Capitalism

Capitalism is fine and well.

My friend was terminated from her job last Friday, the last day of the month. I believe that terminating anybody is bad enough but to do it on last day of the month is the dirtiest of dirty deeds.

Their excuse was that there was not enough work that would warrant keeping the current staff. Along with her several others were let go, some employed as long as fifteen years.

The problem with being terminated on the last day of the month is that it is impossible to get health insurance continuation in such a short time.

Well, these people didn't care about that at all. All they cared was how to save their precious money. It was proven again that employers don't give a damn about the employees. They care only about their own pocket.

They expect loyalty and giving but when things turn sour the first to go are the employees. I worked for over forty years and I saw this over and over again.

It does not matter if the employer is a large company or a small one. The thinking is the same.

I was luckier. When I was "asked to retire" it happened at the beginning of the month and they gave me two weeks. Thus when I left the company I still had two weeks remaining until the end of the month. This way I was able to arrange all my health insurances which I did fairly easily.

But still, being told to leave a job is a very painful and hard thing. First of all very few of us work or worked because that was our hobby.

We worked because that was how we paid our bills. That was how we could afford our food, our homes and everything that we possess including our lifestyle.

When one losses that job that means a total stranger is forcing that person to change that lifestyle simply for that stranger's convenience.

I totally understand why terminations happen. Companies build their businesses on work they hope to get or they already are contracted for. These businesses do not always materialize and if the situation continues staff reductions are necessary.

Yet, it is sad that we are exposed to such situations and I feel this kind of action invades the life of the individual.

We hear this kind of action all the time. More in the last few years than before because of the situation of the economy. I always feel sorry the poor people who are on the short end of the stick. But when it hits close to home it hits a lot harder then in other cases.

Well, that's capitalism for us.