The Roper Corp., owned by GE Appliances, manufactures ovens and ranges in LaFayette, Georgia.Julie Holder for NPR hide caption Sign up for the Planet Money newsletter.
The world is confusing.Economics can help.LAFAYETTE, Ga.
— The freedom to choose your work hours has been a game changer for many white-collar workers.Now, it has quietly become an option for some blue-collar workers as well.With U.S.
manufacturers struggling to staff up, a handful are opening the doors to people who may not be seeking a traditional career in the industry or even a 40-hour workweek.It's a change that manufacturers including Stanley Black & Decker and Georgia-Pacific are embracing.And it has also taken hold in rural northwest Georgia.Ruth Ransom calls it the best thing she has ever heard."I wasn't interested in working full time," says the 68-year-old grandmother, who considered herself retired when she learned of the opportunity to pick up shifts at the Roper Corp., a kitchen appliance plant owned by GE Appliances.
"I was just wanting to work part time, maybe two days a week somewhere.You know, just to get out of the house." Ruth Ransom, 68, likes having flexible hours and the option to choose what type of work she wants to do.
Julie Holder for NPR hide caption Today, Ransom is part of a pool of more than 900 workers who sign up for shifts via an app.Not only do workers make their own schedules, deciding how many four-hour shifts to pick up each week, but they also choose what kind of work they want to do.
Assembly line jobs are fast-paced and physically demanding, so Ransom often opts for quality control, which she finds less taxing."It's your choice," she says."I love it."GE Appliances first embraced flexible w...