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Post by crazy4scraps on Oct 28, 2023 1:19:19 GMT
I just saw this TikTok come across my Facebook feed (I don’t have TT) and my first thoughts are that if she’s so worried about not having time maybe she needs to not get the hair dyed, the nails done, the fake lashes. She can work out if it’s important to her and she will make time for it. I have no sympathy for her. She’s comparing herself to other “influencers” and thinking that she can continue on with her high school/college lifestyle. That’s just not reality. That said, I do think the US has a major work/life/time management issue. I’m a teacher… I leave at 7:15 to take my youngest to school and then go to my own school (I used to work at their school but no more). I have students 8:20-1:30 but have to be on campus until 3:30. I leave and come home… I rarely have time with my kids and husband at home. Run in and back out the door I go with DD for gymnastics- one hour each way with a 3 hour practice in the middle two days a week. Run dd to her silks class one day a week- an hour each way with an hour class in the middle. Usually I combine this trip with groceries and Costco so it ends up being another 5 hour after work day. Dh runs DS to his sports which are thankfully in town and not an hour away. Weekends? Sports and in the gym with dd. I don’t have time for nails, dye jobs, lashes. I work out one day a week because that is MY time. I protect it. I enjoy my 45 minutes of one day a week bungee for me. It’s all about priorities. If you value it, you will make time. It’s a hard lesson for people to learn. I hear what you’re saying, but you’re making your choices just like nail and dye job lady is. That’s a LOT of driving. Maybe I’m a bad mom but I don’t know that I would do all that because I *really* hate driving. I’m so glad my kid’s activities are all at school on school days and either right before or right after so all I have to do is drop her off or pick her up 15 minutes away, two days a week. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Oct 28, 2023 1:36:55 GMT
But you were already partnered, it sounds like. Trying to date AND see friends when you’re spending 2-3 hours a day commuting on top of your job becomes a lot. Add in working out, housework, etc and it’s a lot. I too would feel pretty fucking disheartened to discover that the rest of my life was going to be constant exhaustion and that was supposed to be normal. It’s one thing to know what the hours of a full time job and commute are going to be before your start your first professional job and a very different thing to actually start living it. But of course, once again, compassion for younger generations is in short supply around here. Life was more affordable when we were all starting out but screw these kids. They just need to shut up and deal. Granted DH and I were also partnered up pretty young. Even so, DH worked nearly full time while taking a full course load in college. I worked full time plus another part time job until he graduated, then I quit my part time job and went to school full time and worked 32-36 hours a week just so we could pay the bills and we still could barely keep our heads above water. There was very little socializing going on because frankly we couldn’t afford to do anything nor did we have the free time. If I wasn’t at school or at work, I was doing homework or failing miserably at keeping up on my housework and laundry. Things cost less but we also made a lot less too. There is a whole decade that neither of us really remembers because we were both running on empty. |
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Post by busy on Oct 28, 2023 2:49:34 GMT
But you were already partnered, it sounds like. Trying to date AND see friends when you’re spending 2-3 hours a day commuting on top of your job becomes a lot. Add in working out, housework, etc and it’s a lot. I too would feel pretty fucking disheartened to discover that the rest of my life was going to be constant exhaustion and that was supposed to be normal. It’s one thing to know what the hours of a full time job and commute are going to be before your start your first professional job and a very different thing to actually start living it. But of course, once again, compassion for younger generations is in short supply around here. Life was more affordable when we were all starting out but screw these kids. They just need to shut up and deal. Granted DH and I were also partnered up pretty young. Even so, DH worked nearly full time while taking a full course load in college. I worked full time plus another part time job until he graduated, then I quit my part time job and went to school full time and worked 32-36 hours a week just so we could pay the bills and we still could barely keep our heads above water. There was very little socializing going on because frankly we couldn’t afford to do anything nor did we have the free time. If I wasn’t at school or at work, I was doing homework or failing miserably at keeping up on my housework and laundry. Things cost less but we also made a lot less too. There is a whole decade that neither of us really remembers because we were both running on empty. Please don’t take offense, but that sounds awful and in the richest country in the world… we should do better for our citizens. |
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Post by epeanymous on Oct 28, 2023 3:41:16 GMT
