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Thoughts? I am strapped for time so can't give you my detailed opinion, but in short I think it's total absurdity.
Contract work is not an option for many of us, and those that can take contract work -- like myself, leave it as a last resort because we still see ourselves as having a shot at full-time employment with benefits. I worked contract from 2005 - 2008 and frankly, it's different and not in a good way (for me).
Contract workers seem to be treated as more "expendable" than the direct hires, and much like a step-child, seem to be left out of the loop in many of the business decisions, even though we may be long-term contributors with a direct stake in the outcomes.
So, in closing, I have to say I think the contract job market is impacted by the rising economy, but no more than it was when the economy was stronger. It's just being "corrected" to its normal place in the market.
Careful there Randomdude with your generalizations - google Prevailing Wage, specialized knowledge requirement, and H1-B, . H1-B's aren't the issue. The issue is a fundamental shift in the types of available jobs vs employee supply and demand driven by a new global economy.
H1-Bs arent the issue, the employers bringing them in are the issue. The employers are fabricating employee shortages to get more H1-Bs, when the only real problem is that they dont want to pay Americans.
This is the identical argument that agriculture and construction use when they are recruiting Mexicans and Central Americans. Truth is, if you put a sign up saying "Watermelon picking, $20 an hour", Americans would be lined up for a mile to do it. I would flat out quit my job now to go do that. The real problem is that there is a shortage of Americans willing to pick vegetables for less then minimum wage, and in the unsanitary and abusive conditions farms expect them to work in.
The problem we see here is that with low wages, there is an advantage to just being on welfare, thus the numbers grow. The wages mentioned in the article like $8.00 to $10.00 are common here and the benefits are nil. We have a lot of young and able employees here on welfare because they can't pass a drug test. The work force is there but they prefer not to work. Those at the lower end of the pay scale often qualify for some taxpayer assistance depending on location and family size. Ah, imagine getting up at ten, going to McDonald's to pick up your late breakfast with taxpayer provided dollars............and picking up something to get high in the evening also courtesy the taxpayer.
The problem we see here is that with low wages, there is an advantage to just being on welfare, thus the numbers grow. The wages mentioned in the article like $8.00 to $10.00 are common here and the benefits are nil. We have a lot of young and able employees here on welfare because they can't pass a drug test. The work force is there but they prefer not to work. Those at the lower end of the pay scale often qualify for some taxpayer assistance depending on location and family size. Ah, imagine getting up at ten, going to McDonald's to pick up your late breakfast with taxpayer provided dollars............and picking up something to get high in the evening also courtesy the taxpayer.
1. Florida just recently discovered that the occurance of people on public assistance using drugs is so low that it wouldnt even be worth the money to test them.
2. Cash payments for welfare are highly restricted, and limited, and McDonalds doesnt take food stamps. It is complete BS that welfare recipients are single able bodied adults, who can lay down wads of tax payer cash to fund their lives of leisure.
You might want to turn off Faux News once in a while......
Wrong. My son works in the meat department at Publix. There is a meat manager, assistant meat manager, four cutters, two assistant cutters, two clerks, plus two seafood specialists. He was hired directly into meat as a meat clerk and within a year was being taught how to cut meat. Within two years he was full time as an assistant meat cutter. P/T at Publix get benefits. F/T get great benefits including quarterly bonuses.
A lot of people don't want meat, it makes them squeamish. Someone who actually wants to work meat has a good chance of being hired (they have to be over 18--Federal labor laws) into meat.
I've applied at many jobs at Publix stores where I live. Every meat department job description says experience is required.
1. The tables are never going to turn. This isnt just some "blip". The jobs are being automated and exported at an insane speed, and our education and skill level as a group continues to grow at a completely unsustainable rate. The end result of this is going to be less overall jobs then exist now, many unskilled localized service jobs, and nearly every member of the growing work force qualified to, or overqualified to do them. This will lead to persistent unemployment, highly picky employers, and permanent depression of wages for almost every profession.
2. Employers are already whining and complaining about how good help is hard to find. Thats only because they cant find people fluent in 10 different programming languages with a masters degree in mathematics or computer science to work for 24k a year. Thats exactly why every year the H1-B quota is filled on day 1, and why the major players are spending millions lobbying and getting the number of H1-B's inched up every year. The fact is, there is an American who WILL do every job in this country, and is qualified to do every job in this country, the problem is that the employers dont want to pay the wages required for those skills.
For instance, annerk is complaining about the guy who lacks math skills and cant do part of his job that she is "overpaying" at $13 an hour. I bet if the salary was bumped to 60k a year to do the job, she would have applications coming in from Montana to fill it.
I guess the only way to combat egotistical employers is to get rid of money completely and find another form of currency. Communism right? Sigh....
I guess the only way to combat egotistical employers is to get rid of money completely and find another form of currency. Communism right? Sigh....
Way to get ridiculous. He said employers low ball on wages and benefits because they can, and you call him a communist. Next time you have a thought, just let it go.
Agreed! Plumbers also need math skills and particularly if they are doing new construction they need to be able to read and interpret blueprints. Mechanics need to have computer skills to run diagnostic programs and look at parts discs.
In Texas, apparently all they need to know is Spanish.
And I wish I were joking, but I'm not. These skilled professions get farmed out to illegal aliens.
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