I’m Mad As Hell?

Three recent stories in the news caused me to think of  the most famous line from the 1976 movie Network: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this any more.” First, there’s the stressed-out Jet Blue flight attendant, who ended his career like many employees say they’d like to. Second, protests by laid-off bank workers are growing and now include sit-ins. In China. Third, an era of anger among employees is sweeping the U.S. These stories have something in common, but when put together, there’s a degree of incongruence.

The Jet Blue flight attendant story hasn’t exactly set off a flurry of mass quitting by workers who aren’t going to take it any more. Chinese workers who face bitter punishment for opposing the powers that be protest something most American workers seem to have taken lying down. American workers (employed and unemployed) are angry, but are they really mad as hell? The evidence points to an answer of “no.” 

There have been few protests like those of the Chinese workers, despite this country’s superior freedom. Union organizing activity hasn’t dramatically increased, although workers say they’re not respected and unions say they desperately need new members. Although employment litigation continues to increase (particularly in the wage and hour area), there’s no evidence of an avalanche of employment lawsuits after the beginning of the Great Recession. It’s running along at about the same pace it was before, notwithstanding the incredible number of terminations occurring over the last couple of years.

Since President Obama was elected and the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress, there’s been much talk about employment law changes that will favor employees. Congress is paralyzed and can’t do a thing about any of the proposed changes. American workers seem to be paralyzed as well, waiting on an economic recovery that won’t happen anytime soon. It’s a strange time.