Lowered wages may be new reality for former big earners (FL)

Lowered wages may be new reality for former big earners(FL)

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/lowered-wages-may-be-new-reality-for-former-big-earners/1153428

"...A nationwide scale in Wednesday's report by the National Employment Law Project.states that while more than 1 million private-sector jobs were added to the U.S. economy during the past 12 months, they are disproportionately concentrated in mid- and lower-wage industries typically paying $13 or less an hour and ranging from temporary employment services and restaurants to retail and nursing.

• Lower-wage industries paying between $9.03 and $12.91 an hour constituted 23 percent of job loss, but fully 49 percent of recent growth.

• Mid-wage industries paying between $12.92 and $19.04 an hour constituted 36 percent of job loss, and 37 percent of recent growth.

• And higher-wage industries paying between $19.05 and $31.40 an hour constituted 40 percent of job loss, but only 14 percent of recent growth.

The bottom line? While Florida tries to climb out of its economic hole, most new jobs in the state pay less. That will produce a bigger economic ripple as the newly hired scale back living standards enjoyed before the downturn....They rent smaller places, eat cheaper food, spend less on nonessentials and save aggressively to cover rising gasoline prices.

Thanks for all your contributions JJ

It's no different in the Midwest, or anywhere else, that I can see - most available jobs do not match the level of skill, education, or experience of the vast majority of workers who lost jobs in this recession. Employers have not wasted this economic crisis - cutting workers, wages and benefits to increase their bottom line (profits to the top).
Three years ago (just prior to losing my job), I was earning/living on just under $41,000/year. Barely middle class.
While receiving UI benefits, I survived on just over $18,000/year.
Now I'm back to work full time...struggling to survive on less than $15,500/year.

Three years ago, at the age of 55 - after years of education, and hard work - I'd finally worked my way up to the "middle class".
Today - after 2 1/2 years of diligent job searching and hundreds of job applications - I am among the ever-increasing class of "the working poor"- earning barely above poverty level wages, and dependent on soon to disappear government programs (food stamps and medicaid) to help me keep body and soul together.
Even so -I know I'm one of the "lucky" ones...
Having been a 99er for 4 months, I do know things could be much worse, but...it's just so damm sad this is the best I can do (through no fault of my own).