American workers had to work hard to get some real gains in their lives, like an eight-hour day and a five-day week (mostly). But for a few decades now, things have not been going their way. The value of the minimum wage peaked in 1970, and even wages well above that have not kept up with the cost of living for many people.
The economist and labor activist Michael Zweig spent years examining what was happening to American workers. He comes back to the subject, and shows how the working class in this country could potentially make some major gains, in a new book, Class, Race, and Gender: Challenging the Injuries and Divisions of Capitalism.
As the title suggests, the author is not shy about critiquing capitalism itself. We visit with Michael Zweig about his observations and proposals.