Dr. Ada M. Fisher
♦ Looking at the employment statistics regardless of the category into which they fall, too many expect the government to make work for them and want an unsustainable increase in the minimum wage not based on market demands.
The latest data on job growth suggests it is stagnant nationwide and the lack of movement is erroneously blamed on both sides of the aisle. In failing to extend unemployment compensation, it was hoped that many would be forced into the job market after six months without work. Many took the bait but some unfortunately still hang on to the hope that an ideal job is out there and will come along.
What is evolving is the loss of blue collar workers with a further collapse of the middle class. What is obvious is the technological surge means many aren’t needed and even more will be left out.
Majors in sociology and many courses ending in ology are finding the pay isn’t there though you may have taken the degree you loved rather than one in hard sciences, math or engineering where salaries go up, up and away from others. The average debt for college eclipses $40,000 for undergraduate degrees with no jobs available so folks are mistakenly going to grad school with even dimmer prospects likely.
This nation finds a lack of job producers with people who are really making things. In the credit union the computers were stamped assembled in America which is far different from making them here. Nike still overcharges for sports shoes made for less than $5 a pair in South East Asian nations. Cigarettes are made with tobacco which comes from Korea and too many of our foods are grown elsewhere and fertilized with human feces; yet the possible relationship of this to E. coli outbreaks isn’t noted nor are genetically altered foods so labelled.
The service sector is the largest growing segment of workers and the hospitality industry isn’t letting most work more than 29.5 hours in NC to avoid paying benefits. Burger King has moved its headquarters to Canada to avoid paying $50 billion in taxes yet folks don’t appreciate the deals with the rich corporations are unfortunately being crafted of necessity to allow those few jobs to stay here.
Any viewer of the History Television Channel should have enjoyed the story of the men who “made America” such as Rockefellar, Carnegie, Ford, etc. They were called robber barons not appreciating that the jobs they made stayed here utilizing the resources and workers of this nation. Today’s billionaires such as Gates, Jobs and unfortunately manufacturers of cars are making/peddling products largely produced overseas. Too many of our young lust after entertainment opportunities from sports to acting to reality television not seeing them for the hustle they are without contributing to the bottom line of Pavlov’s hierarchy of needs—food, clothing, shelter, etc.
The jobs of tomorrow haven’t been thought of today but we know several things—1- vocational education pushed back down into high school could produce thousands ready to work as plumbers, electricians, mechanics and carpenters; 2-fresh water is one of our limiters as our populations spread beyond earth’s present capacity for quenching; 3-ocean exploration can help feed the flock and preserve the environment spurning an industry with much potential; 4-people shouldn’t be paid for work disproportionate to its market labor value and 5-technology is making obsolete many jobs once held dear and turns over every eighteen months maximally.
Are we ready for the changing scene in the world of work?
Dr. Ada M. Fisher who was a medical director in a fortune 500 company, previous member of a county board of education, licensed secondary education teacher, Author, Poet, gifted public speaker and is the NC Republican national CommitteeWoman. Her book Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Solutions Good For What Ails Us, Book I is available through Amazon.com Contact her at P. O. Box 777; Salisbury, NC 28145; DrFisher@DrAdaMFisher.org.
