“Yes, America Is Rigged Against Workers” by Steven Greenhouse is an opinion article published on August 3, 2019, in New York Times, talking about a skewed system with no regard for workers’ affairs. Greenhouse describes the United States as the only developed country with no laws guaranteeing paid maternity leave, paid or unpaid vacation, and paid sick leave. He states that the United States has the lowest minimum wage and the second highest low-wage workers percentage among the countries in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Greenhouse points out that corporations are fighting against unionization, thus rendering labor unions weak. This encourages wages and income inequality, unfavorable politics and policy-making, and the mistreatment of workers. Moreover, unions are corrupt and have a history of racial and sex discrimination. Due to the weakness of worker unions, corporations have opted for unpaid interns, 60-70 working hours a week, forcing arbitration to avoid prosecution and discouraging mobility by signing noncompete clauses. Furthermore, it has caused wage stagnation, increased job insecurity, downsizing and offshoring, decreased labor budget, income inequality, and inability to benefit from the corporations that employed them.
The M.I.T study of 2018 indicates that 46% of nonunion workers desire to join a union; however, they face daunting challenges since many corporations are against the move and refer to supervisors who failed to tame unionization as failures. Supervisors, personally and with their junior workers, are discouraged from joining. A related study shows that due to this demand, 57% of the corporations threatened to close, 47% threatened to reduce wages, and 34% fired employers in unions during unionization drives. Corporate chiefs use intimidation and no longer listen to workers.
Billionaires and corporations have taken over United States politics and policy-making to empower themselves and make decisions that benefit them, such as lowering corporations’ taxes and stagnating the minimum wage. However, having workers elect their representatives to the corporation board will make it easier for workers to join unions. This will expand the campaign’s public funding against corporate domination and influence. Americans will enjoy the economy’s prosperity once they have an effective voice at work and in policy making. Greenhouse’s intention in writing this article is to show the public the skewed system against workers in the United States.
Work Cited
Greenhouse, Steven. “Yes, America Is Rigged against Workers.” The New York Times, 2019.