The Unmaking of the American Working Class (review)

This short essay is an interesting complement to former west coast fruit tramp and San Francisco longshoreman Reg Theriault's somewhat similar How To Tell When You're Tired: A Brief Examination of Work. Both titles would find use in labor studies and sociology classes and deserve shelf space next to John Bowe's Gig, Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed, the autobiographical Selling Ben Cheever, and other work sociology texts. Theriault and the others address how changes in American culture, work technology, corporations, politicians and the state, and global capitalism are reshaping America's workplaces, bosses and workers, and unions where they still exist. Theriault's books also are useful with new college students, provoking a reflection on personal and family work experiences and some insight regarding the recent remaking of the American blue-collar working class.

In this book Theriault reflects on his life experiences with humor and wisdom. He offers broad comments about work and workplaces and detailed descriptions of the life of waterfront longshoremen, itinerant agricultural workers, and other working class jobs. He gives clear explanations of why blue collar work is shrinking and shares personal reminiscences that convey his beliefs regarding what society is losing of real value.

Theriault indirectly raises numerous topics worth discussing. A class could be encouraged to compare their own experiences and conclusions with Theriault's about a variety of interesting questions: How and why do blue-collar and white-collar worlds differ? What makes a job skilled or semiskilled? Why does workplace violence exist? What is the importance of workplace conversations? How is the impact of time clocks different from production quotas and standards? How does formal training differ from learning the ropes from old timers? What happens when jobs are only temporary? How do threats of unemployment affect workers and bosses?

Theriault offers his thoughts and provokes discussion on a wide range of other issues, including the impact of race, gender and class at worksites, the difference between workers' and managers' interests, and the debate over whether in today's world, the union still makes us strong. He even raises existential questions, from what leads to real happiness at workplace and in one's life, to identifying the differences between a job, a trade, and one's life work?

Theriault's answers to work, workplace, and life questions are grounded in his understanding of mid- and late- twentieth-century blue collar and mostly male work. For a good discussion in today's labor education class, they will need to be supplemented by descriptions of white collar, professional, and/or female dominated worksites. Still, Theriault's examination of work and his ability provoke reflection by others makes this book have real value to those interested in the meaning of work, leisure, and labor studies.