Okay American's, how do you even stand for it?

Before I start, let me be clear, this isn't a bash America thread. It is, as the title suggests, a question or questions of how you live your life State side with it's supposedly wonderful freedoms and liberties. Err, it's not as great as you think...

• Either limited or in some cases no paid holiday!

Honestly, why is not a thing in the U.S? In the UK we get 28 days paid leave and it's the law. I read somewhere that the average American gets only 10 days a year. Is this true?? No wonder many of you don't go abroad much, if at all. Of course, I don't have to take all these days off. In Germany workers are forced to take days off. Because, obviously, a rested worker is a more productive worker.

• No sick pay

Feel bad? Got Covid? Tough! You're coming to work! Go to work feeling unwell in the UK and they'll send you home. Don't come back until you're feeling better. What's more, they'll pay you to stay there. It's not much, but it's still something.

Now, I'm not saying we got these things easy. We didn't. We had to fight damn hard for them. Sometimes these fights can have a negative impact, at least in the short term. Just last week, nearly 80% of the UK rail network went on strike over pay and conditions. Why is there not the same labour activism in the U.S? Don't you want to come down on corporations and protect the well being of the workers?

Right, I'm off to go hide somewhere. Let me know when it calms down!

Because political opposition to just about anything that benefits the working class is considered a slippery slope to genocide and communism, that's why we can't have nice things.

The US has a storied history of fighting against anything that benefits the working class. I mean just look at child labor. It took the great depression to effectively outlaw child labor for f*cks sake. Anything the hurts the immediate bottom line of a company is essentially a no go for instituting new labor laws. The structure of some companies, or even industries, relies upon poverty wages, no time off, and no sick leave.

It depends a lot where you live. Very few of these benefits are required by the federal government, but most states have some kind of sick leave and vacation laws.

But yeah, we are the worst in the developed world in this regard. Union jobs and memberships have been dwindling for the last 50 years, and those were always the folks pushing for these kinds of reforms. Without that organized power structure, fighting against corporate interests gets more difficult. There is also a cultural sense that it's on the individual to get a better job, and working together to improve the lives of you and your peers is beta-male talk or something.

It's all very frustrating to say the least.

also the mind set. the union will protect/save me... no that should never be the answer. it should be federal laws that do that job.

unions of old work to get federal laws pass for the workers. but most union now. that not the core issue. its to get better pay for Union only jobs. in general.

unions have there place. but remember never put all the eggs in one basket.

Most of us don't stand for it; it's pretty well known at this point, given the past few years, that this country is held hostage by a combination of a vocal and corrupt minority of political elite, and the wealthiest of the wealthy. The two generally go hand-in-hand, making for a very strong alliance that a fractured, divided American public just can't seem to fight against.

Americans are, for the most part, in favor of "liberal" policies when it comes to social programs and welfare and healthcare, though I would argue most of these things as moderate and common-sense policies by international metrics.

Until we Americans realize we are never going to be one of the wealthy ones, and that a poor white man has more in common with a poor black man than he does a rich white man, things will just continue to get worse.

@firedrakes: Unions are imperfect, but they were the main driver pushing for labor reforms. As their numbers dropped, and the feds and courts worked to undermine their influence, unfortunately nothing popped up to take over spearheading the labor movement.

Typically in (North) America if you even hint at anything to improve worker’s rights and wages you are labeled a country hating communist trying to brainwash others. People are slow to learn especially in the States.

@Bond007uk: Plenty of jobs in the states have vacation pay and sick pay. Depends on who you work for and what the job is.

Is it the law? nope, jobs that offer it though get a lot more applications.

To my friend across the pond, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

We have a Republican party that only exists to benefit the wealthy, so because of them we don't have normal things everyone else has like guaranteed healthcare, paid time off, etc.

I'm pretty sure mental health would globally improve if a 28 day paid holiday period was mandatory.

You have that backward, It is now the Democratic party that stands for the wealthy. The Democrats kicked the blue-collar workers to the curb. Why do you think they voted for Trump? They don't stand for anyone only for their power. If they cared for people we would not have high inflation, high gas prices, supply chain issues, food shortages, and more. If they keep taking care of us we will cease to exist shortly.

which your right. that why i context i did on talking about it.

