9.14.2005

The Labor Crunch

Right now, the US economy is being fueled by people doing work and making
things and providing services and buying things. Add living places to the
list, too.

What if there was a sudden reduction in the number of people who contributed
to the economy? There would be a recession because less people would be
producing and buying things.

This leads Econo-Girl to think of Baby Boomers. They are one huge
generation who will begin to retire soon. So who is there to replace them?
Whoever it is, there isn't enough of them. So when a court ruled today that
Microsoft could restrict the employment of a former employee, you see the
business community making a pre-emptive strike against worker's rights and
flexibility. Because one day soon, being able to tie an employee to your
company will be critical in keeping your company functioning. This is
doubly true for skilled employees. As the senior people leave, replacements
must be found. And then they must be kept, or at least kept from leaving
you for another company. This is what Microsoft is doing.

3 comments:

Jamie Dawn said...

I guess Micrsoft is thinking ahead.
Thanks for stopping by my blog on my b-day!
I was at the doc's and the hospital nearly ALL day and now I'm back at my hotel. My hubby gets here late tonight and I have surgery tomorrow morning.
I'll be back to posting at my site and visiting my internet "pen pals" by Sunday or Monday.
Enjoy your weekend!

The Lazy Iguana said...

People need to wake up. Really.

People my age DO NOT join unions. They look at me like I have a third eye when I say I am going to join AFSCME. They think it is stupid to pay union dues. Why? They claim the unions do nothing.

But they forget that unions are the reason for the 40 hour work week, for overtime, for days off, for sick pay, for holidays, for benefits, and so on. It was not some manager who decided that people should not work 16 hour days 7 days a week for straight pay, or that workers should be able to earn sick leave.

In the good old days, when you got sick and missed work, you lost your job. No questions asked.

Management has been trying to undo the work of organized labor for decades. All they needed was a work force that was sleeping at the switch. Now thay have that work force. And people my age are so frigging STUPID that they are allowing it to happen.

Idiots. They will learn when it is too late.

Econo-Girl said...

Good! Then I am not alone in remembering our leader's leaden feet.

And yeah, these anti-union people make me sick. While they enjoy a 40-hour work week.