Leave. Give It Up. - FactoryMary

After working for more than 30 years as a medical transcriptionist, having gone through so many changes in the field, I left it all behind a year ago.  I worked the last ten years at home, the last few I was with MDI/Transcend.  MDI was a great company, but it all fell apart when Transcend took over.  Hope DF is sleeping well on her $16 million, I know many transcriptionists are not.  I saw my pay dwindle down to almost nothing and my TL cherry-picking, which really cut my income.  Also, the ROM was a total Witch with a capital 'B'.  I was no longer making ends meet, and decided quickly the industry was headed for disaster.  I knew I had to make a change, but was no longer interested in working on-site as a transcriptionist in an office or hospital, mostly because I did not want to tip-toe around sensitive personalities.   I took a job at a local factory that pays me far more than I was making as a transcriptionist.  My fellow co-workers are fun and far from sensitive.  A sensitive personality isn't going to cut it here.   It is a union job, so the benefits are outstanding.  It is not easy to be hired here, the company has few openings as turnover is low.  I  am proud to be part of a company making an 'American-made product'!  The job is very physical, which I actually enjoy as I spent so many years in a chair, looking at a computer screen.  My point here is that you must consider other options that you never thought of before.  Medical transcription started crumbling when we were allowed to work at home (suddenly every mother out there said "Oh, I can do that, too!") and VoiceWreck really put the nail in the coffin.  I was not appreciated while I did transcription.  I am appreciated at my new job.  I am very happy with the decision I made to leave transcription.  Each of you that are unhappy with your jobs will have to do some soul-searching as I did and think outside the box.  Transcription is not the be-all and end-all of jobs.  I had to do what I had to do to pay the bills, and I am very happy I did.  By the way, I get 1 paid week of vacation at 1 year, 2 weeks at 2 years.  Also, the company shut down for 1 week (with pay) at Christmas.  On the down side, it is very hot in the plant- no AC in here.  Gatorade and water are encouraged, occasionally someone passes out.  I am now having a normal life, meaning I come home and enjoy being home without worrying about a line count that was increasingly difficult to make.  Only you can make the change you need.  You gotta do what you gotta do.  Good luck.