Community Chat

[bikerbabe]

The ACA was a gutted compromise because the country was not yet ready for some type of Medicare for all system. The “one in charge” himself admitted it was intended to be a starting point. Instead, some states chose not to opt into expanded Medicaid and in the years since the entire ACA has been gutted instead of improved upon.

I have a second job as a property manager for the past 10 years and in some areas rent is almost as much as getting a mortgage. Rent is an overall reflection of the general cost of living in an area - not everyone can just up and move. Rents are also a reflection of a shortage of housing in an area - especially affordable housing when new developments more often focus only on higher end markets.

Gotta go, so won't be back to this thread .... which I think is now way off topic. 😂

[suzyQ3]

The idea that so many people would rather sit at home than work is one of those political talking points that resonate with some -- even though it has no basis in fact.

[hckynut]

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@Spurt wrote:

"I guarantee most reasonable persons would prefer to work rather than receive a pittance dole from the gov't."

Sorry, I down think this is true, especially with millennials at all their demanding---free college, free rent, free health care.....(and they are going on the local news expressing these "demands" one contacted our news "troubleshooters"....I thought it was a joke...it wasn't....)

Those I work with just scrape by doing the bare minimum while the rest of us work hard and go above and beyond and help our co-workers so we can achieve our goal and possibly get that bonus....But they don't care, they want to play on their phones instead of working but still get raises and promotions for doing nothing..... that's reality!!!!  And as more and more of us "boomers" retire our company is seeing it too....wondering what to do because the work ethic seems to be slowly going away....So this is where unfortunately automation and technology comes into play....As the old saying goes....be careful what you wish for....It's a two way street GREEDY companies AND greedy employees...

Now I know people will site exceptions ---how their grandchildren, niece, or nephew works hard and is establishing a career and have goals ....but these  are the rare ones raised right.....

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@Spurt 

I don't see anything in your post in which I disagree. You are actually seeing it at your job, I am only getting it from 2nd hand information. I do have many friend that have children, some even grandchildren, in the group you mention at your place of employment.

Without pushing the higher education button again, I will say this. A large group of my friends are in the skilled trade businesses, some own the business. There, if you don't actually work, you no longer have a job. And that record can follow you. 

I would suspect in many white collar jobs it is not quite the same. My little actual  knowledge of that sector comes from what I have seen at the large company for which I worked. Much more from came from my wife, who's almost total working career was desk type of employment. Some of the stories she told my verified what little I saw during my years in manufacturing.

There are few in hard labor types of jobs that are going to pick up the slack of deadbeat younger workers. They are not bashful about calling them out to their face. In my world that is where there is a major difference in desk type jobs versus physical labor type jobs.

I am not trying to pit white versus blue here when it comes to employment. As I said, most of my person experiences in working were not desk type jobs.

Like many things in our lives, a few bad ones can spoil it for the many, and that's the sad part of it. You name it and it unfortunately happens in way too facets of our lives.

hckynut 🏒

[Spurt]

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@hckynut wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

"I guarantee most reasonable persons would prefer to work rather than receive a pittance dole from the gov't."

Sorry, I down think this is true, especially with millennials at all their demanding---free college, free rent, free health care.....(and they are going on the local news expressing these "demands" one contacted our news "troubleshooters"....I thought it was a joke...it wasn't....)

Those I work with just scrape by doing the bare minimum while the rest of us work hard and go above and beyond and help our co-workers so we can achieve our goal and possibly get that bonus....But they don't care, they want to play on their phones instead of working but still get raises and promotions for doing nothing..... that's reality!!!!  And as more and more of us "boomers" retire our company is seeing it too....wondering what to do because the work ethic seems to be slowly going away....So this is where unfortunately automation and technology comes into play....As the old saying goes....be careful what you wish for....It's a two way street GREEDY companies AND greedy employees...

Now I know people will site exceptions ---how their grandchildren, niece, or nephew works hard and is establishing a career and have goals ....but these  are the rare ones raised right.....

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@Spurt 

I don't see anything in your post in which I disagree. You are actually seeing it at your job, I am only getting it from 2nd hand information. I do have many friend that have children, some even grandchildren, in the group you mention at your place of employment.

Without pushing the higher education button again, I will say this. A large group of my friends are in the skilled trade businesses, some own the business. There, if you don't actually work, you no longer have a job. And that record can follow you. 

I would suspect in many white collar jobs it is not quite the same. My little actual  knowledge of that sector comes from what I have seen at the large company for which I worked. Much more from came from my wife, who's almost total working career was desk type of employment. Some of the stories she told my verified what little I saw during my years in manufacturing.

There are few in hard labor types of jobs that are going to pick up the slack of deadbeat younger workers. They are not bashful about calling them out to their face. In my world that is where there is a major difference in desk type jobs versus physical labor type jobs.

I am not trying to pit white versus blue here when it comes to employment. As I said, most of my person experiences in working were not desk type jobs.

Like many things in our lives, a few bad ones can spoil it for the many, and that's the sad part of it. You name it and it unfortunately happens in way too facets of our lives.

hckynut 🏒

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@hckynut 

Yes, I work in a office setting which involves assigned projects and tasks.....A blue collar manufacturing type position is totally different, its difficult to goof off and hide behind your co-workers in that setting.....

