by oldedude on August 30, 2023 12:52 pm
Curt Lead post- This record high in average wage demand comes as employers added 187,000 jobs last month, following a similar increase in June. At 3.5%, the unemployment rate is close to its lowest level in decades, while average hourly earnings rose 4.4% in June from a year ago.
Part-time employment constituted just under 17% (16.9%) of the work force in 2019, a bit higher than the 16% rates witnessed in the pre-recession 2000s, although lower than the spike of up to 20% after the recession (BLS 2020a; BLS 2020b).
Curt #21- My main point in citing that poll is the disconnect between perception and reality. When you ask people how the US economy is doing, all they can tell you is what they are likely to hear from the news media, which let's face, it is more likely to report bad news than good news. A factory shutting down is news. A factory staying open is not news. They don't report on the house that didn't burn down.
Reality- We are paying 20% more in goods and services. That's a fact. Much of that are things lower income folks (especially families) MUST pay for are food and medical care.
In December, 2019, Regular gas was averaging $2.11/gal- this week, it's Today’s average price of gas in the U.S. is $3.83 per gallon, unchanged from yesterday, down $0.02 from last week and up $0.08 from last month.
Getting well balanced food is essential for families. Unfortunately, eggs (which have always been known as a "cheap protein" have gone up more than a dollar a dozen in the past 3 years.
With a higher rate of part time workers who don't generally get medical insurance from their employer, that actually affects more folks. This is also NOT a perception. I'm so happy curt is doing so well that he doesn't have to care about anyone else.
I agree with curt. A factory that stays open isn't news. It's an expectation. If more factories were open, the full time employment would be more substantial.
statista.com
forbes.com
by oldedude on August 30, 2023 12:54 pm
In the post above, the citation is the EPI reference below. Those come from BLS numbers.
Sorry for the confusion. Things are kinda hopping here for a bit.
epi.org
Since Biden has been president, employers have been adding more than enough jobs every month to keep unemployment near a 50-year low. High employment rates mean that employees have more leverage in demanding higher salaries. And they are. 
