WHAT IS LABOR? com 327 September 19 2016 COM 327, S 001 Sept. 19 Political economy Pt 2, contd com 327 September 19 2016

What is “labor”? History of “labor day” Moved from original date of May 1 1886 Haymarket Massacre in chicago – peaceful (initally) rally in support of 8 hour workday Police came out – anarchist threw stick of dynamite – 7 police & 4 civilians died International Workers Day – moved to first weekend in september in order to avoid association with this history of violence

‘Classic’ view of labor as working to bring something into being Mosco, p. 13 general labor is constituted out of the unity of conception, the power to envision, imagine, and design work, and execution, the power to carry it out.”

‘Neo-classical’ view of labor splits planning / conceiving from executing / producing Last week with marx – capitalism and its relation to technology – technology is the driver of labor; humans just there to operate the technology “In the process of commodification, capital acts to separate conception from execution, skill from the raw ability to carry out a task, and to concentrate conceptual power in a managerial class that is either a part of capital or represents its interests. “

This split usually happens according to ‘Neo-classical’ view of labor splits planning / conceiving from executing / producing This split usually happens according to “systems of differentiation” (Foucault) Global north vs south Educated vs uneducated Men vs women White vs everyone else Last week with marx – capitalism and its relation to technology – technology is the driver of labor; humans just there to operate the technology

“deskilling” “alienation” “Economics” (without the “political”): Workers become interchangeable parts of a money-making machine “deskilling” “alienation” Last week with marx – capitalism and its relation to technology – technology is the driver of labor; humans just there to operate the technology I’ve shown food industry – where else does this happen? Separation between ‘thinkers’ and ‘doers’ , which means that ‘doers’ can be easily replaced? “According to this view, labor, along with land and capital, is valued solely for its productivity, or the ability to enhance the market value of a final product... Whether human or non-human, organic or inorganic, matter is assessed to the extent that it can be used productively to create wealth. Whereas political economy was founded on the idea that power is central to society, economics largely ignored it”

conventional (material) labor The production of durable material goods: Farming Manufacturing Construction Transportation (dockworkers, truck drivers, railroad workers) As our economies move away from these material forms of work, the notion of what constitutes ‘work’ is multiplied Meatpacking Ford factory

“immaterial” labor: “labor that produces the informational and cultural content of the commodity” (Lazzarato, 1996) Audiovisual production Advertising Software production Photography Public relations Service industry “Knowledge” or “information” economy

Material or immaterial?

Material or immaterial?

Material or immaterial?

Material or immaterial?

Material or immaterial?

Material or immaterial? YOUR JOB?

(classic) material labor immaterial labor Unions / trade associations Worker vs worker Salaries Hourly rates Blue collar White collar Years-long contracts Weekly / monthly contracts Regional or local competition Global competition 9 to 5 Evenings & weekends immaterial labor is also referred to as “precarious” labor (Fudge & Owens, 2006)

What happened to material labor in North America? Neoliberalism & globalization