What should I do?

[Deja Q]

My company wants to introduce a slew of employee-unfriendly acts, such as furloughs whenever it's necessary. This means I could be told not to come into work for a week, up to a whole month. I won't go through the whole list, but they're really slamming employees this time around in negotiations. I can even handle the pay freeze even though others are getting 2% or 3% and the hike in health insurance costs.

But furloughs means no money coming in. I'm screwed.

Of course, I have the option to strike. Given all the non-monetary items these "people" impose, you're damn right I'm going to strike and encourage others to do so. Everybody I've talked to has WINCED over the proposals my company wants put into place.

Of course, striking means no money comes in either.

Should I sit back and allow these vile people to have their way (though they'll thank everybody when they do a good job, of course) or strike?

Either way, I'm toast financially. It's bankruptcy time.

Oh, if I thought suicide would help the cause of my co-workers (who are more important), I'd do it in an attosecond - just to make the administration look bad. My life's been a joke anyway, 500 high school students weren't wrong.

Of course, going to the media might be a more positive solution, especially if they knew what the administration is giving themselves while pissing on all of We, The Workers...

[alwynsw]

1. It sounds easy, but it isn't

You could do the entrepenurial thing.

A good mentor is essential. If I did it,you can, too.

Find a need, fill it.

If you need help with a business plan, let me know.

BTW, the company I founded offers health insurance at NO cost to employees for spouses, kids, and domestic partners (hetero- or homosexual). My plan.

[Droopy]

2. Strike

The one time cost of not having a paycheck for a while will be better than all the possible furloughs. As far as your financial situation goes, like you said you're screwed either way. At least you will still have a good job that will allow you to dig yourself a out of your financial hole.

Take it easy with this talk about suicide, bro. I know you were probably just joking around, but how are we to know for sure?

[Deja Q]

4. Shh, don't tell anyone

If I were in a better mood and balanced, it might have been a joke. No, I wouldn't do it now. But if the time came and some good came out of it for others, then I would do it. My counselor knows this and he's still able to tell me there's no reason for me to be seeing him any more...

With the continual threat of outsourcing combined with the public's brainwashed belief that government workers are underworked and overpaid, I fear for my job everyday too - though I shouldn't, I do enough work that even since IT's devaluation (though I'm still a "low-level" employee as told to me by my previous supervisor x( ), they'd be spending more for outside help and I'm smarter than a bunch of people within my department too so I should be confident, and even my supervisor has said they won't do outsourcing, but I've never been able to trust management... :-(

[JVS]

3. Steal from the workplace

[Deja Q]

5. I'd rather pee in the coffee... (and you know I wouldn't!)

But I appreciate the sentiment. :-)