Each worker is a tradesman with a skill franchise no different than any business.

Can he/she not command the price for that service?

Can he/she not assiciate with his fellow workers to negotiate a fair price for that service offered?To depreive these rights by law is demeaning and anti-human rights. It is particularly disturbing to blame the Unions for the ills in our country and forget the huge tax break that was given to everyone including the weathiest of the nation.

It is not surprising that I find myself holding by hands up to my head in total disbelief that those who have do not appreciate how they got that wealth with the help of those workers whom they wish to betray.

Time to protect workers' human rights.

So the best bet is to shift your energies for a while and explore other avenues. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:

1. Try reaching out to friends, colleagues (and if you are really bold, family) and let them know you are interested in being fixed up. Don't be shy about telling people you are actively searching for set-ups--- meeting friends of friends is a tried and often true matchmaking technique because the matchmakers know you and have your best interests at heart.

2. If time and budget permit, plan to take a group trip for the holidays or invest in a winter time-share with other singles. There are plenty of travel companies and cruises that cater to the single segment, including GAP Adventures, Club Med and Singles Travel International to name a few. To make sure you are paired with other singles before embarking on your journey, call the travel provider and find out who else has signed up for the getaway you are interested in booking.

3. Try to attend a "house party" - they are more intimate, which makes introductions and conversations less forced. With the holidays just around the corner, you don't have to wait to be invited to one, just invite some friends over and encourage everyone to bring someone who is single along to the party.

4. Consider dining out or attending the movies alone on a regular basis. You never know who will be sitting in the row in front of you or at the bar stool beside you, and there is no need to be shy about trying to strike up conversations in those situations.

5. If you meet someone cute in the elevator at work or at the gym, just smile and say hi. You'd be surprised how far a friendly "hello" can take you today.

6. Don't be afraid to take your efforts online.