When it comes to the people who are out there everyday serving and interacting with the public in what is and will continue to become an ever more dangerous environment they should be perceived as professionals, perform as professionals, project themselves as professionals and be paid as professionals.
However if they are for one reason or another not being paid as professionals then invariably that employer has to be willing accept a far less productive, far more lethargic and disinterested individual.
The hard labor, inhumane long hours, increasingly hostile work environment in and of itself is bad enough but when you add in low pay into the equation the overall sense of hopelessness will wear on even the most upbeat and productive people to the point when even they don't care anymore.
Seeing that I couldn't provide the square deal my drivers would be deserving of in order to inspire them to take an interest in what they were doing and take governance over that route I decided not to even bother trying. And when I look at the job boards ad from desperate contractors still offering the same money as that which was offered upwards of a decade ago I do not regret my decision.
