Exploited Worker Syndrome

My roommate and I were discussing his recent work situation, which has essentially required him to work through the weekend and extended hours (15+) during the work week.  He works for a small software company that is developing a product for a customer whose arrival to view the demonstration is imminent.  My roommate feels uncomfortable asking for time off because of two reasons: 1) there is the expectation that he can delay his time off to "take one for the team" and 2) he is depending on the company to help him get his worker visa.

It is customary that the company will absorb the costs of applying for the visa for their employee, but in his case, they are withdrawing the funds from his paycheck to pay the estimated $4500 needed to procure this visa.  It was an unexpected expense, but what can he do?  Of course, he is "free" to quit his job and move back to his native country, but he does not want to do this for reasons relating to social stigmatization and prejudice-related problems in his country.  Further, after paying a large sum of money to finish his education here, he now needs to earn enough to repay his parents for their financial assistance.

His boss has also said that he should expect to work through another weekend to complete this project.  He took a slightly extended lunch a couple of days ago (1.5 hours instead of their standard 1-hour lunch), which was noted by the HR manager, but all of the hours that he has worked overtime but did not report went unnoticed and unappreciated.  Now, he is suffering from physical injury; his eyes are not focusing as clearly since he is spending hours staring at a monitor, and his wrists are sore from typing all day and evening.  The company quickly notices it's own "loss" when he took a little extra time for lunch, but completely disregards the effects this situation is having on its employee, a human being.  Still, he has little choice, especially right now when his visa is being processed.

We spend so much time focusing on amassing more wealth, and for what purpose?  To have a better life.  In the meantime, we ride roughshod over those qualities that make life better.  Balance, health, creativity, and consideration for others are all subservient to profit.  Is it really a surprise that we create a sick society in this process?  To cope, people turn to medications or other drugs, which again, is another profit-driven not healing-driven industry.  What does it take to make us all aware of the hell we are creating? Only when this is understood, can we begin in a new direction.