How the Economy Bombed the American worker

Think of it as a parable for these grim economic times. On April 19th, McDonald's launched its first-ever national hiring day, signing up 62,000 new workers at stores throughout the country. For some context, that's more jobs created by one company in a single day than the net job creation of the entire U.S. economy in 2009. And if that boggles the mind, consider how many workers applied to local McDonald's franchises that day and left empty-handed: 938,000 of them. With a 6.2% acceptance rate in its spring hiring blitz, McDonald's was more selective than the Princeton, Stanford or Yale University admission offices.

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On an annual basis, the average fast-food worker takes home $20,800, less than half the national average of $43,400. McDonald's appears to pay even worse, at least with its newest hires. In the press release for its national hiring day, the multibillion-dollar company said it would spend $518 million on the newest round of hires, or $8,354 a head. Hence the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of "McJob" as "a low-paying job that requires little skill and provides little opportunity for advancement."

Of course, if you read only the headlines, you might think that the jobs picture was improving. The economy added 1.3 million private-sector jobs between February 2010 and January 2011, and

Crossposted with TomDispatch.com

Think of it as a parable for these grim

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:rofl:

It's nice that we can have people analyse and point out the disparities, but it sucks that there are really no answers.

I went back to school to augment my AA dgeree with a Certificate in HR thru Cal State continuing ed, paid for by the Workforce Investment Act.

that was over a year ago, and I still cant get a job in the field because i lack a 4 year degree and my resume is thrown out immediately, forget my experiences, my certificate, i don't have a BA and that means I am not qualified.
add to that the fact that I have been unemployed since 2008,
and had spotty employment up to then as a single mom with three kids and juggling LIFE...

so my only option is to freelance and try for temp gigs and 'virtual assistant' stuff...
(I can't work at MCD's or retail, got chronic arthritis and can't lift 40 lbs and stand for 6 hours. Besides, no experience there either.)

so I am just eeeking by
never made more than 17K a year EVER
we have been on & off welfare more times than I care to admit, and my lifetime benefits are due to run out in july
so we go from $660 cash to $490 cash
explain that one to the utility companies and the rest...

ya, i am living the american dream alright
thankful that me and my kids are safe and healthy and have love in our home, it's all we've got...

my daughter is going through. Hugs to you.

Mc-icky failed to mention all the current employees who either lost their positions and those who were brought from full to part time status in their glorious effort to resurrect the economy. So, how much does $8.89 add up to for 24-34 hours a week? Not enough to purchase a "Happy Meal" but enough to make the .99 cent special become a daily staple.