Muscatine

I'd like to hear about a plan to help our recent graduates, (High school & college), GET A JOB; A JOB WITH BENEFITS! Talk, Talk, Talk...that's what we hear! At an alarming rate, kids are moving back in with their parents. OK, some parents are at fault, not ALL! I hear this montage...''We need to keep our graduates here in our hometown!''. What do we offer them in the way of jobs? NOTHING! GIVE ME A BREAK!
In the meantime, the fortune 500 companies in our town are pocketing
millions, using Temp Agencies with NO INSURANCE and NO guaranteed ''future income''! They are using ''Union Busting Attorneys'' to allow them to NOT pay for retiree insurance & to keep from paying sick leave, etc... If the politicians would only listen to the workers, and the graduates about their experiences trying to find a decent job @ a decent wage with benefits, maybe they could attempt to make a difference! HA! THEY WON'T! My kids are going to have to leave Muscatine to make a living. They have their Bachelor's degree! We are not alone. That SUCKS! Shame on ALL of our major companies. The demise of our ''temp town'' lies on YOUR HEADS!

While I understand your

frustration I dont see why it is up to Govt officials to provide your kids with a job that guarantees benifits. As long as folks are wiling to work for these temp places,they will continue to exist. Local employees need to form Unions so they can protect their jobs. That will only go so far also. What is their degree in? Is it a marektable skill? Sometime folks have a degree and think that that piece of paper entitles them to a great job but in reality it is not a skill that local employers are looking for. Sometimes the work record for the applicant is not up to snuff. No one is guaranteed anything in this life regardless of what we wish for. Insurance for retirees and in some cases sick leave are in the past because of profit margins. It is not an entitlement. That si why they are called benifits.

Those Fortune 500 companies will be here for a long time to come if they so choose regardless if a politician gets involved or not.

Herman

we are all to blame

all who bought anything from another country instead of the American product. everyone who allowed these elected officials who were selling America to foreign businesses. amnesty in the 80's. we the people made are choice with our cash and our vote. did you vote party lines, is their foreign made products in your house, did you try to stop the amnesty bill. we all are guilty.

HERMAN???

I RESPECTFULLY disagree with your answer wholeheartedly! It's up to our Govt. officials because they MAKE THE RULES! I am not necessarily asking for jobs for my/our children. It's for everyone in our town! ''People CHOOSE TO WORK TEMP?'' Hardly Anyone has a foot in the door unless they work for the Temp services. Every one of our companies use them. It saves them money & time from having to take applications, do interview, etc.
The companies in our town can hire a person for a day, a week...or for 89 DAYS! Some of our factory workers will know what I'm saying when I speak of the ''89 day wonders''. My understanding of this is that If they work 90 days.. The employer has to step up to the plate. YOU CAN'T sign a year lease, buy a house, LIVE LIFE, etc. if you work for temp services! God Forbid you get sick without health insurance! My daughter had bronchitis & needed medical attention. She held off for so long, it was almost pnemonia. We paid for the Dr. & the meds. She works full time with NO benefits! She has tried, desperately to find a job with very good credentials, to no avail!
What degrees do my kids have; Education, paralegal and business administration. The jobs are NOT there! Wouldn't you think these were safe choices? Do they have Experience? ABSOLUTELY! It's obvious you haven't searched for a job for a while. I'm happy for you! Ask around... ask a long term employee of GPC about their sick leave & benefits for retirees...it was taken away in the last contract. NEWS FLASH, they have a union. (Ergo, Union Busting Attorney!). Ask Heinz, HON & Bandag employees how well they are treated, (with no union}. Many of them don't even know from one day to the next what shift they need to work. Safety issues...I THINK SO! Do you really think it's easy to get a union started right now? Good GOD, Look what Wal-Mart is going through, what the Automobile Union is fighting for! The companies will fight tooth & nail to keep unions OUT! Read, Listen & pay attention Herman!
We want our kids, ''our future'', to stay here and make a mark in the world, HERE, NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE! Why let them leave if we can keep it from happening? Who do we turn to? Our politicians, our leaders...the people we put our trust in when we vote!
Again...I RESPECTFULLY disagree. No offense intended. Real Life is knocking at my families door, and it doesn't make sense.