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by senda 1263 days ago
I have the same thoughts. However I would say, why are there so many endless help wanted signs?

Probably because the jobs don't provide enough income to be sustainable. I think the system currently is wabbling as employers are failing to keep rate with inflation in regards to pay. This will cause a bottleneck in regards to growth/performance for many businesses and ultimately be their downfall.

2 comments

This is absolutely the case. Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. There is literally not anywhere in the country where you can pay for a studio apartment at that pay. Better hope you can scrape together five roommates in a three bedroom.

People have figured out that the cost of going to low-wage jobs like that is more than it is worth. The number of parents who realized they actually brought more money home by one parent quitting their job and taking care of the kids instead of paying for childcare while they work is high.

A lot of folks, after COVID, and seeing that business owners literally didn't give one fuck if they died on the job or not, decided that maybe living their life was more important than grinding at a job that will happily send you to your death to make a buck.

I think the $600/week unemployment boost was really a catalyst for a lot of this too. It finally gave so many low wage workers just a minute to breathe and reflect and not worry about their next paycheck. And those few weeks of breathing room was enough to sort of break people out of the rat race and give them time to reevaluate what they want to do. Poverty is very mentally taxing and it can make a huge difference if you have a minute to stop and plan out your life a little bit.
Because large corporations are essentially trying to tear up the implicit contract that they must offer adequate compensation to attract workers to their jobs. "Nurse shortages" "Truck Driver shortages" "Railworker shortages" "Airplane Pilot shortages". None of these are actually shortages, they are just indications that the businesses involved in those industries are uninterested in offering wages and benefits that will humanely support someone working those jobs. I am no fan of capitalism, but this isnt even capitalism its just an attempt to bash workers into jobs they wouldnt otherwise take (or make it so 18 year olds can drive 18 wheelers commercially....?)