A New Middle Class in the Near Future?

[ugonow]

Jobs are returning,but there is a catch----news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110309/ts_yblog_thelookout/jobs-returning-but-good-ones-not-so-much

[rockon]

Our trade agreements with countries who do not share our structure or ideals will guarantee this outcome. This is just another one of the things that should have been obvious years ago when we started shipping our "dirty manufacturing" jobs and our technology overseas.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

The division my firm is part of will be hiring this year. Our division head just announced the other day that roughly 300 new staff positions will be added in the next 12 months.
Our organization is in the business of providing IT services to the financials industry. These will be all good paying, professional level jobs.

We have to recognize that our population is poorly educated and entitlement driven. Those two characteristics are those of low paying, service level jobs.
According to a recent report released by the Gartner Group, the biggest growth area in the job market is for knowledge workers. The US labor pool is not properly positioned for this opportunity.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

<<< Still, as the economy continues to add jobs in the coming months, it's worth keeping the issue of quality in mind. An economy with a glut of low-paying and part-time jobs isn't an economy that's working for most Americans. >>>

...why not?

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

Our trade agreements with countries who do not share our structure or ideals will guarantee this outcome. This is just another one of the things that should have been obvious years ago when we started shipping our "dirty manufacturing" jobs and our technology overseas.

.....and this too....

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2011 9:52:12 GMT -5 rockon said:

Our trade agreements with countries who do not share our structure or ideals will guarantee this outcome. This is just another one of the things that should have been obvious years ago when we started shipping our "dirty manufacturing" jobs and our technology overseas.

The US does not need to be manufacturing a bunch of plastic chochkies (I have no idea how to spell that word), in order to be a great country.

[floridayankee]

Nurses are in high demand and it pays quite well. DW actually has a hard time filling vacant positions on her staff.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

It is spelled: tchotchke.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2011 9:59:20 GMT -5 Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ said:

It is spelled: tchotchke.

You only know that because of your Russian companion.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

That is a Yiddish word, not necessarily Russian. I've known this word for nearly 20 years.
I know you are jealous Arch, just admit it....

[marjar]

Mar 10, 2011 9:58:39 GMT -5 floridayankee said:

Nurses are in high demand and it pays quite well. DW actually has a hard time filling vacant positions on her staff.

In my state, one year LPN and two year RN programs have two year waiting lists for admission, and because the demand is so great, it can take 4 years to complete a two year program. Too many students and not enough class space.

My plumber's wife is studying to be a mammographer. She completed all of her general requirements and is on a waiting list for admission to the program. As of a year ago, she was number 83 on the list. She hopes to
be in the program by this coming fall. She will have a 2 year gap between
the time she finished her general requirement classes and the time she starts the actual radiology program.

[reasonfreedom]

Mar 10, 2011 9:53:51 GMT -5 Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ said:

The division my firm is part of will be hiring this year. Our division head just announced the other day that roughly 300 new staff positions will be added in the next 12 months.
Our organization is in the business of providing IT services to the financials industry. These will be all good paying, professional level jobs.

We have to recognize that our population is poorly educated and entitlement driven. Those two characteristics are those of low paying, service level jobs.
According to a recent report released by the Gartner Group, the biggest growth area in the job market is for knowledge workers. The US labor pool is not properly positioned for this opportunity.

I work in the IT field also, but what I am seeing is a lot of companies hiring temp workers through an employment agency. I see this degrading the pay rate of the employees, because a 3rd hand in the pot. To me this seems more like degradation of the middle class.

[jarhead1976]

The old middle class are fighting like hell in Wisconsin!

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

I work in the IT field also, but what I am seeing is a lot of companies hiring temp workers through an employment agency. I see this degrading the pay rate of the employees, because a 3rd hand in the pot. To me this seems more like degradation of the middle class.

My firm(the larger corp parent and all the business entities) are probably split 65% Business people/ 35% IT workers. There is also the issue of off shoring IT work, which we do.
Business brings in temp work force, because they are easier to manage. There is so much uncertainty with regard to what the fed govt will impose on business, going temp is the best decision.

[ugonow]

I am sure everyone has their fair share of anecdotes on this. My wife works for a large insurance firm that specializes in workers comp administration. They have hired only part time and temp workers for the last four years. They have grown quite a bit in this time,sometimes hiring exemployees on a temp contract basis with no benefits and lower than what they left at wages .

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2011 10:19:11 GMT -5 ugonow said:

I am sure everyone has their fair share of anecdotes on this. My wife works for a large insurance firm that specializes in workers comp administration. They have hired only part time and temp workers for the last four years. They have grown quite a bit in this time,sometimes hiring exemployees on a temp contract basis with no benefits and lower than what they left at wages .

Companies are using this time to cut costs, become lean and increase the bottom line.

[ugonow]

There is so much uncertainty with regard to what the fed govt will impose on business, going temp is the best decision.

I thought that argument was for extending the Bush tax breaks,that business was holding off to see whether they would be extended,and if they were,a flood of hiring would begin.

[Bluerobin]

The middle class is a myth. It disappeared years ago. There are only two classes.

[ugonow]

Companies are using this time to cut costs, become lean and increase the bottom line.

