Survey-Who out there is unemployed?

[spartacus53]

I was laid off for 10 months. Just started a new job 2 months ago at half what I was making. I had just topped out in pay where I was at. It's been really tough. Get out and vote them out in November~!

Only half, don't complain. I'm at 25% and have to work longer too

I also hate to break that voting thing for you too Nostradamus It will take years, or even a decade, or two before things get right.. Right now just be thankful if we get to see 12/22/12 There will be no quick cure, no matter who's sitting in the drivers seat

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[deepskyal]

I guess you guys are saying unemployed should move to the oil fields because jobs are so lucrative. Sounds like the days of the gold rush. Boom then bust.
Here in Pa. we "had" a Marcellis shale gas boom. Quite a few of my coworkers left the company to go work the gas fields for some awesome wages. Drilling became so prolific they drove down natural gas prices to the point where companys were losing money drilling. They simply capped what wells they had and cut their drilling back. Lots of folks lost their jobs.
Further, our company decided to jump on the band wagon and bought trucks to work the fields, trucks that cost over $350,000. each...and they bought 4 of them. That doesn't include the new fleet of pickup trucks and other equipment to support the industry. That was last year. Now those trucks sit in the garage idle with no work, dragging our company down. A company we work with also bought new trucks to work in the fields and now they too are being waisted working in a mill running boxes of trash instead of making the big bucks they anticipated.

Being 57 years old and having enjoyed tough physical work most of my life, my body is falling to pieces. I have a hard time pushing a shovel or climbing 100 steps to get to a crane. I have torn muscles, a degenerating back and rapidly advancing arthritis. All this on top of having most of a lung removed back in 1999 and the other lung in need of surgery.
I can't retire for another 10 years and I know my body won't make it. But I plug on because I know SS won't pay my bills. And if and when I lose my job...McDonalds isn't going to pay my bills either.

The division I work for now supports the company and our other branches but our equipment is old and breaks down frquently. I don't believe the owner has any intentions of upgrading anything and is just squeezing every last penny out of us before closing the doors. I haven't had a raise in over 3 years because the company needs to stay competitive. Other companies are becomming very aggressive competetors with newer equipment and are slowly pushing us out because our customer is getting tired of all our breakdowns.

A lot of good unemployed simply cannot just pick up and move to another state. Their lives are invested, their savings are gone. Can the oil fields out their accomodate the millions unemployed? Maybe some young, unattached person may want to take a chance with a move like that with nothing to lose. But so many just can't.

A lot like myself that lose their jobs late in their lives, that lived week to week on crummy wages because we have pride and a sense of responsibility to our families...that have a strong work ethic and will do anything for a pay check. What do they do? Where do they go?

I see men my age now working McDonalds or Walmart that once had decent paying jobs and went the route looking for another decent paying job to pay their utilities and mortgages. Why do you think foreclosures are at a record high?

I cannot afford to save. Everything goes up except my wages and if you pay attention to the economy, many companies ask for concessions from their workers now. Ours did back in 2008! Take concessions or lose your job.

It's not all rosy, even with pink sunglasses.

It is sadly true, the longer people are unemployed, the less chance they have of getting another decent job. And for those of us that are older, we deal with age discrimination. Heck, I saw my own father try to find work back when the recession hit in the 80's. He went from a good welding job to working a parts counter for minimum wage because he was old.

When you've spent your life persuing the American dream, you simply cannot take some low paying job and not expect to see everything you've spent your life working for go down the drain.

The few options that people have listed are good...but few! Not nearly close to an answer to the crisis we have.

My 30 year old daughter went back to college. She and her husband have 4 children between them. He's a plumber and she's a waitress. She just changed her major because the field she wanted to get into now has a surplus of people trying to get into the same field. Too many people and not enough jobs...imagine that! My cousins daughter has a degree in the same field as my daughter was persuing and she is working as a waitress because nothing else is available. Go to college for 4 years, accrue educational loan debts, get a degree...and become a waitress.

