Ethics

Hi all,

More a bit of a rant today, I have a friend who has just started a new job, she has been there a few weeks now, after having been out of work for a long time. We were all really pleased for her getting this new job and it all seemed positive. Now we have passed the first payday and she has not been paid, when she asks her boss, who is also the owner of the company,he tells her to ask someone else and no-one will give any explanation or answer to the situation, this is putting her and her family in a really difficult position. On speaking to some of her co-workers, it turns out this is a common situation, but what gets me is how someone can hire someone knowing they will not be able to pay them, what ethics is that? How does that person sleep at night, knowing their staff are struggling financially but still working for them, 9, 10, 14 hour days and not to even seem concerned about it or to give any explanation. It should be against the law, probably it is against some union law or explotation, that is what I feel my friend is being....exploited and it upsets me to see after going though a tough time that what should have been the end of the difficulties have just bought more. But I get the impression from what she has told me that this has been going on so long, that both the owner and the staff just accept it as normal, but it is not right. Most people are primarily motivated by money, its one, if not the main reason we choose a job and go to work, but if you dont even have that basic motivation, how should you be motivated? I dont believe it can produce a sucessful business because the staff are not motivated. But what can she do, with no other job to go to, if she leaves she may not ever get paid but if she continues, she doesnt not know if or when she will be paid, so now like all the others she is caught like a fish in a net.
But I couldnt look myself in the mirror if I was this person or even in my staff's faces unless you have no morality or ethics.