Encore: Work that matters in the second half of life.

I briefly viewed some of the referenced articles by the panelist, but have not yet listened to the 90 minutes of audio. However, it always strikes me as odd how removed policy analyst are from today’s realities. I don’t know if that is because there are few aging workers participating in the discussion, or that issues are framed to screen out “boots on the ground” issues. Yes of course there is age discrimination! There is also gender, racial, religious, political, and any other excuse not to hire based on merit. What about corporate disregard for workers in general? Their first consideration is profit, not employees, as evidenced by past and current behavior. The projected labor shortfall is likely to be filled by off-shoring or H-1B employees, not older workers! Globalization with unchecked unfair workers rights trade agreements will certainly offset any labor shortages. Why is it that labor is so tightly regulated by wage controls, skill and educational requirements, job related experience et al, while corporations are increasingly free to operate as they please? Why does an aging business normally increase in value over time, but an aging worker does not?

I think the scope and depth of their analysis has to broaden. It should also be more results oriented, rather than to simply identify future research efforts. Here’s an idea, consider legislation that would provide incentives for employee owned local business. The creation of local employee owned businesses would address a number of issues like reduction of energy usage, decrease pollution, create vested interest in the community, and provide direct accountability to customers. Yet, in all the articles I have read, including those of economist, it is rarely, if ever mentioned. There are other examples, but unless the dialog broadens, there will be little opportunity to explore ideas other than those that are politically correct.