Lesson: Fair Workweek
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Innovation and technology spurred long workweeks and irregular hours for millions of people working in factories. Anyone who has read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair will have an idea of the harsh working conditions suffered by workers in the Chicago meatpacking industry at the turn of the last century. Now, almost 120 years later, different workers in another industry are facing a similar situation. Technology, combined with low wages, is once again being used to force workers into harsh working conditions. Scheduling technology and just-in-time labour practices are pushing people in the services industry to work irregular hours and receive variable pay. What effect does this have on employees, and what is being done about it? California has recently taken action.
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Example Article
Each conversation topic is based on a theme. In order to help students acquire a basic understanding of that topic, four media articles are provided for them to read. I will never test you on the articles, but I strongly suggest you book lessons far enough in advance to give yourself enough time to properly prepare. The better prepared you are, the more benefit you will receive from our conversations.
Below is an example article for this conversation topic.