I understand that we, as a nation, are overworked. But what gets me about this gal is that this is her very first job, she is single, she has been working for only a couple of months (Recent college grad) and she is already complaining about no time for anything. She thinks that her time should be like in college, where the only commitment is going to classes maybe 12-16 hours a week. Her situation is so different than most on this board, with jobs, spouses, kids, etc. ETA - When SO and I were still dating, fresh out of college with new 40-hour jobs, we still had the time, and the energy as 20-something’s, to meet up with friends 1-2 times on work nights, and then we had the whole weekend. The only time in my entire life I ever commuted was when I was dating my now-husband and moved in with him for the summer--he was in grad school an hour from my job, and it was a free place to live while I worked in the city. I lasted three weeks before I said "I literally can't do this", found a place in the city for $$$, and moved out. I remember how awful it felt. |
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Post by busy on Oct 28, 2023 3:51:28 GMT
I understand that we, as a nation, are overworked. But what gets me about this gal is that this is her very first job, she is single, she has been working for only a couple of months (Recent college grad) and she is already complaining about no time for anything. She thinks that her time should be like in college, where the only commitment is going to classes maybe 12-16 hours a week. Her situation is so different than most on this board, with jobs, spouses, kids, etc. ETA - When SO and I were still dating, fresh out of college with new 40-hour jobs, we still had the time, and the energy as 20-something’s, to meet up with friends 1-2 times on work nights, and then we had the whole weekend. The only time in my entire life I ever commuted was when I was dating my now-husband and moved in with him for the summer--he was in grad school an hour from my job, and it was a free place to live while I worked in the city. I lasted three weeks before I said "I literally can't do this", found a place in the city for $$$, and moved out. I remember how awful it felt. I commuted for my first real job — and you will understand the horror of this — from the north end of Tacoma to downtown Bellevue for a year and a half. It was terrible, even in 1996-7. But the Bellevue job paid almost 2x what a similar job in Tacoma would have, and I could afford to live without roommates in Tacoma but not in Seattle or on the Eastside. So I did it. And spent a lot of nights crashing on friends’ couches in Seattle :/ Once DH and I started dating, I didn’t want to give up that much of my life to a commute anymore, and I’d saved a good amount of money. Plus I had some professional experience so I was able get a job that paid a bit better than the Bellevue job and was a step up, responsibility-wise, but was 15 minutes from home. Now-DH moved in with me and we had a much better work-life balance. I didn’t fully realize how awful that commute was until I quit doing it. I vowed to never commute again after that and I haven’t. (Well, until this year when I’m commuting by plane two and a half days every week  ) |
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Oct 28, 2023 4:04:39 GMT
I just saw this TikTok come across my Facebook feed (I don’t have TT) and my first thoughts are that if she’s so worried about not having time maybe she needs to not get the hair dyed, the nails done, the fake lashes. She can work out if it’s important to her and she will make time for it. I have no sympathy for her. She’s comparing herself to other “influencers” and thinking that she can continue on with her high school/college lifestyle. That’s just not reality. That said, I do think the US has a major work/life/time management issue. I’m a teacher… I leave at 7:15 to take my youngest to school and then go to my own school (I used to work at their school but no more). I have students 8:20-1:30 but have to be on campus until 3:30. I leave and come home… I rarely have time with my kids and husband at home. Run in and back out the door I go with DD for gymnastics- one hour each way with a 3 hour practice in the middle two days a week. Run dd to her silks class one day a week- an hour each way with an hour class in the middle. Usually I combine this trip with groceries and Costco so it ends up being another 5 hour after work day. Dh runs DS to his sports which are thankfully in town and not an hour away. Weekends? Sports and in the gym with dd. I don’t have time for nails, dye jobs, lashes. I work out one day a week because that is MY time. I protect it. I enjoy my 45 minutes of one day a week bungee for me. It’s all about priorities. If you value it, you will make time. It’s a hard lesson for people to learn. I hear what you’re saying, but you’re making your choices just like nail and dye job lady is. That’s a LOT of driving. Maybe I’m a bad mom but I don’t know that I would do all that because I *really* hate driving. I’m so glad my kid’s activities are all at school on school days and either right before or right after so all I have to do is drop her off or pick her up 15 minutes away, two days a week. Yep. I do make those choices. I also don’t bitch about my lack of me time or be shocked that I have no social life. Unfortunately gymnastics places are few and far between where we live. There’s a gym 45 min west of us that she was at before but they did away with their competition team (she still goes there for aerial silks). The gym we attend now is 45 min south of us. The next closest ones are 75 min and 90 min away! Thankfully my DS does sports in town but it’s still 15 min one way for practice. We live pretty rural 😂 Driving is just a fact of life for us. Costco is 45 min away as is Target, a decent grocery store, reasonably priced gas (in town it’s over $6/gallon and Costco is under $4.75/gallon yesterday), and any good places to eat. Last year our gas bill was over $8k! |
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Oct 28, 2023 12:03:27 GMT
It sounds like her issue is more caused by having a job that doesn’t pay enough to support the cost of living near it. If she could cut that commute down to, say 30 min each way, her work-life balance would likely improve. Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work.
