Wages Rise, If You Have A Job, That Is

Published on September 7th, 2009

Posted by Uncle Dave in Business, economy

Despite the nation’s highest jobless rate in 26 years, American workers are seeing some encouraging trends this Labor Day, according to a report released Monday by Rutgers University.

In its second national labor scorecard, the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations said that for workers still collecting a paycheck, the average inflation-adjusted wages have actually increased and wage gaps for women and minorities have declined.

Still, the jobless rate continues to rise.

On the other hand:

According to the study, nearly 20 percent of workers have part-time jobs.

23 users responded in " Wages Rise, If You Have A Job, That Is "

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# 1 Buzz said, on September 7th, 2009 at 5:14 am

Beer.

# 2 Improbus said, on September 7th, 2009 at 5:18 am

Funny, my employer froze our pay raises for two years not to long ago. That may change if the economy picks up.

# 3 SparkyOne said, on September 7th, 2009 at 5:38 am

What type of wine, bitter, very fucking bitter.

# 4 Alfred1 said, on September 7th, 2009 at 6:20 am

Perhaps they’re laying off a lot of senior white workers…and that is closing the wage gap with women and minorities.

Gotta lay them off first so Obama care can get rid of them tomorrow.

Otherwise they might sneak into Mexico and get medical care.

# 5 Hmeyers said, on September 7th, 2009 at 6:51 am

You can buy a weeks worth of grocery for the price of a few of McDonald’s happy meals.

For the price of a single $3.99 can of Red Bull, you can buy 4 $0.99 24-ounce cans of beer.

Problems? What problems?

You just have to think outside the box.

Mmmmm … beer!

# 6 deowll said, on September 7th, 2009 at 7:02 am

It may depend on how they calculate this. If low paying jobs are going out the door faster than higher paying management jobs then an average would show pay going up even if nobody got a pay increase.

You know, sort of like how they figured unemployment went down while jobs were still being lost because they decided not to count people that couldn’t draw unemployment.

Nobody can lie better than an accountant except for a lawyer.

# 7 Winston said, on September 7th, 2009 at 7:25 am

“The scorecard, which doesn’t assign grades but charts whether indicators are improving or worsening, is based primarily on data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

Well, there’s the first problem. Govt figures are notoriously fudged.

“the average inflation-adjusted wages have actually increased and wage gaps for women and minorities have declined.”

Hmmmm, could it be that the average wage has increased and the gap has declined because the lowest income jobs have been lost to unemployment and/or are more “off the books” than they were last time they checked?

This is kinda’ like the “green shoot” that the mainstream financial media was touting when unemployment figures were “lower than expected” on a particular 4-day work week. Trouble is, due to the holiday that week, unemployment centers weren’t open for a day along with a large number of people falling off the unemployment rolls because they either stopped receiving benefits or stopped looking for a job thus entering the “discouraged worker” category which is not included in the unemployment figures. The mainstream financial media market pump monkeys rarely analyze anything that deeply.

Smoke and mirrors, people, just like the BS justifications for the war in Iraq…

# 8 Winston said, on September 7th, 2009 at 7:29 am

On our economy, such as it is, here’s all you need to know.

# 9 deowll said, on September 7th, 2009 at 7:40 am

#7 Smoke and mirrors, people, just like the BS justifications for the war in Iraq…

I thought Obama was pulling out no matter what even if it meant Iran or somebody took over?

I mean we don’t care about the price of oil any more do we? I thought cap and trade was going to fix that?

That last was sarcasm just in case you missed it.

# 10 Postman said, on September 7th, 2009 at 8:30 am

#6,

The specific anecdote you are looking for goes something like this…

If you ask a mathematician what the sum of 1 + 1 is they will respond 2.

If you ask a good accountant what the sum of 1 + 1 is they will respond with, “what number did you have in mind?”

# 11 RSweeney said, on September 7th, 2009 at 8:45 am

Look under any urban highway overpass.

The whines of choice for the unemployed (and unemployable) are Thunderbird and Night Train.

# 12 MikeN said, on September 7th, 2009 at 9:01 am

A minimum wage increase was passed not too long ago. Higher minimum wage equals lower employment, unless your wages are already do high the minimum wage increase doesn’t matter, or your overall employment increases more than the minimum wage increase shrinks it.

# 13 amodedoma said, on September 7th, 2009 at 9:02 am

Oh great, good news, those that haven’t lost their jobs recently may receive a pay raise to adjust their wages to the rate of inflation. Ummm, what that really means is the few people that are still working may not find their standard of living lowered by runaway inflation, for a while at least…

# 14 ECA said, on September 7th, 2009 at 1:40 pm

I had a great post for this, but the site went down.

