The Erosion of the Middle of the Labor Market
The erosion of the middle of the labor market is easy to misinterpret, because its roots are multiple. During the 1970s, the 41____ (enter) into the work force of an unprecedented number of women and of young adults born during the baby boom 42____ (result) in too many workers for the jobs available, and depressed 43____ (wage). The decline of the middle also has something to do with the 44____ (explode) growth in world trade since 1960. As 45____ (manufacture) technologies have become more mobile, and multinational firms more footloose, production jobs have 46____ (migrate) from the US to countries where wages are low.
In addition, technology itself has helped to provoke the shifts in the job market. For example, fewer American workers would have been needed to make steel in 1980 than in 1960 even if the
pressures of 47____ (globe) competition had not been a factor, because new machines have made many of their tasks redundant. Finally, the high rate of unemployment 48____ (cause) by these trends has tended to drive wages down further, especially at the low end, since it forces 49____ (skilled) workers to compete for their jobs with unemployed people who are 50____ (will) to do the work for less.