The article in The Chicago Tribune as cited as the title of this entry was rather troubling. As I read through some of the criticisms I realized this sounded something like a few young workers I know through my own sons but none sounded like most the people I know.
I felt it was degrading and indiscriminate in it's criticism when I realized there was no discussion of social issues and wages. In other words, what drives people to work. Work ethics? Not entirely. Money. What APPRECIATION there is for their labor. In addition to money I began to realize there is somewhat of a depression regarding 'value' in that most workers are faced with poor to no benefits including long term appreciation such as pensions.
So, I snooped around a bit, wanting to give the article some credence but found little.
In my opinion, the American low wage worker is demoralized and feeling worthless both in their quality of life and what a USA Dollar will and won't buy them. They are making compromises everywhere because of Bush's lousy economy. Compromises on a chronic basis are 'sell outs' of the emotional ethics a work force brings to it's value. When compromises happen on a regular basis without an end in sight people lose their enthusiasm for work and 'burn out' over little things; like leaving the family to get to work on time when their value at home is more rewarding. Like having inflated gas prices to the point where the daily commute is an investment and not an expense. After all who can actually afford or find one of those hybrids?
Above is a table that clearly illustrates the 'PLIGHT' of the Average American Worker. They are losing ground on a steady basis. Who can blame them for losing interest and attention in their work ethic. It isn't 'life skills' they lack, it a DAMN good paying job with benefits they haven't been afforded for a long, long time. On the same page of that table in the citation above are charts that further explain the demoralization of the American Worker and it's econmic collapse of it's wage as well as the decline in job growth. Among that decline in growth is the OPPORTUNITY to advance in status, pay and benefits. IT AIN'T THEIR FAULT !!
This is a table of 'average wage' by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is based on the value of a USA Dollar in 1982.
The highest 'average' wage prior to 1995 was in 1978 at $8.40 per hour. The USA Dollar could buy more then than now.
1976 8.24
1977 8.36
1978 8.40
1979 8.17
1980 7.78
1981 7.69
continued on to...
1992 7.41
1993 7.39
1994 7.40
1995 7.40
http://home.att.net/~Resurgence/Wages.htm
In this graph by Economic Policy Institute the value of blue-collar and non-managerial workers from the years November 2001 to May 2004 hasn't changed. That would mean with inflation and less health care coverage the mean wage earner was losing ground the entire time.
Jobs up, wages down. Employment grew, but real wages fall to a two-year low.
Just as the jobless recovery appears to be solidly behind us, a new problem has emerged: declining real wages. In fact, real wages for May 2004 fell back to the same level as November 2001, the month when the last recession ended.
When considering the cost of living increase and the difficulty in obtaining good health insurance and services the average wage of most 'hourly' workers has suffered severe loss. No wonder the work force is demoralized and not giving much attention to the work schedule. GOOD jobs are nearly impossible to find and when one considers the wages paid in Canada are 20% more than the USA why stay here if there are viable jobs elsewhere.
The figure below shows the inflation-adjusted average hourly wage of blue-collar and non-managerial workers. Because this group represents all but the top 20% of the workforce, it is a good indicator of working- and middle-class job quality. The top 20%, of course. have much higher wage scales and the top 2% are untouchable.
So, as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the destitute end up in the military maimed or dead, it is safe to say the USA Work Force is 'burned out' and 'strung out' seeking a way to make ends meet yet alone improve their 'lot in life.' Demoralized or not the USA worker is still the best prepared worker in the world and every country knows that EXCEPT of course the ones who seek to further justify their 'exploitation' of America and occupy the Executive and Legislative Branches of this government.
