yes, mate, I know the feeling. Too well.

Now you see where I'm coming from. We were a two-income family until I took my current job. The city we moved to had the highest unemployment rate in the state BEFORE the recession hit. Now it's just totally out of control. My wife hasn't been able to find anything since we've been here, not for lack of trying. Fortunately I'm making about $8K more than I was at my last job, so we're getting by, for now, as long as we don't have any car problems or anything like that.

 

My god, 20,000 per year? Set your goals high my friend. Who the Fuck can live off 20,000 per year, especially if they have a family.

 

Mark, you're upper management, right? Or a publisher?
Because there's no way in hell that you're serious about this.