Gonna start by saying I don't want sympathy. I want what I have to say to provide perspective on how we need to create worker solidarity.
I'm in middle management. I didn't go to school for business or any of that bullshit. I'm just a guy who worked his way up from the ground floor and am now in a management position. I just made my team's schedule for the next couple weeks and because of “business levels” I'm worried about my crew being able to eat this month. Usually, I enjoy my job. I like running interference with customers and making decisions on how to beat utilize my team's talents. If I was able to set my own budgets, this dip in business would be the time for training and routine maintenance. Not every manager is like me, but I'm sitting here screaming inside because the system is a bloody meat grinder and today I'm one of the cogs in that machine.
I'm looking for my exit and the path to a good union job. For everyone's sake (labor and management alike), let's burn this system to the ground.