It's not only in my office, but my friends/relatives complain the same thing about their unambitious co-workers.... 

In fact a friend has a daughter that graduated from college has a good job, good benefits, she even gets to work from home a lot, the work isn't hard she says.....BUT she wants to quit her job and write children's books where she can be her own boss and work when SHE WANTS!!!!  Can you imagine that type of career as a writer with NO BENEFITS now and for her future...what if she gets sick or in an accident (HEAVEN FORBID!) and she cant write....She doesnt think about that at all!!!!  She's barely hanging on at her job .....SMH!!! Her parents try to reason with her, but she wont listen of course....Otherwise she's responsible ---she pays her bills on time, paid her car off etc etc...

[hckynut]

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@bikerbabe wrote:
Should the reactionary call for “free” be any surprise in an age when rents can be thousands of dollars a month, college can put someone in six-figure debt, and medical costs are a leading cause of bankruptcy, assuming one can even afford medical care and prescription costs? It seems to me we’ve failed ourselves and our kids with the current system.

Technical college often costs more then traditional college. Community colleges are underfunded- it can take 5 years to finish a 2 year degree because of waiting lists to get basic classes.

I don’t advocate free everything but even basic living expenses are out of reach and there are some who would begrudge any kind of raise to pitiful minimum wages.

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Hi @bikerbabe ,

As you know, I am not a parent of any humans. That however does not mean I am not aware of what is going on in and around our country.

As far as medical care I can agree with you, to a certain extent. Rents? Also to a certain degree. Demographics play a fairly big role in both of those specific issues. Costs of living can run the gamut from low to high when it comes to where one chooses to live.

Once again I see "college/degrees/bankruptcies tied together. In my view the cost of many colleges increased along with the government deciding to foot the bill(loan). 

Colleges with Billions of $$$ tucked away kept raising their costs, the more the government loaned, the more they raised their costs(profit margin). Who gets stuck? Primarily the student, but where does government get the money to loan?

If parents and their kids decide college will get them to their goals, more power to them. Along with that comes their contract with the government to pay back their loans.

In this equation, what do said colleges stand to lose? Absolutely nothing! They have their $$$, and what do they "guarantee" to their students to justify the high costs charged?  To my knowledge the answer is zip/nada/zero, nothing.

As for minimum wage? In my, and probably your era, those jobs were not meant to raise a family. As the saying goes, they are the 1st step on the ladder, when it comes to how one earns a living.

Why has that changed? I could list several reasons, but they wouldn't be conducive to this topic between differences of opinions. When I worked for $.25 per hour did I expect that to get me through my life? A high school dropout to boot?  

Anyways, hope you and yours are well, and if so, stay that way, eh?

hckynut 🏒

[ellaphant]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

The real truth probably lies somewhere between.  Workers tend to exaggerate their grieviences while managent tends to downplay them.

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100% incorrect regarding workers. History has shown the mistreatment of workers.If numerous Amazon employees are raising concerns, I believe them. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's owner, is a Billionaire and had to be shamed into raising the workers' pay to $15 by a bill proposed in Congress. Not a user of Amaon unless I cannot find an item somewhere else.

[hckynut]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

The idea that so many people would rather sit at home than work is one of those political talking points that resonate with some -- even though it has no basis in fact.

@suzyQ3 

No basis in fact? Many small business owners have openly said: "many of our employees decline to return to their job". I don't need to tell you why.  WWYD?  Many have financial needs where making more money is their best option. 

Can you state an accurate percentage when it comes to small businesses with workers declining to return to their jobs because of this?  I can't, but that does not mean it is not a basis of fact.

hckynut 🏒

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[hckynut]

@Spurt 

Office versus blue collar manufacturing work totally different? Maybe different, but not totally. Machine operators are also assigned tasks/projects, if you will. Some jobs I had were totally dependent on what I did. Others were in combination of working with a partner, 2 other workers and so on.

Some of those partners wouldn't say "****" if they had a mouthful. They took up the slack. Me? My partner says "I am going for a smoke", you think I say, "ok I'll do your job while you smoke"?  You know my answer, a big fat NO!

I could list several other similarities with assignments/projects/jobs. I worked on a job that had nothing to do with manufacturing.

That was a Quality Control Technician, a Glorified term for Inspector. That term sounds much better to the attorneys during voir dire for jury duty. Kinda like legalize for "Agree versus Stipulate", same meaning different words.

While manufacturing is different, not quite as much as many think. There are individual projects and combination projects, just using different words meaning the same thing.

hckynut 🏒

[KarenQVC]

No one in this country should have to work in super difficult, dangerous conditions.  The states should step in.

Have you seen the new Tesla plant in CA?  Humans and robots work side by side.  Humans are trained to guide the robots.  There is a place for decent hand work for people who are inclined.  On the show How It's Made they show more hand work that is safe.  Again, humans who are aided by machines.

Many millennials have stepped up and worked very hard--many at computers.  My son worked very hard and just retired at 38 after putting in long hours at a financial job.  There are many like him, especially around NYC.  Don't diss the millennials until you've met some like him.

[Spurt]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

The idea that so many people would rather sit at home than work is one of those political talking points that resonate with some -- even though it has no basis in fact.

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@suzyQ3 

Thats one of the main squawking points regarding the next stimulus check.....some people can make more on unemployment....