Technology, globalisation, legislation... They've all changed when and how we work, putting pressure on the stability of employment and workers' rights.
This is the subject of The Future of Work, an exhibition at the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt featuring projects by over a dozen artists.
Lower Hutt itself is a city with strong working class roots with a wide variety of industries - even if many are now gone or greatly reduced. It was a Petone carpenter Samuel Parnell who once fought for and won the right for the eight hour working day.
The Future of Work includes a Griffins Biscuits factory workers reunion, there'll be a 'co-working' space in the middle of the gallery, and a nice big 'Director's Office' sign pointing to Dowse director Karl Chitham's office that overlooks the gallery floor.
Mark Amery spoke with two of the artists. Fiona Jack and Elisabeth Pointon. For four years Elisabeth was of all things an official artist in residence at a luxury car dealership!
The Future of Work opens this week at Lower Hutt's Dowse Art Museum.