This is not the American dream...it's the American nightmare.

Al

[Treasure_Hunter]

A lot of students don't look at where the jobs will be in the future, they base their education on the current market, trouble is what is a hot profession today, may not be hot in 6 years........Medical field will be growing for years to come but a degree in liberal arts isn't going to get you a high paying job.

[kuger]

Thing is with Obama care from what doctors are telling me,kids wont even be able to pay there loans off let alone any med equipt they need.All the doctors are livid,I talk to....retiring early and no kids starting Med school

[vor]

[dirtscratcher]

I guess you guys are saying unemployed should move to the oil fields because jobs are so lucrative. Sounds like the days of the gold rush. Boom then bust.
Here in Pa. we "had" a Marcellis shale gas boom. Quite a few of my coworkers left the company to go work the gas fields for some awesome wages. Drilling became so prolific they drove down natural gas prices to the point where companys were losing money drilling. They simply capped what wells they had and cut their drilling back. Lots of folks lost their jobs.
Further, our company decided to jump on the band wagon and bought trucks to work the fields, trucks that cost over $350,000. each...and they bought 4 of them. That doesn't include the new fleet of pickup trucks and other equipment to support the industry. That was last year. Now those trucks sit in the garage idle with no work, dragging our company down. A company we work with also bought new trucks to work in the fields and now they too are being waisted working in a mill running boxes of trash instead of making the big bucks they anticipated.

Being 57 years old and having enjoyed tough physical work most of my life, my body is falling to pieces. I have a hard time pushing a shovel or climbing 100 steps to get to a crane. I have torn muscles, a degenerating back and rapidly advancing arthritis. All this on top of having most of a lung removed back in 1999 and the other lung in need of surgery.
I can't retire for another 10 years and I know my body won't make it. But I plug on because I know SS won't pay my bills. And if and when I lose my job...McDonalds isn't going to pay my bills either.

The division I work for now supports the company and our other branches but our equipment is old and breaks down frquently. I don't believe the owner has any intentions of upgrading anything and is just squeezing every last penny out of us before closing the doors. I haven't had a raise in over 3 years because the company needs to stay competitive. Other companies are becomming very aggressive competetors with newer equipment and are slowly pushing us out because our customer is getting tired of all our breakdowns.

A lot of good unemployed simply cannot just pick up and move to another state. Their lives are invested, their savings are gone. Can the oil fields out their accomodate the millions unemployed? Maybe some young, unattached person may want to take a chance with a move like that with nothing to lose. But so many just can't.

A lot like myself that lose their jobs late in their lives, that lived week to week on crummy wages because we have pride and a sense of responsibility to our families...that have a strong work ethic and will do anything for a pay check. What do they do? Where do they go?

I see men my age now working McDonalds or Walmart that once had decent paying jobs and went the route looking for another decent paying job to pay their utilities and mortgages. Why do you think foreclosures are at a record high?

I cannot afford to save. Everything goes up except my wages and if you pay attention to the economy, many companies ask for concessions from their workers now. Ours did back in 2008! Take concessions or lose your job.

It's not all rosy, even with pink sunglasses.

It is sadly true, the longer people are unemployed, the less chance they have of getting another decent job. And for those of us that are older, we deal with age discrimination. Heck, I saw my own father try to find work back when the recession hit in the 80's. He went from a good welding job to working a parts counter for minimum wage because he was old.

When you've spent your life persuing the American dream, you simply cannot take some low paying job and not expect to see everything you've spent your life working for go down the drain.

The few options that people have listed are good...but few! Not nearly close to an answer to the crisis we have.

My 30 year old daughter went back to college. She and her husband have 4 children between them. He's a plumber and she's a waitress. She just changed her major because the field she wanted to get into now has a surplus of people trying to get into the same field. Too many people and not enough jobs...imagine that! My cousins daughter has a degree in the same field as my daughter was persuing and she is working as a waitress because nothing else is available. Go to college for 4 years, accrue educational loan debts, get a degree...and become a waitress.

