For more than a year now, I feel like I've been walking around with these goggles on that make me see the world in a different way.

I guess this happens to reporters who get really buried in a story.

Everything seems to relate to this story you're doing.

But in my case, everything really does. No, really, it does.

Like, I was at the airport for a work trip just before the pandemic.

Oh, I'm going to check one bag.

I'm looking at people's name tags because I'm wondering if they really work for the company you'd assume they work for.

Like, the guy helping me at the United Ticket counter.

Did you work for United?

It seemed like he was the United employee.

Until I noticed a badge he was wearing that said ABM.

They're a subcontractor.

They've provided ticket counter staff to a lot of airlines.

Later, on the plane, I'm looking out the window watching people load luggage up the conveyor belt.

And I think of something I'd just read.

Baggage handlers, ramp operators, cabin cleaners, most of those people used to work directly for the airlines.

But now, most of those jobs have been contracted out too.

When I land, the guy in charge at the budget rent a car, he wasn't actually an employee of budget.

He's considered an independent contractor.

At the hotel, I talk to the housekeeper vacuuming the room down the hall.

Can I actually ask you a random question?

I asked if she worked for Holiday Inn.

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