Work Isn't Working

Work Isn’t Working: A Labor Economics Guide for the Modern Age

Work is broken. Despite decades of technological progress, soaring corporate profits, and unprecedented worker productivity, most people are earning less (in real terms) than their parents did, struggling with precarious gigs instead of stable careers, and watching AI and automation reshape their industries overnight. The old promises—work hard, climb the ladder, retire comfortably—no longer hold. So what went wrong? And how do we fix it? 

In Work Isn’t Working, Ash Robertson dissects the crisis of modern labor with razor-sharp analysis and gripping storytelling. From the widening chasm between wages and productivity to the rise of AI and the gig economy’s false promises, this book reveals how the rules of work have been rewritten—and why most workers are losing under the new system. 

You’ll discover: 

Why your paycheck hasn’t kept up—even as companies post record profits (and CEOs pocket fortunes) 

The truth about automation: Which jobs are really at risk, and why "retraining" alone won’t save us 

The remote work revolution’s double edge: Who benefits from flexibility—and who gets left behind 

How platforms like Uber and TaskRabbit exploit labor while dodging accountability

Policy solutions that could work—from universal basic income to sectoral bargaining—and why they’re stalled 

More than just diagnosis, Work Isn’t Working offers a roadmap for reclaiming dignity, security, and power in the new economy. Whether you’re a frontline worker, a manager navigating hybrid teams, or a policymaker seeking solutions, this book is your guide to understanding—and ultimately transforming—the future of work. 

Because it’s time to stop pretending the system works. It’s time to build one that does. 

Perfect for readers of Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber, The Second Machine Age by Erik Brynjolfsson, and Nickel and Dimedby Barbara Ehrenreich.