Labor market report paints grim picture for the region
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Labor market report paints grim picture for the...
A new report from East Tennessee State University's College of Business and Technology revealed unemployment rose during the third quarter of 2009.
A new report from East Tennessee State University’s College of Business and Technology revealed unemployment rose during the third quarter of 2009.
During the third quarter, employment fell 4.5%. The report revealed a staggering loss of more than 10,500 jobs compared to the same period in 2008.
On a year-to-year basis, unemployment increased by 59% during the third quarter of 2009.
The unemployment rate for the Tri-Cities area is now 9.5%. A year ago, it was 5.9%.
The report cited continuing job losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
It showed growth in government, education and health, professional and business services, and retail trade.
Employment remained unchanged in leisure and hospitality and mining.
During the third quarter of 2009, employment declined 4.8% in Kingsport, 4.6% in Bristol, and 4.3% in Johnson City. The jobless rate was 9.4% in all three cities, compared to 9.5% in the region and 9.6% in the nation.
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The U.S regardless of popular belief or opinion is NOT a Democracy or even a Republic.It is a Plutocracy.Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy, or power provided by wealth.The word plutocracy (Modern Greek: ðëïõôïêñáôßá - ploutokratia) is derived from the ancient Greek root ploutos, meaning wealth and kratein, meaning to rule or to govern. Marxism-Leninism believes that all capitalist countries follow a plutocratic government mixed with imperialism, and that the only way to change it is through a mass revolution by the proletariat(THE WORKING CLASS). The plutocratic government’s social mobility deficiency is a result of exploitation of the masses, preventing the workers from moving up.THIS IS the government of THESE SO-CALLED UNITED STATES.Prove me wrong,I dare ya’.
“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship.
The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.“
This quote is attributed to Alexander Tyler, a Scottish historian, and was written when the thirteen colonies were still a part of England. He was supposedly writing about the fall of the Athenian republic over two thousand years before. Some contend that his last name was spelled ‘Tytler’, not Tyler.
“Capital is reckless of the health or length of life of the laborer, unless under compulsion from society.For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him.Capital is dead labor, which, vampire-like, lives only by sucking living labor, and lives the more, the more labor it sucks. The worker of the world has nothing to lose, but their chains, workers of the world unite.“Marx was and is right on the money.
“Unions paved the way to the middle class for millions of American workers and pioneered benefits such as paid health care and pensions along the way.Unfortunately, declining unionization rates mean that workers are less likely to receive good wages and be rewarded for their increases in productivity. The Employee Free Choice Act, which is likely to be one of the most important issues debated by the 111th Congress, holds the promise of boosting unionization rates and improving millions of Americans’ economic standing and workplace conditions.“
“Prior to the 1980s(and the reign of the father of lies,Ronald Reagan), productivity gains and workers’ wages moved in tandem: as workers produced more per hour, they saw a commensurate increase in their earnings. Yet wages and productivity growth have decoupled since the late 1970s. Looking from 1980 to 2008, nationwide worker productivity grew by 75.0 percent, while workers’ inflation-adjusted average wages increased by only 22.6 percent, which means that workers were compensated for only 30.2 percent of their productivity gains.If American workers were rewarded for 100 percent of their increases in labor productivity between 1980 and 2008—as they were during the middle part of the 20th century—average wages would be $28.53 per hour—42.7 percent higher than the average real wage in 2008.“
Trickle down,my a—.Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.
Posted by 4 the people “take away capitalism wow. i dont know of a succesful socialist country.“
FYI:forbes.com(5/5/2009) — According to a new report released by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), happiness levels are highest in “socialist” European countries like Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. The U.S. didn’t even make the top 10.
Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands rated at the top of the list, ranking first, second and third, respectively. Outside Europe, New Zealand and Canada landed at Nos. 8 and 6, respectively. The U.S. did not crack the top 10. Switzerland placed seventh and Belgium placed tenth.
Why did the northern European countries come out looking so good? Overall economic health played a powerful role, says Simon Chapple, senior economist from the Social Policy Division of the OECD, which put together the report.
While the global economic crisis has taken a toll on every nation, the countries that scored at the top still boast some of the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world. Denmark, which got the highest score, is not only a wealthy country, it’s also highly productive, with a 2009 GDP per capita of $68,000, according to the International Monetary Fund. The United States’ GDP per capita, by contrast, is $47,335. Though the U.S. got an above-average score of 74, it did not break the top 10.
The OECD data shows that another important factor is work-life balance. While Scandinavian countries boast a high GDP per capita, the average workweek in that part of the world is no more than 37 hours. In China, which got a low score of just 14.8, the workweek is 47 hours and the GDP per capita is just $3,600.
Low unemployment also contributes to happiness. “One thing we know for sure,“ says the OECD’s Chapple, “not having a job makes one substantially less satisfied.“ Denmark’s unemployment rate is just 2%, according the C.I.A.‘s World Factbook. Norway’s is just 2.6%. The Netherlands: just 4.5%. Many economists concur that a 4% unemployment rate reflects a stable economy. The U.S. unemployment rate is currently 9%.
Now you know,and your welcome.
First of all i unfortunately have lived in the tri cities all my life. I guess its a pretty area. I think crime has gotten out of hand though. And if any of you know, this has never been an area of properity nor will it ever be. We can blame that on our politicians who tell these companies to locate here, have a free ride for awhile and pay us so called rednecks and hillbillies hardly nothing. You may think thats a joke but its the truth. I have traveled all up and down the east coast. There are a few big cities whos cost of living is alot highe but for the most part our cost of living is rather high given our low wages. We get paid barely enough to get by on. And thats with a decient education. So many people ask, why do our youth leave upon graduation? Simple really, there is no way to support themselves in this region. You cant make it on 10.00 an hour. Not and be able to pay for a house and car and everyday living expenses and thats the average wage you can expect around here. Sad but true. I think eventually and real soon people all across this nation will be to their breaking point and stand up to the local, state and federal government. WHen that happens its gonna be an ugly picture. Cause its not gonna have anything to do with voting.
4 the people wrote “i dont know of a succesful socialist country.“
Based on all those who think that govt involvment in health care is socialism, about every other modern country in the world would be considered socialist.
take away capitalism wow. i dont know of a succesful socialist country.
“The current global economic crisis is a demonstration of the failure of the capitalist system. It must be replaced by a system whose priorities are determined by social needs, not the personal enrichment of a parasitic elite—a system based on social equality and the democratic control of economic life by working people, who comprise the vast majority. It must be replaced, in other words, by socialism.
If the needs of society are to take precedence over the selfish and destructive interests of the ruling elite, then the working class must take political and economic power into its own hands. Only in this way can the grip of the financial aristocracy be broken and the wealth created by working people be used to end poverty and raise the material and cultural level of society as a whole.“-Jerry White
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