Introduction: Myths that bind -- The Stanley works -- The rise of steady work -- Retraining the mechanics--but for what? -- The shock, part 1 -- The shock, part 2 -- Dismantling job security, 1977-1997 -- A green light from Clinton -- The consequences--undoing sanity -- Solutions -- Afterword.
Summary:
Layoffs have become a fact of life in today's economy; initiated in the mid-1970s, they are now widely expected, and even accepted. It doesn't have to be that way. In The Disposable American, award-winning reporter Louis Uchitelle offers an eye-opening account of layoffs in America -- how they started, their questionable necessity, and their devastating psychological impact on individuals at all income levels. Through portraits of both executives and workers at companies such as Stanley Works, United Airlines, and Citigroup, Uchitelle shows how layoffs are in fact counterproductive, rarely promoting efficiency or profitability in the long term. Recognizing that a global competitive economy makes tightening necessary, Uchitelle offers specific recommendations for government policies that would encourage companies to avoid layoffs and help create jobs, benefiting workers, corporations, and the nation as a whole.--From publisher description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.