"EMPLOYEE OR SLAVE"

As I contemplate on the last job I held as a temporary blue collar working which was at the time, a transition from being a permanent employee in the work force to a work-at-home calling my own shots mom. I can't help but to wonder what kind of position I held. Of course, I knew what my job title and responsibilities were but I also was very curious as to how I was looked upon by my immediate superiors.

First off, I was not assigned to any permanent area within the department in which I worked , but could be horded off at any time to wherever I was needed without any say so in the matter at all. This was not all that bad being that I do understand the business aspect of things and how business operations must be ran so this part of the job was reluctantly accepted.

Secondly, I was subject to work up to 16 hour shifts on a daily basis if I was told to do so with negative repercussions such as being fired if I did not comply. This was a great inconvenience for me being that I had a large family at home who needed me on constant and ongoing basis, but if I wanted to maintain my employment status I had to decide to neglect my family's needs.

Thirdly, If I ran across any issues with on the job working conditions, coworkers, supervisors, etc. I as told in an indirect way to just deal with it. I had no voice or rights in the matters fo addressing or solving any issues that affected me as an employee. For instance. there was more than one instance where supervisors and managers actually walked away from employees while they were still talking or asking questions in regards to their well being as employees. This happen to me me on an occasion and it made me feel like less than a human being, never mind an employee.

There was also what was called blackout dates where for at least two to three months out of each year, employees were forced to work six days a week for more than eight hours a day with no vacation, sick, or personal time being granted and this was mandatory.

With all of this going on, I became increasingly depressed each day. I began to snap off at my husband and children on a daily basis while they ate hot dogs and ramen noodles, and my health, energy, and peace of mind began to deteriorate. This is when I made up my mind that I was no longer going to be an employee or would the appropriate term be "slave"

I quit my job with only one month of savings, yes it was serious. and I started my own work-at-home business with a commitment to help other women along the way suffering from the same plight I managed to escape from. Now I am living life on my own terms, being my own "Master" and no longer putting up with the pain of being a a slaved employee.

Now every decision I make is my decision, I wake up when I want to, I take a lunch when I want to, I work as many or as less hours as I want to in a day, and I solve my own issues and I must say that going from slave to master requires great strength, persistence, faith, desire and stamina but the rewards are well worth the struggles of getting their