Michigan State's working poor need help

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070914/OPINION03/709140309/1008/opinion01

Mark Gaffney: Labor Voices

State's working poor need help

Michigan families will continue to suffer without proper assistance

Although Michigan's economy has long been based on manufacturing, its role in the state's overall economy has begun to wane. The concern is that we are trading high-wage, high-skill jobs for those that pay less, in some cases much less. This is a trend not only across the nation, but in Michigan, too.

In May 2006, four out of the six occupations with the highest employment in Michigan had a median hourly wage below the poverty wage for a family of four ($9 per hour or about $18,000 per year). Now, more than 22 percent of all Michigan workers are in jobs that pay less than the poverty level for a family of four.

Poverty-wage jobs grow

The fastest-growing occupations across our nation -- guards, food service, tourism services and custodial-- are paying poverty wages unless the worker is a member of a union.

Another sad statistic is that 43 percent of all families classified as poor in Michigan have working adults. While opponents of minimum wage increases and other policies often claim that most workers earning very low wages are teenagers or single adults without children, the data do not support this assertion.

A recent study by the Michigan League for Human Services finds that 40 percent of minimum wage earners are the sole providers for their families. At least 68 percent of workers affected by the increase are 20 and older.

But there is good news and reason for optimism and hope.

FULL story at link.