Mar 15, 2014
Temp labor is one of the fastest growing industries in the US. Increasingly, temp workers are part of a business strategy to keep costs down and profits high. From mega-retailers to mom-and-pop shops, temps are hired to do some of the hardest and most dangerous jobs. While more and more of the American workforce is comprised of temporary workers, they’re largely hidden from public view. Many of these workers stay silent, often having their livelihoods threatened if they speak out.
Wanting to get a glimpse of this invisible workforce, VICE News traveled across the country, scouring warehouses, temp agencies, and temp towns in search of the people, who make our world of same day delivery possible.
With almost every mega business offering free delivery on almost anything including $30 orders, it makes me wonder how that is possible when it cost me $59 to mail a ukulele to Hawaii recently. (true story)
Maybe this slave labor is the reason?
I was a very vocal advocate for better working conditions at a California company years ago. It cost me my job at the time, but it was worth it. On occasion it does work and, as in this case, it resulted in better working conditions for the many while the unconcerned few, sit in their air conditioned offices, uncaring and purposely oblivious. Those office fools didn’t have to breath in the thick particle filled air caused by burning transmission fluid like us grunts on the shop floor. That problem was solved, but only because the company was financially forced to do so. California workers are not always protected by their “strict environmental standards”, like most would assume. In this case, the company was also forced to install an emergency eyewash station(required by law) in a work area where the workers, mostly undocumented aliens, used caustic acid from large tanks. The nearest water previously (washroom), was on the other side of the shop floor. As this video points out, this crap is still going on. What do foolish Americans protest about? Lies and relatively unimportant things, but the really important issues? Forget about it.
All this so billionaires can remain billionaires, Planet earth has a problem… Gunpowder and lead will fix it.
No more talk… WE GET IT!