The government shutdown drowned out a critical discussion in Congress — how to keep the economy open and thriving for American workers.
During Washington’s month-and-a-half closure, the U.S. Senate still spent significant time introducing and debating reforms to the country’s woefully outdated labor laws. Workers and their families need to know that lawmakers are facing a monumental decision — a decision between empowering workers through choice or stifling them through governmental barriers and coercion.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, and lawmakers know it. The Senate has heavily focused on labor law since the start of October — with two high-profile hearings and a new pro-worker legislative package — because both Republicans and Democrats recognize that the workforce has dramatically changed since the labor laws of the 1930s. But 90 years ago, a third of workers were in manufacturing. Now it’s just 8 percent. A fifth of workers were employed in agriculture. Now it’s barely 1 percent. Yet the labor laws of nearly a century ago are still in place, oriented towards an economy that no longer exists.
The workforce isn’t the only thing that’s changed. The skills that workers themselves need are quickly shifting in the face of automation and competition. There’s also a greater need for flexibility in a fast-paced economy, so that workers can make the most of new opportunities and technologies as they arise. These real-world challenges are the backdrop for Congress’ sudden...
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