This is not the American dream...it's the American nightmare.

Al

Oil feilds might not be the answer for everyone but it is the answer for thousands and thousands. Same story from everyone the hardest part being away from family but better than losing everthing.Definantly answer to my crisis.

[birdman]

I paid 30 thousand for my home in Lansford ND(Minot AFB) and sold it for 76 thousand three years later(2009)due to the housing boom brought on by the base growing and the oil fields booming. There is work in ND for sure.The only time I ever made money on anything.

[Diligence229]

I am working, but it's part time because I am going to school. I work at a bank. I can say first hand, I see a lot of people coming in with EDD cards, looking to withdraw their government benefits. I tend to believe that the governments stats on unemployment are too modest..

[Keppy]

I am working, but it's part time because I am going to school. I work at a bank. I can say first hand, I see a lot of people coming in with EDD cards, looking to withdraw their government benefits. I tend to believe that the governments stats on unemployment are too modest..

What is a EDD card ?

[Moonrover]

What is a EDD card ?

Picked this up on the internet:

"The Employment Development Department (EDD) Debit Card is the new way you will receive your Unemployment, Disability, and Paid Family Leave benefits. A Visa® EDD Debit Card is automatically mailed to claimants who are determined eligible for benefits."

It is government issued. I presume the benefits can include welfare, as well as a replacement for the old paper food stamps. Not sure about that however. I need to do more research.

M

[N.J.THer]

What is the price of gas in ND where all the oil is?

As far as gas prices go it does not matter where the oil is coming from as much as where the refinery is located. We have some refineries here in NJ so that is why we usually have some of the lowest costing gas in the country.

Someone mentioned about people leaving their jobs in PA to work for the natural gas companies then the boom went bust. If you are currently gainfully employed I would never suggest you quit your job and run off to ND but if you are unemployed I see no down side. Even if this goes bust in a few years, which I doubt it will since this will most likely be the biggest oil strike in North American history, it will give you a few years to get back on your feet. If as people are stating that most companies are supplying housing then you should be able to bank a decent amount of cash.

NJ

[vor]

I guess you guys are saying unemployed should move to the oil fields because jobs are so lucrative. Sounds like the days of the gold rush. Boom then bust.
Here in Pa. we "had" a Marcellis shale gas boom. Quite a few of my coworkers left the company to go work the gas fields for some awesome wages. Drilling became so prolific they drove down natural gas prices to the point where companys were losing money drilling. They simply capped what wells they had and cut their drilling back. Lots of folks lost their jobs.
Further, our company decided to jump on the band wagon and bought trucks to work the fields, trucks that cost over $350,000. each...and they bought 4 of them. That doesn't include the new fleet of pickup trucks and other equipment to support the industry. That was last year. Now those trucks sit in the garage idle with no work, dragging our company down. A company we work with also bought new trucks to work in the fields and now they too are being waisted working in a mill running boxes of trash instead of making the big bucks they anticipated.

Being 57 years old and having enjoyed tough physical work most of my life, my body is falling to pieces. I have a hard time pushing a shovel or climbing 100 steps to get to a crane. I have torn muscles, a degenerating back and rapidly advancing arthritis. All this on top of having most of a lung removed back in 1999 and the other lung in need of surgery.
I can't retire for another 10 years and I know my body won't make it. But I plug on because I know SS won't pay my bills. And if and when I lose my job...McDonalds isn't going to pay my bills either.

The division I work for now supports the company and our other branches but our equipment is old and breaks down frquently. I don't believe the owner has any intentions of upgrading anything and is just squeezing every last penny out of us before closing the doors. I haven't had a raise in over 3 years because the company needs to stay competitive. Other companies are becomming very aggressive competetors with newer equipment and are slowly pushing us out because our customer is getting tired of all our breakdowns.

A lot of good unemployed simply cannot just pick up and move to another state. Their lives are invested, their savings are gone. Can the oil fields out their accomodate the millions unemployed? Maybe some young, unattached person may want to take a chance with a move like that with nothing to lose. But so many just can't.

