The Next Powerful Political Constituency: The Millions Marginalized by Autonomy
Job losses, pay cuts, and ineffective retraining could mimic the trajectory of the Rust Belt
April 2, 2032:
John’s brother Evan was apoplectic with rage. “A 40 percent pay cut — can you believe that? I’ve been with the company for 15 years, and this is the thanks I get?”
Evan had been a driver with Amazon ever since it opened a warehouse in his hometown. John had worried that Evan was putting himself at risk by sticking with the job — despite reports of driver layoffs at other companies — and now it seemed that his fears were justified.
Evan’s anger cooled into despair. “I thought it was just a terrible April Fools’ joke. I don’t know what to do. I can’t afford my mortgage with this salary.” The line went quiet for a few moments. “It’s going to be all right Evan,” John offered. “Maybe it’s just time to get a new job.”
“A new job?” Evan scoffed. “With what skills? I didn’t bother with Amazon’s retraining program because I didn’t think I needed it. Now I do, but I won’t have enough time to take advantage of it. You know what, they shouldn’t be allowed to do this! I’m going to get in front of my congresswoman to give her a piece of my mind. I’ll round…
