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The area doesn't lack workers. It lacks a company willing to pay workers. If they aren't getting bites at a wage, the wage needs to go up. However American companies are stuck on the pay as little as possible then pay their replacement junk when the first one quits line of thought. The cost of living here is high. The amount you can get from government benefits is high. If you make too much, you lose those benefits. So the wage they pay has to be substantial enough to make up for losing all of those benefits. The corporation I work for in the area has a hard time keeping employees for that reason. They are paying the workers under me $1.00 less an hour (in a much more expensive area) than I started at doing the same job 16 years ago (in a much cheaper area.) So eventually people figure out that if I quit....I'm getting a 'raise'.
People have figured out that benefits are so extensive it doesn't pay to work unless the pay is substantial. Companies have to up their game and pay a living wage. It just doesn't make financial sense to work much if the wage isn't a living one.
I am missing something here. Can you explain what high benefits you are talking about?
I am missing something here. Can you explain what high benefits you are talking about?
So a lot of the new jobs are offering a tiny wage. The wage at my employer for the help I have is very low. So, because of that most of the employees have their kids all covered by medicaid. Sometimes the employee is also covered by medicaid. They get at least a portion of the allowed food stamps. They get vouchers for their kids for day care and summer care. I understand it's not a direct substitution. For me I have 3 young kids, so we would be talking 1200+ a month in day care. I pay about $500 more per month to add my kids to my health insurance. So assuming an after tax $$$ amount, a person in similar circumstances would be giving up $1700 a month + whatever benefits they get with food stamps + the difference of actually using my health insurance (Medicaid copays are almost nil...remember insurance does not equal health care.....many of us with health insurance can't afford to use it).
So many folks I work with keep a tight track on their hours. They don't want to go over 'x' amount of hours for fear of losing their benefits. For employers complaining about not having people.....there are people. However, you have to offer them a wage that exceeds their 15-20 hours current pay + makes up for losing that extra 20-25 hours free time they are now working + their almost 'free' health care + food assistance + day care assistance + summer care assistance, etc. That's a big wall to knock down.
We currently have a system that rewards staying at home vs. working. It has many moving parts that are rusted or broken. One of those is companies refusing to pay a living wage.
People aren't stupid. In general most of us won't take the road less traveled. We like it easy. If you can work part time and then stay at home the rest and get 'free' stuff, or go work a full time job and be worse off......the choice is obvious.
The area doesn't lack workers. It lacks a company willing to pay workers.
This is not true! I put the first few adds I found on Craigslist for construction workers a few post back that started at decent wages.
If they aren't getting bites at a wage, the wage needs to go up.
Wrong again they have here in both Buncombe and Henderson County.
However American companies are stuck on the pay as little as possible then pay their replacement junk when the first one quits line of thought.
I had my own business and paid what you were worth. You made me money you were paid well, you didn't you were stuck.
I had people come in for an interview reading from their devry diploma saying I have no experience but am told I shouldn't work for under $22.50 an hour. Then you see they graduated 5 yrs ago and haven't worked in the field because they can't get 22.50 an hour.
The cost of living here is high. The amount you can get from government benefits is high.
What are you talking about?
If you make too much, you lose those benefits. So the wage they pay has to be substantial enough to make up for losing all of those benefits. The corporation I work for in the area has a hard time keeping employees for that reason. They are paying the workers under me $1.00 less an hour (in a much more expensive area) than I started at doing the same job 16 years ago (in a much cheaper area.) So eventually people figure out that if I quit....I'm getting a 'raise'.
People have figured out that benefits are so extensive it doesn't pay to work unless the pay is substantial.
Really then we should CUT all benefits! See we took care of that problem.
So they are LAZY and would rather suck off the guvmit ***** then work. THIS is the problem right here! Stay on welfare instead of getting a job! Shameful!
Companies have to up their game and pay a living wage. It just doesn't make financial sense to work much if the wage isn't a living one.
This is the most ignorant statement I have ever seen on this website. So you think if companies don't pay you what you want MY TAXES SHOULD support you.: eek:
One of my kids worked 35 hrs a week in McD'd thru HS and was making $9.00+ when she left(moved) all while graduating HS a semester early. She also reg got the monthly bonus for not calling out or missing work.That's how it works. Had their own car, paid own ins, had thousands in the bank for school and even gave me $25.00 a week for rent.
Last edited by The Bear Hunter; 06-11-2017 at 03:03 PM..
This is the most ignorant statement I have ever seen on this website. So you think if companies don't pay you what you want MY TAXES SHOULD support you.: eek:
One of my kids worked 35 hrs a week in McD'd thru HS and was making $9.00+ when she left(moved) all while graduating HS a semester early. She also reg got the monthly bonus for not calling out or missing work.That's how it works. Had their own car, paid own ins, had thousands in the bank for school and even gave me $25.00 a week for rent.
I don't think that at all. I think people should never retire. Man was meant to work. I also am not going to blame someone for wanting to feed their own children, and if not working full time does that better than working....then I won't fault them for that. I fault the system created that encourages it.
What's with all the bold red?Used to be a teacher?
I grew up on assistance. Went to school. I am now Dr. 'x'. I have a great job. I think others should do the same.
