General Discussion

bucolic_frolic

(55,016 posts)

13. Time for 50 Somethings to Unionize

Fri Dec 27, 2013, 09:34 AM

Dec 2013

Economics always teaches us "land, labor, capital".

We humans are just an input to businesses. Expendable.
You only need so much yeast to make a pizza.

Business are acting rationally to them: in a maximize profit manner.

I still blame computerization, and now the internet. Productivity is
way up. That's a simple measure of more output for fewer workers.
Fewer and fewer.

Many functions are handled by computers. Secretary? Learn to use
MS Office Suite. Accountant? Get a QuickBooks temp. I know a CPA
who got a part time accounting position, and is delighted with it. If
a CPA can't land a full time job .... who can?

As jobs melt away, we're left in the lurch. I have little hope. I work
for myself, and will probably do so until I'm demented or blind. There
is nothing else. It's frugal to say the least.

And I will not spend one thin DIME at any of these employers that
rejected me, or constructed an application that won't accept the
self-employed, or who said they'd get back to me and didn't.

That includes companies from Minnesota!

Older Workers of America, UNITE!

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50 Is the New 65: Older Americans Are Getting Booted from Their Jobs -- and Denied New Opportunities [View all] xchrom Dec 2013 OP

I see it happening to friends and family all around me. mn9driver Dec 2013 #1

Yep unions and the union health insurance are a big factor in avoiding this. truedelphi Dec 2013 #75

I was tossed out in my late 40s. I had a son in college B Calm Dec 2013 #2

Congratulations. However, driving an 18 wheeler is no guaranty of a job these days, especially merrily Dec 2013 #5

If you can drive a truck you can find work B Calm Dec 2013 #7

Same here madville Dec 2013 #11

So the unemployed are just obstinate and/or lazy? merrily Dec 2013 #23

That isn't what the poster wrote. nt bluestate10 Dec 2013 #96

It's a very fair inference from "If you can drive a truck, you merrily Dec 2013 #141

Is that what you think? B Calm Dec 2013 #101

Well, according to you, anyone who can pass a physical can have 3 jobs. Walk away Dec 2013 #128

I'm sorry now I posted a POSITIVE story about myself. B Calm Dec 2013 #133

Don't listen to the haters... Drunken Irishman Dec 2013 #136

That is not all you did though. merrily Dec 2013 #143

WTF, I never said anybody could do the same! It's a skilled trade B Calm Dec 2013 #148

Actually what he said was if you can drive a truck, OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #165

I think if all the unemployed had the skill and the license OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #166

No. It's what you implied. See Reply 141. merrily Dec 2013 #142

That is not what the poster wrote Tumbulu Dec 2013 #102

Personally, I would not want to drive a truck. SheilaT Dec 2013 #103

Because trucking companies are just DYING to get millions of 50+ year old people behind the wheel jtuck004 Dec 2013 #94

There is a huge shortage of drivers, so yes they are B Calm Dec 2013 #100

Well, Werner said they had 100 openings. With 26 million unemployed, that's .0003846% taken jtuck004 Dec 2013 #108

Why anybody would want to drive for Werner is beyond me. That B Calm Dec 2013 #109

Didn't upset me at all, lol. There was an article about millions of people being unemployed and jtuck004 Dec 2013 #118

All he did was explain what he did when he found himself out of a job OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #169

" If you can drive a truck you can find work" < You missed a few lines... jtuck004 Jan 2014 #171

Whatever OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #180

Don't know where you got that. DiverDave Jan 2014 #185

What I don't get is if drivers are in such demand, why is the pay so low? Populist_Prole Dec 2013 #139

My last job before retiring I was home every night and grossed B Calm Dec 2013 #140

I've seen plenty of over 50's driving trucks OwnedByCats Jan 2014 #168

What are the qualifications ? steve2470 Dec 2013 #132

You have to pass a DOT physical at the least every two years B Calm Dec 2013 #134

I was asking in case my son needs work in the future steve2470 Dec 2013 #135

I don't mind helping your son and it wouldn't be a waste of my time B Calm Dec 2013 #137

thank you, he has 3 more years to go to reach 21 steve2470 Dec 2013 #138

Tell you what 2naSalit Dec 2013 #151

+1000. adirondacker Dec 2013 #152

the same! 2naSalit Dec 2013 #154

So what your saying to me, if you were not disabled you could find a job! B Calm Dec 2013 #156

I was saying a lot more than that 2naSalit Dec 2013 #159

Let's get one thing straight! I never said it was B Calm Dec 2013 #160

Could be the implications of Horatio Alger crap are among the reasons. LanternWaste Jan 2014 #177

I don't know why I am being personally attacked, but I'm getting fed up with it! B Calm Jan 2014 #178

Lousy economy = desperate workers = employers able to pick and choose. merrily Dec 2013 #3

corporate America has a great economy Skink Dec 2013 #51

I was 64. andlor Dec 2013 #4

This month I am starting to preapre my son for a life in enterprise software sales wilt the stilt Dec 2013 #6

