Yesterday we celebrated Labor Day, and as usual, there were the rallies and marches by labor groups who rightfully demanded better pay and working conditions and protections for workers, which is something they have been fighting for ever since the first Labor Day was held in 1903 in the Philippines and the late 1800s in the United States.
That the struggle to uplift the lives and working conditions of the workers who are the backbone of all corporations and economies is still ongoing after so much time, underlines the need for a Labor Day, as workers wouldn’t need to protest if the conditions were more ideal. Maybe one day, the workers, employers, and government will finally find that perfect formula where everyone can be content, and Labor Day can transform into a celebration of how humanity was finally able to reach the ultimate compromise.
However, for now and in the coming years, Labor Day becomes a little bit more complicated if you come to think of it, because the labor sector is facing even more challenges that need to be addressed. Aside from the usual concerns, some of these issues that labor leaders, employers, and government should be losing sleep over are artificial intelligence, remote work, and the current state and future path of the educational system.
The most trending issue when it comes to the future of labor right now would be AI, simply because it has recently splashed into the scene and as it matures further, could threaten millions of jobs all over the planet. This is a technology and development that labor groups should rightfully be very concerned about, even as they fight for their traditional causes. However, AI is something that they just can fight traditionally, as throwing tantrums won’t stop its development and deployment since it makes business sense. The question of dealing with AI is something that labor groups, employers, corporations, and the government will have to face together, with each nation coming up with their own AI roadmaps to ensure that the benefits are maximized by everyone, and not just the capitalists whose products and services we love but we also love to hate.
Another not so hot issue, but is still smoldering, is the pandemic habit that we picked up: remote work. Workers, especially those from the current generation, love it, but employers are no longer so hot over it. This needs to be given more thought by the stakeholders of the labor sector as like AI, it can transform the landscape. Finding a way to establish a bulletproof system to ensure that remote work is properly and efficiently rendered could result in increased worker contentment who no longer have to spend a significant portion of their days commuting to work. As the resulting reduction in commutes and emissions is also good for the planet, remote work is a program that we simply cannot ignore just because the pandemic is already behind us.
Finally, but not least, is the role of education in a changing labor and economic landscape. Let’s admit it: the world is changing. An empire is falling, wars that were prevented by gentlemen’s agreements are raging, which has proven the United Nations inutile. Trade deals are breaking down, and even the concept of government is being challenged. Our education system sucks right now, but the opportunity that comes with it is that if the right reforms are instituted as we try to fix it, our country could possibly come out ahead.
First and foremost, we need to have high school graduates that are better at the basic skills and competencies that our schools cannot and do not teach them anymore, leaving them far behind their peers. That is imperative because our educational system is so messed up right now. If ever our government can somehow pull that off, that just solves a basic education problem. The demands of the changing world are more complex and we will need leaders with a vision and the determination for our education system that can deal with the new regime and era. One that is not afraid of AI, one that can allow our graduates to navigate a world where rules and conventions are changing, one where critical thinking is prioritized, so our workers cannot be scammed by conmen and felons.
World class and visionary education is something our labor groups and leaders have to be fighting for, not just on Labor Day, but every day, because improved wages and quality of life will be unreachable if our labor force starts out disadvantaged by being exceptionally dumb, incompetent, and functionally illiterate due to an educational system that sucks.
Labor Day is about improving the lives of workers who also comprise the majority of the population. It used to be about arguing over simple matters like wages, worker safety, and overtime. These days, there are a lot more issues to consider and fight for. Hopefully all the stakeholders involved in determining the course and future of the labor sector are up to the challenge as we face the unknown together.*
