The Worker Gets a Pep Talk; the House Gets a Lobbyist
I kicked open the newsroom door and found workers being told to hustle harder for wages, benefits, and job security. The complaint is that since the ’70s, paychecks and pensions have come under pressure, health costs have climbed, and union power has weakened—while corporations and political choices helped shape the rules. That is a rough contest to enter with nothing but a motivational mug.
When security shrinks, workers get handed a pep talk, as if better attitude can negotiate a pension or bargain for stronger rights. Meanwhile, the house gets a lobbyist and a say over the track, the clock, and what counts as winning. May Day’s point is not to blame people trying to get by; it is to fight for rights and security shaped by public choices. The worker gets a pep talk. The house gets a lobbyist.