this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2026
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
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Money gives you the freedom to choose your job. If you have enough backup money, you will basically not let your employer bully/mobbing you, because you can resign. When we normal people talk about money, we don't mean billions; we need money that basically gives us freedom of choice for basic needs and helps us survive on bad days(2-3 years of unemployment)
Can confirm. Once I became wealthy enough to quit my job I liked it a lot more, because I could speak my mind without fear. The last 6 months I worked was the easiest 6 months.
100% agree. Now, I can't speak freely because I fear losing my job.
Seriously. I'm someone that's had a background in engineering but has really struggled in office jobs due to what I now know to be AuDHD related. I'm currently exploring a mid career transition to K12 teaching. I've had prior experience in education, just not K12 classroom teaching. But I have real reason to believe this would work a lot better with my neurology.
But frankly, the only reason I'm able to explore this is because I have a partner, and we're fortunate enough to be able to get by on their income alone. We both need to be working for us to really make progress on our savings and retirement goals, and I owe it to them to do all I can to pull my own weight. So I can't just not work. But I have the luxury of being able to try to find work that works for me.
With as rocky as a career history as I have had? If I hadn't been with my partner, I would have probably had to make a living on my back or end up living on the street. I certainly never would have had the luxury of being able to take the time to explore alternate career paths. It's that bad.
I have struggled with very real career impediments from this. And having a bit of money has made all the difference. We're not rich. But just having enough to have a stable home situation and the ability to afford treatment is life changing.
I 100% agree. If you have enough backup money, you will basically not let your employer bully/mobbing you, because you basically can resign.
It's honestly one of the best benefits of marriage if you can manage it. If you're fortunate enough to be able to keep your mandatory expenses below either of your individual incomes, you both gain tremendous leverage against employers. There is no more powerful negotiating tool than having the ability to walk away.
100% agree. Otherwise, it is the cost of living, especially if one of the partners has more expenses.
Yeah, it is actually very difficult to manage. It's called the two-income trap for a reason. But my partner and I do this. We at least try to keep our mandatory expenses under one income. If we have a long duration job loss and savings aren't enough, we can at least cover our basics - mortgage, food, property taxes, health insurance, etc. off one income. That might require pausing all retirement savings, cutting out all eating out and any subscription services, and not traveling anywhere. But we try to at least keep our bare survival expenses below either of our incomes.
And we've just planned our life around this. For example, we could easily afford a much nicer house than we currently have...if we were willing to be dependent on both our incomes to cover the mortgage. But then you're in trouble if either of you loses a job. Instead of providing stability, the extra income actually compounds your risk!
I know many, perhaps most, people can't do this even with great frugality. But if you can manage to do it, it is a life hack that brings such an incredible amount of peace, stability, and safety to your life that, to me at least, no fancier home could ever be worth giving up that safety to obtain.
I agree with you. But people are too greedy and jealous of each other. Usually, one of them say ohh my friends go to holidays, have a good car; why don't I have one?
temptation of these populist people is the biggest problem. If people did not consume more than they need, we might not have these problems.
They want workers dependant. Ever since the end of slavery, big business has been trying to rules lawyer a back door into having it again.
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