A lot like myself that lose their jobs late in their lives, that lived week to week on crummy wages because we have pride and a sense of responsibility to our families...that have a strong work ethic and will do anything for a pay check. What do they do? Where do they go?

I see men my age now working McDonalds or Walmart that once had decent paying jobs and went the route looking for another decent paying job to pay their utilities and mortgages. Why do you think foreclosures are at a record high?

I cannot afford to save. Everything goes up except my wages and if you pay attention to the economy, many companies ask for concessions from their workers now. Ours did back in 2008! Take concessions or lose your job.

It's not all rosy, even with pink sunglasses.

It is sadly true, the longer people are unemployed, the less chance they have of getting another decent job. And for those of us that are older, we deal with age discrimination. Heck, I saw my own father try to find work back when the recession hit in the 80's. He went from a good welding job to working a parts counter for minimum wage because he was old.

When you've spent your life persuing the American dream, you simply cannot take some low paying job and not expect to see everything you've spent your life working for go down the drain.

The few options that people have listed are good...but few! Not nearly close to an answer to the crisis we have.

My 30 year old daughter went back to college. She and her husband have 4 children between them. He's a plumber and she's a waitress. She just changed her major because the field she wanted to get into now has a surplus of people trying to get into the same field. Too many people and not enough jobs...imagine that! My cousins daughter has a degree in the same field as my daughter was persuing and she is working as a waitress because nothing else is available. Go to college for 4 years, accrue educational loan debts, get a degree...and become a waitress.

This is not the American dream...it's the American nightmare.

Al

I wasnt saying that everyone can get a job in the oilfield boom towns, I was trying to make a point that there are jobs out there if you look hard enough and have the desire. Some may be below what we want but they are available.

Your examples of the companies with old trucks/new trucks, good business plan/bad business plan is a perfect example of how it is suppose to work. Those with the good business plan and provide a good service can survive and will take market share from the competition. They in turn will grow and provide new jobs for others.

IMHO, lack of available credit to small businesses and Chinese currency manipulation are the two major policy problems in this country. While we have/had a good balance between our service industry and manufacturing, it is now out of whack. The Walmart you reference sells almost exclusively foreign products, mainly Chinese. As long as we allow unrestricted Chinese imports and as long as the American public continues to buy it, you can forget about our manufacturing making a big comeback. Along with our vote we can help by buying US products (though some US products may be hard to find right now).

Sorry to hear about your failing health but we cannot ask the government to subsidize or provide a job for everyone in the country. We can only ask it to change our fiscal policy. I don't think anyone wants our society to become solely dependent upon the government and take control away from the private sector.

I feel your frustration but have not given up on things turning around.

Best of luck and hope things work out for you.

[Keppy]

Picked this up on the internet:

"The Employment Development Department (EDD) Debit Card is the new way you will receive your Unemployment, Disability, and Paid Family Leave benefits. A Visa® EDD Debit Card is automatically mailed to claimants who are determined eligible for benefits."

It is government issued. I presume the benefits can include welfare, as well as a replacement for the old paper food stamps. Not sure about that however. I need to do more research.

M

Ok Thanks that is the first time i heard of EDD card.....

[diggummup]

Ok Thanks that is the first time i heard of EDD card.....

I would consider that a good thing (not knowing that is). It's too bad so many Americans nowadays actually depend on it. Though there are many that don't deserve it, and are taking advantage of the system too. I know one such dirtbag. He collects a Disability check and food stamps from the Gov. while working under the table, all the while his 2 minor children are getting a S.S. check from their mother's death a few years ago. He also collects rent on his 5000 sq.ft. house that is in foreclosure (for 3 years now I might add) and uses that money to pay ALL his bills and the rent in his new 2 bedroom house. He's laughing all the way to the bank and the sad part is, he's actually proud of it and boasts about it. A real P.O.S.

[davest]

turn him in.

it's your duty as a taxpaying American to expose waste and fraud in the benefit system whenever you come across it.

