Re: [UC] striking at strikes ....

[Krfapt]

In a message dated 12/7/2004 6:16:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: And why aren't they going to school or doing something to "improve" themselves so they can find a career?  Probably because they're not working at Wal-Mart OR McDonalds; they're working at Wal-Mart AND McDonalds, and probably another part time job as well, all without health benefits. IMHO, you've asked the right question but come up with the wrong answer.   Sure, there are some people who get to be adults without having acquired much of an education, any saleable skills, a work habit, or decent work ethics, and who pull themselves up by the bootstraps and remedy one or more of these deficiencies.   But, for the vast majority of people in this category, the very deficiencies create the situation that keeps them from getting out of the rut. In a tragic but very real sense, it's just too late. The die is cast, so to speak. Many are barely employable at the McDonalds' jobs -- and don't last long if they get them. It's not at all that they're too busy holding down two menial, low-paying, no-benefit jobs and therefore don't have the time or energy for -- as you say -- "going to school or doing something to 'improve' themselves so they can find a career." I don't mean to be insulting, but this is the Marie Antoinette syndrome -- when told that people were starving -- had no bread to eat -- she (supposedly) said something to the effect that there were so many elegant little bakeries in Paris and we should just "let them eat cake."   As an employer, I can give you lots of examples from first hand experience. A syndrome that's been played out for me often enough to see the pattern, and that I know from conversations with my colleagues, is that I hire someone who's in the above rut to do something like clean the hallways, take out the trash, maybe act as a helper-gofer for the more skilled workers. Rather than take the opportunity for what it is, maybe try to acquire skills "on the job," what I get is resentment that so-and-so (a skilled carpenter, plumber, painter, etc who gets to work on time every day) is making more money, or doesn't have to do the dirty jobs, or the like. Next thing I know, there's absenteeism -- each time with a good excuse but after a while all the good excuses coalesce into a big bad excuse.   Even the people who are "pros" at getting people into the workforce have only limited success -- and are thrilled when they do succeed. I see this constantly at the thrift tore across from my office where I (naturally) get to know everybody. In the past year alone, I hired four workers from there, part time (on their days off at the store). I think (hope, pray) the current person will "make it" and eventually I'll be able to hire him full time. The other three worked for a few days then disappeared -- both from me and from the store (well, one still works for the store). That's batting 25%.   This is a serious social problem. It can't be answered by someone who made the sacrifices to get an education or acquire skills and a work ethic saying that anybody can do it. For some, it's too late. I believe we have to focus on the emerging generation -- so the kids in families with adults in this group don't follow in their parents' footsteps. And this isn't easy, either, because it would be wrong to usurp parental rights, too, or to disgrace parents in the eyes of their children.   Al Krigman (Left of Ivan Groznyj)