First, the premium for skilled workers has been falling: a surge in secondary education has increased the supply of literate, reasonably well-schooled workers, and years of steady growth have raised relative demand for the less skilled in the formal workforce, whether as construction workers or cleaners.

ECONOMIST: An unequal continent is becoming less so

Some 85% of the new jobs created between 1970 and 1990 were filled by workers with some post-secondary education.

ECONOMIST: Immigration

It has a unique combination of cheap property, low crime, loyal workers, high levels of secondary education and now, with European funds, the ability to provide immigrant entrepreneurs with cheap start-up and development capital.

ECONOMIST: Letters

Federal law generally prohibits workers from striking against a secondary employer in order to punish a primary employer, but the NLRB said that doesn't apply in this case because both the city and the bus companies are primary employers.

WSJ: Labor board says NYC school bus strike is legal

Instead of cutting education benefits, raise them to remain a world leader in secondary education and produce a highly qualified workforce of knowledge workers.

FORBES: "It's About the Economy, Stupid" - Lessons from the Election

"I think the strike should only be for secondary students and I am angry that university students and workers are getting involved, " says Federico.

BBC: NEWS | Americas | Protest lessons for Chile students

He describes his West Midlands secondary school, which has since shut, as a conveyor belt for factory workers.

BBC: Lenny Henry's long road to a PhD