Until BYOD becomes the trend, at least. Gore1FL Dec 2013 #10

What is BYOD? truedelphi Dec 2013 #76

Bring Your Own Device. About half of all workers report using their personal cell phone jtuck004 Dec 2013 #91

"Bring your own device" Gore1FL Dec 2013 #93

Producing is no guarantee of job security these days. stopbush Dec 2013 #53

sales is not arbitrary wilt the stilt Dec 2013 #149

A friend of mine woks in the recorded music/video biz. stopbush Dec 2013 #150

very rare wilt the stilt Dec 2013 #157

This is what happens when you have a Congress dead set against creating jobs!!! nt kelliekat44 Dec 2013 #8

It also relates to how employers will not pay for the high ins. premiums of truedelphi Dec 2013 #77

+1 area51 Dec 2013 #116

The way our economy works is obsolete for the 21st century, it can not possibly serve RKP5637 Dec 2013 #9

Technology has certainly changed the landscape madville Dec 2013 #14

There are a lot of really smart economists in the US, certainly they must recognize RKP5637 Dec 2013 #25

They're putting us out to pasture. SmittynMo Dec 2013 #12

Exactly! "... age discrimination DOES exist!!!!" Any not seeing that have their head up RKP5637 Dec 2013 #31

Indeed, age discrimination does exist. KitSileya Dec 2013 #122

Time for 50 Somethings to Unionize bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #13

As one of those secretaries - LiberalElite Dec 2013 #45

Secretary? in 2013? SheilaT Dec 2013 #104

Strange but true - LiberalElite Dec 2013 #112

I'm astonished because SheilaT Dec 2013 #117

Where do I sign up? n/t truedelphi Dec 2013 #78

50 Something Class Action bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #95

And in large part it comes about on account of employers not truedelphi Dec 2013 #97

Oh, please. What are they gonna do, join up with the others marching in front of empty factories? jtuck004 Dec 2013 #92

fact is, companies can pay younger workers less beachbum bob Dec 2013 #15

Tell me about it SmittynMo Dec 2013 #16

Here is the triple whammy aspect Tom Rinaldo Dec 2013 #17

Yes....that's the other dark side of it.. eom. KoKo Dec 2013 #41

Those are all very good points. truedelphi Dec 2013 #98

It's a total disaster out there MannyGoldstein Dec 2013 #18

Meanwhile, they want to raise the retirement age for SS benefits Martin Eden Dec 2013 #19

I know DU will kick my butt for saying this, but in many ways Obama has kept up the SOS. n/t RKP5637 Dec 2013 #37

I am approaching 40 and am beginning to panic srican69 Dec 2013 #20

I know how you feel. I'm 44 and I've been watching LOTS of people around me taking early retirement kysrsoze Dec 2013 #52

It's coming SmittynMo Dec 2013 #56

Yeah, it's bad all around, and there really are no easy solutions... Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #21

Many jobs have gone to outsourcing. KoKo Dec 2013 #43

It goes hand in hand, but at this point what can you do? Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #50

It's not too late to STOP the TPP, though.... KoKo Dec 2013 #82

I hope you are right. nt Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #87

I too wish it were that simple. Problem is, as the economy deteriorates, folks can only afford Hoyt Dec 2013 #57

But it is not just about cheaper goods. truedelphi Dec 2013 #80

Sadly..the reason all we can afford is cheap goods from China, etc...is KoKo Dec 2013 #83

This is the common analysis; but it leaves out one HUGE consideration. snot Dec 2013 #68

Humanity as a whole hasn't done that The2ndWheel Dec 2013 #69

Okay, so who then gets the "wealth," plus how and why? Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #79

Indeed...we could change this with tighter Financial Regulations on Companies & KoKo Dec 2013 #85

It is not totally ignored. truedelphi Dec 2013 #99

Thanks, yes. snot Dec 2013 #145

I actually made it to age 52, and a coworker to 53.... NRaleighLiberal Dec 2013 #22

The first sweep of what you are talking about was in early 90's KoKo Dec 2013 #88

what was amazing was the brain drain - those of us in our 50s were not only good at what we did, NRaleighLiberal Dec 2013 #89

We are earlier than you...but, yes... KoKo Dec 2013 #90

Lower the retirement age to 50, or 55. truebluegreen Dec 2013 #24

Yep. This is why Joe Lieberman will always be my least favorite politician. Dawgs Dec 2013 #26

I remember. truebluegreen Dec 2013 #27

i think this must happen noiretextatique Dec 2013 #70

Lost many long-time coworkers this year liberal N proud Dec 2013 #28

I worry for a friend PasadenaTrudy Dec 2013 #29

They won't hire me at 56 but pay me 2x more as a contractor FreakinDJ Dec 2013 #30