That said, if the next generation is successful in dropping the work week down to 32 hours more power to them. My question is how? Sure office workers might be able to shave time off here and there through improved systems and processes. But what about those in hospitality, medical fields, service jobs, construction, factories, etc etc etc. Our population is dwindling, it’s not like we have a limitless supply of workers looking for jobs so we have to expect significant consequences by cutting the work week by 20%.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Oct 28, 2023 12:24:43 GMT
Yes I did it - my second job was freaking insane - 80 not exaggerating hours and a 45+ minute commute depending on when I could grab the train - if I missed the express that changed to 1 hour 20 minutes. I've always wanted better for my kids when I think about my own life-this is part of it. I met my husband in college - or honestly I wouldn't have had time to date until I was 35+. My daughter just got her first grown up job offer this week - senior deciding if she should work or go to grad school. I truly wish she doesn't have to make these same sacrifices of work/life balance - it's not healthy. I want more for my kids and yes that includes a life beyond having to work work work work work work just because people think that's "normal". My dad put in the terrible physical labor - and I truly thought I was lucky that I didn't ' have to work 40 hours grinding up my body - I'm fortunate, I'll never dismiss that - but hope my kids can do even better and actually enjoy their little ones instead of having to kiss them asleep at 10 pm.
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,977 
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Post by pinklady on Oct 28, 2023 14:16:42 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. |
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Post by padresfan619 on Oct 28, 2023 14:39:25 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. My husband and I bought our single family home from the estate of a woman who was single and worked as a cashier in a grocery store in San Diego her entire life. That would never happen now. Of course people who work in the areas should be able to afford something nearby. |
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PLurker
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Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Oct 28, 2023 14:50:13 GMT
Just because it's become the societal norm doesn't mean it should be. I'd rather have my "kids" (adults) not relive the commutes and general rat race I did. We should be striving for better even if we didn't and probably won't experience it ourselves.
"A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”
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Post by nine on Oct 28, 2023 14:54:03 GMT
That young woman was in her first job. It does come as a shock. I remember having the same feelings decades ago. She will get used to it just like the rest of us.
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Post by wordfish on Oct 28, 2023 15:04:16 GMT
I love to work. I don't live to work, but I do love to work. When I received a huge promotion almost a year ago, it was directly tied to my work ethic and drive. What's been interesting is that my former peer, who is now someone I supervise, was also interested in the promotion, though she did not apply. She is in her early 30s and has a similar graduate degree to mine. She told me recently that she is not interested in working as hard as I do, and basically that if that is what it takes to get to my level, she doesn't think it's something she wants to do.
I think that is a perfectly legitimate point of view--there is absolutely nothing wrong with that perspective. What's important is to be realistic in whatever a person's current environment is, in terms of ambition, time commitment/requirements. People's season of life also inevitably changes. I could not have handled what is required in my current role 15 years ago.
Work-life balance is important, and here in the US, I agree there's probably too much emphasis on work/producing. Nothing is forever; if it's this young lady's generation that effects a change in the traditional work week? Good for them.
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,684
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Oct 28, 2023 15:11:05 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. I never said they should be able to support a family. I do think that a target cashier, working full time, in Manhattan should make enough to live likely with a roommate, within 30 or so minutes of work. It doesn’t need to be glamorous but they should be paid enough to afford to live. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Oct 28, 2023 15:44:03 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. The reality though is that those jobs are being done by people supporting families. So often they aren’t full time jobs either, so the people doing them have to have multiple part time jobs or side hustles just to make ends meet. I think that’s a huge part of the issue, none of these companies want to give their workers benefits so they don’t schedule people to work full time hours. If someone is working full time they should be able to make enough to at least support themselves. Another huge part of the issue is the lack of safe, affordable housing in so many places. |
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seaexplore
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Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Oct 28, 2023 17:36:44 GMT
Here's the issue with "earning enough to live near work"- I grew up in the Bay Area, beginning TEACHERS cannot afford to RENT a room there. If people were paid a living wage (which would be great) then items would go up considerably in cost which will just perpetuate the increased cost of living. There's no ceiling and eventually people will not be able to afford the rent and things necessary to live there and move out. It's already happened. I couldn't live there for the pay I was offered so I moved 2 hours out of the Bay Area to a place where I COULD afford to live. It's stupid expensive to live there and all because people are willing to pay that price. There are communities in San Jose that have "teacher" housing that is subsidized. That's such a sad thing to me that PROFESSIONALS that are necessary for an educated society have to have their housing subsidized.
