By virtue of simple dumb luck I'm not getting screwed while others are.

I really don't know if this belongs in my blog.

It's the first personal real world situation I've blogged about and it is something that just feels seriously wrong, but I can't do anything about it. I can't even blame a political party, excepting the fact that Republican's have made it impossible to collective bargain in Texas.

The company I work for just got sold. 

My old employer covered my entire family on their medical insurance free of charge.

My new employer only covers the employee adding the family is over $800 a month.

My old employer provided an absolutely free medical clinic.

My new employer does not.

Here is the deal, by a stroke of luck... a simple twist of fate... my family will be okay.

~A lucky roll of the dice~

I started as an hourly field hand.

About six months ago I became a salaried employee.

Yes, salaried employees still have to pay. I'm lucky, but not that lucky.

However the people purchasing us made a deal. If we stay four months and let them know a month in advance that we are leaving. We get to take our full severance. If we stay we get a big bonus worth about twice that. That is pretty generous. I'm not going to lie, and I'm not accusing those buying us of being a bad company but....

It's based on 40 hours a week for hourly employees. We work in the oil field. These guys put in about 96 hours a week on a 14 day on 7 day off schedule. This is backbreaking work that many of them (myself included until recently) have been doing for many years. Mine is based on my salary (I put in 84 hours a week on the same schedule.

Anyway the severance for these guys is going to come out to a few months pay. It's not going to go very far. If they stay and have a family they will suddenly be paying $800 a month unless they find something cheaper on their own. That's a sudden, unexpected $800 a month bill. The bonuses these guys get won't even cover it. That is a direct hit of $11,900 a year to guys who will work the same long hours and do the same hard jobs. Could you absorb that?

Big side note: In almost any other industrial country the amount they pay would not depend on the the whims of the employer. 

Because of my dumb luck and becoming salaried at the right time my new bonus will cover the insurance and leave me $30k richer a year.

Of course, Texas is a "so called" right to work state. We have no power to bargain. These guys have no ability to fight for a better deal.

It will be the first year of my life I don't have to struggle to make ends meet. I feel very lucky. Last year this would have ruined me. My medical bills were enough that I met my family deductible several months ago. Right now, I'm paying for nothing. No Co-Pays, no prescriptions, nada.

But I can't help thinking about these guys and that someone should realize overtime wages (which make up more then 50% of their pay) are wages. They have to pay on every dime at tax time but don't get recognition otherwise. Most people end up with a set of bills in life that is representative of what they make (not the best word usage, but I hope you understand what I'm saying). These are real people and families that in many cases already have medical issues. They can't afford to lose insurance and now will have to struggle to keep it. They will be doing the same work for what amounts to less money, does that seem right?

I also can't help thinking that in almost any other industrialized country they would have universal healthcare that would cost them the same no matter where they worked. None of them asked for this but they will all be paying for it.