Misconception that there is a lack of jobs in America.

[anunitu]

I was reading about Occupy Oakland(Oakland,California) and the Iraq Vet that was hit by a tear gas cannister. There is now talk of a general strike in Oakland. I had concidered that this might happen with the protesters,and this may trigger something bigger nationally if people get really pissed at the actions of the police. National strikes have happened in other countrys(France for one). Even a single day national strike could bring the economy to its knees. I don't think they could get that many people to strike because many are worried about getting laid off or fired allready. BUT,you never know when people get panicky or just plain fed up.

If I remember it correctly they did that in Italy and Greece already.

Actully there is now this.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-launching-first-nationwide-general-strike-in-america-since-1946.html

[anunitu]

Another point I think about is most people today just assum that the protections and "Rights" of workers will always be there. These "rights" came about over many years mostly through Unions pushing for them. People died in the process of the unions fighting the bosses. Your 8 hour day,your 40 hour week used to be you work 80 hours a week 12 hours a day(No overtime) 6 days a week.
No medical coverage,no disability insurance,and you could be fired for no reason. Work has come a long way,but you must always remember what is,may not always be. Your wage is dependent on how much they need you. If there is a glut of workers,then companys can call the shots,if there is a shortage of workers,then workers call the shots.

[Bill Cravener]

Well I have to side with Magnum here "any job is better then no job". Why? Because the utilities must be paid and I must eat. I haven't a wife that works, parents to leach off of or kids bringing in any money, besides I'm too proud to live off the State or beg for food. So if I were in such a position that I needed a job I'd take most anything. Even if I had to shovel shit in a cattle barn so long as I could continue to exist. Fortunately I don't have to, especially at my age, I don't think my back could take shoveling shit all day. :bg

[oex]

Currently I leach off my parents.... I never used to, left home at 17, got my own place, started many businesses for many people.... I'm currently training to be a teacher, not in my primary expertise simply because I can not afford the exams and can not get credit.... I can not claim off the state and have only for 5 weeks of my life when I was younger.... I'm one of many I'm sure that can not be listed in the 'jobless total' figures smply because the system has so many holes they cannot register to claim benefits....

We have a free advice service here in the UK called citizens advice beaureux.... They advised me that my best option (with £15,000 debts) was to leave the country and not come back for 5 years :lol....

Having started many businesses I am well aware that things 'work' for very abstract reasons, often things that should work (in a logical sensible world) do not.... Those that benefit often do, not because they work the hardest but simply because they are on the bleeding edge where the money is focused.... Kinda like single issue elections I guess.... Or Apple being a subcontracting *marketing company* :lol

Anyways.... In my book those who take it on the chin and decide who to work for and what jobs to do (at their own cost) are those to be commended.... Moreover if those people continue to volunteer and do worthwhile jobs for free while they have no paid jobs.... These are the people we should entrust our societies to!

Business people/bankers will tell you they should be highly paid because they risk everything, business/banking is all about risk....

Let me tell you.... Risk is an elderly person or a lone parent deciding not to heat their home in the winter so that they can afford food (or vice versa) while a fat cat energy company boss earns enough to heat 2000 homes each year and is healthy enough to survive without the heating....

Still.... I'm hoping I wont be living at home much longer.... Almost as much as my parents :lol....

[baltoro]

PETER,
Your honesty is appalling,...

[oex]

PETER,
Your honesty is appalling,...

Yes I know.... I certainly wont get a job as a politician :lol

[dedndave]

if you are willing to accept sub-standard salaries, then you become part of the problem
i learned early in my career that if you are willing to work for X, they are going to pay you X
if you want to make more than X, you have to refuse to work for X
by accepting X, you create an imbalance in the market, which hurts everyone in that job catagory

[hutch--]

From long ago (the middle 1970s) I knew the problem of being over qualified, I am a toolmaker by trade and when the arse fell out of the engineering trade in the middle 1970s here in OZ I applied for all sorts of low end engineering jobs but kept being told I was over qualified for the job. In my trade the job market was ruthless, if the work dropped you went out the door so you went for the money and kept an eye on ho much work they had and when it was getting low you ditched them and went elsewhere.

I eventually solved the problem by starting a business and have never gone near the job market since. The business fed me for about 10 years, software fed me for about another 10 years and the stock market has almost fed me for the last 10 years and at my age I don't have another career left to start before I hit the arbitrary retirement age.

