SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY DISCUSSION MEETINGS

The U.S. Commerce Department says that “The United States is the world’s leading producer of manufactured goods” and that “Standing alone, the U.S. manufacturing sector would represent the fifth-largest economy in the world—larger than China’s economy as a whole.” Surprised? We were. After all, millions of manufacturing jobs have disappeared over the last 20 years. Back then, one-third of all workers held manufacturing jobs. Today, it’s more like one in 10. Does that mean that nine out of every 10 American workers have better jobs than they did 20 years ago? Does it mean that most American workers have cleaner “information age,” safer “postindustrial,” better paying “white collar” jobs than two decades ago? No, it doesn’t! Why it doesn’t is just one of the things up for discussion at every SLP discussion meeting.