Feb 27 2013  How gains in worker productivity have been
expropriated  The monthly reports with the numbers of new jobs
created and the level of unemployment are watched closely as
important signs of the health of a nation’s economy. When large
numbers of jobs are created and the unemployment figures go
down, that is taken as a sign of a growing economy and less
hardship.  But one thing that has always bothered me is the lack
of attention in the media to what kinds of jobs are being
created and what wages and benefits they provide. If a recession
drives a million people out of work and the recovery brings a
million jobs back at lower wages and fewer benefits, then
clearly, despite superficial appearances, we have not returned
to the status quo. So when job numbers are reported, it is good
to bear in mind that the nature of the jobs and what they pay
should be part of the analysis of whether people’s lives are
getting better or not.  Erin Hatton, an assistant professor of
sociology at the State University of Ne