The False Promise of the American Dream

The American Dream is what a lot of Americans consider to be their ultimate goal. To work hard and achieve big, however, I'm not sure if that possible anymore. While reading about NAFTA, I realized that the American Dream that the American workers were promised, is just almost false and a lie. NAFTA lead to a net loss of approximately 700,000 jobs and increased inequality in U.S. workers without a college degree with lower wages. Manuel Lepe is an example of a worker that suffered from layoff after NAFTA was signed.

Manuel Lepe was a mechanic in Los Angeles, California who lost his job after 20 years in the apparel factory. He was fired after his job was sent to Mexico for a way lower wage. This means that the Mexicans working at the new factory were payed less. And a lot of times when things like this happen, there ought to be discrimination and inequality in the working class. That is what the unions are there for. Unions protect the working class by forming groups so that the workers get to have a solid representation. They negotiate with employers for better wage, and working conditions. 

For example, the United Airlines pilots went on strike for their inhumane working schedules and pay and won. They won with pay increase of more than 40 percent. 

Unions are essential because it buffers the system so that when things like NAFTA happen, workers can find a way to be working in the right conditions and wage.