[lbo-talk] Lee's Garage

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Fri Feb 17 08:32:32 PST 2006


Carrol Cox wrote:


>Doug Henwood wrote:
>>
>> one manager asked him why "the largest company
>> on the planet cannot offer some type of medical retirement benefits?"
>>
>> Mr. Scott first argues that the cost of such benefits would leave
>> Wal-Mart at a competitive disadvantage but then, clearly annoyed, he
>> suggests that the store manager is disloyal and should consider
>> quitting.
>
>A Manager. That is, a member of that mythical class, the
>"Professional-Managerial" class. Or "Middle Class." Perhaps even in some
>fevered imaginations an "Upper Middle Class."
>
>You simply cannot catch the reality of class by looking at income or
>education or life style.

In whose imagination are members of the middle class, PMC, or UMC immune to economic shocks?

And don't forget that this manager probably treats his (and it's probably a man) subordinates like Scott treats him. That's one difference between the pure working class and the mid-level manager - a contradictory class position.

Doug



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