[Sparrow_temp]

Not sure I caught what your degree was in but it's not all about education credentials in the workplace. It's specific experience in what the employer wants and how cheap they can get you. If you have a Master's or Doctorate, it can sometimes work against you unless the position requires it since the employer will simply think you're too expensive. Manager's these days also don't seem to want to hire somebody smarter than themselves.

STEM workers have been hit hard with global outsourcing/recruiting too. It's cheaper to hire foreign workers who say they have the exact skill set for a job (regardless of if it's true or not) than it is to hire somebody locally. Foreign workers will always work for less and cannot easily job hop. This lowers wages and creates a glut of workers for the number jobs available. There just aren't enough jobs out there now. And the whole quota/diversity thing works against blacks in this situation; employers can claim all of their foreign workers in the minority counts.

Bottomline is that a lot of people are out of work and I don't believe that there's much of a racial component to it.

[stanman13]

Sure I have an example. There is a white young woman who has no education or experience whatsoever who works as a secretary for a man who owns a homecare health business. She sets up the schedules for the registered nurses who work in the community, answer phones, file papers, you know the typical administrative, clerical duties. She makes $22/hr. This woman works for the company my mother use to work for a while ago and they were friends.

Now......I have a friend who does the EXACT same work, only she works for a staffing agency. It employs nurses and also does scheduling etc. Same clerical work with 10 years of experience...making only $9/hr...and she is a minority. And there have been studies and examples around the world that shows there is a HUGE major gap between the wages of whites and minorities...ALL are on the same level with the same amount of experience and education.

You cannot say definitively that is about race. They are different employers, and staffing agencies are notorious for underpaying their workers. The staffing agency is pocketing much of the difference. You say it's about race because you want to believe that. It is solely conjecture.

[Hoptik]

There is a racial component to the problem. Just drive 20 minutes outside of Detroit and you will see rich suburban white america. US flying around the world to help other nations but at home people are in misery.

[sajae90]

Originally Posted by Sparrow_temp

Not sure I caught what your degree was in but it's not all about education credentials in the workplace. It's specific experience in what the employer wants and how cheap they can get you. If you have a Master's or Doctorate, it can sometimes work against you unless the position requires it since the employer will simply think you're too expensive. Manager's these days also don't seem to want to hire somebody smarter than themselves.

STEM workers have been hit hard with global outsourcing/recruiting too. It's cheaper to hire foreign workers who say they have the exact skill set for a job (regardless of if it's true or not) than it is to hire somebody locally. Foreign workers will always work for less and cannot easily job hop. This lowers wages and creates a glut of workers for the number jobs available. There just aren't enough jobs out there now. And the whole quota/diversity thing works against blacks in this situation; employers can claim all of their foreign workers in the minority counts.

Bottomline is that a lot of people are out of work and I don't believe that there's much of a racial component to it.

hmmm you have a valid argument. I have been thinking about that too, that most managers are afraid that highly professional or skilled people will steal their jobs! LOL me and my mother was just talking about this...

Most of the big companies that earn money outsource all of their help to other countries to save money. So I think I'm going to have to agree with you on this part. Good point

[sajae90]

Originally Posted by Hoptik

There is a racial component to the problem. Just drive 20 minutes outside of Detroit and you will see rich suburban white america. US flying around the world to help other nations but at home people are in misery.

I totally agree with you. One person stated I was playing the race card when I was just stating facts. I had posted some articles and statistics on the major paying wage between whites and minorites for the same jobs and level of education.

What people do is they automatically get defensive because they feel i am "attacking" their race or blaming them for the shortage of jobs. I was just stating the amount of facts and evidence that shows that minorities and blacks seem to have been hit the hardest in the economic times.

You made a good point about the sububarn areas. How come there is only like 2% blacks living in Royal Oak? Or birminham? I'm sure the number has gone up a little, but not by much. I'm sure there are tons of blacks and minorites who want to live in Royal oak, which is by the way, MUCH cheaper than the actual city and other "black" cities or towns that have most minorities in it. In southfield, I was paying $700 for a measley one bedroom. In royal oak....RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the downtown area, a one bedroom is only $525 a month. And you mean to tell me there is no blacks trying to live there too? I believe the same thing might be going on with the jobs. and I agree with you, the U.S. need to help their own first then go around helping other nations.

