>

Whose not working? Isn't unemployment back to pre covid levels?
My uncle is super pissed off that my cousin's wife is staying home and not working.  Childcare is so expensive she doesn't think it is worthwhile.  She was making 12 an hour, and childcare was eating around 700 a month, after taxes she was spending half of her time working just to pay for childcare.    My cousin was vocally against it until he figured out that with her clipping coupons, not driving, not eating lunch out every day etc., they actually have nearly the same spending money.  
Pay is too low and everything costs too much. >

I’m amazed she can find childcare for $700. I’m paying close to 2,000, and we were on like five waiting lists when I was 12 weeks pregnant to even get a spot by the time he was 4 months old. >

Worked in childcare for 5+ years, I'm convinced the entire industry is on the verge of collapse any time now. We were dangerously low on staff, much less staff you want to trust your children with like 4 years ago and we were bleeding staff including myself. Then COVID hit, some other things and I'm amazed any childcare is even available anymore. >

When I moved here to Texas I did all the research and wrote up a full pro-forma on running an in home daycare so my wife could stay home. The math simply makes no sense without either paying slave labor wages ($12/h is average here for childcare workers) or charging ridiculous prices. Subsidy really is the only viable answer because I won't pay people garbage to work for me so we scrapped the idea. When Texas completely runs out of child care maybe they will change their tune. >

They’ll probably try to have child labor laws scrapped. No day care needed if the kid has a job. >

The plan as far as I could see by reading through the regulations to get certified is to just lower the standards of care. You can have an unlicensed day care here with up to 4 kids. So... Yeah, you could be an axe murdering chomo meth addict here and watch 4 kids no problemo. Also, for a state so obsessed with illegal immigration, that does seem like a glaringly obvious loophole right? Almost like the state is OK with it as long as it's low paid, unskilled labor. >

The four kids rule is in my state as well. My wife looked into doing it since she's a SAHM and with cpr training and other certs, insurance, and increased overhead from food/diapers/clothes/toys it wasn't worth even considering without charging an insane amount per child. The money just isn't there for anyone involved. >

exactly the same results I came to when I wrote up a business proforma. >

I'm not sure what a proforma is lmao. I just understand numbers and costs. I think the point where it was remotely worth it to us was if she charged 10 an hour per kid. And that still amounts to, a minimum of 20k a year in child support for a family. It's not worth it for most families when the secondary income usually isn't much better than that, or even that good. >

A proforma is just a financial plan, a breakdown of how your business would perform with numbers. It's exactly what you just said done formally. >

Because employers sure as hell aren't holding up their end with benefits like *checks notes* fair compensation >

They need to bring back pensions! THAT will get the results they're looking for! >

I tell someone old this weekly. There is zero reason for company loyalty without a pension. Even pensions were over promised and under delivered, but at least it was worth hanging around for. >

My grandfather used to work at BF Goodrich for the majority of his career.  When he was 6 months from retirement (having worked there for along ass time) they cut him and a few other people, citing "poor performance" and he lost his pension.  Was there for decades working.  
If pensions were a thing, there would need to be more protections for people.  Or something.
Maybe there are?  But most places don't offer them so who knows. >

Australia: government pensions, not company based; mandatory superannuation payments paid at 10% of base salary, by ALL employers; government supported aged care places; social housing solutions. Pension increases are indexed to CPI. It’s not a lot of money - currently about $27k per annum against an average wage of $65k but it helps. >

socialism!! evil!!! first pensions, then universal healthcare! it’ll be the apocalypse!!! >

Wait til I tell you about the universal healthcare, with private options and the pharmaceutical benefits scheme that means we DON’T go bankrupt from paying for healthcare or overpriced medications. Then there’s a minimum wage guarantee, 4 weeks paid annual leave, 10 days paid sick leave and paid maternity leave (usually 12 weeks). Many employers pay above these wage floors. We have to pay for university education now, but that can be offset and repaid over time as a small percentage of income. >

