U. S. workers worse off

[jillio]

NEW YORK (AP) -- This Labor Day finds workers in worse shape than they've been in years, according to a scorecard released Monday by Rutgers University.

In its first national labor scorecard, the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations said more than 10 percent of Americans are unemployed, discouraged from seeking work or underemployed. That is a nearly 25-percent increase from one year earlier.

Professor Douglas Kruse, a labor economist who created the scorecard, said a sharp decline in the number of Americans able to find full-time jobs, along with growing consumer debt and health care costs, were causes for concern.

"But there are some bright spots long term," Kruse said, including improvements in workplace safety, a small but growing percentage of employers offering support for childcare and employee wellness programs, and more Americans who are completely satisfied with their jobs.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department last week said the number of people signing up for jobless benefits declined for the third straight period but remained above 400,000 -- an indicator of a slowing economy.

The Rutgers labor scorecard offered other sobering findings:


About 530,000 were subject to mass layoffs in the last year, growth of nearly 5 percent, but a lower rate than five and 10 years ago.


The median weekly earnings for American workers have not grown in real terms over the last eight years.


At $6.55, the federal minimum wage is worth 40 cents less per hour, in inflation-adjusted dollars, than it was a decade ago.


While employer-assisted childcare and employee wellness programs have grown quickly over the last decade, they still cover less than one quarter of American workers.


Roughly 4 percent of the workforce wants to work full-time, but is working part time because they can't find full-time work.

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The scorecard, which doesn't assign grades but charts whether indicators are improving or getting worse, is based primarily on data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Report card: U.S. workers worse off - CNN.com


Might be an issue people want to keep in mind when casting a vote.

 

[dead money]

its gonna get worse before it gets better, imo.

bottom line: theres just too many people.

 

[jillio]

its gonna get worse before it gets better, imo.

bottom line: theres just too many people.

And too many jobs being outsourced, among other things.

 

[dead money]

And too many jobs being outsourced, among other things.

NAFTA sucks, i hate to say it but it does. Im all for someone making money but its really fucked over a lot of people this way.

 

[jillio]

NAFTA sucks, i hate to say it but it does. Im all for someone making money but its really fucked over a lot of people this way.

**nodding** The benefits go to the big corporation, not the average American worker.

 

[sequoias]

yep, we lost alot of jobs overseas like china, india, etc. we just got too many people and not enough jobs, its sad.

 

[Jiro]

this is what happens if you let Union Party gets too greedy. Look at MTA (NYC Subway) workers... if you recall from 3 years ago - NYC caved in and boosted up the benefit package and salary for MTA workers... and their average salary is lot higher than average college graduate. If not - well at least MTA worker doesn't have any college education debt. sad, huh?

MTA Average Salary
Bus or Subway Operator.....$63,000
Subway Conductor............$54,000
Station Agent...................$51,000
Cleaner............................$40,000
Average MTA Worker..........$52,000

now you wonder why corporations are outsourcing the jobs. Lesson of the story? STFU & WORK!

that's just one small part of the reason. Other big part is... it's simply "scio-economic" change or whatsoever going on in the world. India puts a lot of money in improving its workforce and manpower to handle "white collar job" or tech jobs. A huge huge major advantage for India - they can speak english. Because of English language, they work for cheap. because of cheap labor - American companies put a low priority on customer support department by outsourcing this to Indians. Same for drone jobs such as data input, data analysis, etc. Ever wonder why there are some extra fees for "premium tech support" ? That goes to American technicians.... who actually speak english.

sorry but I had to type this quick. Gotta go to shopping. Forgive me if there are some errors in this.

 

[jillio]

yep, we lost alot of jobs overseas like china, india, etc. we just got too many people and not enough jobs, its sad.

And the reason jobs are outsourced is the economic benefits to the big corportations. Advanced Bionics is an example of a company outsourcing the manufacture of their parts to increase profits for themselves. Result: substandard components and negative effects for the American public. Buy American? Can't be done anymore.

Likewise, it creates a vicous cycle. American jobs are outsourced, and outsourcing increases in times of economic uncertainty in this country. The same economic sourcing that creates fewer jobs, also means that those workers that do have jobs must lobby for increased pay and benefits because of inflation.

 

[RichardDeaf]

It is much more complicated than that.. It work both way as the US economy is integrated with the rest of the world. It need to be balanced in my opinion.

