The New Working Class
The shelf stackers, delivers and drivers
Can hardly be called skivers.
The nurses and old people carers
The compassion sharers.
They’re the new working class
Grafting on minimum wage and zero hours,
Exploited by those in their ivory towers.
Picking the crops in all types of weather
Cleaning wards and polishing leather
They’re the new working class.
Pushed off assembly lines by automation;
Now delivering parcels across the nation.
Kicked out of the pits and out of the mills;
Now having to learn far lesser skills.
They’re the new working class.
They get treated like dirt
And looked down upon,
But it’s them that we turn to
When things go wrong –
The new working class.
Opher – 17.5.2020
They’re the old working class too.
Yeah but the old working class had high paying, dangerous jobs like steel work, mining and assembly lines. This stuff is all low pay.
True. Automation, online “service”, decline of unions, contracting out, all destroy good jobs. If we ever get past this virus….
I think what we need is a fairer allocation. Automation and AI create more wealth. All we need is a two or three day week and fairer distribution. That can only be achieved through better unions. The wealthy won’t give up a penny without a battle!
The struggle goes on. Upper class definition of “new money”: old money that slipped away.
You’re right – after this virus maybe it’s time to sort it out??
Interesting read, and very relevant in today’s world.
Thank you Victoria – yes – very relevant, I think.