I’ve been obsessed about the job situation in this country for the past several years. I’m keeping a watchful eye on the quality of jobs, but also the elimination of certain jobs based on automation. Elon Musk’s DOGE eliminated thousands of government jobs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to have a profound impact on the labor market. I don’t see unions, workers’ centers, community organizers, and radical social scientists having a serious discussion about a structural solution to a massive surplus of workers.

A recent Aflac report laid out how stressed U.S. workers are, especially Gen Z. The insurance company’s survey showed that 72 percent of U.S. employees are battling moderate to high burnout at the workplace. This is not surprising given the conditions on most jobs. Most workers are underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated – regardless of where they work and their job positions. Work sites are seeing more acts of violence. The unprecedented stress employees are experiencing now is said to be attributed to the work lacking meaning and purpose.

The multifaceted problems in the job market under racial and gendered capitalism will be protracted. Maybe looking at one component of the problem is a more feasible approach. That component is reducing the work week.

Several European and Scandinavian countries have implemented a 4-day work week. The results include decreased burnout, increased productivity, and reduced costs. Germany has the shortest average work week in the world at 34 hours per week.

Black workers have always caught more hell on the job than other workers. We have experienced more racial discrimination and harassment. We have experienced lower pay, fewer promotions, and fewer opportunities for success. Because we are often the last hired, there’s the added stress of being the first fired because of seniority.

I’m not interested in increased productivity or reduction in employers’ costs; my greater concerns are about the health and well-being of workers, especially African Americans. The stress on Black workers exacerbates underlying and inter-generational medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Heart disease is the main cause of death in the U.S., and Black folks are most likely to die of the disease. Lifestyles are influenced by external factors, like accessibility to fresh food, green space, availability of health care, and lack of violence. For working-class Black people, the zip code in which you live can determine your quality of life and longevity.

Unions are negotiating contracts to address the impact of AI on worker salaries and job availability. In the coming years, AI is likely to lead to millions of permanent job losses, many of which may be lost to the trash bin of history. The trump administration is already identifying, re-purposing, and building facilities to detain large numbers of citizens as they deem necessary.

AI is a technical phenomenon that we don’t fully understand yet. While we are wrapping our heads around it, the stress levels on jobs are real and measurable. Let’s start demanding shorter hours and decreased workdays so that we can maintain our humanity and sanity. With more time and a healthy outlook on life, we can help tackle the issue of what to do with valuable, displaced workers.