“Childcare won't fix all the labor market's challenges. Men in their prime working years, or those between 25 to 54, have fled the workforce since February 2020.” I’m not sure why this author seems to think that childcare costs don’t impact men’s participation in the labor force. My wife earns more money than I do, so if one of us stayed home then it would be me. Honestly I only am still working because I like my job, financially it makes almost no difference if I work or not. >

Yeah, my husband is now a stay at home Dad. He was only making $23/hour. It wasn’t worth him working when childcare for an infant is $400/week. After gas, mileage, and buying lunch 5x week was factored in, we’re breaking even with him staying home. >

I mean I make good money but buying lunch every day is crazy. I normally get something oce a week as a treat but that shit is too expensive >

What do you eat then? Sandwiches? >

Generally that's the sensible thing. Or make a big dinner and eat leftovers. The whole eating out every day is upper middle/lower upper class mindset.
Or just don't eat because humans have evolved to resist famine. >

Yeah I need to adjust my lifestyle. I’ve eaten out every day 2-3 times a day for almost 10 years now. Costs more than my rent, but it’s all I’ve known in my adult life >

Holy fuck. How is your health? >

No reply, assumed dead. >

And Republicans would block these plans at every turn, including the Supreme Court. >

The historical average of workers entering the labor pool is down 400,000 this year. Next year it will be 500k fewer than historical average.Now add in the fact peak retirement for baby Boomers is right now, and we have a labor crisis that idiots are blaming on low participation by zoomers, and millenials. The zoomers are such a tiny generation that it guarantees a labor crisis for the next two decades get used to it. >

To be fair, this should have been expected and planned for years ago. Generation X was a very small generation and this is the second time it's happened due to those smaller numbers. 
Boomers waited longer to have kids than the generations before them. Women having actual careers only furthered this. This continued into the already small Gen X.  It picked back up with Millenials and will in time with Gen Z, but there will be a lull a few more years. It is just the start of Gen Z entering the workforce. 
Gen Z also has a higher number going to some form of post HS education than before. This also stalls the numbers temporarily.  Those in Gen Z who pursued law school or medical school are also just now entering the work force. >

None of it would matter if capitalism didn’t demand unlimited growth. If CEOs and Corporate boards could analyze their quarterly reports in the context that they will never see the amount of consumption that that occurred in the late 20th - early 21st century our society might stand a chance. There just is not enough demand with boomers entering retirement and millennials and gen z just don’t buy shit as much as boomers did. >

But but but….. 
The corporatists have had ~75 years of near unlimited growth, profits and consumption. Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg and the cadre of mega billionaires are going to run the whole world into the ground before even lifting an eyelash to stabilize and/or change the system.
It’s going to take mass demonstrations like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and significant government reforms to wrest control from them and the religionists. 
That being said, I’m actually hopeful this will happen. The crush of climate change and the resulting mass migration to more temperate climates will likely force their hands. >

The US and the west in general may reduce consumption, but there is a great big world out there full of people who are ready to buy.  We may never be free of rampant consumerism, but we can work to make it less impactful on the environment.  And even if we do end rampant  consumerism, more sustainable practices are not a wasted endeavor.
It is easy for people with full fat stomachs to tell everyone to skip a meal. >

Relying on corporate America and Wall Street to have employees best interests in mind is a fools gambit. 
Corporations won’t let this hit their bottom line. They’ll just lower salary, or start hiring more contractors and part-time workers without benefits.  
No government action that requires voluntary compliance from corporations will work >

Money is a benefit, how about we start with that one? >

On one hand - yes. More money.
On the other hand - sure. More money.
But. And this is a horrible but. But how do we ensure businesses don't just start charging more for things and blame it on people having extra money? Because, like, we once got 1400 bucks and that seemed to drive inflation for a good 18 months somehow. >

I know the free market crowd would hate this but federally set price ceilings based on the cost of providing the good / service. For example if it costs 10¢ to produce a pot of coffee at a convenience store they shouldn't be able to charge any more than $1.79 for a 24 oz cup. We need the government to intervene because the profit driven model of society and businesses is killing people. >


We need the government to intervene because the profit driven model of society and businesses is killing people.

