@Annette33, I understand the rush, when you sell a big artwork. I get elated too and want to make everyone happy that comes along.
It wears off though, when I add up all those huge amounts of taxes, social security, insurance against risk caused by death, accidents, additional insurance, training contribution, work doctor etc etc (the French are obsessed with health), all obligatory and I forget a few, all to be declared every month and taken every three month. So yes, someone has to pay for work hours, otherwiseI'll sleep under the bridge in my old age. Ah yes, I forgot retirement. The hugest amount to pay. A work hour is triple the amount the employee takes home. But it's not a new phenomenon, that you have to pay for services, they may have been included in higher prices once, but can't be in a highly competitive sector.
I remember a haggling over an artwork once and the buyer did not want to pay a decent price. It came down to "the artist has to live and pay rent as well" - "no,a good artist needs to suffer to produce convincing art". We did not sell the painting to him - would you?