And of course, the resulting disparities ratchet up pressure to immigrate to the U.S. in search of a better life. With these changes come adjustments to working life that include reduced stability, more frequent job changes and a constant pressure to update skills to remain competitive. Because of the highly decentralized nature of today's corporations the old model of a factory town is gone. Companies carry out production at dozens of sites, often far removed from each other. Relocating production in search of cheap labor is easier than in the past because of massive global transportation systems and instantaneous communications.
Flexibility is key.
Management seeks to move workers to where they are needed when they are needed and to minimize the inefficiency of having full time employees standing idle. The present day labor movement grew out of the industrial revolution and cut its teeth on factory organizing. Despite moving heavily into the service sector as manufacturing declined, labor has largely maintained an industrial structure. The model of organizing workers company by company is still relevant, but made more difficult by the constant turnover in the workforce and the spreading of workers with related tasks across great distances and frequently multiple countries. The idea of building worker solidarity, through years of struggle side by side for common goals, is undercut if workers do not interact physically and do not stay in their jobs for a lifetime.