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Should unemployed people be paid to take a job?

edited May 2021 in Off-Topic
“Unemployed people who find a job would get $1,000 as part of $7.9 billion in proposed COVID-19 relief spending that advanced in the Michigan Legislature on Wednesday. The “return to work” grants would cover up to 400,000 residents. They are included in supplemental budget bills that advanced from the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee but are a ways off from being enacted since there is no deal with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. All but $1 billion in funding would come from federal coronavirus packages that were approved in March and December.”

Interesting concept. Labor shortage in Michigan reaching critical levels. Near impossible getting necessary home repairs done. Really upsetting - with only 6-7 months of fair weather before winter sets in and outdoor work grinds to a halt. Covid-19 shouldn’t be an issue now with availability of vaccine for all adults. I’ve seen numbers, however, suggesting that around 25% of population are electing not receive the vaccine. Nuts. Wondering also if restrictive immigration policies may be contributing to the labor shortage?

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Comments

  • @hank- As you know only too well, a general labor shortage is a very different thing from a trained/specialized labor shortage. You can't pay just anyone to "go to work" and then turn them loose on your plumbing or any other craft requiring training and experience.

    Also, I'd be a bit surprised if the pool of trained mechanical, carpentry, and other craftspeople are goofing off because of government assistance. I would think that they command such good pay that they would be much better off out there doing what they know how to do.
  • Old_Joe said:

    @hank- As you know only too well, a general labor shortage is a very different thing from a trained/specialized labor shortage. You can't pay just anyone to "go to work" and then turn them loose on your plumbing or any other craft requiring training and experience.

    Also, I'd be a bit surprised if the pool of trained mechanical, carpentry, and other craftspeople are goofing off because of government assistance. I would think that they command such good pay that they would be much better off out there doing what they know how to do.


    I suspect the proposed bill is a public relations ploy. Builders tell me they can’t find laborers and those they hire quit after a few days of work. Of course, northern MI is a tourist destination in the summer having a large number of second homes, so situation may not be typical. Some skill necessary for just about any work - but minimal I’d think for the lowest tier of building trades work.

  • Yes, I shouldn't be at all surprised to find that the lowest tier of building trades workers were enjoying an extended vacation on gummint dollars.
  • Hi hank and @Old_Joe
    Kinda tangent. Mentoring of workers/employees has been damaged IMHO. This began after the market melt in 2008. I know and encountered others in the building trades industry who found their areas of work fully disrupted. A few whom I didn't know, but had discussions with; were former skilled craftsmen and their work was gone and they were now working in departments at Home Depot and Lowe's, that would benefit from their knowledge.
    However, after many years; the trades and building industry have a had a gap in years of knowledge from the "old times" that has not been passed to the young ones with on the on-the-job training and experience.
    Knowing we three (as well as others here) have knowledge and experience in the "way things work"; I remain concerned with finding quality folks to do future work. Surely, this learning gap may be found in other work sectors. I know I could or would be anal about such things; having been there and done that. I still have one go to person for various projects at the house, and he is more inclined to quality than I. Perhaps this is only me and should be an expected outcome from being "older"; or in part, a reflection of the generation from which I am.:)
    Take care,
  • My cousin and housemate works at Zippy's, an island restaurant chain which does both fast-food and sit-down style ...
    https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/wet-n-wild-hawaii-zippys-offering-hiring-bonuses/#:~:text=Zippy's has 170 vacancies.,90 days,” Yokota added.



  • All I can tell you is that there are many "Help Wanted" signs in restaurants and retail stores both in SF and also up in the Guernville area. These would seem to be rather low-paying jobs in any case, so folks may not feel a need to do that kind of stuff right now, for whatever reason.
  • edited May 2021
    Mr. Obvious here - far, far too many of the lesser skilled, lesser educated and lesser motivated feel no need to fill the jobs paying $10-15/hr when their unemployment checks provide more income for doing nothing. I am surprised that unemployment checks pay more than one was earning while they had a job and I'm not sure where the wires got crossed but they have. Many of them plain and simply don't want to have anything to do with manual labor which was a stepping stone and an expected right of passage for many boomers during their high school and early college years if my memory is still functioning correctly. This hurts the construction and building trades especially hard.

    Many now feel that they should be able to skate through high school and step right into a computer job paying $100K/yr because they know how to use their smart phones and they're good at gaming. Meanwhile they also do not want any of them durn foreigners taking the other jobs either.

    Just what I see and hear from life on the street.

    Edit to add: I am in complete sympathy with those service workers (restaurant, retail, bars etc.) who are on the front lines when it comes to confronting the anti-maskers or antivaxers regarding the wearing of masks or proper mask protocol. Honestly, you couldn't pay me enough to take those jobs or the abuse from that crowd.
  • edited May 2021
    Yep, you and I are pretty much seeing the same thing. So much for the "dignity" of working.
  • Howdy folks,

    First of all, just to set the tone, I firmly believe that the vast majority of people seriously want to earn a living and support their families. That said, the current help wanted problem is a function of several factors, not just the enhanced unemployment insurance.

    Safety is still a factor, particularly for those jobs that are in harms way, being it antimask cretins on an airplane or in a restaurant. Virtual schooling and work are a real problem. if your kids are virtual, someone has to stay home. The extended benefits are certainly a factor that peeps are having to weigh against 1, and 2. Oh, and truck drivers. NOT the unemployment benefits but pot and their CDL. Pot is now legal most everywhere and if you have a CDL, you cannot even thing about smoking pot. You're subject to random drug tests and pot stays in your system for 30 days. Oh, and lastly, onlyfans is having a major impact and it's being ignored. A lot of women, and I presume men, in the hospitality industry like restaurants and bars are making serious money showing their bodies from the safety and privacy of their own home.

    And in summary pay workers a living fucking wage, and there isn't a problem.

    and so it goes,

    peace and I'm still wearing the mask a lot,

    rono
  • After watching the 60 Minutes spot on the Ritchie Boys last night I want to punch out every anti masker I see. What those service personnel went through in defense of this country heaps enormous shame on the AM crowd.
  • Mark +1
  • edited May 2021
    Agree with @Mark’s May 7 post (“Mr. Obvious”) / Remember 50 years ago when the “futurists” were all predicting that some day everyone would have to work only 3 or 4 days out of a week to make ends meet because with technological advances life would be so much easier for everyone? Yeah - right. The $$ and other perks of the tech revolution went to the upper 5 or 10%. Most of us ended up somewhere in the middle. And the poor stiffs at the bottom of the pyramid now have to work 2 jobs at lowly wages to make ends meet. So, the technology revolution really benefited the upper crust. As Gomer might say: “Surprise!”

    Masks? I’m traveling and it’s a pain to be wearing a mask all day on planes and in airports and in hotels etc. But I’m a “good boy” and do as I’m supposed to - and find the vast majority of folks are also complying. No fights on planes, etc. over masks.

    Even Dr. Fauci conceded over the weekend that the wearing of masks indoors may no longer be necessary with the increased number of vaccinations. I’m expecting them to lift that requirement within a few weeks. Amen. Is there any reason today why any adult over 18 can’t receive a vaccination? What I hear (even from some relatives) is that they won’t get vaccinated - so paranoid has the right wing propaganda machine made them. And, it’s this same body of the public by and large that resists masks. Bottom line: We’re reaching the point where the majority of the public with the smarts to get themselves vaccinated are being made to wear masks all day long in some cases to protect those few who for whatever reason won’t get vaccinated.
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