Where I live now it's not uncommon for people to drive 2 hours one way to work. My own commute is 25 minutes one way. That's my max. I don't want to drive more than 30 min anymore.
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Post by Merge on Oct 28, 2023 18:11:48 GMT
That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. The reality though is that those jobs are being done by people supporting families. So often they aren’t full time jobs either, so the people doing them have to have multiple part time jobs or side hustles just to make ends meet. I think that’s a huge part of the issue, none of these companies want to give their workers benefits so they don’t schedule people to work full time hours. If someone is working full time they should be able to make enough to at least support themselves. Another huge part of the issue is the lack of safe, affordable housing in so many places. If we had - and I’m just thinking out loud here - some kind of medical coverage that wasn’t tied to a person’s job, so employers didn’t have to worry about providing that, I bet we’d see more employers willing to assign full time hours. And I bet if we didn’t rely solely on “the market” to produce housing in urban areas, we could have affordable housing even for fast food workers and administrative assistants. Because yes, people who do the low-wage jobs that need to be done deserve to be able to live within a reasonable commuting distance from said job. Crazy talk, I know. DH and I have both had some monster commutes while living in Houston. It severely and negatively impacted our quality of life, especially during the years that our kids were small. Never once has it occurred to us to think that this is just how it is and future generations should suck it up. I don’t get that mentality at all. |
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Post by cannmom on Oct 28, 2023 22:11:03 GMT
I feel for her and get her frustration and I’m a Gen-X. I have always worked in healthcare and worked 3 12 hour shifts a week for the vast majority of that time, so 36 hour weeks. 12 hour shifts make for a long day, especially since it’s really 12.5 because of lunch. Having 4 days off a week helped to make up for the long hours because I would do nothing else on work days besides go to work, come, eat, and go to bed. In the past few years I transitioned to 4 10 hour days. It was a struggle to switch because I honestly did not know if I really wanted to work 4 days a week. It’s been a great change and I love it. I can do things in the evening now and I still have an extra day during the week off. My schedule is Tuesday-Friday and love having Mondays off. My co-worker does Monday-Thursday and we both agree that we would never work 5 days a week.
Working long hours is tough and I don’t think we should normalize working 40+ hours a week. I’m glad to see a generation pushing for better work life balance.
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Post by hop2 on Oct 28, 2023 22:27:15 GMT
At this point in my life I am NOT interested in working more hours than I am paid for. I have gone above & beyond for most of my
Life and it got me no where.
Pay me a livable wage, I’ll do the hours you pay me for. I personally leave early enough so that if traffic occurs I am still on time that usually ends up with me starting 15-30 mins early, so yes at quitting time I am out the door. You already got your extra time in the morning I’m done. Want more, pay me more.
My ex works like 60 hours but he makes more than 2.5 times what I do.
I’m at the point in my life that employers will get what they pay for and that’s it.
Do I occasionally pick up the phone when I’m off? Yes. Do I occasionally check emails when I’m off? Yes. I answer my phone when my direct boss calls, anyone else - probably wouldn’t recognize the number as most office numbers are blocked.
I do not see any reason what so ever to work more than what I’m paid for. It has never gotten me anywhere and I’m not about to waste any of the rest of my life to make other rich. Pay=work and no pay = no work
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,086
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Post by mimima on Oct 29, 2023 1:43:09 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. Yes, yes I do. Why shouldn't someone who works at Target make enough to live nearby? |
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Post by sierra821 on Nov 5, 2023 18:58:14 GMT
It,gets harder the older I get. Working 40 plus hour workweek, half hour drive each way, household responsibilities …there is not much me time at all. We Doordash frequently because we are both to exhausted most nights are you to even grocery shop-Yes, know we can pay for someone to shop and hav it delivered but I’m picky and putting time into making List is more work too.
