Labor
One Problem with Unemployment Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, our current unemployment rate is 8.9%. As bad as this number is, it is still comforting to think about how it is “only” in the single digits. Yet this number does not account for the huge number of self-employed professionals and tradespeople in this country who are unable to file an unemployment claim, even though they are effectively unemployed. And what about those of us who cobble together a series of temporary and part-time jobs that fill up our hours with work, but which do not amount to a job that is eligible for unemployment benefits when some of those gigs fall through? What about the underemployed? My gut and my own experience tells me that that 8.9% number is way too low.
Labor Day
It is Labor Day in these United States of America. Observing this holiday became a bittersweet experience this morning, when Latin American workers showed up to take care of the garden outside my building, as if Labor Day was not for them too. On the other hand, allowing or forcing workers to observe this holiday would hurt them financially, because they would not be paid, just as millions of unorganized American workers are not being paid today. This circumstance is due in part to the weakness of organized labor in this country. Today I am also reminded of how most American media outlets treat news of Wall Street’s welfare as a story about the general interest but news of organized labor as a special interest. Even worse, far too many American workers have internalized this way of thinking.
By the way, did you know that most of the world celebrates this day on May 1st? I guess the internationalist and socialist connotations of that day were too much for this country.
Happy May Day!
I found this poster on the Holt Labor Library's May Day website, which includes lots of links on International Workers' Day. You can also find a larger version of this image there.