MIT's Osterman Says 35% of U.S. Workers Are Now Treated as Disposable
Updated
Updated · MIT Sloan News · Jun 22
MIT's Osterman Says 35% of U.S. Workers Are Now Treated as Disposable
1 articles · Updated · MIT Sloan News · Jun 22
Summary
More than one-third of U.S. workers fall into "disposable" arrangements, Paul Osterman argues in a forthcoming book based on survey data from over 6,000 civilian, nonagricultural adults.
Employers are expanding use of freelancers, contractors, part-timers and "marginal workers" because flexible staffing cuts long-term obligations amid profit pressure, weaker unions and new tools including AI.
Those workers typically get fewer benefits, less training, weaker job security and limited promotion paths, a shift Osterman says breaks from the post-World War II norm of mutual employer-employee loyalty.
Businesses also pay a price: Osterman says contractors and marginal workers report less commitment to organizational success and less willingness to put in extra effort, undermining quality and retention.
August 2026 is the planned release for "Disposable Workers," which argues the trend will be hard to reverse without outside pressure such as unionization, worker campaigns and state-level labor protections.
As AI automates millions of jobs, are we creating a permanent class of 'disposable' workers?
With half the workforce projected to be non-permanent, can companies maintain quality and innovation?
Is the traditional 9-to-5 job obsolete, and what new social contract should replace it?
35% of U.S. Workforce Now "Disposable": Paul Osterman’s Groundbreaking Analysis on the Transformation of Employment
Overview
Paul Osterman’s upcoming book, *Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment*, reveals that about 35% of the U.S. workforce is now treated as 'disposable.' Using government data and a large worker survey, Osterman shows how employers’ relentless cost-cutting has led to a rise in jobs with little security, few benefits, and minimal career growth. This shift creates a more fragmented and less empowered workforce, with serious consequences for worker well-being and even democratic principles. The report highlights how these changes are reshaping the labor landscape and calls for urgent attention to the issue.