Setting prices is a bad idea, but I do know something that would help, if not solve most of our problems. Taxes. See my other posts for some links.
Basically we've given people like Warren Buffet a lower tax rate than his secretary for too long - regressive tax policies. We do this because the wealthy pay for the tax rates and policies they want buy purchasing our representatives. 
50 years of this is why the recession we're about to go through could be a huge shitstorm. The rich people have all of the fucking money and they're gonna want the public to foot the bill when their stocks and "too big to fail" businesses that they've benefitted from and squeezed the middle and lower classes with for decades fail. We can't bail out everyone indefinitely. We know where all the fucking money is going and it isn't to the people who need it. >

True and if you suggest forcibly taking and redistributing those fucker's money because they don't deserve it you'll get droves of people lining up to defend them. It honestly gives off Stockholm syndrome vibes. >

This mentality used to surprise me until I began to realize that these people defending billionaires wholeheartedly believe that one day they too may become absurdly wealthy. >

I want nationalized healthcare! Americans can no longer be tethered to their job for health insurance
WHAT A SCAM! >

Solution: establish something like the 'Commons' in the US. Designate specific industries or types of services as 'for the common good', and while they can be run privately, they would fall under the umbrella of the govt and COULD NOT BE RUN FOR PROFIT. 
Schools, prisons, healthcare, peer-reviewed journals, and I'm sure there are a dozen other things I'm missing that should be on this list.
This country really needs to stop relying on 'for the shareholders' as the mantra for why things can't get done in a way that actually helps people. Fuck the shareholders. If they don't like it, they can sell their shares and invest somewhere else. >

Everything you just said makes perfect sense and yet Fox News viewers that are under-insured, in debt, and on the losing side of income inequality would actually die in the streets screeching about socialism rather than see a system like that implemented.
The "smart" conservatives, the ones that own homes and have jobs that provide for them and their families, would repeat the mantra that it's the "wrong" way to solve these problems without ever being able to suggest a real alternative solution that wasn't some version of "It's the federal government's fault!". >

Oooh, I have a solution for that one, too!
Solution: Ignore them. Put in earplugs so we don't hear their 'SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' about whatever bullshit Fucker Carlson talking points they're trying to peddle... and make progress. Hell, declare a federal state of emergency and ram those changes through.
I'm far past the point where I care about giving them an 'equal voice' in the discussion. Their stupidity cannot be a reason to impede progress, to prevent us from making everyone's lives better, to avoid dealing with the big problems because some jackass thinks 'it is just too hard' -- or, more likely, because a bunch of their donors don't want to lose that sweet money train. >

Americans are working though. There just aren't enough able bodied people to fill all the jobs. I don't buy any suggestion the "labor shortage" is because of lazy people just sitting around on unemployment. More benefits is always a good idea but ultimately there will never be enough people to satisfy these openings. >

And unemployment payments are temporary anyway. So if that’s what’s people are indeed staying home on unemployment, then they’re coordinating amongst themselves to take turns staying out of the workforce, because unless they want to have no money at all they have to go back to work once their unemployment runs out. Somehow I doubt there’s a FB group with millions of people out there assigning who is going to stay home when… >

The biggest factor is retiring people. Boomers are starting to retire in droves. This is why Congress is attempting to raise the retirement age with Secure 2.0 to a minimum of 70 1/2 for penalty free withdrawal of 401Ks from 59 1/2. Congress is also mulling raising the SS distribution age. This would keep Boomers in the workforce longer. >

I know boomers who don't want to retire. >

The US is at near Record-level employment right now. It really speaks to how fucked up capitalism is when having so many people working, and you still need more workers. >

When you stop looking for work, you fall off of the unemployment rate calculation. So there are less people working than you might think.
"Someone who does not have a job but claims they are not looking for one is considered out of the labor force and is not counted in the unemployment rate." >

