The Politics of Job Quality

Abstract

In Good Jobs, Bad Jobs Arne Kalleberg provides an extremely useful portrait of job quality in America. This paper addresses the politics of job quality via a case study of weatherization jobs. Weatherization workers are typical of employees in many low wage jobs in America. The stimulus bill (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) substantially increased weatherization funding and a political struggle emerged over the quality of these jobs. We find that the variable strength of progressive coalitions, legislative politics and timing all contributed to the development of an uneven set of regulations at the federal and local level. Groups that are putative allies often worked at cross-purposes. More strikingly government at both the local and Federal level has been conservative and even timid about establishing job standards. There are also more positive lessons. Training standards are being formalized. This stands to benefit both homeowners and workers. While there have been conflicts, it is also true that interests that have been historically at each other’s throats notably unions and community groups–found a way to work together more constructively than in the past.