The evolution of the American worker... [View all]

[kentuck]

My labor experiences began in the 1960's. Before I was drafted into Uncle Sam's Army at the age of 19, I worked at a meat-packing plant in Detroit, Michigan. It was hard labor for a 135 lb youngster. But, with overtime, I made pretty good money.

However, I never felt like my life was, in any way, tied to that employer. I could leave anytime I wanted. There was always another job around the corner. If I felt I was slighted in any way, it was adios. I would go someplace else to work. After all, it was not General Motors or Cadillac with their great benefits...

But somewhere along the line, the workplace changed. Young people became more insecure. They were uncertain about whether they could find another job? Employers were holding all the cards.

It seems to me that this change happened sometime around the Presidency of Ronald Reagan? If you had a job, you better keep it, because you may not find another. This mindset became very detrimental to workers, in my opinion. They sacrificed whatever power they had as workers, when they gave up their right to walk away from their jobs.

It was not coincidental that the unions declined during this timeframe. It seemed to me that young workers became more business-oriented. They accepted the business model over the workers model. They were more willing to accept the rules as put forth by their employers. They were more capitalistic in nature, in my opinion.

It seemed that more and more young people wanted business degrees and became more conservative in economic matters, even as many became more liberal in their social beliefs. Of course, this is just my perspective, but even today, whatever management says is seldom questioned. I can recall when youngsters would rebel. I'm sure others have a different perspective?