stupidity and apathy.

When I first got married seven years ago I worked full time as a secretary to a medical office. I worked 40 hours a week for modest but sustainable pay, and was making my push to get into nursing school. Now you have to realized I worked in a pool of workers who replaced others when they were sick or on vacation. I had no real home or real position in the work place.

My company started cracking down on inappropriate ill call, and the economy got tight (post 9/11). People stopped taking vacation! All of a sudden there was less hours, and only those more senior in this union based job got hours (even some that really didn't deserve to be employed). The squeeze started two spots behind me. I saw the writing on the wall and started to fight for everyone in my work group with our local union steward. What I encountered from the most senior members in this job class was a, "Too bad for you, doesn't concern me" attitude. This was my first real look at how apathetic our society had become. I couldn't believe these people couldn't see the writing on the wall. It was the poor girl at the bottom of the seniority pool today, but tomorrow it's me and then THEM....

Months passed.... I was getting any hours, and bills were tight. Finally my company cracked down more and even the most senior members in my work pool (were were called, "floaters" which always made me feel like they thought I belonged in the toilet) were losing significant hours. Then and only then did they begin to care and push for change. However, by that time the company calmly let the union know they had established precedent and were legally justified in their actions. The union being the weak and anemic sack of crap that it is went along for the most part. Many months continued to pass, and class action grievances were finally passed now that everyone was on board. In the end we all lost all of our vacation, some lost their job because they couldn't hold out any longer, and most of us (myself included) got shipped off to other jobs. Most if this, if not all of it could have been avoided if others would have stood up for their fellow man knowing they were next. They could have justified it being self serving!!!!! What I learned about people from this event is astonishing!!!. Most people will not try to do anything about even the most unjustifiable acts unless it concerns them right then and now. People don't look ahead.... They don't realize it's you today and me tomorrow. This is truly why this great nation we ha and our freedoms will soon be gone. Most people won't realize or do anything at all. The ones that do will most likely join the party way too late in the game.

Stupidity and apathy are a bad combo.