Labor
What the Attention Economy Does to Workers—and How It Drives America Insane
Two new books argue that the attention economy is unsustainable—for people, and for the planet.
What Does Invisible Labor Contribute to the Gender Pay Gap?
A conversation with Amy Westervelt, who developed the Invisible Labor Calculator to help women determine the market value of their uncompensated labor.
Responsive Unions Help Make Work Feel More Meaningful
New research finds that the boons of union membership can extend beyond wages and benefits.
Uber Is Riding Its Overworked Labor Force to a Potentially Historic IPO
While executives and investors are set to win big when the ride hailing company makes its first public offering, many drivers are looking for better pay and hours.
How Service-Industry Jobs Can Push Workers to Drink
New research finds that people whose jobs constantly call on them to feign friendly emotions often turn to the bottle after work.
Honoring Hal Blaine—and the Other Unseen Laborers in the Music Industry
Often relegated to the small print, session musicians helped create the most iconic songs of the last century. Hal Blaine was one of the greatest, and quietest, among them.
Amazon Is the Best Argument Against Capitalism
As Richard D. Wolff explains, the company's valuation and Jeff Bezos' personal wealth are signs not of unrivaled innovation, but of economic extortion.
'You Know Who I Am': Rapper Saweetie Demands Recognition
Saweetie's brash attitude is more than bravado—it's an essential part of her plan to dominate rap.
Electronic Artist TOKiMONSTA Refuses to Live With Regret
Producer Jennifer Lee is nominated for a Grammy this year for an album she wrote in the aftermath of life-saving brain surgery.
Women Remaking the Music Industry
A running series in which women musicians of color discuss art, labor, and representation in the music industry.
Union Membership Dipped Slightly in 2018
That membership dropped only slightly is somewhat surprising given how unfriendly the current administration is to organized labor.
As Teacher Strikes Grow in California, Red State Educators Are Seeing a Backlash
Red for Ed teachers face retribution in Arizona, even as strikes grow next door.
Los Angeles Teachers Are Striking—and Expecting That Teachers Across the Country Will Follow Suit
Organizers say the L.A. movement to better fund public education will inspire solidarity movements nationwide.
Our Best Economics Stories of 2018
The most important reads from our coverage of unions, driverless tech, urban gentrification, and more.
Employer Power Is About More Than Just Market Concentration
A new report argues that the biggest driver of wage stagnation is a decline in workers' power.
What Happens When a Factory Town Loses Its Factory
The human cost of job loss can be enormous, leading to depression, failing marriages or health, and even suicide.
Here's Why UberEats Couriers Went on Strike in the U.K. This Month
An organizer with a couriers union discusses the ongoing campaign to improve the gig economy.
The Unemployment Rate Fell Further in September
The economy added 134,000 jobs in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A Progressive Fundraising Behemoth Faces Fresh Accusations of Unjust Labor Practices
Grassroots Campaigns canvasses for such non-profits as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. But former employees say the organization has taken a hardline—and repressive—view of labor reform within its own ranks.
'They Won't Be Able to Eat Their Money': A Dispatch From the 'Rise for Climate' March
Pacific Standard spoke with Amazonian activists, grandmothers, and small children at Saturday's march in San Francisco.
The White House Disputes That American Wages Are Stagnating
The White House is countering a government agency's findings that Americans' wages haven't grown as quickly as cost of living over the past year.
Working in America in 2018
For Labor Day, a selection of some of our favorite stories on the American worker in 2018.
A Recent SCOTUS Decision on Labor Might Actually Strengthen Unions
Identifying union fees as a matter of free speech works both ways.
The Supreme Court Just Weakened Public-Sector Unions. What Will Happen Next?
Pacific Standard spoke with a labor researcher about the likely effects of the landmark Supreme Court decision passed on Wednesday.