If someone has been lucky enough to have afforded a higher education, most times in an Ivy League school, snag a job with a major corporation, then the concept of job works. However this article is not about them, but the majority of our workforce earns an hourly wage between seven and sixteen dollars.

I was under the impression that the days of slave labor and exploitation in the work place was behind us as a society. In reality if a worker can find employment that guarantees them a thirty seven hour work week, they pay between twenty five to thirty five percent in deductions in: Taxes, company sponsored health care and social club. As well as out their pocket for other employees birthdays, baby shower, or charity donation the company they work for sponsors. The bottom line is their take home pay for a week is approximately $260. To add insult to injury they then pay fifteen percent when purchasing their life's necessities like food, clothing, and hair cuts.

In all fairness the government thinks they are really helping these people by providing some GST relief, and if they have children a small monthly baby bonus. How about trading all that in for reducing taxes to an acceptable level, and a proper minimum wage based on the actual cost of living index?

Not only do these people have constant stress of trying to make ends meets, they never know if their company will lay them off, close, reduce their hours, or change the schedules. As well as the pressure that goes along with the job like meeting standards of compliance and metrics. I had been told growing up, that hard work never killed anyone, but stress, that was a different situation all together. Many of these unfortunate employees experience work related side effects like: depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and stress levels off the charts.

Rather then changing things as a society we have found the quick fix. A person goes to the doctor explains their situation. Today our physicians have no choice but to prescribe the latest medications to alter the brain in order to help people cope. It is like putting a band aide on gushing wound because society can't stand the site of blood. Even though they constantly change the band aide, if the cut is deep enough a person will bleed out. That is what is happening to our work force and people in general.

I heard about this company that was very happy with the production from their employees for a particular week; they wanted to reward their members of staff, pretty nice so far right!!!

They had their upper management go to each employee, not with a cash bonus, but instead everyone received an ice cream sandwich as a reward. It was like these adult people were like kids, getting a treat for cleaning their room well. How insulting is that, and did these upper management people actually realize how offensiveness this gesture could be taken?

Just imagine someone who graduated an Ivy League university working for a large corporation. The vice president comes out congratulating people for a great week in production. As a reward, instead of a cash bonus, every executive will be entitled to their very own ice cream sandwich. Do you think the talk around the water cooler might be something along these terms: "Has Mr. Smith lost his mind"?

Who is to blame?

We all are: the employees who are scared to stand up for themselves because understandably they do not want to end up on the street, the government who is over taxing us, allowing the companies to exploit us, not setting a proper cost of living wage, and of course the companies themselves taking advantage .

Canada boasts to the world what a great quality of life our citizens have here. Maybe that is true compared to some third world countries out there. However if you are a person who did not have a privileged life, no formal education, but want to earn your way in this world, not stay home and collect welfare, then those people do not have a chance in getting ahead. Shouldn't every working class Canadian be entitled to be able to afford the necessities in life without having to go bankrupt to get them? Perhaps it is time to stop forcing our citizens to live on credit, and be able to provide their families on what they earn. In my opinion things need to change drastically in order for this to happen.

What can we do about this?

If you have read this article and agree with my view, here is what you can do. Send it to your friends, place it on your website, and if you are an editor of newspaper publish in your paper. We are supposed to live in a country that allows freedom of speech, where majority rules. It is time to stand up and be heard. If you're a person who is fed up of being told what you can not do, instead of what you can, then here is your opportunity to make a difference, and contest the disregard shown to working Canadians. If you are not going to make a change for yourself, do it for your children at least.

I would be very interested to hear your opinions on this article, please feel free to e-mail.

Thanks for your consideration,

Arnold Nadler

About the Author

Arnold Nadler is the founder and CEO of The Startup Business Doctor, a highly successful collection of e-books, courses, resource information, and business consultations, all designed to assist new and small business owners achieve their goals. For more information on these programs or to advertise at StartupBusinessDoctor.com, contact Arnold today.