WORK FORCE ALTERNATIVE

workforceIt is no secret that America’s workforce is dwindling.  The Baby Boomers are getting older. They are retiring (if they are able) out of the workforce. Many workers have gone on disability for legitimate reasons, or because they could not find jobs after an exhaustive search. Others got discouraged and gave up for good. Some have found it more profitable to work the system and live on the government dole.

Young people are getting out of college with little hope for a prosperous future due to the depressed job market and large amounts of education debt.

Most of our higher paying manufacturing jobs have gone overseas. The ones that remain are either in right to work states where the employer takes advantage of the employee, or in union states where the unions take advantage of the employee.

The employee is the victim either way.

If you have ever visited my blog, you will find the first entry I submitted was an article about the unions being an anachronism.  With the federal government legislating away many of the original complaints of the workforce, such as sexual harassment, forty hour weeks, equal opportunity and overtime pay etc., unions seem to have gone the way of the dodo. However, they have pushed wages up to the point that many companies have moved to other countries where it is cheaper to pay the workforce.

Rather than the federal government imposing tariffs on the imported goods produced in low wage countries to level the playing field of price competition, they have allowed lower priced goods to replace our higher quality goods, proving how in bed together the government and big corporations are today.

Today’s worker must make a living–so who will stand up for them?  Many have proposed raising the minimum wage, forcing employers to pay more for labor.  Some feel that bringing unions into every type of labor is the answer.  Being that most of the new jobs being created are minimum wage jobs, the union would be of little use. Raising the minimum wage would only result in unemployment and higher prices.

In a recent article by Moneynews it is reported that the top 1% have collected the biggest share of household income since the 1920’s.  It stands to reason that the majority of the top 1 %, those with money and power, will not be interested in helping the little guy or middle class to return to prosperity. Although there are those who tend to altruism, it is more the exception, rather than the rule. Most are afraid to invest much of their wealth due to the instability of economy.

In my PolitiChick article Re-industrialization, I proposed that it would take a community effort to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States through a series of co-ops funded though minimum investment by the average citizen.  What if the small business owner who traditionally has created the majority of all new jobs were to take a larger role by paying a higher wage through smaller administration and an eye to the right thing to do?

One company is taking the lead in this situation. There are probably more, but the mainstream media is more interested in showing other distractions, rather than reporting real time news.

The only way to defeat poverty is to increase productivity, so there is more cash flow within the hands of the workers.

Workers spend their wages. The more they have to spend, the more revenue is introduced into society; the more prosperity is available to all.  But today’s workforce is burnt out on the “more work, less people,” mantra of big business. It is disheartening to work all week and still not have enough money to cover your basic living expenses.

Those that can and have the desire to open the small business, in spite of the adversity that faces them through the current banking and administration, will be our economic salvation.

Mom and Pop businesses built this nation.

We cannot wait for someone to save us.

We must rely on ourselves.

We must reawaken the American Spirit.

We the People” can accomplish anything together.

Candace Hardin Littlejohn

Georgia PolitiChick Candace Hardin Littlejohn lives in Atlanta, Georgia, but grew up in Western North Carolina. She has been greatly influenced in her writing by the culture in the Appalachians. Candace attributes her love of words to her Mother, who taught her to read at four years old. She is the creator and publisher of the literary magazine, Bohemian Renaissance, a magazine designed to launch emerging writers to publication, while providing good literature and art free to the community. Candace is 100% fluent in Spanish and a student of Latin. She loves dogs and spending time with friends and family. Visit Candace's website: http://kandisays.blogspot.com/

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