In 1972 the minimum wage was $2.00/hr. Calculated just for inflation (not Cost of Living Adjustment) in 2022, it should be $14.24. 
The last time minimum wage increased was in 2009 at $7.25 for all covered, nonexempt workers.
If minimum wage was adjusted according to inflation, even the small business owners owe you guys a brand new car. >

I've never really understood why minimum wage wasn't just automatically tied to a localized CPI.  We spend tax dollars polling the country for the price of rent, milk, etc.  How hard would it really be to draw a line between these two numbers and figure out what minimum wage should be, without having to roll the rock uphill with congress every time it needs to increase?  I'm guessing this would also have a cooling effect on all these greedy fuckers that are raising prices and blaming inflation yet somehow magically earning record profits.  If raising your prices translates directly to having to pay your employees more, you might think twice about sneaking in a price increase just to try to pad your wallet.
A localized CPI would also help to differentiate between the COL in San Fransisco and rural Kansas.  I'm all for raising the rates, but different areas have different costs, and a nationwide minimum wage is kind of a terrible idea if you think about it this way.  I get that it exists so that no states are able to unilaterally deploy essentially slave labor.  But a federally mandated minimum wage that corresponds to local CPI data is much more reasonable so that low COL areas don't have to scale the same as high COL ones. >

Well said!  👍👍😎 >

Dude. This is the best solution I have ever read. Totally agree. Record profits are happening right now. Corps are literally saying it’s because we can raise prices in their board meeting. >

I quit my electrical engineering job over a year ago to design video games.  I think once my game is done I can make far more than I did in my previous job, and I get to work from home on my own schedule.  Enticing me back into an office job will require a lot of money.  I'm never putting up with that crap again unless I absolutely have to or the salary is worth it.  For now, I'd rather risk it by gambling that my video game startup will succeed.  I really don't want to go back to work for a corporation that doesn't care about me, doesn't pay me enough to afford a home near work, and overworks me as much as they can while the shareholders and executives make hundreds of times what I make.  Fuck that.  It's a terrible deal.  If corporations want to entice workers, PAY US MORE.  A LOT MORE.  I want to make enough money to buy a house near work and I want to have a life worth living.  That's not an unreasonable request. >

After a horrible year dealing with mental illness, I have decided to just chill. I mean my career has been rough and I am tired of people telling me what to do. I rather do Uber eats or something like that than work for a corporation. I decided to listen to my family and stop worrying about work and focus on my health. I got private insurance that covers my medication. Eventually I can work freelance. It is just not worth fighting for a job when you have to apply about forty times before you get an interview and then compromise when it comes to pay just to get the job.
My family has everything taken cared for me. I filed for disability so hopefully that comes through. I am tired of employers questioning my work ethic and being over all hypocrites. My last job I was expected to do 12 hour days when management would leave early.
I have been applying but remote only no exceptions. >


I filed for disability so hopefully that comes through.

US disability benefits are rarely given to anyone on the first attempt, FYI. If you're not severely visibly disabled, like missing limbs, they tend to auto-reject. There are lawyers who specialize in disability claims, and won't charge anything up-front - they get paid from a portion of your back-pay if they get your re-application approved. >

PAY.  THEM.  MORE. 
Jesus fucking Christ it's like watching a toddler stand next to a fire with a bucket of water and trying to figure out how to put the fire out. >

And corporate tax rates are at historic lows. The tax burden has shifted to non-rich individuals. >

Y’know, I’m so flustered that everyone keeps looking for a solution that isn’t simply, “Pay a living wage, treat workers with respect, let them share in the profits they help create, and remember they are not slaves.”  
It’s not that hard. And it shows how tight-fisted nearly every business/business owner is that they will gyrate wildly to find a solution that ultimately doesn’t involve those things. 
You want to fix the system? Transform work from degrading servitude that doesn’t pay for a life, into something people can embrace and thrive from. We sell our bodies and lives for 50+ years, and by the time we can even think about retiring, most of us are too used up, too beaten down, and so far past our physical prime to make our remaining years enjoyable. “Work is life” should never have become an aspiration. >


“Pay a living wage, treat workers with respect, let them share in the profits they help create, and remember they are not slaves.”

