Restructuring time: Implications of work-hours reductions for the working class

Abstract

This article examines the implications for working-class employees of reducing work hours, specifically when over time is cur tailed in hourly jobs. Much of the literature on work/life balance recommends a reduction in hours for professional employees. We find that the income from over time hours solves a host of work/family problems for working-class employees, ranging from the basic need to `make ends meet' to the more hidden strains of caring for extended families and dealing with divorce, illness, and addiction. Effor ts to reduce hours will be met with resistance not relief. Our depiction of working-class concerns helps the work/family literature to move beyond a focus on professionals and to tackle tough trade-offs regarding livelihood and quality of life.