The Anti-American Manifesto by Ted Rall

Author:Ted Rall
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781609801649
Publisher: Seven Stories Press

The last major social programs enacted by Congress were signed into law by Lyndon Johnson in the mid-1960s. The last major public works built in the U.S. was the federal interstate highway system, mostly completed in the 1950s. A century ago, workers fought for the twelve-hour day, then the ten-hour day, then the eight-hour day. Concomitantly, since the 1950s, as the economist Juliet Schor has documented, workplace productivity has more than doubled. Logically, the four-hour day should now be the norm. But, for those who still have jobs, working hours have risen (to about forty-eight weekly). All the productivity improvements went into executive pay, corporate profits, and stock dividends. Meanwhile, average and median wages stagnated and then began falling.

In late 2009 McGill University physician and researcher Jody Heymann was interviewed by National Public Radio about her new book, the awkwardly titled Raising the Global Floor: Dismantling the Myth That We Can’t Afford Good Working Conditions for Everyone. Dr. Heymann repeated a grim litany with which we Americans are all too familiar: despite living in the wealthiest country on earth, our social benefits—particularly our working conditions—rank among the worst. On one quality of life issue after another, she and other researchers determined, American workers toiled under conditions that were similar to those of employees in third world countries like Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Lesotho. (These last two had recently experienced civil wars.) More than one hundred other countries, including all of the industrialized nations, do better by their people on the number of paid sick days employers are required to provide, paid and unpaid maternity and paternity days (Mexico provides six months paid maternity leave both before and after a birth), personal days for moves and caring for sick relatives, and so on. One hundred fifty-seven nations don’t even allow you to work for more than six days in a row—you have to take the seventh day off. Like God.

This was a call-in show. Caller after caller asked Dr. Heymann why the U.S. fared so poorly compared to the rest of the world, especially since both wealthy and poor nations were happy to provide these benefits to their workers. She repeatedly ducked the question, reiterating the facts. One hundred sixty-four nations guarantee paid vacation days in their labor laws; the U.S. does not. One hundred sixty-three nations guarantee paid sick days; the U.S. does not.

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