We don’t have a “labor shortage”. IT’S A WAGE SHORTAGE!

These employers are delusional if they think people are going to work for pennies.

If you want me to work, pay me a living wage. Otherwise I'm just going to keep living off my rich daddy's money.

Does anyone here remember when corporations used to at least pretend that they valued their employees and customers?

Now they don’t even bother.

[...]

Minimum wage is absolutely nothing to live on.

Raise the minimum wage by COL index.

More unskilled migrants will surely lift wages.

It's because the Boomers-in-charge think it's still 1988- and $16.00/hr. is exhorbitant!

I remember I had a File Clerk job in 1987 for $4.25/hr. and I thought that was pretty damn good.

No one puts in a full day's work anymore. They're far too busy checking their smartphones.

By the way, why did they get rid of cotton socks? They are all now nylon and other plastics. You even can’t find cotton tube socks anymore.

And cotton is not even that expensive. They are doing all this literally to make an extra penny. It’s out of control. What ever happened to consumer based media?

R5, yes like most civilised countries. R9, until cotton can be grown 'cleaner' let's not buy it.

This is just preparation for the media and the government to tell us non-stop for the next two years that we need more immigration.

They wouldn’t allow the storyline of a “labor shortage” if it meant wages for the working and middle classes would actually rise. It’s just prepping us for more third world migration to line the pockets of the 1%.

Increasing calls for "general strike" in the US. We'd love to see it but may not. The people have the power but are conditioned not to use it. Anti-union propaganda and other bullshit. Brainwashing.

Kuntie Alley says it’s time to start working.

R11, deFuckto, go fuck yourself. WHITE AMERICAN WORKERS will not touch the jobs that migrants take. There are no jobs being “taken” by immigrants you ignorant, fat, squishy, piece of shit. But keep beating that drum mother fucker.

This country is paying starvation wages. Bezos DC mansion has 15 bathrooms, while 600,000 sleep on the streets. DISGUSTING. We are better than this. I think??? No one gives a fuck anymore? I do. And I know many of you here still care about creating a just world.

Typo, 25 bathrooms not 15!!!!

R14 (i'm not defacto) Yes, there's a lot of jobs "Americans wouldn't do", but they also pay nothing, so I refuse to support slave labor as a cause. There's also SOME JOBS Americans would do, and currently do -- construction is a major job that is undermined by cheap labor.

I don't think it's something Northerners pay attention to or notice because it's not right in front of our eyes. I'm in the NE and it's not a big problem (yet), but when I visit southern states, a lot of the construction is being done by immigrant workers. That's a lot of work; that used to be GOOD paying work (as it should be). Lots of house care jobs as well.

My relatives frequently talk to the workers and they've been great, but there's an obvious issue with a majority of the crew being used as cheap labor. These are millionaire businesses being shady. They still hire Americans, but it's usually for foreman positions.

I can't help but feel like a liberal pawn when it comes to this issue, since cronie capitalism gets to win having cheap labor. The wealthy love their maids, nannies, gardeners/ landscapers, and construction workers -- all jobs Americans would do.

A Mom and Pop deli in northern NJ had to close because they can't find any workers. I'm guessing that you can still collect UI even if there are jobs out there but you don't like/can't live on the wages being paid. No one will take a low-paying job until the additional UI benefit ends.

And as far as inflation on products... it seems like a well manufactured inflation. We move all the factories and a lot of the labor, so it can be made for less, yet it costs more than it ever has. It's not because the products are better quality (take a good look at older products made out of quality materials), it's due to them paying pennies, not passing on the savings, and taking a 1000% or more mark up. I refuse to believe cheap clothing from Indonesia costs more than it did when it was made here.

From a chef who has a restaurant in So. Calif.:

“There are no employees available in California. We are paying dishwashers $21 to start. The two main reasons people tell me they won't work: 1. They are making enough on unemployment and would rather not work; 2. With schools closed, they can't pay someone to watch their children.”

R18 exactly. They always blame "benefits" for not having workers, like they did after 2008. They bitched that those on unemployment, formerly paid decent wages, should work as minimum wage workers -- as if there's no factors when it comes to maintaining lifestyle. Before I'm accused of sounding uppity -- it does matter if you have preexisting mortgages, utilities, and other obligations.

R17? "Cronie capitalism"?

Oh, dear!

R20 I don't believe them. The entire population is not on unemployment. They really can't find anyone to wash dishes for $21? Not a single teen? Not a single person leaving a crappier job? Reminds me of "Joe the plumber" type propaganda.

R22 "crony"... happy now? Swiping to text kept pushing it the other way, making me doubt my initial gut feeling it wasn't spelled that way.

If people can make more on unemployment, do you think they are actually going to work?🤣🤣🤣

(R13) Sorry there are no servers to wait on your fat Scientology ass.

People ARE making more on unemployment — why oh why would they want to work? You can’t make it anymore, we’ve taken away the dignity of millions. This is the result of decades of corporate greed. But migrants are NOT the bulk of the problem. Also, migrants aren’t hiring themselves! WHITE business owners are hiring them, these business owners are the fucking problem. The south has its own problems that are separate. If the south allowed unions, they would have a healthy construction economy. UNIONS are key to climbing out of this mess.