What I am saying is that there is a large local population that if you want them to work, you are going to need to give them a reason. $10 bucks an hour hasn't been a living wage for decades. If you are offering money and people aren't taking, you are either not offering enough, or built a business in the wrong place. Being a lot of business built here they know the people are here. However, I believe they thought the locals, many of which are poor and hurting from the manufacturing that left the area, would be happy to work for pennies. However, they are getting enough benefits by not working, that you need to offer more or move elsewhere. Give them a reason to go off of assistance.
By the way this is what many states have work for welfare laws now, and why NC just passed one. I hope it fixes part of the problem. Long way to go. Not sure how you fix a lack of personal responsibility that seems to permeate American life. Also a big part.
I don't think that at all. I think people should never retire. Man was meant to work. I also am not going to blame someone for wanting to feed their own children, and if not working full time does that better than working....then I won't fault them for that. I fault the system created that encourages it.
What's with all the bold red?Used to be a teacher?
I grew up on assistance. Went to school. I am now Dr. 'x'. I have a great job. I think others should do the same.
What I am saying is that there is a large local population that if you want them to work, you are going to need to give them a reason. $10 bucks an hour hasn't been a living wage for decades. If you are offering money and people aren't taking, you are either not offering enough, or built a business in the wrong place. Being a lot of business built here they know the people are here. However, I believe they thought the locals, many of which are poor and hurting from the manufacturing that left the area, would be happy to work for pennies. However, they are getting enough benefits by not working, that you need to offer more or move elsewhere. Give them a reason to go off of assistance.
By the way this is what many states have work for welfare laws now, and why NC just passed one. I hope it fixes part of the problem. Long way to go. Not sure how you fix a lack of personal responsibility that seems to permeate American life. Also a big part.
The red was to separate my answers in the post then couldn't figure out how to make it go away. LOL
Glad you are doing/did well! Benefits were for those who were down on their luck not meant to be your income. Even after I started my business when I was slow I mucked horse stalls as well as caught hay on the weekends I never thought of assistance.
Your premise that there aren't jobs paying more than $10.00 an hour is misguided. There are many jobs out there but people don't want to work physical jobs. America has near record 5.6 million job openings - Feb. 9, 2016 https://www.advisorperspectives.com/...uestion-is-why
Travel- "What? People lives in those scenarios all over the country. It isn't remotely unique to AVL. In New York, Chicago, Boston and on and on. Plus many smaller communities...all over the USA...in California, Colorado, Northeastern states, etc. etc."
Those areas all have higher paying jobs and more dynamic economies though as well as higher minimum wages, especially NYC Chicago Boston California. But the cost of living in Asheville is not remotely close to what it costs to live in those areas, so I agree with you in the sense that it is not a unique situation.
One would like to think that the scarcity of workers would cause employers to raise wages, but more likely people will just commute from further out since Asheville seems to be fairly desirable place to live.
You have to get pretty far out from Asheville before the cost of living, especially housing and rents, drops. As Asheville has gotten to be a popular destination for "transplants", the outlying counties outiside of Buncombe have grown and gone up in price as well. And commuting to Asheville? Traffic is a nightmare up there. My company has a location up there and I dread it every time I go.
Bear Hunter and oneluckymug -- this is one of those situations where you are both right.
BH - yes, you're right, for those able to, there should be pride in working and learning, as well as shame in not doing so. But, for many there isn't and as I stated previously, the reasons why are obvious. Americans are being told over and over by politicians (and the complicit media) that they "deserve" a lifestyle, things or a benefit without having to earn it. Many university environments are pumping young minds with the same ideas that 'other people owe you'. (some parents are culpable too). That's it....that is how these mentalities are originating.
An example of what luckymug is putting forth is: about 2009 or 2010 I decided to request than my Social Security benefits statements be mailed to me yearly. I'm was and am still not on SS and several years away from opting-in but you can get that info years ahead of time for planning. Well, when I saw how much my current Disability Insurance payment would be, and knowing we were in a recession at the time, I said to myself, "holy cow, I just know plenty of people are going to game this, exaggerate an illness or whatever they do, and get Doc's to declare them 'disabled' because those payments are high!' Sure enough, a year or so later I read articles about the huge increase in disability claims in just the prior couple of years. How coincidental!
Then saw a 60 Minutes segment where they profiled a disability attorney who was coining-it big in that arena and flagrantly so. He placed billboards all over his town soliciting applicants and claiming he could get anything through. Just horrendous. But, that's what luckymug is talking about --- that it's relatively easy to get someone else to pay your way and plenty of people have no shame in tapping that.
America has become a country of massive graft...from the top down and the bottom up. At this level, we likely can't heal it. It will have to crash hard with much suffering before people recalibrate their expectations and then we rebuild our country on more solid and realistic footing. (Hhmm, let's hope this commentary escapes the censors)
FWIW, I make $12.50/hr, it has been enough to buy a nice 1600 sq ft, 12 year old fixer on 5 acres in Morganton, and 2008 Buick Lucerne with very low, 35000, miles.
I moved here a year ago from San Diego and the move cleaned me out, it took 4 days to get my job in Hickory selling furniture. I drove a rental for 6 weeks. I already had the home rented in advance before I got here, I closed on its purchase last late October.
I have also saved up $3000, though alot of it was tax refund from the move.
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