Contingtent Workers, Contingent Worker Survey: Update and Resource Links

Contingent Workers in the US Economy

What do the rise in voter anger, flat wage growth, low inflation and high corporate profits all have in common.  They may be caused by the the rapid increase in contingent workers over the past decade.

A recent article in the New York Times on contingent workers carried the shocking headline: "all job created since 2005 were filled by contingent workers."  The source was a new paper by Lawrence Katz and Alan Kruger; two very respected economists. The paper also reports that the number of contingent workers in the economy has gone from 5% to 15% percent of the economy in 10 years.

The census bureau and the bureau of labor statistics have been effective blocked from conducting a survey on Contingent Workers because of funding issues. . The government has not done a survey since 2005.

NY Times -- Upshot:Contractors and Temps behind last 10 years of job growth

Thomas Perez, the current secretary of Labor recently announced that a new CWS would be taken in 2016. Expect the results in 2017.

In the mean time several others have stepped in to fill the gap.

Lawrence Katz and Alan Kruger employed the Rand Corporation to conducted a contingent workers survey on  as part of American Life Panel Data survey. The results formed the basis of their paper.

The survey was conducted in October/November of 2015.  Rand APL CWS survey link.

The "Contingent Worker" economy is also known as the Freelance, 1099, Gig, Uber or Employees without Benefits Economy. The "Sharing" economy was quickly dropped since the workers are forced to shared their pay checks with management.

A couple of background articles on the "Employees without Benefits" economy.

New Republic -- Voters are Angry at 1099 Economy

The rise and nature of alternative work arrangements in the US, 1995-2015

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The "Real" Adam Smith TV Show

Public Broadcasting Service is showing an excellent documentary on Adam Smith who first recognized and defined the market economy that we call "Capitalism."

The documentary is called: "The Real Adam Smith"

Warning: The documentary was developed by "Free to Choose Media", a conservative media outlet. The story and host ave a classical liberal bias toward free markets and limited government.

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Practice what you Preach: New York Times sued for Age, Race and Gender Discrimination

Opinion - Practice what you Preach

As long time New York Times readers, we are profoundly disappointed by the allegations against the New York Times. The times is owed a fair treatment by the legal system. We will follow the case closely. We found the Times fact based point of view unique in our entertainment driven world.
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However, We feel like we have been stabbed in the back by an old friend. We cannot read another story about immigration, the brutal Amazon workplace or the decline of government jobs for the Black middle class, without seeing the organization as a bunch of hypocrites. We cannot take seriously any editorial on any progressive issue related to race, sex or age without thinking it was completely insincere and written to pander to their desired demographic.

The Times has lost a large amount of moral authority on issues of age, race and gender by allowing this blatant discrimination to occur in the workplace. A newspaper is q unique place where public morality must correspond to private activities. There is no dividing line between editorial opinion and operational practice. Media outlets must "Practice what they Preach"

Growing up we were all taught: "Never to anything stupid enough to end up on the front page of the New York Times!" I guess that means the UK Guardian now.

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New York Times Sued for Age, Race and Gender discrimination

In a court filling, Ernestine Grant and Marjorie Walker, two Black, female employees in their 60 who worked in the advertising department, change the New York Times with age, race and gender discrimination.

In the complaint, the women state their supervisor express a clear preference for young, white men. They were assigned less lucrative accounts that young, white, men with less experience. They were also denied "perks" given to other employees.

The complaint is on the Wigdor Law LLP website.

You must also ask how diverse the law firm that is representing the women.

Wigdor Law LLP

http://www.wigdorlaw.com/