> Software engineers can't even bargain for overtime pay.

We do in Europe.

That's what it means to be salaried vs. hourly. You get the job done and don't mess around.

what do you mean can't? my god, did I break "the rules" every time I did it?

What did you do now... now you're just going to get a bunch of replies about how professional organizations would indulge slacker programmers and ultimately cramp good programmers' style and payslip.