Here is very interest article for people who is into finance stuff.. It talk about this..

Fools on the Hill Protectionist Trade Policies are Foolish for U.S. Economy - Current Issue

 

[jillio]

It is much more complicated than that.. It work both way as the US economy is integrated with the rest of the world. It need to be balanced in my opinion.

Here is very interest article for people who is into finance stuff.. It talk about this..

Fools on the Hill Protectionist Trade Policies are Foolish for U.S. Economy - Current Issue

Agreed. It is much more complicated. But to cover all of the points in a comprehensive discussion would take more space than AllDeaf allows.

 

[Byrdie714]

this is what happens if you let Union Party gets too greedy.

Excuse me ....how can you be blaming the unions when you said this:

my occupation is a corrupted union delegate in NYC and Newark

 

[sequoias]

And the reason jobs are outsourced is the economic benefits to the big corportations. Advanced Bionics is an example of a company outsourcing the manufacture of their parts to increase profits for themselves. Result: substandard components and negative effects for the American public. Buy American? Can't be done anymore.

Likewise, it creates a vicous cycle. American jobs are outsourced, and outsourcing increases in times of economic uncertainty in this country. The same economic sourcing that creates fewer jobs, also means that those workers that do have jobs must lobby for increased pay and benefits because of inflation.

Yea, that makes sense. The wages become too great for corporations to pay out and they get less profits, so they decide to outsource the jobs overseas where labor is cheaper. That's....corporate greed for you.

 

[RichardDeaf]

Many say that great depression is caused by mismanagement by congress in 30s due to tax laws passed to force foreign companies paying very high tariff for imports. High import tax mean little profits for corporations, less hirings.. Always catch-22 in this kind of stuff..

 

[BradB08]

this is what happens if you let Union Party gets too greedy. Look at MTA (NYC Subway) workers... if you recall from 3 years ago - NYC caved in and boosted up the benefit package and salary for MTA workers... and their average salary is lot higher than average college graduate. If not - well at least MTA worker doesn't have any college education debt. sad, huh?

MTA Average Salary
Bus or Subway Operator.....$63,000
Subway Conductor............$54,000
Station Agent...................$51,000
Cleaner............................$40,000
Average MTA Worker..........$52,000

now you wonder why corporations are outsourcing the jobs. Lesson of the story? STFU & WORK!

that's just one small part of the reason. Other big part is... it's simply "scio-economic" change or whatsoever going on in the world. India puts a lot of money in improving its workforce and manpower to handle "white collar job" or tech jobs. A huge huge major advantage for India - they can speak english. Because of English language, they work for cheap. because of cheap labor - American companies put a low priority on customer support department by outsourcing this to Indians. Same for drone jobs such as data input, data analysis, etc. Ever wonder why there are some extra fees for "premium tech support" ? That goes to American technicians.... who actually speak english.

sorry but I had to type this quick. Gotta go to shopping. Forgive me if there are some errors in this.

You can't possibly blame unions for this problem.

Unions help combat the decrease in wages that is mentioned in that article. I make more at an unionized than non-unionized job. The benefits are more than worth it.

 

[BradB08]

Excuse me ....how can you be blaming the unions when you said this:

Exactly. Those greedy unions. How dare they try to bring a greater standard of employment and living to their members?

 

[Hermes]

And the reason jobs are outsourced is the economic benefits to the big corportations. Advanced Bionics is an example of a company outsourcing the manufacture of their parts to increase profits for themselves. Result: substandard components and negative effects for the American public. Buy American? Can't be done anymore.

Even if you keep all companies and jobs in US, it still wont be a solution because they soon wont be able to compete with other companies using cheap labor. And not just that. China was only producing for foreigner companies in the past. They still do it but they also started to create their own international mega corporations. Just the way American companies grew once in the past, using huge local market as an advantage before going international, China is doing the same now.

So they have cheap labor, huge amount of capital , and learning how to develop technology too. How exactly are you going to compete with them?


-

 

[jillio]

Even if you keep all companies and jobs in US, it still wont be a solution because they soon wont be able to compete with other companies using cheap labor. And not just that. China was only producing for foreigner companies in the past. They still do it but they also started to create their own international mega corporations. Just the way American companies grew once in the past, using huge local market as an advantage before going international, China is doing the same now.

So they have cheap labor, huge amount of capital , and learning how to develop technology too. How exactly are you going to compete with them?


