Listening to Mighty House on WCPT-820 Saturday morning, the discussion turned to how the millenials entering the workforce expect a good job and benefits to be handed to them and are unwilling to pay their dues. Callers and Hosts lamented the lazy, entitled attitude of the younger generation.
This feeling about how the modern American worker is unwilling to do the menial tasks, or expects to much, or doesn't work hard enough is nothing new. Plato expressed dismay at how the young greeks weren't as industrious or studious as the young egyptians.
But, why should any American Worker exhibit unquestioning loyalty to Corporations? Why should a young worker bust his ass, put in his dues with the expectation of reward after achieving a level of seniority? Why would any worker give his time and life over to an American Company? Long ago Employers and Companies broke their end of the deal. Over the last 45 years, "American" Companies have turned their backs on the American Worker and actively sought to undermine the standard of living for every American.
Over at Fortune, Gene Marks tells employers what to do with a long-time, loyal, hard-working, dedicated, 20-year employee; Fire his Ass! Why You're Not a Jerk for Firing a Longtime Employee
So why should millenials or any American Worker break their backs, work overtime, miss holidays, weekends, family get-togethers, when it is incontrovertible that companies will dump that worker, raid their 401k, and off-shore their job as soon as a "Free Trade Deal" allows them too?
This false nostalgia and back-in-my-day bullshit of how American workers used to have can-do spirit and were willing to work-your-way-up-the-ladder should go the way of the private union. When Labor had a more equal footing with business in the mid-20th century, after bloody battles in the 19th and the efforts of America's Greatest President FDR, workers knew their sacrifice and hard work meant they would be rewarded. But, since then the Republican Party allowed itself to become the lapdog guardians of the 1% and began to crush Labor laws and protections.
Before his ousting for being insufficiently orthodox, Republican Eric Cantor was leading the effort by Republicans to ensure Companies could work employees hundreds of overtime hours and then never pay them for that work. Fortunately, that scheme failed and under Obama's NLRB and Department of Labor, other Conservative machinations, like Wage Theft and classifying hourly employees as management, have been severely punished.
This is why Republicans are furious with President Obama. For years the right-wing efforts to get Americans used to less benefits, lower pay, longer hours, and less employment security, while abolishing Unions and worker's rights had been progressing nicely under the direction of the Republican Party. And here comes Obama, ensuring employees get paid for overtime, expanding SSI coverage, increasing wages, and undercutting the right-wing dream of reducing the American worker to mercenary status pitting their time against any other worker in the world in a worldwide race to the bottom.
5 comments:
Gene, you're a monster! Why would anyone want one of society's Makers to have to suffer -- suffer! -- possibly giving up a ski chalet in St. Moritz or one of their yachts or having to scale back a tad on their golden parachute just so some Taker who works for them can have a "living wage." Humbug! Are there no poorhouses?
W. Hackwhacker,
What a stupid peasant I am! I am constantly reminded that America's betters will pout and go elsewhere if they aren't lauded with effluent praise and lavished with money confiscated from the American taxpayer. Why no less an expert than Sean Hannity lamented why should he continue "to work hard" with the outrageous Kenyan Marxist Muslim Tax Rates imposed by Dictator Obama.
I see you addressing two separate issues here. One group of young people want a simpler life, embracing nature, caring about the planet and each other. They don't measure success by stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, and granite counter tops. They will never be major wage earners but they certainly work hard.
The other group are those who think they are "entitled" to the good life.They went through college on loans and handouts, drinking beer and "partying" and now that they have a degree they think they deserve a nice apartment, a Lexus, a beautiful wardrobe, all the toys and plenty of time to continue to "party". In exchange they will grudgingly show up at "work" and sit on their ass at a computer a few hours a day, attend a few meetings, possibly a "power Lunch" or two and earn there six figure income to start.
Both these extremes are not the norm, hopefully.
Mohave, i think in a sense you are right there is an entitled group. But there are so many factors at play. For instance one can not work a minimum wage job and put themselves through college anymore. And those who feel entitled these days are white "dude-bros" who are mad they can't coast on there unearned white privilege and support Trump.
I've had it up to HERE with people who claim that millennials are lazy, entitled, and unfocused. Millennials are some of the hardest working people I know. To survive in the current economy (high competition for jobs, lower wages, etc.), they have to be hard working. The millennials deserve fair pay and opportunities, not condemnation from older generations who know nothing of their struggles.
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