Labor Day weekend is kind of a big deal. People go places and do things, and then school starts. We don’t spend too much time thinking about labor.
I have used most of these pictures before to commemorate Labor Day. I added a new image of a hat factory that was partitioned off so that black women could work there. This country was built on cheap labor and slave labor.
Most of the jobs in the pictures don’t exist anymore. Robots and AI are taking over the jobs that are left.
Working conditions for many have improved over the last 100 years but work is still work. It was once thought that technology would replace workers, and it has, but no one ever expected technology to be in charge of the workers. I am thinking of those who work in warehouses, large discount chains, and call centers.
Some jobs are broken down into pieces so that each individual worker does part of a job, over and over. Many jobs don’t pay well enough so that the worker can afford life’s necessities.
Our brand of predatory capitalism is part of the reason why so many workers can’t have nice things, but their bosses and the people who own the companies can. They are fabulously wealthy, and they hoard their money, which isn’t good for the economy.
On a happier note, labor unions are experiencing a resurgence. I think we need strong labor unions.
The photos came from Flickr commons where there is a treasure trove of old photographs.
Happy Labor Day!
