Summary: When Henry Ford revolutionized American industrial manufacturing in 1908 by introducing the assembly line and mass-producing the Model T, working men and women became subjected to the realities of hard production toil. No thought was given to human needs or the frailties of these laborers. The daily pace and arbitrary decisions of the foremen often measured job security. Injuries, age, and sickness often ended the employability of early industrial workers, sparking a dream that, some day, laborers could better their lives through their industriousness. No effort was made to improve the lot of the workers. Seniority, dignity, job security, and freedom away from the workplace were eventually negotiated in the form of vacations, holidays, and pensions. Medical coverage was negotiated as a lifetime benefit. The cost for the benefits was passed onto the consumer. Eventually, corporate America circumvented the benefit costs by outsourcing whole plants and jobs to foreign countries and non-union entities. The fight to retain American jobs goes on. Congressional members of America deplore the loss of our industrial base, but do nothing to prevent it. Real wages and the middle class of American workers continue to decline.
