Just One More Way ...
... of keeping cost down and the bottom line up.
With my former employer, I had over 6,000 hours of unpaid OT for thirty-two years service. I was in a position exempt from the US wage and hour laws so I basically had no grounds for a complaint. I took the job voluntarily and I could have quit at any time. But the abuse was still there accompanied by executive arrogance and cheap trinkets.
I wish the Dell employees well; I hope they win their case. But my former employer was taken to court and, well, like I said above, "unpaid".
I've grown to literally hate corporations because of the way they treat people and reward those that set the abusive policies. Even though it's bad economically for me (for us all really) I chuckle when I see the mighty fall. Most of the time that happens because of the incompetence and stupidity of those "leading" companies such as Dell, Seagate, AMD, GM, Ford and others.
Hang in there guys, and start planning for your retirement TODAY. Even in an abusive corporate world retirement can be great. :+)
And yep, I'm one of those seniors (62) plugging away at all this mysterious, geeky computer stuff we have such a hard time with per some responders.