First, let me say thanks for all the good thoughts and words of encouragement. And just writing out the story has helped me to process it.

But the point of posting it to this particular thread, is that it is a good, first hand account of corporate America's disregard of the social contract and failure to behave in an ethical, socially responsible manner.

Balance of power is a good thing. What is occurring in the business where I now work is small potatoes compared to what we all have read about in the newspapers, or which some of you have experienced yourselves with plant closings or buy-outs of small companies by larger ones.

And it is the same that has happened with the social contract to provide a safety net for the poor.

Advance notice of firing, or severance pay in lieu of notice is a safety net. The ability to accumulate annual leave that must be paid is a safety net. Companies demand loyalty and a two week notice if you are going to leave, but offer no reciprocity.

The same hold for the relationship between the overclass and the underclass. Even the middle class owes a debt to the poor. We all stand on their backs to some extent. We owe the underclass an opportunity, and we also owe some sort of safety net. IMHO.

Mick, if you are in the house, this is a good lead-in for commentary on the historical role of labor unions in balancing the power of the overclass that is corporate America.

North Carolina is an 'employment at will' state. (Boy, am I glad that term is now used instead of the old 'right to work' state.) There are few unions, the ones that exist are small and weak, and labor laws favor employers to the point of absurdity. Worker's Comp here is an industry tool. (boy could I tell you some stories about stuff like worker comp reps. slashing tires while the guy with the back injury is in the MD's office and then video taping him changing the tire as proof his back must not be that bad...like he has a choice not to change the tire--true story-I was subpeoened, and not the only one like it.)

I was born and raised in West Virginia, a union state if ever there was one when the coal industry was less automated and employed a lot of people. In union States, labor laws tend to offer more protection to employees, even if they are not in union jobs.

Of course, over time, the big Unions turned into big business themselves, and became abusive with their own power. --but that is for another thread. The important thing to note is tthis. With the decline of the labor unions, the balance of power is again out of kilter, and coorporations, over the last 20-30 years, have slid back to their old ways. As a force for social justice, the labor unions helped not only the working man, but also the underemployed, the unemployed and the poor who can not work.

In post-industrial American, the new working class dress in white collars or work in service industries. The average 'working class' citizen now sits in front of a computer in a cubicle, and has some higher education. the working poor wear a black apron over a pine green polo shirt with a restaurant or motel logo on the breast pocket.

I'm gonna go hunt up Mick. He probably has a different view than do I, but he should--he knows more about it, and I think he could add to this discussion of Poverty in the USA.

Janie