40 hour workweek/Lost of manufacturing base

Letter about George Will and opposition to shorter workweek

George Will decries the 35 hour workweek in France in a recent column. The 40 hour workweek was created in the U.S. almost 70 years ago in 1938. In that time productivity per worker has far more then doubled, but the workweek still stands at 40 hours. While I do not want nor advocate for the labor laws of France, they are too burdensome, we should reward the hard workers in the U.S. who helped the U.S. economy to become so efficient. What is needed a workweek of 32-35 hours to be factored in over the next five or so years. Maybe more, maybe less. We do need to compete in a global economy but not a global economy that is out of the 19th century. Indeed we need to take action to pressure and urge other nations to raise their standards on labor, workplace and environmental rights and not lower ours to oppressive dictatorships such as China.




Lost of Manufacturing Jobs

More then 3 million manufacturing jobs have disappeared since 1998, with probably over half of these directly tied to our manufacturing trade deficit in that period. Not only manufacturing jobs have been lost to globalization, but 500,000 or so professional services and information sector jobs, such a tech support operator in India, have also been lost. Forrester Research inc. predicts US employers will move 3.4 million white-collar jobs and $136 billion (with a B) in wages (from those jobs) overseas by 2015. A study reports 14 million jobs are at risk of being sent offshore. Garner, Inc estimates 10% of computer services and software jobs will be moved overseas by the end of 2007. A survey by Deloitte Research found the world’s 100 largest financial service firms espect to shift $356 billion worth of operations and about tow million jobs to low wage nations over the next five years. The fact is, trade isn’t good for the average American. Yes, it will reduce the price of that shirt or that DVD player, but at what cost? The fact is, even with lower priced goods wages in the last 30 years haven’t kept pace with inflation and through much of that period the sending of jobs overseas has greatly expanded. Indeed an economic assessment is that increased trade has decreased wages by 6% of the 2/3 of Americans without a college degree. Does anyone save 6% of their income (over $1500) in Wal-mart or any other store that sells cheap imported goods? I doubt it. A study by the Economic Policy Institute reports wages in industries where jobs are being created as on average, 21% lower then wages in those industries where jobs are disappearing. In addition expanding industries are less likely to offer workers health insurance then those cutting jobs. This doesn’t just affect workers but everyone in a given community. When the collective wages of towns, cities, counties and even states along with the nation as a whole it increases the burden on local government services. Simply, our nation’s trade policies must and have to change. No longer should they be written for and by big business/corporate interests to no loyalty to America and their lackeys. Indeed, trade agreements like NAFTA allow corporate interests to sue states and local governments for regulation of products that are dangerous or harmful to the environment. Simply we are not in the year 2007 anymore, we are in the year 1877 when workers had no rights and whatever a powerful interest wanted, they got. Really, is this what Americans want, for the price of a $3 t-shirt?