Capitalists will try anything but something that requires they give up some of their unearned hoard. >

Somewhere on the internet there is a gaggle of conservative “Christians” who are opposed to this 🤡 >

See r/conservative for more >

Republicans want to entice Americans back to work by stripping all aid and benefits to ensure anyone in the lower classes that are not working multiple jobs will simply starve. >

No no, food isn't a right, so please work multiple jobs and still starve, peasants /s >

I work in behavioral health which truth be told is a thankless, underpaid, awful industry.  I try to make a difference but a lot of the time it feels like pissing in the wind.
In any case, most of our "frontline workers" (people going to provide 1:1 support to children) are hourly "employees".  They used to be called independent contractors but some funding decision up top said everyone needs to be called an "employee" even if they're part-time, hourly, no benefits, etc.  I could rant about this particular thing forever but that's not even the point.
We recently got permission to create a full-time version of the same job.  The only real differences work-wise are that you are agreeing to work full-time hours no matter what - so if your client is sick, you have to come into the office for trainings and such as opposed to just going home and not getting paid.  On the flip side, you get salary, benefits, PTO, etc.
Guess what?  After almost a YEAR of zero applications, we've had dozens of applications and have already hired 10+ employees.  Turns out people want steady pay, benefits, paid time off - ESPECIALLY in a brutal industry like ours!  Baffling that it took so long to get here but I'm glad we did. >

Make it so we can afford homes >

Offer Medicare for all at a fixed gross percentage rate that’s less than my current premiums. >

Biden needs to pull his head out of his ass, the cat is already out of the bag. I'm a lefty that ends up voting blue or green as a lesser of two evils and I'm sick of this band-aid, last minute type politic that only addresses issues when they're at a critical point.   
The middle class as we knew it is basically non-existent at this point. About 33% of the country makes less than $28,000 a year. Nearly 50% of households make less than $50,000 a year. Only 16% of households make $50k to $74.99k a year. Only 30% of households make over $100k a year - which with the relative cost of things would be considered "middle class" in a housing market where million dollar homes are becoming a frequent developer priority. 
#Only 10M out of 380M households make over 200k a year.
#Only 1.5M out of 380M households make over 500k a year.
#Only 380k out of 380M households make over 1 million a year.  
Now, politics aside - this trickle down economics scam that's been in place since the 80s has lead to a pool of wealth at the top that seems to never trickle down. This is the biggest heist in human history by the US government and the "elite" of the country. If they can invest in products of war, start wars, foot the bill of the war on the poor tax payer, then profit off of the war, there is no reason to ever bring peace to this world for the wealthy. When they run out of countries to export war to, they'll make it domestically.   
Biden's rhetoric is meant to be comforting in a time of great stress in the history of our civilization. He doesn't really care about families, just making sure the economy remains stable enough for the elite to continue to profit off of war. And if that means bargaining with the lower class for basic things that other develop countries already have, like health care, child care, better public transpiration, etc. etc. - they're going to make some concession to keep our heads just enough over water to continue to rob us all blind at the expense of their profits. >

Like universal healthcare, paid family leave and guaranteed PTO?  
​
You know, like every other 1st world country. >

Tax the rich and pay the poor more >

They need to fix healthcare benefits. There is no good reason why I need three different insurance plans for medical, dental, and vision. They need to fix medical insurance, in general, as well. >

Not to mention, medical care should not be tied to employment. >

Universal Healthcare could reduce the money businesses spend on insurance for employees. I don’t understand why Industry doesn’t support Medicare for all. >

Tying healthcare to jobs makes the threat of losing a job more dangerous >

Covid-19 is STILL raging and zero measures taken.
Wages are shit.
Prices are high.
All while witnessing unhinged corruption in finance, industry and government at the cost of our planet 🌎 >

Maybe the dems should fight to raise the minimum wage, >

Maybe our Government shouldn't screw over workers by making striking illegal for even basic sick days. >

As a railroad employee I agree.    Working tonight,   It’s gonna be -30 with the windchill and I’m outside most of the night.     People get sick >

my guess is they want boomers to unretire so they can physically go to work at a wage that doesn't match the cost of living >

