America is witnessing a retirement crisis. As the labor market shifts to
the gig economy and new strains restrict social security, the American
Dream of secure retirement becomes further out of reach for up to half
of the population. In Waiting on Retirement, Mary Gatta takes the case
of restaurant workers to examine the experiences of low-wage workers who
are middle-aged, aging, and past retirement age. She deftly explores the
many factors shaping what it means to grow old in economic insecurity as
her subjects face race- and gender-based inequities, health hazards
associated with their work, and the bitter reality that the older they
get the fewer professional opportunities are available to them. More
importantly, Gatta demonstrates that these problems are pervasive, as
more industries adopt the worst workplace practices of service work. In
light of these trends, we must consider the devastating effects on
already vulnerable Americans because, as Gatta contends, this crisis
does not need to be inevitable. Taking as a model the small percentage
of "good" restaurant jobs that exist, she ultimately offers incisive
commentary on what can be done to stave off this bleak future.