Lets Review for Fun the Denegration of this profession - shall we?

I came on board in the 1990s, the height of the IC.  I was paid gross line count (for any newbies that is a line per line, no matter how many characters) and I was paid for everything, headers, footers, demographics, if there was a character on that line, I got paid.  Paid 10 cpl and never made anything less than 45,000 to 50,000.  No raises, but back then it was a very good salary, no ridiculous TATs, NO TIME CLOCKS and we had 24 hours to turn back in our work.

Yes, TAT needed to improve, I accept that and as technology advanced and we were internet based it did, PROFOUNDLY.  1990 to 2005 still made 10 cpl gross line.  Even when the 65 character count line came into play, I was grandfathered in and still paid gross line.

Still no raises, still making same, starting to think "gee..been at this for 15 years and yes. money is good, but now my salary is starting to even out with others AND I pay self-employment tax and buy my own disability insurance and health insurance"  But still autonomy over day, working from home had major benefits.

Then 2005 came and MedQuist gobbled up the little YOG company I worked for.  Immediately put on 65 character count with no line raise, realized immediate 28 to 33% deficit in my salary, but still had the autonomy of my day with a realistic schedule (i.e, M-F 8:00 am to 6:00 pm) able to come and go as long as I made my production, which was fine, able to swallow (a little hard) the gross line vs 65 character line deficit.

2006 ASR is introduced...as a valued "aid" to the MT.  Sucked, of course, but got better, still made my 10 cpl at 65 character count, but none for any demographics, headers or footers and schedules and TATs started to become a problem.  No work available, all work gobbled by east coast MTs so west coast MTs could not work in the a.m. had to work starting later and later to be sure work was there.

2007 20% reduction for ASR and the TIME CLOCK was instituted with EXTREME tight scheduling, no leeway..Then 2008, not only offshoring, but 30% reduction for ASR, 2009, 40% reduction for ASR and 2012 flat out 4 CPL for ASR new people with the added promise that is never realized of regular 9 to 10 CPL for straight typing which of course no one ever gets. 

My salary went from 45 to 50,000 2005

2006 38,000

2007 31,000

2008 29,000

2009 22,000

2010 18,000

2011 18,000

2012 probably 18,000 too

In the end I blame myself for having this shown to me in every way shape and form and being too lazy and a nonstarter to make MAJOR changes in my professional life. 

And still I see "newbies" coming into this job.  I cannot for the life of me fathom why anybody would go through the difficult training it takes to master this profession to be made minimum wage or maybe 10-13 /hour if you are a WHIZ at ASR, that is 300-400 lph for 8 hours straight.