the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Jun 23, 2003
People who have worked all year should be able to enjoy some time off from the job. But many workers in the U.S. get no paid vacation whatsoever; and those who do, don’t get enough.
According to a recent book, "Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life," the U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world without paid vacation laws. In addition to U.S. workers not having a legal right to any vacation at all, "we also have the shortest vacations in the world, and they’re getting even shorter."
The International Labor Organization reports that Americans work 8 to 10 more weeks a year in total hours than workers in European countries. And in this period of an economic downturn, some workers, fearful of their job security, don’t even take the vacation time they are entitled to!
Yes, it’s summertime, but the "livin’ain’t easy," for millions of workers in the richest country in the world.