I definitely do not get paid what I am worth but also can’t afford to quit my job.
The US is so backwards on so many things.
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Post by librarylady on Nov 5, 2023 19:15:41 GMT
Grew up on a farm--no 40 hour work week there.
Taught for a number of years--nope, no 40 hour work week there.
Outside sales for 14 years. Did 8-5 work then.
School librarian for almost 20 years--no 40 hour work week there.
Most women who work outside the home do the work hours required by the job plus whatever hours needed to run the household. I have no sympathy for those who think the job should be 40 hours and then done.
A large part of the workforce is not limited to 40 hours per week.
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Post by nightnurse on Nov 6, 2023 0:56:23 GMT
Employers should be paying enough for people to live near their employment or allow remote work. That’s a pretty blanket statement. You really think someone working as a cashier at Target should be paid a high enough wage to live in Manhattan? Someone working in housekeeping at the Beverly Hills Hotel should be paid a high enough wage to live in Beverly Hills? An Admin Assistant working in downtown Chicago paid a high enough wage to live in the city? I agree wages have not kept up over the years but I also believe there are some jobs that are low paying entry level jobs not intended to be the sole support for a family of 4. So you expect someone else to work at your local target for your benefit and not make enough to live in the neighborhood or support their family? Why do we feel entitled to other people’s labor? If it isn’t worth a living wage to the employer, why should it be worth the employee’s time and sacrifice to subsidize the employer and provide a service to the community, a service the community doesn’t even value enough to provide a living wage? No one’s labor should be valued so cheaply |
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Post by nightnurse on Nov 6, 2023 0:58:53 GMT
Here's the issue with "earning enough to live near work"- I grew up in the Bay Area, beginning TEACHERS cannot afford to RENT a room there. If people were paid a living wage (which would be great) then items would go up considerably in cost which will just perpetuate the increased cost of living. There's no ceiling and eventually people will not be able to afford the rent and things necessary to live there and move out. It's already happened. I couldn't live there for the pay I was offered so I moved 2 hours out of the Bay Area to a place where I COULD afford to live. It's stupid expensive to live there and all because people are willing to pay that price. There are communities in San Jose that have "teacher" housing that is subsidized. That's such a sad thing to me that PROFESSIONALS that are necessary for an educated society have to have their housing subsidized. Where I live now it's not uncommon for people to drive 2 hours one way to work. My own commute is 25 minutes one way. That's my max. I don't want to drive more than 30 min anymore. Why do we talk about how if wages will go up, costs will go up but we don’t talk about ceo pay and corporate profit going up and up with no ceiling? I got an email from Netflix, it’s going up $3 a month and they didn’t raise worker pay but their profits have never been higher. |
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seaexplore
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,840
Apr 25, 2015 23:57:30 GMT
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Post by seaexplore on Nov 6, 2023 8:06:33 GMT
Here's the issue with "earning enough to live near work"- I grew up in the Bay Area, beginning TEACHERS cannot afford to RENT a room there. If people were paid a living wage (which would be great) then items would go up considerably in cost which will just perpetuate the increased cost of living. There's no ceiling and eventually people will not be able to afford the rent and things necessary to live there and move out. It's already happened. I couldn't live there for the pay I was offered so I moved 2 hours out of the Bay Area to a place where I COULD afford to live. It's stupid expensive to live there and all because people are willing to pay that price. There are communities in San Jose that have "teacher" housing that is subsidized. That's such a sad thing to me that PROFESSIONALS that are necessary for an educated society have to have their housing subsidized. Where I live now it's not uncommon for people to drive 2 hours one way to work. My own commute is 25 minutes one way. That's my max. I don't want to drive more than 30 min anymore. Why do we talk about how if wages will go up, costs will go up but we don’t talk about ceo pay and corporate profit going up and up with no ceiling? I got an email from Netflix, it’s going up $3 a month and they didn’t raise worker pay but their profits have never been higher. Absolutely corporate greed! However, I don’t think that will change. They will just keep taking and not give to the “little guy” but blame increase wages on the need to raise prices. It’s truly crap. |
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Post by Linda on Nov 6, 2023 16:18:28 GMT
