Sunday, April 24, 2005
Career Fields of Opportunity?
MSNBC news featured government statistics this week identifying 11 occupations where demand for workers far outstrips supply. There were recommendations for upcoming graduates to consider these fields. Three positions were in information technology, requiring advanced education and relatively well paid. The other eight positions were in the healthcare field, widely touted as an industry of great opportunity. Now look at the salary levels for these various assistants and technicians: $23,000 per year or a little over $11 per hour - and this after completing specialized training and obtaining (often) required certification.
Our business leaders spend two million dollars on a birthday party for the CEO's wife, the President wants to permanently ban any taxes on multimillion dollar estates, and our healthcare workers live at the poverty level. Is that the kind of society we want?
What is even scarier is that this wage level is more than TWICE the minimum wage that the really poor laborers receive. Perhaps we should change the name to 'poverty" wage - except it doesn't even reach that designated level.
We can't raise it because those fast food franchise owners would lose part of their quarter million dollar annual profits (and they are such reliable political contributors)!
Our business leaders spend two million dollars on a birthday party for the CEO's wife, the President wants to permanently ban any taxes on multimillion dollar estates, and our healthcare workers live at the poverty level. Is that the kind of society we want?
What is even scarier is that this wage level is more than TWICE the minimum wage that the really poor laborers receive. Perhaps we should change the name to 'poverty" wage - except it doesn't even reach that designated level.
We can't raise it because those fast food franchise owners would lose part of their quarter million dollar annual profits (and they are such reliable political contributors)!
