The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker by Steven Greenhouse Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker
Book Review: Something we need to care about
Summary: 5 Stars
If you find yourself wondering, "Is this all I'm worth?" when you look at your paycheck, meager benefits (or lack thereof), other poor job opportunities or rising gas, college and home costs, and the increasingly unattainable "American Dream", you are not alone...
This book is an excellent primer for those of us who want to know why American jobs are so much less fruitful than those of our parents or grandparents generations (for 20 or 30 somethings). It is a sociological eye-opener on par with "Fast Food Nation". It emboldens us to get more politically involved, and helps us form opinions on many of todays very relevant pressing issues(health care, illegal immigrants, the minimum wage, dwindling union support, offshoring and job security, education costs and standards, corporate corruption).
The Big Squeeze covers several case studies sprinkled with analysis and history of all parties involved in our mighty economy. Greenhouse makes a very well informed argument for adapting to changing and new economic pressures and in the end of the book lays out his proposals (albeit too idealistic for most administrations) for solving many of the problems he has dissected. I commend him for tackling such a huge subject with so many variables and attempting to pull it all together into a comprehensive book that educates the lay person (who is not an economist) on what is happening in this country. He makes the reader aware that this is truly an epidemic and raises the red flag.
While this book is not "light" reading, it does tell positive tales of employers doing the right thing, and of immigrants who have succeeded and injustices that have been unveiled so as to balance the overwhelming sea of pessimism and hopelessness that these types of books tend to hold between their pages.
Book Review: Corporate greed
Summary: 4 Stars
This book gives a highly detailed look at individuals who suffer from losing jobs as a result of corporate greed. It contains much useable reference material.Book Review: Corporate power and arbitrariness harm American workers (3.5 *s)
Summary: 3 Stars
The book is both an overview of the deteriorated state of affairs for American workers as well as a few up close and personal looks at some of those so affected. For one brief generation after WWII, American workers empowered through union contracts, achieved a somewhat harmonious status with their employers, which included good wages and benefits and expectations of job security. And the government provided support as well, especially for veterans. But that's not the way things are now.
As the author so well examines, employees are now viewed as mere factors of production and can be subjected to egregious capriciousness. They now can be fired arbitrarily, forced to work off the clock, have their time sheets altered, forced to work as so-called independent contractors or part-time, etc. Employee wages have been flat for over thirty years, despite increasing productivity over those years, while CEO pay has skyrocketed. The labor movement is a mere shell of its former self with private sector union membership being at the same density as one hundred years ago. Advances in computers and telecommunications have facilitated shipping even high tech jobs overseas; trade agreements have enabled establishing production off shore for intra-corporate trade; and immigration is having profound impacts on jobs and wages domestically. Those left behind after downsizing have to redouble their efforts with apparently little appreciation by many employers. The traditional way to advancement, education, is increasingly becoming out of reach for many because of the costs. American workers have truly become an afterthought or invisible.
There really is nothing in this book that has not been discussed repeatedly in the electronic media, books, and newspapers over the last several years. The Wal-Mart model has become pervasive. Occasionally an organization will come along like Costco that demonstrates that workers can be treated well despite the demands of the retail world, but they are an exception.
US corporations are ascendant; they have a great deal of control over media content, they dominate the political process, and they hide behind the mantra of competitiveness to squeeze American workers for higher and higher profits. The author, more hopefully than convincingly, calls for a return to kinder times. But there will be no voluntary relinquishment of power. There has to be a realization on the part of American workers on the realities of excessive corporate power and a willingness to assert political power to transform the process in favor of workers. This book clearly shows that American workers are now being squeezed almost beyond imagination with no end in sight.
Book Review: Thought provoking and readable
Summary: 3 Stars
Mr. Greenhouse provides a thought provoking look into the changes taking place in the American workplace. While much of the research appears to have been used in New York Times (NYT) articles over the last several years, having it all in one place as a sort of "one stop shop" of Mr. Greenhouse's findings is rather nice. This aspect of the book was the biggest disappointment for me as a regular reader of the NYT. However, the use of real people to flesh out the statistics provided was a wonderful touch that really drives home the main points Mr. Greenhouse is making. This style also keeps the book readable and engaging.Book Review: Radio interview available
Summary: 4 Stars
Came to Amazon.com to order the book after listening to a riveting interview with the author on [...] (April 28, 2008). I was born in 1952 and these workplace trends are like climate change: slow paced but catastrophic. The comparisons between conditions for American workers versus European workers really shook me up. The presidential primaries suggest we may be seeing a tipping point towards economic populism. If so, this book maps the issues and causes undermining workers of all generations. (My 4-star rating is based on the author interview; I have not yet read the book.)