Do red states offer any type of before or after school programs? Tutoring? Counseling services? Group counseling? Parent classes? Free breakfast, lunch, snack x 2? I live in a red state (Florida). My school district does have free breakfast/lunch but that's a federal school lunch program not a state funded program (it's based on the low income of our county). The elementary schools do offer an after school program - it's not free and spaces are limited but it is on campus so there's convenience, I guess. Tutoring - I'm not sure. I think there's some available to kids who don't pass the state assessments in reading and maths. The rest, lol. As to the OP - I've hesitated to chime in as a SAHM but I'm 100% on board with more flexibility and more work-life balance for employees. My DH has worked for a very good company in that regard for nearly 20 years now and I'm very grateful but he still struggles with work-life balance. Moving to less than a mile from his workplace has helped a LOT because he can easily pop home for lunch or if he needs to work late - pop home for dinner or to drive a kid home from school - and the lack of commute is amazing. |
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,101
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Nov 6, 2023 21:38:54 GMT
Here's the issue with "earning enough to live near work"- I grew up in the Bay Area, beginning TEACHERS cannot afford to RENT a room there. If people were paid a living wage (which would be great) then items would go up considerably in cost which will just perpetuate the increased cost of living. There's no ceiling and eventually people will not be able to afford the rent and things necessary to live there and move out. It's already happened. I couldn't live there for the pay I was offered so I moved 2 hours out of the Bay Area to a place where I COULD afford to live. It's stupid expensive to live there and all because people are willing to pay that price. There are communities in San Jose that have "teacher" housing that is subsidized. That's such a sad thing to me that PROFESSIONALS that are necessary for an educated society have to have their housing subsidized. Where I live now it's not uncommon for people to drive 2 hours one way to work. My own commute is 25 minutes one way. That's my max. I don't want to drive more than 30 min anymore. Why do we talk about how if wages will go up, costs will go up but we don’t talk about ceo pay and corporate profit going up and up with no ceiling? I got an email from Netflix, it’s going up $3 a month and they didn’t raise worker pay but their profits have never been higher. Because we keep paying for it? Because we have this insane need for constant entertainment. I guarantee that if we all just stopped watching, and maybe went outside for walks, bicycle rides, playground time with the kids, the cost would come down. And we would all be healthier. I know several people (Gen Z or Millennials) who let go of streaming and social media—just completely disconnected—and haven’t gone back. If that became a movement, some of the “non-necessities” would come down in price. It’s harder when you are talking about things you can’t completely forego—food, housing, clothing, etc. |
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Post by nightnurse on Nov 6, 2023 22:47:39 GMT
I used Netflix as an example because I had recently read the stats and got the email, but it’s everything. Walmart, Exxon, healthcare…..and get the narrative continues to be that wages can’t increase without prices going up. I hear and see that again and again but I rarely hear or see anyone saying how ceo pay goes up and up and up and corporate profits go up and up and up and that’s what’s driving inflation. I can cancel Netflix. But I can’t stop driving because I live in an area without public transportation infrastructure. I can stop eating out but I can’t stop eating. But instead of talking about how millennials should skip the avocado toast, we need to start talking about Bezos should skip the mega yacht and pay his workers what they are worth. It’s mind boggling to me that people will say workers shouldn’t demand the market value of their labor.
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Post by Merge on Nov 7, 2023 14:30:24 GMT
Thought of this thread last night. As some of you know, my district has been taken over by the state of Texas. Our elected board and their hired superintendent were removed, and the state appointed an unelected Board of Managers and superintendent.
Some of y'all would get along very well with the new superintendent. He doesn't believe in paid time off. Under state law, we have ten days of paid time each year that can be used as we see fit within certain guidelines. The new supe, however, has decided that teachers who actually use those days are guilty of "job abandonment." Now teachers get a disciplinary note in their file as soon as they've used three, and again for every single absence after that. Teachers who have used four or more before Thanksgiving, regardless of the reason, are subject to termination. A 26-year veteran at another school has a termination hearing this week because she took 6 days to care for her daughter during an illness.
This is the kind of policy that comes out of some of y'all's "suck it up and give your life to the company" mentality.
(Under this superintendent, I have zero paid time as a part-time salaried employee. I'm .4 FTE so you would think I might have four days in case of illness. Nope. Zero. If I am ill, I either come to work sick or don't get paid - and likely get a disciplinary note in my file if I choose to keep my illness at home. Failing to recognize that employees are human beings first and workers second leads to all kinds of injustice in the workplace.)
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