It used to be that we could afford to have 1 person making money to feed the family.
When 2 persons worked there was alittle bit to save and use to make a better living.
Corps wish 2 things.
THEY WANT YOUR MONEY.
THEY WANT TO DO IT CHEAP.
As quality has gone down, Prices have gone up.
They are getting MORE profit with LESS. and where is the money going?
OWNERS/CEO/Major wage earners POCKETS and STOCKS. The WHOLE market is inflated.
If a Corp would fire 1-3 Major Earners you could save a WHOLE work force of the lower paid worker, 200-1000 very easily.
Some IDIOT economist awhile back made a statement, but DIDNT explain it well.
“If the economy rises 3% per year, thats a good thing”.
HE DIDNT SAY the price of goods/services could go up. but they have.
A few things THE USA did has also made it WORSE. Tariff on Wood products from Canada, 25%.. AFTER we sell off our wood to CHINA, then charge the USA tax payer MORE for the goods we SOLD to another nation, raising Building prices.
Sending METALS to china, at 3 times the going PRICE on an international TRADE, and THEN raising prices NATIONALLY to match. Raised Building and car prices thru the ROOF.
Corps trying to make MORE profit the SAME OLD WAY.. Cutting the lower wage workers TO/FOR even LOWER PAID WORKERS. And thinking that it saves money, when all they NEED DO, is FIRE 2-3 of the HIGHER PAID BOSS’S. But those FOLKS have CONTRACTS that make UNION LABOR look like FIRST YEAR LAWYERS.
So why not SEND the WHOLE company OUT OF THE USA. To the same place they sent OUR WORK. Boss’s over there make 1/10the what they do in the USA. And in China, if you SCREW UP, they chop off your head.

# 15 smartalix said, on September 7th, 2009 at 3:03 pm

Not to mention there are industries, like publishing, that would be in trouble now regardless of the economy due to disruptive technology. Salaries are not rising in the magazine and newspaper business, as far as I can see.

# 16 m.c. in l.v. said, on September 7th, 2009 at 3:13 pm

I have a job but no rising wages for me this year. Got the official email last week from the CEO basically saying be thankful you have a job in this down tourist economy. Oh well, what ya gonna do?

# 17 Raff said, on September 7th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

What kind of wine goes with unemployment?

“Do I have to look for a job?”

# 18 ECA said, on September 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm

Ripple, TJ swan, Mad dog, Thunderbird..

# 19 MikeR said, on September 8th, 2009 at 11:49 am

Uhmm.. When you lay off the lowest paid earners, of course the average wage for those still working will increase.

# 20 ECA said, on September 8th, 2009 at 12:17 pm

MIKE??

WRONG..

Tell that to the corp and they will LAUGH AT YOU, they might even bust open and fall on the floor and DIE(WISH)..

Tell that to FRED Meyers in the 90’s when we went from 500 workers to 300 in 2 years..TELL me I got a Larger wage…PLEASE tell me I didnt get CUT back to 32hours or LESS…and lost my benefits..

# 21 MikeR said, on September 8th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

ECA – think carefully how averages work.

You have 500 people working:
200 make $5 an hour
200 make $10 an hour
100 make $15 an hour

It costs the corp $1000 + $2000 + $1500 = $4500 per hour to employ these 500 people. The average worker makes $9 per hour ($4500/500)

It lay off time. Let’s say all 200 people making $5 an hour are let go. Now the labour costs are $2000 + $1500 = $3500 per hour to employee 300 people.

Guess what! Average wage for those 300 people is $11.67 per hour. So, the average wage has gone up but no one is making more money.

# 22 ECA said, on September 8th, 2009 at 1:48 pm

Mike,
Avg wage may go up, but NOT on the bottom..
Its the persons on TOP that get the INCENTIVE BONUS..which OUR BOSS, got.

Tell those numbers to the person making $5, when the person making $50+ per hour is still working..

Yes, I understand that the person making $5 per hour is getting Employer paid fees to state and fed. Which is about 1/2 of his wage. But those Fees ARENT THERE if you figure he is UNDER 32 hours. Only thing that is extra is the Workers trying to figure out his hours, at the office that are getting $12 per hour.

# 23 ECA said, on September 8th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

yes, you fire 2000 workers, and you can get rid of 20-50 PAPER Shufflers, and 2-3 boss’s(maybe) and others along the LINE of employment.
They solved most of that, by using a Time and ATTENDANCE system AT the job site.(Floppy backup(LMAO)).

it comes down to HOW much can you work 5 people over 10 people to clean up and maintain your OFFICES. 1 person gets sick, and SPIT happens.

Knock off your sales force, and what happens to the BOSS’s wages?

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