-

By improving our educational system to keep up with the technological advances.

 

[Byrdie714]

Even if you keep all companies and jobs in US, it still wont be a solution because they soon wont be able to compete with other companies using cheap labor. And not just that. China was only producing for foreigner companies in the past. They still do it but they also started to create their own international mega corporations. Just the way American companies grew once in the past, using huge local market as an advantage before going international, China is doing the same now.

So they have cheap labor, huge amount of capital , and learning how to develop technology too. How exactly are you going to compete with them?


-

And now the Chinese are sending their jobs to places like Viet Nam where labor is more cheaper!

 

[Hermes]

By improving our educational system to keep up with the technological advances.

Wont work.. See the problem is on the US economical side is, people live in US are spoiled. Not in a bad way, earning a normal life, having rights and everything , is how it is supposed to be, but from Chinas point of view, US is spoiled. And China , even though they integrated themselves world markets, is still ruling the country with iron fist. One side you have to maintain the life standarts of people , the other side can use and abuse all those people (billion?) for the benefit of wild capitalism. There are no rules says they have to provide all the rights you are providing to their people right? For the sake of profit , they are allowed to do anything they need to.

You are creating a system that makes the capital gain the most important thing on earth, but you maintain your country with relative democracy. One day another country comes and says, I dont have to deal with all the democratic problems you are dealing with. I can use my one billion people for profit the way I see fit. I can pollute my water, my air, offer no social programs and no matter what you do to compete with me, I can always produce more and cheaper than you do. Ohh and are you going to develop new technologies? We can copy like nobody else can, they conclude.

Even if you educate best people on earth, they still can pay more money and transfer them for research and developtment. Because its capitalist world and brain follows the capital. They use their communist goverment status as an advantage in capitalist world and with the capital they gain , they will start to take over.

So there you go, a beast in the world markets. Competing with the iron fist of communist goverment in capitalist world. The fact that we are discussing it here is very healthy in terms of brainstorming but finding a solution is not that easy.

P.s : In world economics the richer the country gets more demands created for its currency, so the value of their currency increases and the imports from that country decrases. This is how economical model worked and balanced itself until now. Right now the china doesnt allow it. Chinas money is fixed to US currency and no matter how rich China gets, every time US Dollars lose value , china also devaluates its own currency Yuan. . US warned china many times to let its currency flow free but china doesnt do it. When cheap labor and no care for pollution combaines with fixed currency rates , it becomes impossible to compete with them in many market fields.


Hermes

 

[jillio]

Wont work.. See the problem is on the US economical side is, people live in US are spoiled. Not in a bad way, earning a normal life, having rights and everything , is how it is supposed to be, but from Chinas point of view, US is spoiled. And China , even though they integrated themselves world markets, is still ruling the country with iron fist. One side you have to maintain the life standarts of people , the other side can use and abuse all those people (billion?) for the benefit of wild capitalism. There are no rules says they have to provide all the rights you are providing to their people right? For the sake of profit , they are allowed to do anything they need to.

You are creating a system that makes the capital gain the most important thing on earth, but you maintain your country with relative democracy. One day another country comes and says, I dont have to deal with all the democratic problems you are dealing with. I can use my one billion people for profit the way I see fit. I can pollute my water, my air, offer no social programs and no matter what you do to compete with me, I can always produce more and cheaper than you do. Ohh and are you going to develop new technologies? We can copy like nobody else can, they conclude.

Even if you educate best people on earth, they still can pay more money and transfer them for research and developtment. Because its capitalist world and brain follows the capital. They use their communist goverment status as an advantage in capitalist world and with the capital they gain , they will start to take over.

So there you go, a beast in the world markets. Competing with the iron fist of communist goverment in capitalist world. The fact that we are discussing it here is very healthy in terms of brainstorming but finding a solution is not that easy.

P.s : In world economics the richer the country gets more demands created for its currency, so the value of their currency increases and the imports from that country decrases. This is how economical model worked and balanced itself until now. Right now the china doesnt allow it. Chinas money is fixed to US currency and no matter how rich China gets, every time US Dollars lose value , china also devaluates its own currency Yuan. . US warned china many times to let its currency flow free but china doesnt do it. When cheap labor and no care for pollution combaines with fixed currency rates , it becomes impossible to compete with them in many market fields.


Hermes

It is no coincidence that the U.S. lags behind China, and many other countries, in math and science education.