Where have all the missing American workers gone?

news.yahoo.com/where-missing-american-workers-gone-090641551.html

Recent surveys suggest more and more longtime unemployed workers are abandoning the search for another job and leaving the nation's workforce.

"And they are disproportionately older workers," Van Horn said. "We have a large number of older (unemployed) workers who are not old enough to retire, yet they are facing discrimination in the workplace and have found it nearly impossible to get another job."



I've also wondered this and how are they surviving without money to afford even basic living expenses?

You'll just have to keep wondering.

This administration has to report that all is well in the kingdom.

I might as well share my story.

Ever since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to work in radio. But I have disabilities and I can't drive. The Mesquite Schools in Mesquite, TX started their own radio station when I was in middle school in 1984. When I was a sophomore in 1986, I started spending time at the station as a student DJ. I spent three years as a student DJ with them until graduating high school in 1989.

In 1990, they hired me as a part-timer, and thus my childhood dream became a reality. I spent 10 years with the station as a part-timer, and they finally promoted me to full-time in 2000. In 2003 they promoted me again to Music Director and I was set! I was working my dream job and loving every minute of it! This is exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my career!

Funny how fast love turns to hate! in 2008, my long-time boss retired. Upper management pulled a fast one on me by redefining my entire job duties. I was not expecting this! They basically wanted to pull me off of everything I enjoyed doing, and stick me behind a desk all day to maintain the station's public inspection file. I hated every bit of what they did to me and I could not believe it was happening.

I did not handle this unexpected change well at all, and it affected my behavior to the point that I ultimately lost the job in October of 2008. It's been almost 6 years since and my heart is still broken. All the other radio stations in this area are too far away from me to even consider even trying to become a volunteer.

Sadly, I will spend the rest of my life on SSDI. Now those of you who browse my profile will note that it says I am a small business owner. What I am actually doing is running my own Internet radio station with Live365. It makes very little money, but at least it keeps me happy!

Its brave to take that step doing your own thing. The workforce is getting more brutal unless one is in some specialized or technical field.

With right to work pretty much demolishing security in most jobs anymore, outsourcing, and technology; I am ultimately definitely gonna work for myself as well, tired of the BS and living check to check.

What a wonderful story having such a wretched ending. But I'm glad to know all was not lost and you have gained your own measure of independence that brings you happiness.

Being on disability is not such a bad thing, because it could be worse and you'd be struggling. Thank you for sharing your story...

I wholeheartedly agree with you msharmony... being self employed these days is a much more satisfying way to live. And I can't wait to find the niche that's best for me too.

I know... but hey, now we know Rob's story. And it helps me to see how people who have control over other people's lives can destroy their earned positions so easily.

It also makes me wonder if we should be teaching the younger generation to be better prepared to stand on their own rather than following the crowd to become part of someone else's workforce.

definitely

if money were no object, I would love to start a program for inner city youth especially, with mentors and financial specialists teaching them about building wealth and security instead of just 'earning income',,,,

Rob's story relates to the OP.

Plenty of unemployed elder workers remain unemployed because their work history is limited to occupations that are no longer in high demand.

My business became obsolete with the invention of the electric refridgerator.
I sold block ice from the back of a horse drawn trailer.

Exactly!

Precisely.

And if we look at Obamacare's widening of Medicaid's capability, at least the elder displaced workers could still have a basic level of medical services that would help them stay healthier while also keeping cash flowing through each state's economic environment.

Not to mix topics, joblessness and the ACA on this thread, but they both intertwine in reality.

I'm not sure if you're being serious or not, willing. But it wasn't too long ago this is exactly the way things were done, so...

I bet you're glad though that you can now drive to your local 7/11 for a bag of ice if your freezer is on the blink...

I was teasing.

I do recall the ice man. He'd chip off pieces for the kids. We'd have to rinse the cow chit and hay off it.
That was the way they kept it insulated.

Broke his spirit when my grandma sent me out to tell him she wouldn't be buying any more.

Short time later, his job was obsolete.

GE has been making trillions since.

I have listened to KEOM Mesquite, for many years. Apparently, you did a great job there. Just move on, keep your head up and good things can happen. Good luck!

Thanks!

Actually one good thing did happen with the Internet station I run at Live365. It became the #1 station in the 80s genre last month!

You voted for it...... and you weren't alone

Over 1/2 the country on welfare and medicaid.... someone has to pay for it

The FED keeps printing worthless money to loan to people with no jobs, selling security bonds nobody wants, while our industry has left the country for cheap labor and lower taxes

When profit is the bottom line, how long will those companies that are able to move to foreign countries waste their money supporting a govt that can't balance a check book, expecting an over-taxed people with no jobs to pay for it, stick around when they can make and export it cheaper from another country and still ask for rising prices.... and even BIGGER profits?

All this while on govt sponsored, corporate welfare, paid for by the middle and lower class peoples tax dollars while claiming "exemption" for themselves on the crumbs they leave behind.