R25 but not everyone is on unemployment. You had to have lost a job on the books, through no fault of your own. Essential workers weren't let go and that accounts for a lot of workers. Everyone I know of that's on unemployment, worked/ works in a skilled trade. They are held up because a lot of the work is in public buildings (hospitals, schools, etc.) They'll be back to work as vaccines finish rolling out. They are on a list to go back any day.

And yeah, R27, the white business owners are the problem. There's a reason no one suggests going to the source. I can't see unions helping much these days though. They're on lifesupport across the country. My partner belongs to one and it just barely limps along because of so many scabs. That's without a plentiful source of cheap labor like they have with immigrants in the south. That happens here and our tradesman will be in hot water.

The fact that people are apparently making more from unemployment benefits should be the real story.

R14 there are no “jobs Americans won’t do.” That is another media narrative that you’ve heard so many times you’re just unconsciously reciting as fact. Americans won’t do certain jobs for certain wages — that’s why they bring in foreigners to do them for cheap. But you can’t tell me that they wouldn’t do the jobs if the price were right.

[Quote] “There are no employees available in California. We are paying dishwashers $21 to start.

I highly doubt this, but if so, that's actually not a bad hourly wage. It's what others should be paying to get people back to work. Really, though, the minimum wage should be $24, since that is what a fair one would be, adjusted for inflation.

[Quote] The two main reasons people tell me they won't work: 1. They are making enough on unemployment and would rather not work.

I think people have a gross misconception that unemployment benefits are sooooo generous and are making people lazy. The benefits are actually below the $15 minimum wage that progressives have been pushing for. It's about an equivalent $14 an hour. If that's enough to get people to stay home, then employers across the board really need to pick up the pace and raises wages on their own. I know congress is corrupt as fuck and won't do it, but a minimum wage is a floor, not a ceiling. Nothing is stopping them from bumping it up themselves. Which brings me to #2.

[Quote] 2. With schools closed, they can't pay someone to watch their children.”

Totally legitimate excuse and it's something that's going to need to be addressed. However, it is important to remember that the vaccine is not available to children under 15, so that is a major reason why it is not safe to open schools in person. The virus mutates, so if you allow unvaccinated kids to keep spreading it around, it will evolve into a form where the vaccines can't protect from it, bringing us back to square one. Not to mention that our country saw a (reported) 500,000 deaths from the virus, so that significantly lowers the labor pool. If this virus continues to rampage in the future, the work force will shrink even further. It'll end up being like the times post bubonic plague. Labor will gain an advantage over capital because there is less competition.

Those are the breaks for your restaurant owner friend. Serves him right. These industries have exploited people for far too long. It's time for the tables to turn.

R29 I suspect that’s another media narrative that fails under scrutiny.

[quote] But you can’t tell me that they wouldn’t do the jobs if the price were right.

Are you suggesting the minimum wage be raised, R20? That would sure be a break from the majority of your party’s position.

R25, oh my God, of course they will still work. People know unemployment won't last forever. Also, unemployment doesn't necessarily mean medicaid (it usually doesn't.) If you want people to work for peanuts and not even have benefits, the problem isn't exorbitant unemployment.

R33 Well I don’t just repeat “my party’s position.” I’m not a fucking robot.

Yes! Build the wall, raise the minimum wage, cancel all immigration, enact Medicare for All. It would be a paradise.

Not defending Bezos because I think he is a creep. The DC mansion has so many bathrooms because it was formerly the Textile Museum.

R35 You are for Medicare for All, too? Fascinating.

R37 How else are they supposed to get health insurance if they're making $7.25 a hour and that job doesn't provide it?

R38 Are you for raising the minimum wage [italic]and[/italic] Medicare for All.

R39, is this a trick question? Does anybody believe $7.25 is a fine wage (even for late teens?) and that health insurance tied to employment (or more likely nonexistent) is the best this country can and should do?

Wages need to be pegged to CEO and top level salaries within the company.

R40 It’s not a trick question. If you are for both, which you seem to be, I would find you a little bit adorable and would stop hating on you for bumping threads from 2015.

Honestly, though, you would surprise me. I hate dismissing people because of their party affiliation and you make an interesting case in point as to why.

Let Queen Free Market reign supreme! That’ll show these stingy MFers. 👑

R9 not sure where you're shopping (or what cotton tube socks have to do with this thread) but you might want to look somewhere besides the 99 cent store, because I have no problem finding cotton socks, and they're all over online.

R42, wait, what? I rarely post; I wouldn't even know how to bump a thread from 2015. I just read r25, and felt the need to dispute what you wrote. Unemployment runs out and provides no health insurance. It's not a super sweet deal. That's all.

Oh, Defacto…

You fucker, you!

I had never seen the pyramid-shaped UFO footage from the Pentagon before. Creepy.

The workforce was shrinking considerably before the pandemic and now shit is about to hit the fan. There are "now hiring" signs outside most retail and restaurants in my area.

I think this is an unexpected turn of events for the corporate overlords, I bet they never thought people would make more on government benefits than showing up to their shitty stressful jobs. Young guys are busy making six figures showing their entire ass and dick on Onlyfans and have no incentive to hold down a day job. This is reality in America.