Jobs: New Challenges,New Responses

Abstract

Labor markets are central to economic life. They shape the organization of work and the lives of those who work or need work. Recent experience confirms a systemic tilt in favor of employers' needs and interests at the expense of earnings, job security, and opportunities for new entrants to the labor force. Conservative ideology has been effectively linked to employers' interests. The result has been that public policies of demonstrated effectiveness in assuring a better balance in labor markets have been weakened. Changing labor market conditions will require renewal and redesign of these tested remedies and development of new measures adequate to respond to new conditions in the global economy and in labor markets. Among these the most important will be reduced working time, limits on freedom to invest or disinvest capital, stronger community-based power to share in the decision-making process and in the distribution of costs and benefits, and a new synthesis of paid work, work that is important to society, and leisure. These are specified and discussed.

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