Weekend Economists Take Five: December 7-9, 2012

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15. Low Wage Sectors Drive Employment Growth

Leisure and hospitality, health care and social assistance, retail and temporary jobs — all low wage sectors — have been responsible for over half (51%) of the private sector job growth the last year.

Weak wage growth is function of slack in the labor force and a lack of negotiating power amongst job holders and seekers.

Here.

People using up their resources, increasing number of working poor.

But then we have the better jobs, second tier at GM, $16 an hr. Almost enough to avoid half-price lunches in the public school program, something half - 50% - of all families qualify for in the Boise school system. Except for the ones that qualify for free because they have even less. for some of them the next meal they get after they leave Friday will be the breakfast they get at school on Monday. Maybe they could send them home with some standardized tests and a peanut butter spread.