Search - 9 to 5 No Longer on DVD

Overly Optimistic and Possibly Dated

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 11/14/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I have to give it up to this work: it tries to be diverse. When I would ask, "Well, what about blue-collar employees?" They would then cover them. When I asked, "Well, what about people of color?" Then they would come up. "Well, what about childless workers?" Then they would appear. They even show an employee in a same-sex romantic relationship. Honestly though, this work focused on the private sector and I haven't heard of Uncle Sam or any state government saying, "Yes, workers! Feel free to come in later and work from home. We'll add some more cushy benefits to that too!"

I still have concerns that this work was class-biased. You may have all these cool work options if you are a woman who graduated from Stanford Law School, but what if you are a waitress mom that dropped out of high school in your senior year? When they talk about low-income workers gaining rights, they are talking about them meeting bare needs like having medical insurance or caring for sick kids. You don't seem them having the chance to self-actualize like the white-collar workers here.

So often when minorities fight for rights, the majority views them of seeking "special benefits." But really that activism usually benefits everyone. For example, opposite-sex couples often apply for the domestic partner benefits that same-sex couples fought for. Here, the activism of working mothers has led to more benefits for all parents. The world became a better place for everyone when these oppressed groups demanded justice.

My mother once said something powerful to me: "During the go-go 90s, employers were cool with casual Fridays and things like that, but as the economy goes sour, they want people dressed for success and fringe benefits are flying out the door." This work was made before the economic meltdown in 2008 and I wonder if all these cushy accommodations are out the door. When many are getting pink slips, the people who get to stay are the ones who will drive to work and be there as long as needed. This work says, "Oh! Baby Boomers are retiring and so many jobs are going to be open." What!? Other reports say Baby Boomers are working longer because they can't afford to retire like their parents did. As a Gen-X-er, I think Baby Boomers are sitting on jobs and that's why young folks can't find meaningful work.

The title of this work reminds me Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" about harassed pink-collar workers. I doubt that type of worker is getting hooked up like this documentary implies. This work seems to say "The glass is half full and getting fuller" and I truly doubt that."