WaPo | Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) made a fortune as an early wireless
industry executive. Now, he's on a tear about the tech industry's most
disruptive companies and why politicians — especially presidential
candidates — aren't talking more about their impact on the labor
economy.
He sees a growing number of sharing-economy
companies such as Uber, TaskRabbit and AirBnB transforming employment.
About half of all American workers will be freelance or contractual
workers by 2020, some economists predict. This trend is upending our
notions of what it means to be a worker and what responsibilities a
company has to provide benefits like health care and pensions. If
unanswered, questions about a national social safety net for contractual
workers may end up burdening the whole economy, he warns.
To be
clear, Warner isn't proposing federal laws just yet for part-time and
contract worker benefits. He's already seeing innovative solutions from
tech companies and local governments to address policy concerns. But
he's trying to get candidates, policymakers and the biggest companies in
Silicon Valley listening -- and says legislation at some point may be
the best option.
The following is an interview with Warner, edited for length and clarity.
