In the 90’s work for the most part was plentiful for almost everyone despite your education level. Companies were proud of their training programs for new hires, many paid for employees to further their education, it was a seller’s market and employees were calling the shots demanding flex time and a home office for some Fridays.
Fast forward twenty years and the landscape has drastically changed. Ross Perot’s prediction of a giant job vacuum, Wall Street insider trading and CEOs hoping to sell off before anything has been built created the wide chasm everyone acknowledges today. Barrack Obama has called economic equality the greatest issue of our time and the problem’s mere existence challenges the notion of putting this country in the top three of democracies.
We have all seen some friends and family members change. Some are thrilled “just to have a job”. College graduates have simply accepted that they will start out as unpaid interns for two or three years despite sky high education debt and other are working 80 hour work weeks slowly losing their ‘Joie de Vie’. Is there a better way? Yes, but it will take honest discussions about work and wealth. Who should share in the fruits of success. Shareholders or employees who helped to build the company?
Is anyone seriously against $15- an hour ? If so it is time for a Dickensian wakeup call.
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Read Time Magazines Article on “Red Bull Workers”
Small Business Support on The Slate
See the Guardian’s Take on Work Life Balance