[Astro]

if you are willing to accept sub-standard salaries, then you become part of the problem
i learned early in my career that if you are willing to work for X, they are going to pay you X
if you want to make more than X, you have to refuse to work for X
by accepting X, you create an imbalance in the market, which hurts everyone in that job catagory

Totally agree! All these people going for "Modern Apprenticeships" are not realizing that it is just a legal loophole to pay less than minimum wage for work that should often be paying more. Needless to say that it gets the unemployment figures down a bit for the younger age groups but when the period expires they are out the door again to make way for the next lot who are begging for work at any cost.

[dedndave]

i can see a point in not hiring an MBA to flip burgers   :P
if the guy is any good in the business field, he will be gone as soon as he gets a better position - obviously
if he isn't any good in the business field (and still has an MBA), he isn't going to be any good at flipping burgers, either - lol
no matter how you run the burger joint, you only have room for one manager
it's not like all the employees can aspire to that single position
although, i am sure some employers may lead them all on   :P

[Bill Cravener]

From long ago (the middle 1970s) I knew the problem of being over qualified, I am a toolmaker by trade and when the arse fell out of the engineering trade in the middle 1970s here in OZ. . .

Steve,

Tool & Die is big business here in PA and as you know I worked for a Tool & Die company for about seven years until I reached the age of about 54 when they replaced me with a much younger fellow. It really is a young persons trade where you need to be able to put in 10 to 12 hour days. As I said before there's a need for machinists of all types especially those that are trained in CNC. Companies can't find enough folks to feel the jobs when it comes to CNC operators. PA also has numerous trade schools who are now training for the natural gas boom here in PA do to the Marcellus Shale industry that's happening here but you've got to have a trade skill such as electrician, plumbing and pipe fitting, welders are in big demand, big equipment operators, machinists of or sorts and also trucking. They're not big paying jobs like say an engineer might make but its a decent living if you're willing to work.

[Magnum]

I disagree that "any job" is better than no job. Taking the wrong jobs (at least over here) can be seen to be as bad as being unemployed. It raises questions like "why can't you get a job in your chosen profession?", and then the company asking the question doesn't want to hire you as they get strange ideas in their head.

There is also an increasing incidence of people being listed as "over qualified". How the hell does that work? I think the real problem is the employee is too smart for the employer, and the employer (read: line manager) feels threatened. Some argue it is because they think the task is too menial for someone who knows what they are doing. My response to that is: "if I didn't want the frikken' job I wouldn't have applied!". It is totally screwed up!

It's a fact that at least 7 people apply for every job available.

That means that even if everybody wanted a job, there would not be enough.

HR managers have told me that they see low paying jobs included on professional resumes.

My resume includes jobs as chemical lab techs, technical writer, retail manager, as well as ones such as a meat clerk.

When you have bills to pay, pride has no place. :-)

For certain jobs, I "dumb" down my resume for the reason that you mentioned.

[KeepingRealBusy]

We see it here as well Bill, as the jobs get shipped overseas the workforce lose the work ethic and the skills that go with it.

I find some humour in the fact that I live in an old city area that is now substantially gentrified but full of people who are fascinated that I can do up a nut and bold, lay bricks, weld metals and generally do useful things. Most of the folks around here are professionals but the real loss is the loss of skills and this is mainly bad politics, economic theory and the quick and dirty buck from cheap imports that many companies have gone into.

Hutch,

Is there a recent problem in the forum? I am in the Colosseum and read this thread. At the bottom of the page I clicked on Jjump to Colosseum expecting to read another thread in the Colosseum, but instead I jump back to the MASM Forum. This appears to be something recent.

Dave.

[hutch--]

Dunno Dave, it all works exactly as it has for years from this end. I live in Australia which is a long way from the UK and I have no problems at all.

[Magnum]

Another point I think about is most people today just assum that the protections and "Rights" of workers will always be there. These "rights" came about over many years mostly through Unions pushing for them. People died in the process of the unions fighting the bosses. Your 8 hour day,your 40 hour week used to be you work 80 hours a week 12 hours a day(No overtime) 6 days a week.
No medical coverage,no disability insurance,and you could be fired for no reason. Work has come a long way,but you must always remember what is,may not always be. Your wage is dependent on how much they need you. If there is a glut of workers,then companys can call the shots,if there is a shortage of workers,then workers call the shots.

At one time unions served a good purpose.

But since they generate no income, their only interest is getting people to join.

They don't provide any real benefits, so when I had the opportunity, I did not join.