The future through the keyhole: some thoughts on employment patterns

Conventional labor policies has typically involved discussing labor issues on national levels and then developing standardized labor practices and monitoring mechanisms. Such labor policies have been maintained by employers to prevent trouble with employees, and by trade unions to assure stability in wage rates across differing economic conditions. Recently, however, the conventional policies have been replaced by policies emphasizing training labor for various positions, matching the number of employees to production needs, and matching pay more closely to profitability. One such policy involves the division of labor into a permanent core group which would receive normal pay and benefits, and a periphery group which would work as independent contractors when needed.