American workers are struggling to keep up

By Charles Carson            

           As Americans, it’s easy to say our country is built on the hard work and dedication of previous generations. Like many Americans, I know the story of my​​ forefathers. They arrived as so many others through Ellis Island in the early 1900s, and went straight to work. They paved the roads on which we drive today, and built the roofs of the housing that many of us live in. So when did working hard all week become insufficient to get by? Whatever happened to those that could make a living working 40- to 50-hours-a-week and still maintain a rare thing called work-life balance?

            I encounter many people who are taking advantage of the “gig economy” but unable to attain work-life balance. The sad part is that a lot of them are teachers or work in the public sector in some capacity. So, I want to know why our public schools are falling behind and our public workers don’t seem to be the epitome of productivity? They are not getting paid enough at their “professional” jobs so they have to spend their free time driving around drunk people or waiting tables to keep the lights on. The gig economy is here to stay, like it or not.

            Last year, ​the Bureau of Labor Statistics ​​reported​ that 55 million people in the U.S. are “gig workers,” which is more than 35% of the workforce. That number is projected to reach 43% in 2020. I believe this is a result of people taking on too much debt and living outside of their means. We should look to our forefathers as role models and return to our roots of working hard and living within our means.

            A business mentor of mine posed a question that really made me stop and think about the increasing cost of job title and standing in today’s society. He asked me, “What’s sexier, the plumber that makes 600k a year or the lawyer that makes 60k a year?” I think there are many factors as to why the gig economy has taken precedence over the past few years. These include the societal pressure to go to college, buy a house, and be trapped in debt for the next 30 to 40 years. This may have worked for our forefathers but rising inflation has made this untenable for many American workers today. The costs of education and housing have gone up, and are continuing to rise, but wage growth has remained stagnant. Furthermore, it seems that people are working harder and getting paid less for it.

            So the argument arises, if you’re going into debt for college, all in order to get a ‘professional’ job that doesn’t pay as well as it should. How is one supposed to make it in America? This used to be “the land of opportunity” and the “home of the free,” but it seems like everyone is either trapped by crushing debt or too bogged down by their gig economy jobs in their “free time” to chase opportunity.

            Why do people not get paid as much and are forced to work gig economy jobs to achieve their financial goals? According to ​CNN business​, the answer lies within the shift of the majority of U.S. workers from manufacturing services (i.e., workers for G.E., Ford, and GM in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s) to lower paid services today (i.e. workers for Amazon, FedEx, and fast food chains). This is part of it, but I think another huge part has to do with businesses getting bigger and bigger. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for those with mid-sized or smaller companies to compete, and as a result, the first thing these businesses do to cut costs is cut employee wages. This leaves the worker with the short end of the stick.