Free Republic

NEW YORK - U.S. workers, pushed to produce more and uneasy about new technology and other changes, are markedly less satisfied with their jobs than a decade ago, a new survey says. But the decline in on-the-job happiness, which continued through economic cycles in recent years, has at least temporarily leveled off, according to the survey released Monday by The Conference Board, a New York-based business research group. Half of U.S. workers are happy with their jobs, down from nearly 59 percent in 1995, according to the survey. Of those, just 14 percent say they are very satisfied.

Since I vent for a living, I'm stepping down from my soapbox today to let Sun readers bitch for a change. The topic: Rotten bosses. Last week I wrote about a new study that explored worker stress and its link to health problems. In the process, I invited people to send in tales of toiling under tyrants. The floodgates opened. If there was an award for suffering through the worst boss ever, it would have to go to the pipeline worker who broke his ankle on his first day on the job and then was expected to keep working. "I...

Under Bush's presidency, Corporate America slashed paychecks that took you years to earn. They have cancelled holidays, including Good Friday -- they are trying to cancel the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, it seems. They have cut sick pay, rewritten family leave laws, cancelled bathroom breaks. It is even beginning to affect civil service professions such as the police force, now requesting to cut their sick pay to only thirteen weeks. Also under Bush's presidency, they have turned reservation offices into assembly line call centers. The union had warned of this but no one listened. We trusted Bush that it would...