Nope. GOP did that, starting with Reagan and union busting. Blue collar voted for trump? You're confusing rural with blue collar. Cities are were blue collar workers live. High inflation and gas are GLOBAL due to the previous pandemic, supply chain issues therein, and corporate greed to make up what they lost. I don't know why the right is so hellbent on giving greedy corporations on pass on this.

Do you even work? Be honest.

Right wing hero Elon Musk said that he no longer likes dems because they support unions and want to tax his ass, but yeah, sure, let's live in the alternative universe.

Obviously. Also all you have are straw-men arguments so it's time to take the L.

You are a PERFECT example of how gullible and uninformed the modern Republican voter is.

Inflation is worldwide, we've been here before with gas prices under Republicans, and the supply chain issues started in 2020. Those is also a worldwide issue, my ignorant friend. It is weird that on one hand you guys claim Biden is some drooling idiot who shits his pants daily and has no idea where he is, but somehow he's a mastermind, making global financial and supply chain decisions for hundreds of thousands of international corporations across the world.

You vote for a party that guts healthcare, air, food, water, and other environmental regulations, cuts funding for education and transportation, the gives trillions in taxpayer welfare to the super rich while passing the bill for it on to everyone else. They restrict voting rights and literally takes rights away from millions of Americans, all while making streets more dangerous, but hey - they are good at those mean tweets which rile you gullible.

How do you expect anyone to take the nonsense you write, seriously?

Are you talking about the air traffic controllers? The government negotiated two contracts with them and they threatened to strike. He warned them they were federal employees and were not allowed by law to strike. They called hi bluff and went on strike and he fired them and used military personnel to take over their duties until new traffic controllers could be trained and hired. Many of the Air traffic controllers said their union leadership had lied to them.

During his campaign, Reagan sent a letter to Robert E. Poli, the new president of PATCO, in which he declared support for the organization's demands and a disposition to work toward solutions. In it, he stated "I will take whatever steps are necessary to provide our air traffic controllers with the most modern equipment available, and to adjust staff levels and workdays so they are commensurate with achieving the maximum degree of public safety," and "I pledge to you that my administration will work very closely with you to bring about a spirit of cooperation between the President and the air traffic controllers." This letter gave Poli and the organization a sense of security that led to an overestimation of their position in the negotiations with the FAA, which contributed to their decision to strike.

Durnin, Steven E. (1994). "The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Strike: A Retrospective Analysis". Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Order No. EP31967.

The wall street traders and executives are for the most part liberal and donate millions of dollars to the Democrat party for tax preferential treatment.

That's an interesting thought. You're probably right! Plenty of jobs place a large mental strain on a lot of folks.

Elon Musk is not a blue collar worker.

So that would be a "no." Got it.

@eoten: Why would someone who doesn't work give a crap about sick days?

Personally, I only work half the year. I can't complain.

That being said, this country has a morbid view on life and it's reflected in how we treat each other personally and yes, even in business. It's sick, really.

Yeah it really is.

I've been lucky in my life, but I stumbled across the "antiwork" Reddit page the other day, and wow...some of the stories on there are just gross.

Anyway, Americans seem to view "working to death" as a virtue, a lie sold to us by our boomer parents. Homes and good are more expensive now, and working-class people have less buying power. Hard work is not enough, there is no glory or even benefit in overworking* yourself.

*emphasis on the "over" part; I just want to stress that I still believe in working hard, just not to one's own detriment. There's a lot of physical and mental health issues out there that can be avoided if you take a healthy approach to work.

Take care of yourself, and you don't owe anything but 40 hours a week and an honest effort to your employer.

He is just trolling.

IIRC @LJS9502_basic is a veteran, I think they know a thing or two about work...

Vacation days, sick pay, etc. is very common for workers, especially salaried workers. Lower wage down to and including minimum wage don't get nearly as many benefits, and I'm not bashing those that don't get benefits, because it's rough trying to make a living these days, but most (at least a lot of them) were never intended to be careers in the first place and a lot of them are unfortunately getting phased out for automated systems.

