Reading the Seattle Business Journal this morning and this is a top story:

Number of job openings falls in Washington state.

The number of job openings in Washington fell by 35 percent in April compared with six months earlier, according to new report by the Employment Security Department.

The state survey indicates that there were 32,635 job openings in April, compared with 50,593 openings six months earlier.

The state said that most of the job openings — more than 40 percent — pay less than $10 per hour. Education plays a role in getting more pay, the survey showed. About 53 percent of jobs that were available required a high-school diploma or less and those jobs paid $10 an hour or less. For the 4 percent of job openings that required a graduate degree, the median wage was $29.30 per hour.

Forty-two percent of all available jobs in the state were in King County and 10 percent were in Pierce County.

The job field with the most openings — 5,266 — was the health-care practitioners and technical field. In that field, there were openings for 2,317 registered nurses. The next occupations with the highest number of vacancies were the sales field (3,194 vacancies) and office and administrative support (3,045).

I think the key words here are:

“About 53 percent of jobs that were available required a high-school diploma or less and those jobs paid $10 an hour or less. For the 4 percent of job openings that required a graduate degree, the median wage was $29.30 per hour.”

For those of you who have never calculated, a 40 hour work week translates into 2,000 hours if there are two weeks of vacation a year (that would include time off for holidays, unpaid sick leave, etc.) and that translates into these income levels:

$10 per hour, 40 hours per week, 2,000 hours for 50 weeks of work = $20,000 gross

Take out some SSI and some withholding and it’s pitiful.  Even with out those deductions, it’s below poverty. Of course, as for the jobs at this pay level good luck getting 40 hours a week, figure more like 20- 30. And REALLY good luck at any health benefits.

$29.50 per hour, 40 hours per week, 2,080 hours for 52 weeks of work = $61,360 gross

Chances are there is about a 20% income tax and SSI deductions, perhaps there is health insurance – or at least partial coverage – and it is a liveable wage in a city like Seattle or Bellevue, perhaps better than that in smaller cities and rural areas.  It would very likely enable the person with exceptional budget skills to own a car and perhaps a condo or small home as well as save some. Shop at sales and clipping coupons and things could be good. But not if it’s a single earnign household and two kids.  Then it’s mac & cheese, thrist stores and cheap apartment dwelling. And with that scenario – goodness knows what the health insurance costs would be!

Just a thought on social fabric – brought to you by 8 years of G.O.P policies in the Reagan years, 4 more with Bush #1 and 8 of Bush #2. Oh – that’s right – they all got government pensions of more than a couple hundred grand a year since leaving office.  And a big set of props to greedy wall street real estate players.

~ blm