[flyingwriter]

To answer the OP - no, I don't think the hiring differences are due to race. I'm so tired of this "Michigan is racist" garbage that I see on this forum all the time. Although there is racism everywhere, this state is no more racist than any other state, and is in fact less racist than many areas of the country. You want racism, go to rural Mississippi or Louisiana, or try South Carolina or Oklahoma. Those states have racial issues. I have NEVER experienced racism here, and I'm black (not that it matters). Michigan is not racist.

As for the employment question, it is a result of the abysmal economy. This nation is in the throes of a deep recession, and Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the country, at over 15 percent. Also, that 15% rate only includes those currently receiving unemployment benefits, not the total number of workers who are out of a job. I'm one of those unemployed: I graduated from Western Michigan University in the summer with a B.S. in Aviation, and I can't buy a job. I've applied everywhere, from airlines and charter flight operations to convenience stores and garbage disposal outfits, with no callbacks, let alone offers. I have gradually expanded my search from just Michigan to the entire Midwest to nationwide (excluding California and the Deep South). Still nothing. The one offer that I did receive was from a pyramid scheme "company" in Columbus, Ohio. I don't think my race has ANYTHING to do with it, it is because THERE ARE A DEARTH JOBS OUT THERE, and the precious few that do exist are going to those with YEARS of experience, or those with "connections" (i.e., their uncle is the hiring manager). This economy sucks, and it sucks for everyone, even white males.

[Hoptik]

Originally Posted by sajae90

I totally agree with you. One person stated I was playing the race card when I was just stating facts. I had posted some articles and statistics on the major paying wage between whites and minorites for the same jobs and level of education...................

I am an Asian American immigrant who moved up here from South and unemployed since I moved here (l'm not receiving unemployment check but surviving daily on my savings). When I first came to Detroit area I thought I came to a third world country. If I drive 20-30 mns in any direction you will go out from this "war zone" to well to do real america. If we are one nation why we are indifferent to our own fellow man and women? Why such an inequality? Indifference is the same thing as hatred. Seems to me everyone is closing their eyes to the Detroit problem and blaming our black fellow man and women.

[flyingwriter]

Originally Posted by sajae90

You made a good point about the sububarn areas. How come there is only like 2% blacks living in Royal Oak? Or birminham? I'm sure the number has gone up a little, but not by much. I'm sure there are tons of blacks and minorites who want to live in Royal oak, which is by the way, MUCH cheaper than the actual city and other "black" cities or towns that have most minorities in it. In southfield, I was paying $700 for a measley one bedroom. In royal oak....RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the downtown area, a one bedroom is only $525 a month. And you mean to tell me there is no blacks trying to live there too? I believe the same thing might be going on with the jobs. and I agree with you, the U.S. need to help their own first then go around helping other nations.

Most of the segregation that exists in Michigan is SELF segregation. If blacks wanted to move to Royal Oak or Birmingham or Ishpeming, they could. They would just have to get over the STIGMA that they have about predominantly white areas. Most of the perceived racism comes from a certain segment of the black population who believes that the "white man" is out to get them, and those that insist on perpetuating the negative stereotypes about black people and furthering the "ghetto lifestyle" and mentality. There is a backlash against this "ghettoness" that some people perceive as racism, which it is not. Blacks can integrate into mainstream society and culture in Michigan; I'm living proof.

[stanman13]

Minorities in Detroit literally chased out the white population, and have made it clear that they do not want help. Google Coleman Young for many examples. People in the surrounding areas have tried in many ways to help Detroit. Sooner or later, you get tired of trying to help only to have insults flung at you.

You want clear examples of racism, look no further that Detroit City Council.

[Hoptik]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

Most of the segregation that exists in Michigan is SELF segregation. If blacks wanted to move to Royal Oak or Birmingham or Ishpeming, they could. They would just have to get over the STIGMA that they have about predominantly white areas. Most of the perceived racism comes from a certain segment of the black population who believes that the "white man" is out to get them, and those that insist on perpetuating the negative stereotypes about black people and furthering the "ghetto lifestyle" and mentality. There is a backlash against this "ghettoness" that some people perceive as racism, which it is not. Blacks can integrate into mainstream society and culture in Michigan; I'm living proof.

If you easily solve this problem by moving people from one place to another than you can solve the hunger and injustice problem in the world by moving people from Afghanistan, North Korea, Sudan and etc. to America.

What I am saying is Michigand state government along with Federal government need to give special status for this area and work on economic and social development. Chinese are paying money to move American business es to Hong Kong and Shanghai. Government needs stop playing politics and need to start doing real things here.