your opinions, wages

[NickieL]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...-to-record-low

what do YOU think is causing this? So many people are feeling the pinch....do you think it will ever get better or will it keep going down?

[georger]

This is how the rich get richer in capitalism - by scre**ng the workers. No surprise. I think it's just a matter of time before workers in China start to demand a better share of the pie, then the dream of manufacturing for dirt cheap wages will have to change.

[NickieL]

Its now wonder the older generations were able to put so much away in savings, they were bringing home more share of the pie. Folks my age a lot of times are living pay to pay.

[NoClue]

Hey, it makes us 'competetive'! What could be wrong with that?

In a global economy, we're not going to be competetive until everybody makes what we make, or we make what they make. Which do you think is most likely to happen?

[Curtis B]

It will get worse before it gets better. At some point the foreign wages will become high enough that it will not be cheeper manufacter overseas and then to ship here to the US. It could get better sooner, but the gov would have to get involved with trade and that would upset other countries, and folks that think there is already to much gov. That and the people at the upper end of the money are the ones who buy the elections, so to the gov, they are the ones who really matter, not those of us who keep getting told there is no money for raises. The company I work for hasn't given a raise to anyone below corporate management in over three years, and use the huge labor pool as and excuse (I am in middle management, and have been told this by upper management).

[bruce2288]

Yep, globalization has an effect, more available workers also not mentioned in the article there is a sizeable increase in the unemployed, so less money paid overall.

[wwubben]

Fewer people belong to labor unions.The working person can not stand alone against big money.

[big rockpile]

My Son was working for a Guy making $8 an hour.Guy tells the boss he will do the work for $4 an hour.Guess how long my Son lasted.

My wifes wages went down to $8.50 an hour.REDICULAS!! Considering I was making that 28 years ago.

big rockpile

[watcher]

I hate to bring up the facts of life to ya'll but labor is just another commodity which follows the supply and demand rule as everything else. When there are more people looking to work than there are jobs the value of the workers is less than when there are more jobs than people.

Before all of this hit the local fast food places around here were offering $8+/hr as a starting wage just to get people to work.

[lonelytree]

Originally Posted by wwubben

Fewer people belong to labor unions.The working person can not stand alone against big money.

Union people are going to work themselves out of a job. The last vote in Alaska showed that very few people will vote on a bond to build anything. No schools, no city buildings. The union guys that I know are having a very tough summer. No work. They ran the price of building so high that the voters won't give them the money to build.

[HeelSpur]

In a small town near me they are putting in new sewer lines and are suppose to re-asphult the road. Some of the locals ask for work and they were turned down because it was all union work. One of the Flaggers told a friend of mine that she was making $43 an hour. People here are willing to work for $8-$10 per hour, but they don't need help.







Unions may have been great at one time, but they have sure done their damage along the way.

[fishhead]

Why is that while working class wages and benefits are dropping and profits are rising upper management is getting all the gold?

We need to demand 100% public financing of elections or I see no hope whatsoever for the American middle class. When they are gone so will be our economy. Greed will have consumed it and spit it out.

[zant]

Grandma Goo-Goo(pelosi) investments and wealth went up 62% since last year-I wanna be a dem politician

[plowjockey]

Seems crystal clear.

If you are a business owner, or investor who takes the time, effort and financial risk, to make the most of capitalism, you're doing pretty good.

If you are the average Joe, content to show up for work and punch a clock for 35 years, getting great pay/benefits and then retiring at age 54, with great retirement pay/benefits, you're days are pretty much numbered.

Who didn't see this coming, many years ago?

[stamphappy]

Pelosi investments and wealth went up 62% and they are crying 'broke' and cutting my teacher's pay by 2%??!!! I don't understand this...

[fishhead]

Originally Posted by HeelSpur

In a small town near me they are putting in new sewer lines and are suppose to re-asphult the road. Some of the locals ask for work and they were turned down because it was all union work. One of the Flaggers told a friend of mine that she was making $43 an hour. People here are willing to work for $8-$10 per hour, but they don't need help.

I seriously doubt they are getting $43/hr even when benefits are included. I think there's some miscommunication happening.

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by georger

This is how the rich get richer in capitalism - by scre**ng the workers. No surprise. I think it's just a matter of time before workers in China start to demand a better share of the pie, then the dream of manufacturing for dirt cheap wages will have to change.

When I was an IT manager, in the late 90's, PC Technicians, were in such huge demand, that the mega bank we worked, had me inform the Techs, that they would be receiving an automatic 15% RAISE, just to keep them from quitting, to work across the street for much more money. Their pay was already pretty good.

Now that there is a larger supply of workers, than jobs, what is the incentive, for Companies to give them higher pay and benefits?

It is a business after all, not a charity.

[Old Vet]

What is your work worth? How much are the employers paying? If there is a difference it should be on how much the employers paying because if they are not paying what you want you can go on unemployment list and get by as best as you can. Minimum wages is a trick to make the pour feel better but every time it goes up prices go up so you are in the same situation. The cost of living will be the lowest in areas that have lower wages. Just because you have bread at $2.50 per loaf or gas going for $4.00 doesn't mean that everybody is paying that amount.

[kirkmcquest]

The demand for labor is low, so wages are low. Outsourcing, new technology, and illegal immigration have all contributed to the problem. I think it will get much worse before it gets better.

[lonelytree]

Originally Posted by fishhead

I seriously doubt they are getting $43/hr even when benefits are included. I think there's some miscommunication happening.

My union buddy gets $46 an hour and 4 hours of overtime a day minimum @$69 an hour. Plus full benefits.