| Courtesy of dopeonplasticblog.blogspot.com |
There was a time when the jobs our parents and grandparents had were pretty crappy, too. Folks got together and changed that for the better, much like some who work for minimum wage are trying to do now — or, in the case of the models starting at 0:50, who work for clothes instead of wages.
"In the mid 1950s 1 in 3 American workers were in a labour union" says Dorian Warren, Assistant Professor, Columbia University. He continues, "They were crappy jobs ... but through collective action through sacrifice and struggle these unions really made these jobs good jobs."
Sandy Pope, President Teamesters Local 805 says "All our unions including ours became complacent, we left the streets, stop engaging management ... it turned into business."
Willis J. Goldsmith, Management Labour Lawyer, Jones Day New York says, "Do I think people should be paid so little they can't survive? No! How you factor in the componenets of survival ... you need a big car, a little car?"
Sara Ziff, Founder, The Model Alliance says of the fashion industry, "tired old topic ... models looking skinny ... they are missing the fact that they are 13 or 14 you have basically an industry that depends on the labour force of children ..."
Warren says that with globalisation the American industry does not need an American middle class to prosper, "... Walmart is the largest employer ... they maintain a union free workforce ..."
Goldsmith says that the low membership of the unions is due to globalisation and their inability to argue that they can add economic value.
Pope says, "American corporates are cutting their nose to spite their face ... the more they outsource ... they'll forego health care, pension ... they are following it with a vengeance to get rid of unions once and for all."
Do watch this video:
http://www.upworthy.com/why-is-the-middle-class-disappearing-here-are-some-clues-5?g=2&c=ufb1
