Norman Emmons

We're number … 38?

In a recent Oxfam study on worker well-being, the United States came in last of the 38 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The countries in the OECD include not only western European countries, Canada, and the U.S., but also Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Israel, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Since most of us are workers, this is a big deal. Most people thought the U.S. was at the top. Why is it at the bottom?

For at least the last 40 years, the U.S. has steadily eliminated worker's rights and increased protections for large corporations. Safety standards have also dropped because the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has experienced repeated funding cuts.

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