On October 14, 2021, the workers at John Deere went on strike. While they had many demands, among them was the demand to halt the introduction of a two-tier pay and benefit system. Under such a system, existing workers would get to keep their existing rates of pay and benefits, but new hires would be brought in under a new tier, in which both their pay and benefits would be lower. On November 17, workers approved a new contract that had eliminated this tiered provision. And on this day, the John Deere workers demonstrated that they knew something that my colleagues in academia do not: a tiered employment system decimates the power of workers.
Read MoreNot that many of us need a reminder about American inequality, but a recent Axios-Ipsos survey found that: "Americans with less education and lower incomes [are] far more likely either to have to keep showing up at their workplaces — putting themselves at greater daily risk of infection — or more likely to have seen their work dry up." However, what is interesting is that the survey also found that: "Ironically, those with the most resources and the least exposure are significantly more likely to say their emotional health is taking a hit."
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