The Rebirth of May Day’s Message
from Consortium News:
The Rebirth of May Days Message
May 3, 2012
Since the rise of Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, Americas rich have been on a roll, with their tax rates slashed by more than half and a concentration of both wealth and power at the top, a restoration of an earlier time of inequality and exploitation, as Lawrence S. Wittner recalls.
By Lawrence S. Wittner
Many people might be surprised to learn that the May Day celebrations that occurred around the world Tuesday were born more than a century ago out of a struggle by American workers for the eight-hour day.
The late 19thCentury was a particularly hard and brutal time for working people in the United States. The rise of giant corporations fostered accelerated exploitation of workers in the interests of profit by the wealthy few.
In the new, giant factories, it was common for workers to labor from 60 to 80 hours a week. Many workers had a six-day workweek, but a seven-day workweek was the standard for steel mills, oil refineries, paper mills, and other highly mechanized plants.
The industrial accident and death rate soared to new heights not only thanks to new, dangerous machines and the use of child labor, but because of worker exhaustion. In 1881 alone, an estimated 30,000 American railway workers were killed or injured on the job. ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/05/03/the-rebirth-of-may-days-message/
xchrom
(108,903 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)For example, for many years, people in the IT industry have been categorized as exempt from overtime pay requirements, thanks to Congress and corporate lobbyists. I'm sure people in other jobs are going through the same thing, but IT is the only area I'm familiar with.
As a result, IT professionals must work 50 or 60 hour weeks, or more, without any kind of additional compensation for time worked beyond 40 hours. Many people in IT are stressed and worn out, while their corporate overlords rake in the profits from this "free" labor. But these workers are afraid to make waves, because they know they are:
1. lucky to have jobs in this economy
2. easily replaced by lower paid foreign workers brought here via the H1-B visa program.
Odin2005
(53,521 posts)Myrina
(12,296 posts)... AND AM STILL DOING THE EXACT SAME JOB with the same reporting structure, same responsibilities and same job description.
Just a new 'title' which they (my company's HR department) think allows them to pay me less.
Several other people in my department got the same reaming.
Yes, I have contacted the state DOL.