The problem is that it is pretty clear our government is trying to eliminate the middle class. Raising the minimum wage from around $8 to $15 is great (in theory) for those trying to make ends meet, but did absolutely NOTHING for the middle class and those working in jobs that make around $20 ($18-$30) per hour. Their wages didn't change. The problem with that is that EVERYONE these days are looking to hire more workers, but why in the hell would someone want to bust their ass all day sweating working in a factory or corporate office doing 10 times as much work for only a few bucks more than someone flipping burgers when they can make a lower salary and then also apply for federal assistance?

A few people I know found it easier to take an easier job, and from those I've talked to that seems to be a pretty common occurrence. The plus side of the factory or office is the benefits and other things you mentioned though. It used to come down to work ethic, references, experience, police record, and availability. However these days businesses don't usually care how good you are at your job anymore, all they care about it that slip of paper you get for having a degree.

Things need to change and the best way for that to happen is bipartisanship... but at this point in time our country is divided on that front more than I can ever remember.

The world wide inflation is the result of energy shortage which was caused by Joe Biden with his war on energy in the US and his show of weakness that emboldened Putin to attack Ukraine which caused further energy shortages and food shortages. The supply chain issues may have started in 2020 but they were under control until the current administration took over. It was more important to check social boxes than capability of preforming the duties of the offices they were appointed to oversee. Everyone in the current administration should resign for failure to preform their jobs Starting with the president and working down.

So he said Republican voters were gullible and you decided to back him up. Good job I guess. But wow. How embarrassing for you.

What energy shortage? Oil is under $100 per barrel. My god, you come up with the most absurd nonsense.

Just a little FYI - if supply chains have issues, they're not under control. That literally makes no sense. ha ha.

This is actual lunacy.

Biden sent 5,000,000 gallons of oil from our strategic oil reserve intended to bring gas prices down in the US to European countries and China. So much for looking out for American citizens who will have to pay to replace the oil at a higher cost.

I am never embarrassed by the truth.

When are you going to get acquainted with it?

America has a complex where they worship billionaires, and billionaires love nothing more than milking lower classes for everything they're worth. They pay millionaires to tell us that we're lazy and spoiled for wanting basic work standards and fair pay.

I cannot understand that either.

Its a plutocratic feudalism based on service. We've been backsliding into it since the Boomers were placated. They have an entire generation of voting retirees and political officers that are going to make sure nothing changes in our (working class) favor for at least 30 years.

Basically there's going to be billionaires, then a relatively large amount of millionaires to act as a buffer, and then a huge service industry that exists to serve itself and the wealthy, and finally a poorly-paid working class under that that produces what we can't import (which, frankly, is just about everything).

Things are so screwed for us, we need to get money out of politics now. We need drastic change.

Coming from the left never. You can't see the forest for the trees.

Correction 7,000,000 barrels of oil to Europe and China.

Yup, more evidence China is getting returns back on their investment into the Biden family.

So 4 days worth of oil production inUS then?

Edit: About half a day worth of oil produced in US… not 4 days.

The strategic reserve is not to be given to our enemies, nor to lower gas prices.

Do you two want to take this to PM? This isn't your crazy InfoWars thread, you're both very off-topic.

International marked. Lowering price in US due to increased availability will also decrease the price in Europe and Asia.

@horgen: instead of producing more fuel domestically, Bidens administration is tapping into our reserves and selling it to countries actively competing against us. Jim is right, the reserves are not meant to be used like this. Even if the purpose is to lower prices, it will be artificial and short lived. Those reserves are for emergencies. What he is doing is dangerous.

You do know the country doesn't produce fuel, the Oil companies do.

It goes off topic when a comment is made that is belatedly false and is called to task.

I would really like it if this thread can be kept on-topic please. This was about low wages, no sick pay and holiday pay, not about selling oil.

Thanks.

That's up to the companies producing. Should Biden nationalize them to control them and increase production?