The hottest Labor Substack posts right now

A study found that higher-wage jobs have a higher exposure to automation than lower-wage jobs.
A tight labor market has helped reduce inequality by increasing wages for low-wage workers more than high-wage workers.
Different states have proposed various gig economy regulations, such as requiring gig platforms to show drivers how much they were paid and provide benefits like minimum wage and sick time.

The gig economy and the 'passion' economy are seen as one phenomenon that depletes the labor ecosystem, extracting value from workers.
Examples of unalienated labor can be found among artisans and in spaces like Black hair salons, where people genuinely love their work.
Empowering workers in the digital age involves creating platforms that they have control over, ensuring they benefit from the value they produce.

AI can help improve middle class jobs by empowering knowledge workers and utilizing expertise to support decision-making tasks.
The value of expertise will change with AI, potentially allowing a larger group of workers to perform higher-stakes tasks currently done by elite experts.
AI offers an opportunity to restore the middle-skill, middle-class heart of the labor market, which has been affected by automation and globalization.

Global poverty is decreasing, especially in East and South Asia.
Foreign factory jobs have been significant in lifting people out of poverty.
When thinking about trade and foreign manufacturing, consider the impact on the billion+ people who have escaped poverty in recent decades.

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased by 1.7% in Q4 2022, despite declining annually by 1.7%.
Nonfinancial corporate sector productivity rose by 0.6% in Q3 2022, contrary to previous reports of a 1.6% decline.
Overall, the report indicates more bullish sentiments in labor productivity, with positive indicators surpassing negative ones.

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Artists Eva & Franco Mattes showcase the clearly defined content boundaries on social media platforms through leaked internal documents, helping users better understand moderation rules.
Despite the increasing automation in content moderation, there is still a substantial need for human interpretation, often carried out by gig workers worldwide, which leads to high turnover rates due to disturbing content exposure and irregular work hours.
Part-time content moderators are often unaware of the platforms they are moderating for, as the origin and ownership of the moderation guidelines remain undisclosed.

Silicon Valley tends to build products for itself, but there are large opportunities in underserved markets like Baby Boomers and Gen Alphas.
Startups are starting to focus on overlooked groups like industrial workers and internet labor, offering solutions tailored to their needs.
There is potential in catering to the growing class of internet-native small businesses, from creators to e-commerce entrepreneurs.

President Biden celebrates having the strongest economy in the world, crediting organized labor.
Biden highlights the decrease in inflation, growth in jobs, and creation of manufacturing jobs in the US.
Larry Kudlow, a former economic adviser to Trump, acknowledges the positive economic indicators and apologizes for his previous predictions.

Equal Ventures is focusing on investing in care economies, particularly in childcare and eldercare segments.
The childcare industry is facing rising costs and concerns around the quality of care providers, while the eldercare sector is preparing for unprecedented growth in the number of seniors in America.
Companies that prioritize access, accountability, and affordability of care, along with improving transparency and trust in the industry, are of interest to Equal Ventures.