I did the contractor thing for 5 years SmittynMo Dec 2013 #58

at 58, I been at it now for 8+ years.... Bennyboy Dec 2013 #32

You have to go into business for yourself. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #33

Unfortunately, not everyone is suited to being in business themselves. haele Dec 2013 #71

I just do petsitting on the side. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #161

This message was self-deleted by its author haele Jan 2014 #164

I oopsed. (sign of age...) haele Jan 2014 #167

Unfortunately being able to generate enough income this way for 15 or more years, Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #72

Once the Y2K remediation projects were over, so was my career. Buns_of_Fire Dec 2013 #34

Well, you have to have absolutely no morals. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #35

This whole topic is really disturbing to me. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #36

Most often think they are somehow special, that it's the other guy that gets hit, and RKP5637 Dec 2013 #38

I've been worried LiberalElite Dec 2013 #46

Lawyers don't type their filings and contracts (or do they ?) KurtNYC Dec 2013 #48

A surprising number do. SheilaT Dec 2013 #106

To paraphrase from "The Graduate" LiberalElite Dec 2013 #113

Yep, we see similar in many industries. Efficiency is a good thing, but in our economic RKP5637 Dec 2013 #54

It is scary PasadenaTrudy Dec 2013 #40

A plumber would have difficulty finding work? philosslayer Dec 2013 #42

True PasadenaTrudy Dec 2013 #44

Plumber and auto mechanic are good jobs until they're the only jobs left. haele Jan 2014 #170

My PTSD PasadenaTrudy Jan 2014 #184

Thanks. haele Jan 2014 #187

I'm one of them n/t SmittynMo Dec 2013 #61

You summed it up perfectly. llmart Dec 2013 #131

This has happened many times in human history. marybourg Dec 2013 #155

I tell my kids to max out their 401k lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #39

There may be a part-time job available for all, including older workers, Le Taz Hot Dec 2013 #47

Cool, thanks! n/t PasadenaTrudy Dec 2013 #59

I think I will apply PasadenaTrudy Dec 2013 #62

An excellent article that hits all of the salient points. stopbush Dec 2013 #49

I think 2naSalit Dec 2013 #153

Is health insurance concerns possibly one source of job discrimination? Nikia Dec 2013 #55

Your father is a lucky man SmittynMo Dec 2013 #60

This is one key reason why as a nation, we have to go to Universal Single Payer. truedelphi Dec 2013 #146

this is about eliminating the high salaries of workers at their peak of their careers. nt TeamPooka Dec 2013 #63

Look more closely, it goes much further than that. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2013 #74

I retired at 55. Puglover Dec 2013 #64

Strangely enough Turbineguy Dec 2013 #65

I don't think talent has much to do with anything anymore. leftyladyfrommo Dec 2013 #115

All these corporate idiots do not understand Turbineguy Dec 2013 #144

Employees are simply units that produce a certain amount of product. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #163

I'm reading a new book Turbineguy Jan 2014 #172

Been there done that gave up. Now I stay at home and glinda Dec 2013 #66

I got laid off in June at age 54 mcar Dec 2013 #67

I was 71 when I was laid off my job, RebelOne Dec 2013 #73

I'm 57 and scared to death. Boomerproud Dec 2013 #81

Yep. Am there. Doing that. GoCubsGo Dec 2013 #84

happened to me in 2003 madrchsod Dec 2013 #86

The Corporate Expiration Age used to be 55. It's being moved back Warpy Dec 2013 #105

I think an awful lot depends on what field you were in to begin with. SheilaT Dec 2013 #107

+1 B Calm Dec 2013 #111

I work for an Israeli company... trumad Dec 2013 #110

50 Somethings should Boycott All Businesses bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #114

Unfortunately the Biggest of The Big Businesses out there would truedelphi Dec 2013 #120

Would that help? BobUp Dec 2013 #124

Lower age BobUp Dec 2013 #119

You can't Fudge the age of your degree bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #121

True BobUp Dec 2013 #123

Younger people are a whole lot easier to manipulate. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #174

My BobUp Jan 2014 #175

And the tougher things get enlightenment Dec 2013 #129

They can get your age in about 2 seconds. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #173

I believe you BobUp Jan 2014 #176

Privacy went out the window with the internet. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #181

Speaking of BobUp Jan 2014 #182

I don't do Facebook or any of those sites. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #183

Good upbringing BobUp Jan 2014 #186

I told my son about this article and got a wtf response.... steve2470 Dec 2013 #125

Most 17 year old kids Abq_Sarah Dec 2013 #126

I agree steve2470 Dec 2013 #127

Kids don't get it. leftyladyfrommo Jan 2014 #162

I'm so grateful I have tenure. aikoaiko Dec 2013 #130

Kick. n/t area51 Dec 2013 #147

It happens to be EXACTLY why I became a dentist with my own practice... PCIntern Dec 2013 #158

Age trumps ability & accomplishments Loge23 Jan 2014 #179