It's obvious, now that you mention it

More from the Good Jobs First conference in Baltimore.

The whole point of economic development subsidy programs is to create good-paying jobs that a worker can support his or her family on. At least that's supposed to be the point.

Several speakers today pointed out that one way of creating a good-paying job is to elevate the earnings of those working low-wage jobs. Lots of people go to work every day and still live in poverty due to low wages and a lack of benefits. The challenge is to find a way to let them earn what's commonly called a "living wage."

Mary Beth Maxwell, executive director of American Rights At Work, said unions hold the key. She cited as an example, the hospitality industry, which employs some 1.3 million across the nation. Hospitality workers in cities lacking a strong labor presence make, on average, $6 per hour and rarely receive health insurance. In union towns, wages climb to as much as $19 an hour, and health insurance is more likely to be part of the compensation package.

"That sounds to me like good economic development," she said.

Another speaker discussed a successful union drive to organize 5,000 janitors in Houston. The average wage went from $5 to $8 an hour, and janitors began to get health insurance. Assuming most janitors have families, the upgrades improved the economic life of 15,000 to 20,000 people -- the size of a small town.

All without the use of government subsidies.

Comments

[Redhead]

New York has approx. 2 million members of CSEA and AFSME- As long as people in the private sector are expected to take pay cuts with the governments blessings- why shouldn't these union members? Except for police and firefighters do we really need so many overpriced and underworked employees?

[gimmeabreak]

"...one way of creating a good-paying job is to elevate the earnings of those working low-wage jobs."

Brilliant! Here's one I heard at a conference recently: if you eat less, you lose weight. Several speakers said so.

I'll never be able to understand how ardent card-carrying union members like Mr. Heany and his fellow travelers can pretend to objectively report on anything relating to unions and management. Unions in the private sector are becoming extinct but of course, the fatted calf in the union movement can be found in the public sector and we are and will be paying the price for the bloated pension system and ridiculous retirement benefits. What conference is covering that???

[Mike]

Did a little "googling" and found that funding for the American Rights at Work organization comes from unions like the AFL-CIO. So, if we hold this organization to the same standard as the libs/greens do to any organization funded by, say an oil company, the American Rights at Work is corrupt and are only pushing their own agenda. A little payback by the Buff News to their union bosses......

[Get Real]

Lame.

How come in general the right-to-work states have had much more growth in jobs, average income, and population than heavily unionized states such as NY?

Coincidence? Hmmmmm????

Hey, I'm not gonna tell anyone to be anti-union if they don't feel that way. To each his own. But don't give me this mumbo jumbo fuzzy math stuff. Just look at realities on the ground. What states are WNY's young adult population moving to in greatest numbers?

Don't pee in my hand and tell me it's raining.