One nice benefit might be raises that aren't just a fraction of what inflation is (aka "a pay cut"). >

So real worker rights and universal health care. Or is that too much >

Like a f’n living wage?  Health insurance and sick days? >

MONEY. PEOPLE. NEED. CASH. The minimum wage isn't even close to what it needs to be. Triple it. And then tax the shit out of wealth - 3% annually on everything over 10M. And tax 2nd - nth homes immediately. And then let's talk in 5 years. >

Pay me for my commute >

whos not working? >

Stay-home parent.  Daycare costs are one of the big reasons they stay home. >

I worked with a guy once who said that his salary was basically just childcare costs plus $5k, so as soon as his wife got a $5k promotion, he would be gone. He left the next year. >

Yeah, daycare costs are insane, but who wants to look after stranger's kids otherwise?  At least dogs and cats are cute. >

Do you think child care employees are seeing those insane daycare fees?
Spoiler: They don't.
Fun story from when I was working as a support for early childhood educators: One of the programs I worked with was next door to a doggie daycare.  The kid playground was right next to the outdoor dog area.  Often, the kids' and dogs' outside time would overlap and the child care workers made friends with the employees supervising the doggy daycare.  In talking, they found out that the doggie daycare employees were paid $3-$4 more per hour than the child care employees. The child care employees were responsible for 12-14 children each, too, while the doggie daycare employees had 3-4 dogs to keep an eye on.  It had a HUGELY demoralizing effect on the child care staff. >

Make it so minimum wage is a livable wage, then have it tied to inflation.  That should help a lot.  If the minimum wage increases, it'll increase everyone else's pay too and it'll all be tied to inflation. >

Not just inflation. It also needs to be tied to the actual cost of living, which raises higher than inflation thanks to stuff like artificially higher housing costs (as a result of housing being treated as an investment). >

You mean like childcare benefits and healthcare benefits and living wage benefits? Those kind of benefits?
Not sure that will work. Only 32 of the top 33 countries in the world have figured out how to provide those.     /s >

Just fucking pay us more. >

That is, after all, how they tell you it’s supposed to work…. >

Give me a portal, I save 12 hours a week when I’m remote from commuting >

The answer to this is really simple: pay people a respectable and living wage. Stop trying to tiptoe around that with anything but higher wages. Pay C-level employees less, use that money to pay the people doing the work more. >

Make it mandatory that every employee wages are required to go up at the same rate the GDP is every year. 
Part time employees get the exact same benefits as full time employees 
Employees are mandated to have 30 sick days each year. 
Just to start >

It costs us (both working) $13,800/yr for full time one kid daycare. It costs us $12600/yr  for our mortgage. When the child tax credit that was paying $600 a month to us (2kids) we were able to put that money to daycare for the one child. It dropped out of pocket daycare cost by 56% per month. Money put to good use up front instead of a tax credit at the end of the year. But that's no more. The idea of not working to watch a kid means less socialization for the child. So we both work, and we send him to daycare and we scrape by and hope we don't have some major financial emergency. $6 for a single pack of unsalted butter hasn't helped either lol. >

Let me take my fucking sick hours without producing a $40 doctors note. I could understand being sick for more than 2 days and needing a note but I got an unexcused absence from my job for coming back to work from a migraine with no note. What was I supposed to do? Jump behind the wheel of a fucking car while my eyeball was pounding and have the doctor take my word for it? What was he going to check me for? Anger, blindness, and nausea? >

Nothing benefiting the average worker like this will pass the current SCOTUS. >

The fact that we have to worry about SCOTUS approval of policy is a prime example of how flawed our system is. You're sadly correct though. >

Giving benefits? Actual improvements to people's conditions? Damn, Republicans gonna try to stop that at all costs. >

The way that they do this just shows that representatives are not for the people >

It's weird how people expect their labor to have value. It's almost like people don't want to work themselves to death for pennies. Weird. >

