Empathy for the Working Class

By Antonio Aguirre / Summer 2021

Dear Uncle Danny,

I hope all is well with you! During my studies at UCSD, I have been learning a lot about the true history of America from who were the true Americans during the birth of our country to how past laws and regulations have led to systemic racism creating an inequality gap affecting minorities and those of color. From what I have learned thus far, I believe you would benefit from a better understanding of how our country’s labor industry has evolved to what it is today. As the founder and owner of your construction company, a better understanding of working class needs and issues may help your company thrive.

Before government intervention in the labor industry, workers had no protected rights. As seen in the Gilded Age (the late 19th century), many business owners took advantage of their workers to increases their wealth. These corporation owners, who were predominantly white males, were known as Robber Barrons. Most of the wealth in America at this time sat in the pockets of Robber Barrons. As these people became richer the poor became poorer, the inequality gap kept increasing until the working class had enough. The working class was not asking for much but rather the rights they were promised as Americans. To get the rights they deserved, protests, walkouts, and strikes were among the tactics used. In the end, workers got what they were fighting for which were basic human rights protected by the government. This included mandatory breaks, overtime pay, and safe working conditions. After this brief look into history, you are probably thinking “if the workers did not like their jobs they could quit and find new ones”. During this time, most jobs fell victim to these harsh and inhumane conditions and most families lived off each paycheck making it very difficult to have time to job search. To better understand the conditions faced by the workers of this time I suggested looking up the Triangle Fire of 1911. I know you are a firm believer in less government intervention but you must see the benefits that it had in protecting workers.

While understanding the past is important, I am not writing this letter to give you a history lesson but rather to show you how the present is rhyming with the past. Looking at the present working class and economic structure, many similarities can be seen. For starters since the beginning of the pandemic, the rich have been getting richer while the poor get poorer. As of today, three American billionaires hold more wealth than half of America. These super wealthy cooperation founders and owners have gotten to this place by underpaying staff and subjecting them to inhumane conditions, some of which are the same as seen in the past. Again you may be thinking “why don’t they get a new job?” Unfortunately many working class jobs offer the same issues and it is very difficult for these families to go to school to move out of the working class due to the lack of resources they are provided. This lack of resources is due to systemic racism which I will not cover in depth but know that it originates from past racist government policies that have caused current inequalities.

Just like in the past, today’s labor class is trying to fight for basic human rights within the workplace using similar methods such as strikes. Up to this point, many of today’s events look very similar to the past. The factor that makes today’s worker movement different is technology. In the past when workers went on strike it was difficult to find new staff. In today’s age, many jobs can be replaced by technology thus reducing the effectiveness of strikes and other movements. While using technology may be more cost effective, money is not the only thing that matters in life. Human life is the most important thing on this planet. While many people see life through a monetary filter, it should be through one of empathy.

The reason why I say that the present is rhyming with the past rather than repeating is because this time around the leverage of the working class has severely dissipated. If things continue the way they are without empathy, the working class will be out of jobs. I hope this letter helps you understand the growing issue that the working class is in right now and how there may be no correction like there was in the past without a change in the priorities of business and corporation owners.