Or stay silent but they you have no reason to complain about it.

[Moonrover]

turn him in.

it's your duty as a taxpaying American to expose waste and fraud in the benefit system whenever you come across it.

Or stay silent but they you have no reason to complain about it.

Right on, however it is a daunting undertaking to be a whistle blower. Many end up being vilified. Sad, but true.

Gotta be done though. Here is a link to start the process: http://www.cagw.org/

This must be one busy organization.

News stations also have "report waste" tip lines, but if the waste is politically correct then you can guess nothing will be aired.

Here is how the government handles its own waste investigation. Appoint a committee to study it. Get photo ops. Point fingers. Act altruistic. Postpone until after the elections. <sigh>.

http://oversight.house.gov/hearing/a...eful-spending/

We need more bureaucrats hired to study the problem of too many bureaucrats. If we hire all the currently unemployed into bureaucratic positions then the unemployment issue would be solved. Socialism ... full speed ahead. Life is good. Ignore the cliff.

M

[Keppy]

Right on, however it is a daunting undertaking to be a whistle blower. Many end up being vilified. Sad, but true.

Gotta be done though. Here is a link to start the process: Citizens Against Government Waste Homepage

This must be one busy organization.

News stations also have "report waste" tip lines, but if the waste is politically correct then you can guess nothing will be aired.

Here is how the government handles its own waste investigation. Appoint a committee to study it. Get photo ops. Point fingers. Act altruistic. Postpone until after the elections. <sigh>.

House Oversight Holds Hearing to Review Wasteful Spending in the GSA

We need more bureaucrats hired to study the problem of too many bureaucrats. If we hire all the currently unemployed into bureaucratic positions then the unemployment issue would be solved. Socialism ... full speed ahead. Life is good. Ignore the cliff.

M

....That's what i said turn his butt in.....I am sick of government workers like him.......

[diggummup]

I should. The last time I "turned someone in" it did absolutely no good whatsoever. It was a former employee of mine that was collecting a workers comp. check on me. Claimed he hurt his knee at a job we were doing. He ran and jumped over a 6 foot area of carpet that was flipped open and had just been glued, instead of walking around through the other room to get to the other side. He continued to work the rest of the day. I found out a week later that he filed a claim. My insurance co. denied him, I denied him, did a taped interview and everything else and he still ended up getting paid. Later, I see him riding around town on a bicycle with a knee brace attached to his handlebars. I turn him in.
Flash forward a couple weeks. My sister used to do surveillance work for a company that investigates workers comp. fraud. We were talking one day and it turns out she was actually assigned to watch this same guy. She took lots of video footage of him including him coming out of a local bar with the same knee brace strapped to his handlebars, only this time he propped a local hood rat (IE-hooker) up on there too. No limp, no nothing. It did no good at all. The POS still continued to collect. That is until he went to prison for dope about a year later.

The point is, i'm a little jaded when it comes to turning someone in now, especially when it involves our gov., state or fed.. If it wasn't for their goc. job, most of them would be on food stamps and welfare. It seems they do their hiring from the local ghettos down here.

It'll catch up with him, karma exists. btw- he is another former employee. Good help is hard to find. Young Americans are just plain lazy nowadays. I can see why this country is heading downhill. I'm 46 and the 20 somethings can't even compete with me, it's pathetic. Whining, crying, entitled, momma whiped their butts all their lives, it's all about me me me generation. And now those jellyfish are having kids. Most parents nowadays don't even deserve to have children. Anyway, now that i've told you how I really feel...lol I'm done.

[Moonrover]

... That is until he went to prison for dope about a year later..

So on the back of taxpayers he is getting food, shelter, HDTV and time to body build with his pals. When he gets out (and he most certainly will) he will be put on a taxpayer funded half-way program until he can locate another job. From there he recycles the gaming scenario. Maybe while in the slammer he picked up valuable "scam the system" tips.

M

[homefires]

Living in a small town we know for a fact that unemployment here is over 25%