Pass Medicare for all, 32 hr work week, and $15 min wage. Oh, and treat us like fucking human beings. Guess that's too much to ask. >

There is no worker shortage. There is an overabundance of shitty jobs that aren't worth it to anyone. >

Nah, why work for the boss when I can work for myself or not work at all? I’d rather spange then have no dignity by the end of the day.
Already can’t have kids, a house, proper food, good transportation, anything that resembles adequate healthcare and that’s while slaving away for some ratty company that’s paying me a “fair market” salary. 
I’m at the point where I’m ready to go full Mad Max during the next recession (oh yeah, can’t remember how many of those I’ve seen).
Life feels exhausting. And no, that isn’t how all adults should or do feel. The level of exhaustion I feel from overwork isn’t human.
Is any leader going to give me back the years I’ve lost? They’ll just wait for me to die, with my story, and continue on with the next generation. 
I hope Biden helps everyone out the best he can. I’m sure he has hoops to jump through just like the rest of us but really, something needs to change about society.
Piss in the bucket, rant over. >

How bout
- childcare tax credit + 1year accumulate paid parental leave of absence
- 32hour work week
- all bank holidays are national holidays >

Howzabout better pay? Because that is literally the only thing gonna get our asses back to work. >

How about a living wage? >

I read  a book on how Denmark handles childcare and paternal/maternal leave. Wish we had some of that in the U. S. >

They can start with maternity. My company only offers four weeks (we can apply for an additional eight weeks if the insurance company approves of it) and while I'm grateful for that, newborn puppies aren't even allowed to be separated from their mothers for six weeks.
Meanwhile in the Ireland office, the employees there get 26 weeks guaranteed. >

Maybe raising minimum wage enough to afford rent for an apartment would entice people back to work after moving back into mom and dad’s house? 

A majority of young adults in the U.S. live with their parents for the first time since the Great Depression
Full-time minimum wage workers can't afford rent anywhere in the US, according to a new report >

Crazy thought but what if you incentivize people by paying them actual livable wages, or dare I say more than livable? >

Here’s a benefit: RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE >

Hard to believe anything coming out of Biden's mouth at this point. But it would be interesting to see what US elites acknowledge are the shortcomings of US society for workers.

No healthcare?
No childcare?
Dangerous, disease infested workplaces?
Blatant anti-union behavior by employers?
No pension or retirement?
No paid time off or vacation?
Unaffordable education?
Unaffordable housing?
Unaffordable food?
Lack of public transportation?

We can all make our own list. >

eventually the billionaires who run the economy are going to have to acknowledge that they're bleeding the birthrates that should be producing their next generation of workers completely dry. 
no young person with a calculator who wasn't born into wealth is going to reproduce under these circumstances, especially with the pretty bleak outlooks for the future on issues like the economy, environment, healthcare, etc. so in 20 years or so that means nobody to work the shit jobs they need filled to make money. >


eventually the billionaires who run the economy are going to have to acknowledge that they're bleeding the birthrates that should be producing their next generation of workers completely dry.

They know. There are 735 billionaires in the US. It's mostly their "minions" that serve in political offices and sit on judicial benches that sell out the country. Political contributions are essentially unlimited now, thanks to John Roberts, and lying to the public has been legal since Reagan killed the Fairness Doctrine (foreshadowing Jan 6 insurrection), so corruption will only get worse until we do something about it.
We have to tax them more. I can't see a way around that. We can't just keep bailing these people out every business cycle to support their greed and recklessness. >

agreed. we also need the FTC to wake the hell up and take some long-overdue antitrust actions. at this point it's so far past productive to let them screw their future selves over and offload most of the expense to us. >

How about we start with a minimum of 4 weeks paid vacation + holidays. Four-day work weeks following that. >

Fuck benefits, they're just another tool to keep us chained to our jobs. We need universal healthcare and increased wages. >

After what happened with the railroad workers, its hard to believe these aren't false promises. They know nothing they do will pass as Republicans will block it, and then write it off to "How could they?!?". Biden administration effectively did the same. 
It's 2 sides of a shit coin >

