It's Final: Most lost jobs gone for good, analysts say

AP ^ | October 19, 2003

[sarcasm]

ping

[BushCountry]

An excellent lesson of this article, "Specialization is for insects!"

It is simple, learn to adapt and get off of your butt. If there isn't a job nearby, move or make one. There are plenty of opportunities in this great land. Find it, or make it. If you fail, so what. Get off of the ground, wipe yourself off and try again.

[anniegetyourgun]

Her old job: $19,760/year.

Waiting tables (which she says isn't equivalent income): $12,500 base and $10K tips (very conservatively speaking) = $22,500.

Sounds like her real problem is basic math skills.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

Americans are no longer considered worthy to hold even low-paying jobs, no matter how loyal the employee or how excellent the quality of work.
Of course, we are considered worthy to become cannon feed whenever our country calls us to fight for "our interests" abroad.

[sarcasm]

Get ready to pay higher taxes to cover the new welfare programs these formerly employed Americans will demand.

[q_an_a]

this is a part of the world story and is too bad for the workers. another part is how stupid are the managers of these businesses. five years ago levi bought the right to custom make jeans. yes with five measurments some man was making custom womens and mens jeans for a 10% premium. levi bought his technology. try to find it on their web site.

the same story can be told for after market car parts and remanufactured parts. there are dozens of products that lazy managers have let get away because all they think about is price.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

learn to adapt

It has to be said that a youth coming out of H.S. or college has no specialization, or relatively little, and is therefore able relatively easily to adapt to some new job. The temptation grows with time in service to marry the job. A union attempts to force the job to marry the employee.

But the demand for "more" is really a claim that the job is no good. The union's position would be more coherent if the union made it its business to encourage its members to prepare for/find a better job elsewhere--thereby putting pressure on the employer to maintain/improve pay, benefits, hours, and conditions.

It should be up to the employer to encourage its employees to improve their value within the organization, certainly so long as the employer hopes to maintain its workforce.

[PhilipFreneau]

>> Her old job: $19,760/year. Waiting tables (which she says isn't equivalent income): $12,500 base and $10K tips (very conservatively speaking) = $22,500. Sounds like her real problem is basic math skills.

I believe her real problem in this scenerio would be loss of benefits.

[PGalt]

It's Final blah blah blah blah blah

The only thing final is the end of your life.

[ChadGore]

Sounds like her real problem is basic math skills.

LOL !

[DH]

"The union's position would be more coherent if the union made it its business to encourage its members to prepare for/find a better job elsewhere--thereby putting pressure on the employer to maintain/improve pay, benefits, hours, and conditions."

If you think the union even remotely thinks of "self-improvement" within thier captive audience of socialist workers I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you. Self-improvement means COMPETITION among workers and that cannot be tolerated.

[Who dat?]

Waiting tables (which she says isn't equivalent income): $12,500 base and $10K tips (very conservatively speaking) = $22,500. Sounds like her real problem is basic math skills.

Not necessarily so.

I know in articles like this they portray the individual as The Best Employee Ever. They all do that. It’s similar to the polls in which 85% of the population think they are “above average.” They’re not, but like to think so.

Meanwhile, some waiters/waitresses make good money. Then there are the sullen/irritable/irritating waitresses that make no tips and end up being called in during crappy shifts (if at all) because they’re obnoxious. She’s probably all to familiar with how she’d fare in that type of job… IMO.

[meenie]

It is going to be interesting to see how an ever-increasing welfare and unemployed system will finance an ever-increasing debt and expensive government. Something will have to give.

[contessa machiaveli]

".......loss of benefits".

and that is the problem, we are going to pay for millions of formerly employed workers. the government is well on its way to being the provider of those needs.

somethings got to give, and it will be us, with higher taxes.

[verity]

I have some ocean front property in Arizona to sell you.

Obviously, you did not take global warming into account. :~)

[contessa machiaveli]

you beat me to it.....great minds think alike.

[berkeleybeej]

$10K tips (very conservatively speaking)

She's in Oklahoma right? Sorry, but the good folks in OK are not very effusive with their tips.

But it sounds like she's on the right track - seeking additional training to get another job...

[anniegetyourgun]

And everyone knows it's not possible to purchase cheap life, catastrophic medical, or dental policies with the extra income. It's probably also not possible for her to create her own MSA, IRA, or 125 plan (albeit post-tax).

Clearly we've come to the point where employers are expected to provide everything but pet care (oh wait....it must be on the horizon). Can lifetime employment guarantees be far behind?

[anniegetyourgun]

I guess we just aren't very compassionate conservatives.