Getting ahead means falling behind

After discussions with someone being screwed over by their job, I have to ask:
Explain to me why people I know who work hard and kick ass at what they do are often screwed over and given shitty work and hours, as they are the responsible ones who will always show up and do them well, regardless. It's like the slackers of the earth are rewarded and the hard workers given the splintery pokey end of the stick, when they deserve a lollypop or at least a frigging scotch mint. How about some mixed nuts?
Case example: Why yes, the responsible staff would like to work shitty 5 Am-9AM shifts, with occasional additional crap duties randomly scheduled...and the occasional crappy evening tacked on split shift bits, as well as most weekends, with hours often right in the middle of the days so they can essentially do nothing with their families or spare time...and then all the stuff they like to do that they used to do can be given to others to "free them up" to do all the shit. In essence, leaving the responsible boring crappy bits to the responsible one, with all the fun, interesting work to the slackers and new people, after the hard worker has gone out of their way to work hard and prove themselves as good people.
How is that fair?
What kind of a rewards system is that?
Should you not get a say in how/if your job is being rearranged if you are doing a damn good job at it?
You shouldn't have to threaten to quit a job you like to prove a point. A good worker should get to choose the some of the good bits and let the crap workers do some of the crap.

Way to reward hard work corporate Canada.

You wankers.