Gee, maybe if you peg the minimum wage to cost of living by ZIP code, and guarantee 10 weeks of paid leave per year, people would struggle less.
Oh, wait, my bad lmao. The GOP wants people to struggle, and the Dems are still too centrist-pilled to support something like a UBI, or a Carbon Tax & Dividend program. >

I'll believe it when Railroad workers can get their sick days >

biden's stance on the railroads is really short-sighted imo. he can acknowledge that benefits are part of people's decision whether to work in any other industry, but he thinks railroad workers are just going to put up with shit conditions indefinitely? there's not going to be anyone left to drive the trains soon at this rate. >

Yeah, it's incredibly unwise to leave what is supposedly vital national infrastructure in such a fragile and vulnerable state when it could be prevented. All that happened was we traded a strike today for a potentially unforeseeable collapse in the future. But that's capitalism for you. >

Pay, pay, pay. Why is the WH working so hard to keep American wages stagnant? We have the skills, we have the people, and we have the education. What we don’t have is the pay to motivate us to get back to work or even if we do go back to work with wages this low no one that is intelligent is giving it their all. You will never accomplish anything leaving workers behind. >

More money can buy many benefits. >

How did that work for the rail road workers?
Unless you raise minimum to at least 20 an hour, it's pointless. >

Biden should be focusing on investment banks and hedge funds buying up housing to create rent traps and also predatory landlords (they all are.) >

As a teacher I would like a livable wage, but sadly will probably settle for being able to wear jeans and be viewed as professional at the same time… >

Run me my money! >

Funny how that works >

However, the Republican plan is to increase work hours, decrease pay and time off and issue everyone a new set of boots (deducted from your pay) so you can pull yourself up….. >

That MONSTER!! >

I can agree whole heartedly. 43 with a great career in retail management pulling 6 figures w/o a college degree. Private equity drove the business into the ground and without a 4yr degree to back up that 25years experience companies won’t even take a look!
Find myself now sitting in classes with 18 year olds just to get back to a base level. >

tHiS Is SoCiALisM /s >

Uh, yes. That's what workers want. Benefits and enough pay to live comfortably, afford some nice things every once in a while, not have to worry about going broke when getting sick, and getting enough time off work to fucking enjoy life. Pretty simple when you look at it that way. >

The nerve.. >

I don't understand why they say people are not working. I've been looking for a job for over 6 months and nothing! >

What an insane concept >

Isn't the unemployment rate at an historic low? Like who else is there to "get back to work". Our economy is booming still. A lot of stuff is in high demand which is what is driving inflation.
Edit: Looks like unemployment is at 3.7% which is pretty good.
Edit2: Also, you can't reduce unemployment and keep inflation low. Reducing unemployment will further increase demand thereby increasing inflation. I'm not saying we should lay people off to reduce unemployment but that's exactly what the Feds are attempting to do. They want to force a recession to ease demand and lower inflation. >

Entice people back to work? Everyone is working. >

So, raising the minimum wage and giving reasonable time off. >

Men 25-54 not in the workforce? What are they doing instead? Did they all find wives that work and make enough to support both of them? >

You get me mass transit that actually covers my whole commute maybe >

Wow, and after all those CEO’s worked so hard to reduce those expenses… wonder how that “shareholder value” will ever survive…? >

Don't threaten me with a good time >

These fucking people are stupid. Just pay well for a job and people will perform. >

Maybe something like…. 1 day paid sick-leave? >

I took my 2500$ and retired. >

How about more money? >

It's almost like the carrot can also be effective >

We spent over $60,000 in childcare for two kids last year (admittedly in a high cost of living state). You'd have to earn a decent amount for it to make mathematical sense to work.
And even if it made mathematical sense, you'd need an additional premium beyond that to deal with the aggravation of working every day. >

Need bonuses every year for ppl being loyal no matter the business.Need real pay growth every year.  What's enticing me to stay at a company if we're not getting paid more? Literally nothing. >

You mean, like……..more than one sick day? >

I mean sick days would be a start..