You could be right,bearing in mind the record coperate profits and high unemployment. A testiment to American workers,imo.

[floridayankee]

Mar 10, 2011 10:07:25 GMT -5 @marjar said:

My plumber's wife is studying to be a mammographer. She completed all of her general requirements and is on a waiting list for admission to the program. As of a year ago, she was number 83 on the list. She hopes to
be in the program by this coming fall. She will have a 2 year gap between
the time she finished her general requirement classes and the time she starts the actual radiology program.

Good for her. Sounds like she's taking some positive steps towards self improvement / career improvement...good luck to her.

Has she looked in to online classes?

www.onlinenursingdegrees.org/
rndegrees.net/

I know a degree from the Univ of Phoenix isn't "prestigious or anything, but a degree is a degree and it gets your foot in the door for further advancement down the road. Google "online nursing degree" and take a look. Those links above are the first two on the search results.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2011 10:25:18 GMT -5 ugonow said:

Companies are using this time to cut costs, become lean and increase the bottom line.

You could be right,bearing in mind the record coperate profits and high unemployment. A testiment to American workers,imo.

Companies will hire again, but it will take some time.

[rockon]

If one stops to analyze our entire economy and monetary system you will realize it can only be sustained by constant growth which means doing a lot of things people in general oppose like using farm land for buildings, ruining wildlife habitat for development, driving more cars, creating more jobs, increasing population and pollution. In more recent years the answer for us high and mighty Americans seems to be to send our dirty jobs and our technology to other countries but they don't seem to realize that these countries have even less controls then ours and this will ultimately result in much more global pollution, a reduction in our employment and a reduced standard of living for us. While sufficient service jobs are essential to survival "Creating" more service jobs then necessary is not in anyones best interest. If we want our economy to improve we have to go back to being producers instead of just consumers.

[ugonow]

I can't recall a healthy robust economy in which we were saving and cutting personal debt at record levels... Our economy thrives on rapant consumerism and buying on credit....... And it is a shame... kinda like the medical industry depends on people to be sick...

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Mar 10, 2011 9:58:39 GMT -5 floridayankee said:

Nurses are in high demand and it pays quite well. DW actually has a hard time filling vacant positions on her staff.

My mother and sister are both nurses and they say they can't go to Florida because they won't get paid as well, and there aren't as many jobs.

I have always found that hard to believe because it's God's waiting room, isn't it? How could they not have a shortage?

I should put you all in touch.

[floridayankee]

Mar 10, 2011 10:23:25 GMT -5 Bluerobin said:

The middle class is a myth. It disappeared years ago. There are only two classes.

The middle class is alive and well. It's simply that the middle class became so accustomed to a higher class lifestyle through credit and home equity. Now that the bubble has burst, the middle class is simply returning to normal.

Let's face it...middle class is not a 3,000sf mcmansion with two new cars, a boat and an RV in the drive. It's about time the middle class accepts that reality and learns to deal with it.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

I thought that argument was for extending the Bush tax breaks,that business was holding off to see whether they would be extended,and if they were,a flood of hiring would begin.

They are only extended temporarily.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

You could be right,bearing in mind the record coperate profits and high unemployment. A testiment to American workers,imo.

High and improving corp profits, and a rising equities markets are leading indicators. Employment/unemployment are lagging indicators.

[workpublic]

I work in the IT field also, but what I am seeing is a lot of companies hiring temp workers through an employment agency. I see this degrading the pay rate of the employees, because a 3rd hand in the pot. To me this seems more like degradation of the middle class.

BINGO!!!!! DING DING DING
if it's an IBM job there is a fourth hand in the pot.

on my way today to a major bottling company for a face to face. it is however a contract job. so I need my background check my credit check and my urine sample(it's getting a bit old). won't get health insurance(or will be offered an unaffordable rate) will have to "adjust my timecard" when everybody else gets to leave early before holidays, no paid holidays, vacation or sick days. But hey, I'm lucky to have a job, cause I'm no good.

where the F is my union?

with the new job designation of "permalancer" taking shape, i would hope that i could get a certificate showing that I live in the same place a long time, my credit's better than yours and everyone at the checking agency. and at 51 a urine test is degrading.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

If one stops to analyze our entire economy and monetary system you will realize it can only be sustained by constant growth which means doing a lot of things people in general oppose like using farm land for buildings, ruining wildlife habitat for development, driving more cars, creating more jobs, increasing population and pollution.

That's the result of Keynesian economics and our tax code. An income tax is dependent on a lot of wheel-spinning / treadmill activity.

That's why everything is a monthly payment.

The minute a person becomes truly debt free, the minute we reform property taxes to make it unConstitutional for a person to have to rent their OWN HOME from the government long after they've burnt the mortgage note, the minute a person no longer has to have this manufactured, artificial "burn rate" every month-- the income stops, and the collection of income taxes stops.

The minute we switch from taxing the production of income, savings, and investment to taxing consumption-- this whole aircraft carrier will turn on a dime and we'll start creating wealth again.

[workpublic]

I know a degree from the Univ of Phoenix isn't "prestigious or anything

they have also had accreditation problems in the past. don't know if that's been cleared up yet.

most "quikie" online degrees say they are accredited and they are, just not with corporate accepted accreditation agencies.