Honor those who labor unnoticed - Excellent op/ed piece

The Economic Policy Institute calls this the worst economic recovery since 1939 in terms of job growth. Some indicators, such as productivity and industrial investment, are rising, but unemployment is up and wages aren't growing.

The media's focus during this gloomy economic time amazes me: So many stories zero in on some version of Joe/Jane Blow, a former success who once pulled down six figures but now is consigned to a $10-an-hour job selling clothes. Joe/Jane is grateful for the job, but angry at the lousy economic luck that landed him/her there.

Well, what about the folks who always hold down jobs that pay less than $10 an hour? After all, the federal minimum hourly wage has been $5.15 since 1996. Are these U.S. workers supposed to be floating through life exuding sweetness and light?


We spend too much time looking at the folks who have tumbled to the bottom without looking at what happens to those who are always at the bottom.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20030829/cm_usatoday/11731878

(Reading this gave me pause, she is right. We only hear about those who have fallen, the few times the media covers this at all.)

to honor working people on labor day, they would stay home and not use the services of working people so their bosses would see it as cost effective to close and give them the day off.

It really grips my ass when I see that the only people who actually get "Labor Day" off are people who work at a desk job, with benefits and paid holidays.

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seeing more and more of. Those who labour hardest benefit least. Those close to or minimum wage often work more than one job to survive and are the least recognized. Doesn't say much for our society, does it.