General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Unemployable At 50 Fate Of Present And Future Workers [View all]socialindependocrat
(1,372 posts)Re: Your question on tech and work less.
I was in a group trying to identify what the future workplace would look like. I thought that the natural progression would be toward a 4 day work week - Someone said, 4 - 10hr days, no problem. I said, No, 4 - 8hr days. People went nuts. They wouldn't even entertain a discussion of the idea.
Corporate leaders have determined that the "workers" are not in a bargaining position. "You are lucky you have a job" is pounded into people's heads over and over. They have held our salaries down for the past 30 years and instead of reinvesting back inti the business they increase their own salaries and bonuses.
Now , people have come to the frightening conclusion that they need to save at a faster pace or they will never be able to retire - They will just die at their desk one day. So people take what discretionary income they have available and put it towards retirement instead of spending it - Thus the slow economic recovery.
The middle class used to spend every dime they had and then spend more on credit. Now, they don't to save for retirement - With what little they have left after all the day-to-dat expenses have increased by 25-60%. We're talking about food 30%, gas 110%, heating oil 300% (even heating oil is more expensive than gasoline and it's requires less energy to manufacture), my electric got deregulated and it jumped 65% the next year. So, people who used to have $500 discretionary income now have $100 or less.
Warren Buffet is one of the few who realizes that unless we get the middle class employed and back in the spending mood that this country will be in the crapper for a very long time.
Look at the recovery of the stock market and who did the money go to? It went to the people who already have all the money.
And all these states enacting right-to-work laws are not helping the situation. The American people are being whipped into submission to the detriment of the country.