Class in labor: economic and social dimensions

Labor and Class Issues as They Relate to the American Dream

The theme of class intersects with labor issues in many different ways. In the United States, class is often related to the type of labor that a person performs. That person's opportunities, whether educational, social, financial, or otherwise are closely tied to their class even though the media and the "American dream" argue otherwise. For many immigrants and poor Americans, the promise of finding an education and being able to consistently but modestly make their way through a life of better opportunity becomes a goal or pursuit in and of itself. Often times these people are sadly woken up by the fact that the United Stare's class and social structure is set up primarily to replicate itself and the predetermined order that comes along with it. Two short stories help to illustrate these facts, and while it is still possible to obtain an education and make a life for one's self through hard work and perseverance, it is not very apparent that success through this means is more the exception than the rule. Authors Kovacic and Mantsios explore these assertions in their short stories and make the connection between the trust being put into the system by the working class and the fact that those with the social, economic, and financial power are not always forthright in holding up their end of the American dream.

Author Kovacic's (12-16) short story entitled, "Proud to Work for the University" is an excellent example of an immigrant's struggle to fulfill the promise of a good education for his family. This story is an excellent examination of the trials and tough conditions faced by an immigrant family and the pride that comes with being able to find an opportunity to provide an education for others. The sense of pride that hard work and dedication can give a person is tough to describe accurately, and for many people, this sense of pride in hard work and their role in the greater whole gives them the motivation to trust the institution they are working for and to provide their best efforts in an attempt to fulfill their end of the employment contract. There are some really wonderful opportunities still for immigrants looking for a better life in the United States, but the story also illustrates the fact that often times promises are broken at the cost of someone's job or retirement, and that those who take pride in their work are not being reciprocated with the same trust and pride from their employers.

The idea that the American dream, or capitalism, can both provide a means to opportunities as well as take those opportunities away is also a driving theme in Kovacic's (12-16) short story. The author is very grateful to her father as well as to the university where she obtained her education for the opportunity to do so. But she also realizes that with success, and the typical American capitalist ideals comes the fact that the university could no longer afford to keep her father employed there, instead choosing to outsource his position and use the money they saved on other, less noble projects (Kovacic 16). There is a certain understanding that the lower class are supposed to suffer under the weight of the upper class, but this story illustrates this fact as well as the fact that the pride that comes with having an opportunity in the first place is not something that can ever be taken away.

The working class is at the mercy of the system and of the whims and desires of the upper class. This can be both beneficial as well as destructive. Author Gregory Mantsios explores this very subject in his short story, "Rewards and Opportunities: The Politics of Class in the U.S." He uses the examples of the mainstream media and social constructs of the different classes to make the argument that the rewards promised to the working class for their loyalty and energy are not often delivered (163). This, coupled with the fact that the working class and poor are fed a steady diet of information and stories to the contrary makes up what Mantsios sees as an empty promise. Mantsios writes, "Both in entertainment and in relating the news of the day, the media convey important, albeit contradictory messages: classes do not exist, the poor and the working class are morally inferior, America is a land of great social and economic mobility, class is irrelevant" (Mantsios 162). This is to say that the promise of a better life is sold to the poor and working class, but often goes unfulfilled even though the working class has held up their end of the bargain investing the time and energy required to further their own condition. The entire system, according to Mantsios (162), is rigged, and while some people are successfully able to navigate the process of working hard for a better life, the vast majority of those people with hopes for a better future are met with broken or empty promises.

Kovacic's work helps to support Mantsios' assertion that for the working class and the poor, opportunities and windows for improvement exist, but it is often those who possess the power- culturally, socially, and economically, who do not make good on their promise. These elites want the working class to think that they will one day succeed and become as they are, but the reward for the working class's trust in this idea is not often tangible or recognizable (Mantsios 162). It is sad to think that even though the United States is a place where many feel limitless opportunities exist, the truth of the matter is the class that someone is born into is often the class that they will belong to for their entire lives, no matter what they do to attempt to better themselves. While this is not always the case, and there are some examples of people bettering their position through education or hard work, it is very difficult to argue to the contrary when so many others are being lied to about their potential and their opportunities to get out of the working class world and away from its struggles.

The idea that a person could work hard for decades and be proud about their occupation is something that America was built on. The dirty truth is that there are no real guarantees, and that the version of the American Dream that the media and the elites sell to the working class and immigrants looking for opportunities can often be a hollow promise. Labor unions helped to build America as well, and depending on the political landscape, these unions have enjoyed periods of great growth and success as well as periods where they have fallen out of favor. It is impossible to guarantee that a person will be able to have a lifetime position anywhere, but understanding that there are also no guarantees of employer loyalty and reciprocation. As a union worker myself it troubles me to hear about other union workers who, for one reason or another, after decades of hard work and service are being treated unfairly by employers or those who have the lions share of social and political power. It is a sad commentary on how America values its most foundational and loyal workforce.

Both short stories hot home for me, given that I feel as though I am trusting in the fact that through my steelworker's union I will be able to count on steady employment and a decent retirement. The idea that the American Dream is within the reach of anyone who wishes to strive towards it is simply not true, as evidenced by Kovacic and Mantsios' personal experiences and writings. The American labor system is set up to attract those most in need of steady employment and a promise of a better, brighter future. But the sad fact is that most of these people will not meet this future, and will likely spend much of their lives working for different companies, all looking to get the most out of their employees for the least amount of pay and benefits.