Americans are now Europe's "Cheap Labor"

[cryofan]

One of the reasons I am backing Kucinich is that he will move America more towards a European system. It seems to me that America is almost like a 3rd world country compared to Europe.

Now it looks like many other people are beginning to notice this also.

See this article in the Washington post:


Europe's Cheap U.S. Labor

By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, November 26, 2003; Page A25


It's time again to overeat and commemorate the Pilgrims coming to these shores to build their democratic theocracy and share some grub with the natives. The natives, we all know, didn't make out so well as the European conquest progressed, but that, at least, was then.

When they cross the Atlantic, however, they find themselves in a brave new world where wages have eroded (a new Russell Sage Foundation study concludes that 24 percent of U.S. workers make less than $8.70 an hour) and employees' rights to unionize have been effectively abolished. And rather than bring their Euro standards with them, the companies go native.

....


So it's come to this: When European employers look to the United States, they see roughly the same thing that U.S. employers see when they look to China: millions of low-wage workers who have all but lost the right to organize and a government intent on keeping things just the way they are.

The erosion of worker power and the growth of employer supremacy here have transformed the bottom half of the U.S. workforce into a vast exploitable mass worthy of a colonial backwater. Something to chew on as we give thanks for the marvel that once was America.


THe rest of it is here:


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14899-2003Nov25.html

[lcordero]

1. they are going to be moving to China or India sooner or

later

[pnorman]

2. Please edit NOW

When I saw that excellent article credited to the (Moonie owned & controlled) Washington TIMES, I was dumbfounded. It wasn't till I saw Washington Post in the link, that I got my balance back.

[Hieronymus]

3. The dollar has lost

$.35 to the euro since this administration squatted in our White House.
People are investing in the euro, rather than the dollar, this trend will increase.:eyes:

[Ernesto]

8. When Saddam switched to the euro

from the dollar, he sealed his fate. PINAC cannot tolerate economic competition: all opposition must be crushed.

[OldEurope]

4. Thank you for sharing this. I´ll never ever buy at H&M again.

Many children here in Germany like these clothes, but I´ll tell my children not to buy there anymore.

[Hieronymus]

5. Great to hear from "Old Europe".

I hope that by participating on DU you realize that it's only Bush and Co. that make derogatory comments about your part of the world.:yourock:

[OldEurope]

6. We always knew the difference between a people and a

government. As we expect you not to think we hate America. It´s Bush we can´t stand!

:toast:

[JohnKleeb]

7. We know that and its true

and youre German huh, I am German on my dad's dad's side and my last name is German. You all are all right, btw we are gonna give the world a little present next year, its gonna be Bush not being president.

[laura888]

9. Americans can work for less than $9/hour if they can get their goods...

...from Walmart, whose goods are manufactured at .30/hour.

People won't riot in the streets until they can't afford food, clothing and shelter.